Oliver and Zara, both four-year-olds, were playing mum and dad in the yard. THE IMPORTANCE OF ROLE PLAY FOR CHILDREN

After creating stylized children together, Zara tells Oliver: “Let’s have a feast for our children!” Oliver replies: “Banquet! What is a banquet? ”Zara explains it to him and then, with the use of flowers and leaves, they create dishes and foods. For over 45 minutes they were engaged in this activity, talking to each other all the time.

Many learning areas are stimulating during this activity.

The teacher witnessed a sharing of ideas. He saw how Zara and Oliver learn from each other and used their imaginations in original and creative ways. Their game displayed initiative and advanced social skills in planning, cooperation and communication.

Role play is the tool through which children make sense of their world, elaborating experiences, ideas and stories. As Albert Einstein said “knowledge is limited while the imagination embraces the whole world”.

This type of game comes to life in any environment, indoors or out. It can be encouraged in a specific environment where props are provided to promote the game. Arches, windows and fabrics make it possible for children to create cozy corners and allow them to retreat for solitary play. Natural and recycled materials encourage children to play outdoors.

Learning and development with role play

Communication and language

Listening and attention

• Children show awareness of the needs of their listeners, discuss plans and ideas, and play their roles.

Communication

• Babies develop confidence and ability to express while talking to each other.

• During the game, children discuss their roles using the past, present and future. They connect ideas or events to what they are acting out.
• Normally silent children can “talk” on the phone as part of their role play.
• Children mimic tones of voice, body languages ​​and expressions.

Physical development

Movement and motor skills

• Role-playing games provide children with the opportunity to be active.
• During the role play the children show gross motor skills.
• The daily “chores” included in the role play support proprioceptive development in a natural way: sweeping, ironing, lifting or pushing.

In role-playing games, children demonstrate control of fine motor skills by handling tools such as scissors, pencils, labels, spoons, whips, etc.

Personal, social and emotional development

Self-confidence and self-awareness

• Children discuss their ideas on how to play and how to organize themselves in their roles.
• They work as a group, adjusting their behavior.
• Social skills and trust are developed through role play.

Management of feelings and behavior

• Children act out both negative and positive feelings and experiences.
• They create relationships
• Children learn to take initiative and follow the guidance of others.
• Role play fosters empathy by allowing children to see things from the perspective of others

Literacy

Reading

• Children try to link sounds to letters by reading or pretending to do so during role play.

Writing

• Older children who mimic adults can write words: make a grocery list, take a phone message, or pretend to be a teacher. These “words” can also be imaginary.
• Children create invitation letters, warning signs, or directions as part of their game. These can largely consist of designs and decorations.

Mathematics

Numbers

• Children try their hand at calculation, for example when they play to interpret traders. 9
• The role play includes many 1 to 1 matches. For example, children can set the table with a spoon and bowl for each person.
• Children explore comparisons such as: “You have more than me”. They begin to estimate and perform simple calculations: “We will need two more” or “There are hundreds and hundreds”.

Shapes, spaces and sizes

• The role play includes size comparisons: “This bed is too small for you”, “I need a bigger bowl”.
• Role play includes concepts of space: “under the table”, “near the chair”, “behind the door”.
• Children discuss the size and weight of the objects they play with.

Money is a very common theme in this type of game – for example playing a hairdresser or a cashier: “How much does it cost?”, “I don’t have enough”.

Understanding the world

People and communities

• Babies act out past and present experiences – a new baby in the family or mom’s job.
• Role play reflects children’s understanding of the similarities and differences between them and others, between families, communities and traditions.
• Children mimic body language, facial expression, gestures, tone of voice and accent, demonstrating knowledge of the differences between people.

The world

• When children set up role play scenarios, they demonstrate knowledge of various environments
• Children can be seen creating different types of houses, for example a yurt or an igloo.

Technology

• children show their understanding of how technology is used in various environments: vacuum cleaner, television or oven in the home; barcode scanner at the supermarket checkout; keypad and telephone in the office, remote control key in the garage.
• Children imitate timers and switches, making sounds and beeps.

• Children create fake technological objects, for example by building a stove or a television.

Expressive art and design

Exploration and use of materials

• Children often incorporate songs, music and dance into their play, experiencing changes in words, rhythm and movement.
• Children can decorate their role play space with all sorts of materials. They can add curtains, flowers or natural objects.

Imagination and fantasy

• Imagination is intrinsic to role play when children represent their ideas, thoughts and feelings through their play.
• Even a very young child might put a piece of cloth over his head to “be” someone else.
• Children use symbolic objects to which they assign a different function than the one for which they were created.