Small world play is quite simply when children play using dolls, figures and small versions of the real thing to create their own little worlds and scenarios...exploring creatively real and fantasy worlds.
Imagination
Children use their own experiences of the
world to build on their imaginative skills. Small world play offers the
opportunity for children to act out these experiences in a controlled way.
Small world environments allow children to act out daily routines or past
events such as putting a doll to bed or driving a car, however it also allows
them to experiment with fantasy play and develop their own ideas
Building Language Skills
Problem solving skills are key due to the nature of the play. Scenarios can often change and adapt, enabling the child to think of new ideas or ways to extend the play. Resources are a range of sizes and scales meaning a doll may not fit into a small world car. This can lead a child to display a range of emotions and use their problem solving skills to fix the problem and continue the play successfully.
Children will often learn a great deal about cause and effect through small world as they have a great deal of control over the play. This allows them to experiment with different actions, leading them to understand different outcomes. This allows a safe environment for the children to practise cause and effect without getting hurt!
Themes for small world play:
Fairy Forest, Dinosaur World, Troll Forest, Reptile World, Mini Beast World, Under The Sea, Down on the Farm, On the Moon, Outer Space, Our Town, The Building Site, Arctic World, The Rain Forest, Snowy Day, At the Beach, Growing, Spring, Autumn, Winter, Christmas, The Easter Story, Harry Potter, We're Going on a Bear Hunt....to name but a few!
Creating a space for Small World Play
Tuff spots (builders trays) are great as they are large and form an arena. I have made a number of themed play mats to fit the tuff spot. Here is a sea inspired tuff spot mat.
Play mats can help to keep the play confined to an area.
Just fabric drapes can also be used and choosing fabrics carefully you can enhance the play...shiny, sparkly fabrics, rough landscape patterned fabrics, grass effect fabric can all be found in charity shops or car boot sales. I have a contact who works at a clothing company who kindly lets me have samples of the most beautiful and unusual fabrics.
Small world play is such an important aspect of
children’s play because it helps children develop in so many different ways. When children play imaginatively it enables them to express thoughts and experiences in their
play helping them explore the world in which they live and begin to make sense of it. Small world also offers
the opportunity for children to build on their language skills, expanding their
vocabulary and their understanding. This type of play not only supports a range
of areas for development, but also benefits the child’s independent play
skills.
As parents /grand parents /carers we can help this learning process by providing the tools for children to use small world play to learn and develop. We can give children space to explore and support their learning by playing along side them at times, modelling language and expanding on their ideas but the important thing is to let them take the lead and explore, invent and create independently.
Imagination
Children use their own experiences of the
world to build on their imaginative skills. Small world play offers the
opportunity for children to act out these experiences in a controlled way.
Small world environments allow children to act out daily routines or past
events such as putting a doll to bed or driving a car, however it also allows
them to experiment with fantasy play and develop their own ideas
Building Language Skills
Small world helps children develop their language
skills including building vocabulary and understanding. Children are able to
learn new words and practise using them in context. Expressive language skills
can be encouraged through a small world experience, allowing the child to
narrate their play and talk about what is happening. They learn how to use positional language in this type of play, as a child moves the people in, on and
under objects.
Problem Solving Skills and Cause and EffectProblem solving skills are key due to the nature of the play. Scenarios can often change and adapt, enabling the child to think of new ideas or ways to extend the play. Resources are a range of sizes and scales meaning a doll may not fit into a small world car. This can lead a child to display a range of emotions and use their problem solving skills to fix the problem and continue the play successfully.
Children will often learn a great deal about cause and effect through small world as they have a great deal of control over the play. This allows them to experiment with different actions, leading them to understand different outcomes. This allows a safe environment for the children to practise cause and effect without getting hurt!
Themes for small world play:
Fairy Forest, Dinosaur World, Troll Forest, Reptile World, Mini Beast World, Under The Sea, Down on the Farm, On the Moon, Outer Space, Our Town, The Building Site, Arctic World, The Rain Forest, Snowy Day, At the Beach, Growing, Spring, Autumn, Winter, Christmas, The Easter Story, Harry Potter, We're Going on a Bear Hunt....to name but a few!
Creating a space for Small World Play
Tuff spots (builders trays) are great as they are large and form an arena. I have made a number of themed play mats to fit the tuff spot. Here is a sea inspired tuff spot mat.
Play mats can help to keep the play confined to an area.
Just fabric drapes can also be used and choosing fabrics carefully you can enhance the play...shiny, sparkly fabrics, rough landscape patterned fabrics, grass effect fabric can all be found in charity shops or car boot sales. I have a contact who works at a clothing company who kindly lets me have samples of the most beautiful and unusual fabrics.
As well as fabric you can make available small boxes, stones, shiny pebbles, bits of wood etc. for your child to create a landscape for their small world play...get them to search for things too.
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