utensils will facilitate discussion about food and increase children’s understanding of the importance of a balanced diet. Even very young children can pretend to cut with play knives and prepare pieces of play food. By doing this they can explore their food and develop a healthy, balanced attitude towards nutrition. The same is true of most adult activities. Children’s development is driven by the fact that young children always want to seem more grown up than they are. By enabling them to feel grown up by modelling everyday adult behaviours (cleaning,
laundry, shopping, DIY, looking after the children etc) parents are validating their children and bonding with them. Role-play toys that encourage these activities are incredibly valuable and should not be overlooked in favour of the latest high- tech toys. Many of the life skills that children need to develop in order to live successfully as an independent adult are not taught at school so as well as bonding with their children, increasing imagination and communication skills, parents who facilitate role play are helping them to learn skills that will benefit them in later life.
The items featured, plus many more, are available at
www.john-crane.co.uk
FIVE TOP TIPS TO ENCOURAGE POSITIVE ROLE-PLAY 1 2 3
Make it relevant to an activity that you’re doing or have done recently – shopping or washing etc.
Help your child if they are stuck for ideas at the start but then stand back and let them direct the play.
Be enthusiastic about your child’s ideas and praise them for their imagination.
4 5
Ask open-ended questions to encourage the progression of play - e.g. ‘what shall we do with this baking tray?’ Rather than ‘shall I put the baking tray in the oven?’
Be creative with equipment - a saucepan doesn’t have to only be used as a saucepan, it can be a helmet or a drum or anything else that a child wants it to be. Encourage imagination!
8
WWW.MUMSSURVIVALGUIDES.CO.UK
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