Let's Play House!: Family Role-Play Centre

Level 3 develops academic independence and deeper identity work.

Objectives

Materials

Instructions

Materials

Dress up clothes (hats, scarves, aprons, old shirts)

Child-sized kitchen set or play stove

Play food and dishes

Dollhouse or a large cardboard box to create a "home"

Small dolls or stuffed animals representing family members

Picture books about families

Chart paper and markers

Sugar paper and crayons

Learning Objectives

Children will engage in imaginative role-play, acting out scenarios related to family life.

Children will practise communication and cooperation skills by interacting with peers during play.

Children will demonstrate an understanding of different family roles and responsibilities.

Children will express their ideas and feelings about their families through drawing and discussion.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Introduce the "Family Role-Play Centre" by showing the children the dress-up clothes and play home items. Ask, "What kinds of things do families do at home?"

2. Explain that they can pretend to be different members of a family and act out daily activities like cooking, cleaning, or taking care of each other.

3. Invite children to choose role-play characters and encourage them to think about who is in their family at home.

4. Suggest scenarios such as preparing a meal together, having a family dinner, or helping a baby doll.

5. Observe as children interact, offering prompts like, "Who is cooking dinner tonight?" or "What does your family do after school?"

6. Bring the group together after play to discuss what happened. Ask questions like, "What was your favourite part of being in your family?" and "Did anyone cook something special?"

7. On chart paper, create a simple drawing of a house together and ask children to share one thing their family does for fun at home. Write their ideas around the house drawing.

8. Provide paper and crayons for children to draw a picture of their own family doing something special, either at home or somewhere they enjoy together.

Educator Tip

Ensure a variety of dress-up items are available to represent diverse family structures and roles. Encourage children to use their imaginations to create their own family scenarios. For added family involvement, consider sending home a simple note inviting families to share a photo of their family doing an activity together to display in the centre. Safety: Remind children to share materials and take turns.

Assessment

Observe children's interactions in the role-play centre, noting their ability to cooperate, communicate, and assume different family roles. Collect the drawings of their families; these can provide insight into their understanding and perception of their own family structures and activities.

Educator tip

Use rubric; insist on justification.

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. Rubric (1–4): narrative quality, cooperation, language use.

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