Make believe

Sue Rogers and Julie Evans
Wednesday, December 7, 2005

Observing children engaged in role play can give early years staff some revealing insights and ideas for changes in practice, as Sue Rogers and Julie Evans found Young children's preoccupation with role play is widely recognised. Indeed, research studies show that children aged three to five engage in role play more than any other kind of play. Role play can help children to develop social competence, to explore language and ideas about the world, to appreciate the perspectives of others, and to develop empathy. Through their imaginative excursions, we see children examine concepts of space, place and time, as they move beyond belief into the exciting world of make-believe (White, J, TheChild's Mind, Routledge Falmer 2002). In other words, role play can help children to learn important life skills, many of which are uniquely human.