You can never have too many role play ideas

I would like to compliment you on the feature 'Hospital corner' (20 September) and the magazine's focus on role play in the early years. This aspect of young children's learning is often overlooked and the emphasis is placed on more formal areas of the curriculum such as literacy and numeracy. However, role play provides a wealth of opportunities for development and self-expression. I would like to share my recent exploration of role play with you. To introduce the topic of an optician we encouraged the children to create their own spectacles using a simple cardboard design. We transformed the role play area into an optician's by providing items including eye charts, Braille books, picture books with eye parts, a telephone, chairs, notepads and small pen lights. During the group time we charted the children's eye colours and then blindfolded them so they could experience what it feels like to lose one's sight. This exercise showed how important sight is to our lives and the Braille books helped them understand how blind people live.