A group of four/five year olds play a game of pirates in the school garden. See how this pretend play develops imagination and self-regulation skills.
Good for looking at
- Pretend play
- Imagination
- Socialising
- Communication
- Self-regulation
A group of four/five year olds are playing a game of pirates in the school garden.
Notice
- What cues can you see that show what the children are interested in during their play? (Look out for non-verbal and body language as well as spoken language)
- How are the children learning? Which areas of development, engagement and characteristics of learning can you observe?
- Can you see evidence of any aspects of self-regulation?
- How does the environment support the children’s learning?
Reflect
What are your thoughts about:
- The areas of learning and development that were covered through this play activity?
- The self-regulation shown by the children (particularly the girl wearing the checked dress)
- The importance of the environment and the materials for supporting the play?
Respond
What would you do to:
- Further support the children’s self-regulation? Are there any games you can think of that can help this?
- Use play to support the children’s social development?
- Encourage the children to use their pretend play ideas to develop stories and narratives?
What next:
- What could you do to encourage this kind of self-regulated behaviour in your setting?
- Do you give enough time for older children to develop complex stories in their play?
