Let's Dress Up Like...
Level 2 strengthens application and explanation. 'Let's Dress Up Like...' deepens understanding of health responsibility.
- Framework: EYFS
- Unit: EYFS Health, Safety and Hygiene
- Learning area: Art / Drama
- Level: EYFS Reception
Objectives
- Explain safety/hygiene reasoning
- Apply concept independently
- Collaborate during activity
Instructions
Materials
- Assorted clean medical scrubs, lab coats, and oversized shirts.
- Plastic stethoscopes, bandages, and empty medicine bottles.
- Large mirrors for self-reflection.
- Clipboards with paper and crayons for recording patient notes.
- A designated dramatic play area labelled as a clinic.
Learning Objectives
- Demonstrate understanding of the roles and responsibilities of healthcare workers.
- Use imaginative play to simulate a visit to a doctor or nurse.
- Practise social communication skills by using polite greetings and simple medical terminology.
- Develop fine motor skills by manipulating medical props like bandages and clipboards.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Begin by gathering the children in a circle to discuss what they know about doctors and nurses.
2. Ask open-ended questions such as what tools a doctor uses to help people feel better.
3. Introduce the dress-up materials and model how to put on a lab coat or use a stethoscope safely.
4. Explain that the dramatic play area is now a classroom clinic and establish simple rules for patient care.
5. Encourage children to pair up, with one student acting as the healthcare provider and the other as the patient.
6. Prompt the healthcare providers to ask their patients how they are feeling and to write down notes on their clipboards.
7. Remind children to use gentle hands when applying bandages or checking a patient with a stethoscope.
8. Rotate roles after ten minutes so every child has the opportunity to be both the caregiver and the patient.
9. Conclude the activity by having the children help organise the props back into their designated bins.
Educator Tip
To support children who are hesitant to participate, join the play as a patient yourself to model the interaction. This reduces anxiety and provides a clear example of how to use the props effectively.
Assessment
- Observe if the child can identify at least two tools used by medical professionals.
- Note the child's ability to engage in sustained role play for at least five minutes.
- Record whether the child uses appropriate social language when interacting with their patient or doctor.
Educator tip
Require complete thoughts (sentence frames); rotate roles in pairs; photograph work for portfolios.
Assessment
Assess against Early Learning Goals (ELGs). Document evidence of 'expected' or 'exceeding' descriptors. Note: independent application of skills, ability to explain reasoning, and capacity to build on prior learning. Observe reasoning, independence, collaboration.