10 reasons why we should have more role-play for children! *smile*

Photo by Steven Libralon on Unsplash

Hello all! Today I have brought to you a blog post about the importance of role-play for children!

Role-play is used by children of all ages. Specifically for children aged 3-5, you will always find a ‘Role-Play’ section in the classroom, ranging from pint-sized kitchens, a hospital, or even a restaurant. For children older than this, this aspect is covered through the use of Drama and/or Dance. 

I believed that role-play was a ‘fun activity’ for the children to dress up in and play with. However, there’s a whole multitude of reasons why role-play can be really beneficial to children who engage in this activity.

Benefits of Role-Play.

1.       Empathy: by pretending to be someone else, they are able to adopt a new persona and hence understand this person’s feelings. They are able to gain a new perspective of experiences.

2.       Cognitive development through Imagination and Exploration: Children are able to make up stories and be spontaneous. They are able to think on their feet, learning through trial and error, problem-solving and being their own author.

3.       Travel through Creative Fantasy: Children are able to travel back and forth in time and space. This week, they can be playing Mums and Dads, and then next week they can be a Martian alien from the year 2030.

4.       Socialising construct: Children start to adopt socially accepted rules. They understand that when you go to a Post Office, you approach the cashier, or when you shop at the supermarket, you collect a basket, take food from the shelf and put it in your basket.

5.       Roles and Responsibility: Children begin to understand that characters have certain responsibilities. A Baker will serve you bread in a bakery, whilst a Fire-fighter will be the person you need to call in the event of a fire.

6.       People around the world: By draping a sari over their shoulder, or pretending to be a Chinese dragon, children are able to experience and gain an understanding of cultural customs from different parts of the world.

7.       Relating to personal experience: If they’re playing in a Post Office, Hospital, or Zoo, they are very likely to tell you if they have any experience and knowledge of these settings! This helps to reinforce their self-esteem, because they are proud to be able to relate. Additionally, they can bring some pre-existing knowledge and vocabulary to support learning at school.

8.       Verbal and Non-verbal communication skills: They are able to understand that there are different ways of speaking and acting. They learn to turn-take during Speaking and Listening to others, and also begin to learn the body language associated with certain roles.

9. Collaboration, Co-ordination, Compromise and Co-operation: Children will learn how to; resolve conflicts when differences of opinions arise, how to manage their feelings and behaviour during this time, and that they all need to work together in order to allow the role-play to be a success!

10.   Fun Creative Expression!:  Some children find role-play to be a safe and so-called ‘detached’ space  for them to express feelings or thoughts.

Those are my 10 reasons for why role-play is crucial to a child’s development and growth! I hope that during this time, you have a fun time watching or doing some role-play with your children! It really is interesting to watch children who are otherwise quiet or shy, really develop their confidence and flourish through drama!

Till next time, keep smiling and stay blessed J

Shai.

xxx