Enabling environments birth to Threes: Role up!

WHAT YOU NEED

A range of glasses - children's, adults' and toy varieties, ideally in modern and old-fashioned designs; large container, such as a hat box, old suitcase, gift box, canvas bag or wooden drawer

POSSIBLE LEARNING OUTCOMES

- Grasp meaning from context

- Use language as a means of sharing feelings, experiences and thoughts

- Pretend that one object represents another

- Begin to make-believe by pretending

PLAYING THE GAME

- Place all the glasses in the container, present them to the children and let them try on the different pairs. Show your interest by exclaiming, 'You look cool/different!' and so on.

- As their play develops, ask the children who they are pretending to be - a superhero? - and ask appropriate questions about the roles that they have taken on - 'What's your name? What powers do you have?'

- Suggest they make their chosen identity look happy, sad, or whatever. Allow them to 'play' out their chosen roles using the glasses and to look for additional resources to enhance their role.

- Challenge them to find something such as a scarf, bag or dressing-up item that will enhance their role.

EXTENSION IDEA

Introduce a toy telephone and encourage the children to hold a conversation 'in character'. Ask questions, make suggestions and set challenges as you talk with the child on the telephone about who they are.

WRAP IT UP

WHAT YOU NEED

Decorated box or basket; wide range of fabrics - include a variety of colours, sizes (small, long and very large) and types (patterned, plain, heavy, light-weight, textured, silky). Give time and thought to putting together the collection of materials - a good selection will encourage children's imaginations to run wild.

POSSIBLE LEARNING OUTCOMES

- Begin to be assertive and self-assured when others have realistic expectations of their competence

- Use language as a powerful means of sharing feelings, experiences and thoughts

- Move spontaneously within available space

- Pretend that one object represents another

- Begin to make-believe by pretending

PLAYING GAMES

- Place the fabrics in the box or basket and introduce the children to them by talking about their textures, colours, size and so on.

- Choose two pieces and suggest how they could be used, before encouraging the children to make their own suggestions. For example, when presented with a long strip of a green fabric, one group of children suggested it could be rolled up and used as a snake; placed over a cushion and tied round the waist to create a turtle shell; tied in the middle to create butterfly wings; tied at the top to become a bridesmaid's headdress; or hung over one shoulder to be used as a tribal dance costume.

- Interact with the children - through questions, comments and challenges - as they choose a fabric and take on a role.

- As they develop their play, suggest that they find objects to enhance their role - for example, a flower for a butterfly, musical instruments to accompany a dancer and so on.

EXTENSION IDEA

Offer the children pieces of plain white fabric to decorate and create a role for themselves. Suggest a party outfit, superhero, etc, then let the children experiment by cutting, painting and using fabric pens.

Alice Sharp is managing director of training centre Experiential Play (www.experientialplay.com) and director of resource company Wonderbox, specialising in interactive products for use with children under three (www.wonderbox.co.uk, e-mail: info@wonderbox.co.uk).