EARLY YEARS EXPERIENCE: ROLE PLAY

Roleplay

Role Play can be one of the most important activities for young children, it not only stimulates their imagination but can helps with their social development. Literacy, numeracy and other curriclum activities can all be planned as part of a role play situation

Below are some suggestions for role play.

A Garden Shop

This can be particularly appropriate in the Spring and Summer Terms when it can coincide with growing activities.

Suggested items to collect:

 

Plant pots Containers of artificial flowers Seed packets (made by the children) Posters

Child sized: Spade Fork Trowel

Canes Watering can Seed trays Seive

Activities:

• Take a trip to a local garden centre.
• Grow cress, sunflowers, pumpkins, beans, beansprouts etc.
• Design and make seed packets.
• Make paper and card flowers for the shop.
• Discuss safety issues in a garden, including poisonous plants and berries.
• Maths activities:

  Counting, using plant pots and seeds, flowers in a bucket.

  Money, using a play till and money.

There are endless variations of shops: Bakers, Newsagents, Shoe and Clothes shops, even a mini supermarket which can all incorporate activities from other curriculum areas.

A Beach Shop

This is appropriate particularly during the summer term and could be used alongside activities about the sea and sea shore.

 Suggested items to collect:

 

Buckets Spades Balls Rackets

Arm bands Inflatable rings/boats Fishing nets Sandcastle flags

Blackboard for tide times Ice cream posters Post cards Sand Tray

sunglasses

Activities:

• Designing and making postcards to sell at the shop.
• If you are lucky enough to live by a beach, then you could arrange a trip.
• Designing ice-creams and ice lollies for a poster.
• Maths activities:

  Counting buckets, spades, or shells etc

  Money, using a play till and money.

  Comparing sizes of buckets and spades.

  Sorting, for example, shells by shape and colour.

• Science activities:

  Making ice-lollies, looking at how freezing juice changes it from liquid to solid.

  Making sandcastles, comparing dry sand and wet sand. Which makes the best sand castles?

A Farm Shop 

This is suitable for any time of year as the vegetables and fruit on display can match the changing seasons.

Suggested items to collect:

Baskets for fruit and vegatables Play food Fruit and vegetables

Blackboard for prices/special offers Shoe and cereal boxes to make vegetable boxes Notepads and pencils

Posters showing fresh fruit and vegetables Card for price tags

Activities:

• Designing poster and labels for the produce
• Writing orders for delivery
• the Weighing fruit and vegetables
• Use the shop to look at seasonal fruit and vegetables, discuss where it comes from. Do any of the children's families grow their own?
• Printing using the cut fruit and vegetables
• Maths activities:

  Weighing ingredients for cooking activities using the fruit or vegatables

  Money, using a play till and money

  Counting the fruit and vegetables for the farm vegetable box delivery

A Cafe

This is appropriate any time of the year and can encourage a lot of interaction between the children. Make a change by having a French or Italian cafe - the possibilities are endless.

Suggested items to collect:

 

Plastic Tea set Beakers Napkins and serviettes Plastic cutlery

Trays Play food Cakes and Biscuits Menu cards

Blackboard for menu Notepads and pencils Hats and aprons Chairs and tables

Activities:

• Cooking, making small cakes and biscuits to sell in the shop.
• Use the cafe as a way of introducing food from other cultures.
• Make menu cards or have a blackboard for the children to write the menu for the day.
• Maths activities:

  Weighing out ingredients when cooking.

  Money, using a play till and money.

  Counting and sorting cups, saucers, plates and cutlery, cakes etc.

 

A Theatre or Cinema Box Office

Again this is appropriate any time of the year and could coincide with an end of term performance of songs or play for the parents.

Suggested items to collect:

 

Computer Keyboard Play till

Posters, (real or child made) Tickets Simple seating plan

Popcorn Programmes (made by the children) Uniform

Activities:

• Making posters and programmes.
• The box office could be used to sell tickets to parents for an end of term event.
• If possible this activity could coincide with a visit to a local theatre.
• Making popcorn, looking at the change in the corn
• Maths activities:

  Money, using a play till and money.

  Counting by making a seating plan out of squared paper and using coloured stickers to stick on the squares to represent when the seat has been sold.

  Introducing time, what time the performances will start.