Free Play
Learning Goals: Social Play, Oral Language, Creativity, Abstract Thinking
Implementation:
Set up a dramatic centre within your classroom, providing materials for the children based on students’ interests.
Students can use available classroom materials to engage in pretend play by negotiating, choosing, and acting out roles and storylines.
This type of play is not limited to the dramatic play centre, instead it can occur anywhere inside or outside of the classroom.
Suggested Resources:
Various costumes and props
Toys (i.e. dinosaurs, vehicles, stuffed animals)
Puppets
Found materials (e.g. recycled cereal boxes, plastic containers, etc.)
Why is it Free Play?
The children are leading the play by deciding on the roles, storylines, and materials to be used.
During the play, the educator acts as an observer. Their primary role is to provide engaging materials to facilitate the children’s free play.