The benefits of role play are huge, and when you hear them it’s easy to see why so many experts, schools, and parents advocate learning through play.
The list of ways that role play can help young children is enormous. Here, though, we just wanted to share with you what we believe are the top seven benefits of play.
Physical development
Role play activities help to develop children’s fine and gross motor skills - and these skills help them in many facets of life, including writing. When they play with dolls and change their clothes, they learn how to fasten and unfasten buttons. When they play shops, they learn to press buttons on a till. There are loads of examples, of course, and the possibilities are endless!
Communication and language
Role play exposes children to a whole world of new language, and also allows them to explore new situations in a fun, friendly, and comfortable way. In a role play centre, they can visit the hospital, they can take their pet to the vets, they can explore the school or nursery. As well as developing their language skills, experiences such as this help children to build confidence, and remove the fear or uncertainty that some may experience when visiting some of these establishments in the real world.
Literacy
In many role play centres - Petite Street Playtown included - children will see signs welcoming them to the hairdressers, the shop, the vets, and more. Within each of these areas, they will also see various other signs, helping to develop their reading and literacy skills. Older children may even take this a step further and use their imagination to write shopping lists, create menus for their role play cafes, and so on.
Mathematics
There are plenty of opportunities for role play to support children with their mathematics, too. They can try counting out money, sharing the ice cream or cakes equally among their friends, and so on.
Understanding the world
Children see their grown-ups visit the shops, go to the hairdressers, and drive their cars everyday. Role play enables them to really develop their understanding of these situations, and give them a try for themselves. This develops not only their understanding, but their confidence too.
Creativity and imagination
Role play - whether at home or within a role play centre - gives children the opportunity to become a doctor, to put out fires, to be teachers. Brilliant for their creativity and imagination.
Personal, social, and emotional development
Role play centres encourage children to play with their grown-ups, and with other children- and this is an important skill. It helps them to build relationships and to make new friends. It also allows them to act out different roles to build their confidence.
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