Use small-world play as a stimulus for new adventures involving the magic bed.
Resources
Construction equipment, including found and commercially produced items; wide variety of small-world resources; containers in which to hold the 'small worlds'; multi-sensory materials such as moss, coloured gravel and glitter Play suggestions
* Constructing small worlds for the magic bed to visit (scenarios may be original or inspired by the book).
* Building a magic bed to travel around the small worlds.
* Taking a small toy figure on adventures around the setting in the magic bed.
* Developing journeys and adventures over time, in pairs or small groups.
* Making maps of the imaginary journeys, so that others can share the adventure.
* Taking 'aerial' photographs of the small worlds, to see what they would look like from the magic bed.
Things to say and do
* I wonder what would happen if...?
* Which part of your magical adventure made you feel excited/happy/scared?
* Which was your favourite place to visit?
* What might happen if your magic bed lost its powers while you were travelling? How might you get home?
* Use a video recorder to record some of the imaginary travels.
* Incorporate musical instruments, so that the children can create sound effects for their 'small worlds'.
* Provide the children with laminated photographs of themselves (head to toe!) to use with their little magic beds.
Possible learning outcomes
Shows enthusiasm and motivation to learn
Uses language to express ideas and talk about experiences
Uses language to sequence ideas and clarify thinking
Uses developing mathematical ideas to solve practical problems
Uses imagination in small-world play
Creates narratives within an imaginary world
