Ideas For Challenging Role Play Areas

[Guest]

Hi everyone, Hope you can help!!

Can you think of any more challenging or different role play areas for a large reception class?

The large room holds two classes and is very boy heavy.

They currently have a vets, a garage workshop, a space ship linked to the topic, a hairdressers and a kitchen.

Some areas have been there far too long or are not always well resourced.

Understandably the children do not use these areas well

This is not where I work usually but I do cover and it's getting me down, any suggestions welcome and I'll pass them on

[AnonyMouse_30147]

boxes and masking tape - lots of good castle and fort play there....

ten pin bowling alley with till and tickets and scoreboard

train

car parts shop (linked to your garage)

pirate ship

 

what do the boys like to do?

[AnonyMouse_2157]

have you looked at Alistair Bryce-Clegg's blog on abcdoes? Full of ideas for deconstructed role play- i.e. provide basic materials such as cardboard boxes, tubes, pieces of material, washing line (type you havee when you go camping), etc this way the children can decide what it becomes- chance to let them decide their own themes day by day, establish their own rules and how they want to enhance it.

 

http://www.abcdoes.typepad.com/

[Guest]

We've had a post office/office this week, which I've suggested might mutate into a kind of 'SuperHero Central' where super heroes come to get their missions (you can guess what are boys are obsessed with at the moment!)

 

How about an airport? That's fun with cases, x-ray machines, passports, etc.

[Guest]

A camp site with pop up tent, sleeping bags, torches, sticks for camp fire, saucepans, guitar!

 

Airport one never works for us as not many of them have had that real experience.

 

Rabbit hospital went well, building site with planks, hats, wheelbarrows.

 

Crazy cafe where weird and wonderful things are made and consumed, add playdough, craft materials, junk, straws, stones, shells and they can make jelly cake, worm pie, custard sandwiches, etc. to serve to unsuspecting members of staff who give a great 'ugghhh' sound and ask to see the mangaer etc. You could add a big cauldron type pot for stirring, giant teapot etc. Make chalkboard menu.

[Guest]

Thank you for all your replies some lovely ideas.

I feel the boys are a physical lot and sometimes don't get along very well having unchallenging and poorly resourced role play areas doesn't help.

The classroom does need a revamp in some areas but as it's not where I usually work it's tricky

I like the idea of deconstructed role play for outdoors, they would love that and it would get them working together instead of bickering and hurting each other.

[AnonyMouse_32166]

i ask my children what they want the role play area to be and what should go in it, you will be surprised at the suggestions! mine have just asked for a supermarket, as soon as they children stop using it, we change it.

 

what are their interests, theme the role play around that and they are more likely to go in.

we have just has a science lab and they loved it, put the water tray in there and lots of oher mateirlas like flour, salt, glitter, paper, sand ect.. they made a mess but it was a good opportunity to work with them to look at ways to clean it up!

[Guest]

We have just one role play area but we change the theme every 2 weeks so that the children remain engaged and motivated. We hire the resources from a local nursery school which offers this service for £80 per year.

 

So far since Sept we have had Pirates, Space, Vet, Medieval Castle, Hospital, Opticians, Hairdressing Salon (very popular with girls and boys!), Camping, Fruit and Veg stall, Formula 1 Racing, DIY and Construction Site.

 

It is as exciting for the staff as it is for the children when the new boxes of role play stuff arrive!

[Guest]

Thank you everyone!

I think that is half the problem the role play areas are not changed often enough. I think it all comes down to the staff not having enough time to change them and not always having the money for new resources. Attractive labels and posters for the areas are easy enough to find online but the children can't play with those you need imagination.

Don't get me wrong I would love to get my hands on these areas in the classroom but it's not my room so I don't feel able to. I can just suggest tactfully