The Importance of Role Play

 One very important way that children learn about the world around them is thru role playing.  Just about every kid loves dressing up in costume or reenacting the role of a character.  This imitative play is not only normal, but beneficial to learning.  The simple act of role playing accomplishes much in your child’s mind.  It actually engages emotion, cognition, language and sensory motor skills, and encourages social interaction.


Wood Designs Dramatic Play Package



Everyone can remember how much fun dressing up like a princess or firefighter was when they were younger and it is just as much fun for children now.  Often times, children role play with each other.  Usually they take turns playing leader, negotiating and instructing while others follow direction.  This encourages cooperation and team work-both important in developing social skills.

Dramatic play such as this also helps children to recognize the difference between fantasy and reality.  As any child knows, anything is possible in your imagination.  A piece of scrap paper denotes money and a simple stack of blocks is a beautiful castle.  The realization that this is make believe helps to formulate what reality is to children and what is and is not possible.  A child may dream of a castle and horse in their backyard and enjoy pretending they are there.  The reality they come to understand is that this is not a reasonable wish outside of pretend time and is intended for playtime fodder.

Providing costumes and dress up stations is a great way to encourage these adventures.  Wood Designs provides two different size Dress Up centers that allow room for shoes, wands, hats, hanging clothes, and just about anything your children can come up with.  The Dress Up centers also include a mirror so children may astonish themselves at their transformations.  Checkout www.WoodDesigns.org to see all we have to encourage your young one's imagination!