There are so many ways in which kids can play. Whether it’s a game already in existence, or one they’re making up themselves, each game has something to offer. Because young children are still learning about everything in the world around them, it helps them to be able to experience various aspects for themselves.
This is just one reason why role play can be such a beneficial activity for children. Here, we’re taking a look into several more benefits that role play for kids can have. Dive in to learn about how this activity can help your little one to learn and grow.
The Benefits of Role Play for Kids
Role play can help kids to learn and grow in a number of ways. It’s a fantastic activity for teaching them more about the adult world and what kinds of experiences they may face as they get older. Take a look at these benefits to learn more about why role play is great for your child!
1. Learning About the Real World
There are a number of situations that children can learn about by role playing them. Things like going to a restaurant, cooking a meal, going camping or taking a trip to the grocery store are just a few examples. When they practice these activities, they learn how to behave during those trips.
Not only is it fun for them to play pretend, but they’re actually starting to get a feel for how those kinds of transactions should play out when they get older. As a result, they are more prepared for the real world, and more ready to socialize and take on roles in those situations.
2. Experiment With Adult Jobs and Roles
As children play in various roles, they can learn about adult life and the careers therein. This allows them to gain some experience in learning what it’s like to be a doctor, firefighter, veterinarian or just about any other career they might have some interest in.
For some, this can be a very early indication to what kinds of jobs that child might be interested in as they get older. Even if that isn’t the case, it’s a great way for young kids to learn about what people do when they work various jobs, or take on various roles in their household or community.
3. Learning Empathy
As children practice taking on different roles, they start to learn about what life is like for people who actually maintain those roles in society. While this might be in a much lighter way, it helps to start creating the groundwork for more empathy towards other people.
For example, if a small child is taking on the role of a parent in their play, then they start to learn what it’s like to take care of a baby. In time, that fuels an ability to place themselves in the shoes of someone else.
4. Building the Imagination
Role play is also a fantastic way for young children to start engaging their imagination. Naturally, they probably don’t know everything about the role they are playing, so that gives them an opportunity to create situations, problems to solve and experiment with how that role can be taken on.
Additionally, it’s a great opportunity for them to start learning how to create unique stories of their own. The sky is the limit when it comes to role playing for children. They can become a vet for unicorns or work in a restaurant that serves only the most delicious Play Dough creations.
5. Increasing the Understanding of Other Cultures
When children have the chance to try out new roles and jobs, they can experience other cultures as well. This might mean racial cultures, such as pretending to be a samurai or a king in another country. Or it might mean traveling back in time to be a knight.
In other cases, it may mean cultures that exist in work places, colleges or other environments. Regardless of what the culture it is, playing a role within that culture can help children to learn what those cultures are like, and it’s a great opportunity to teach them about those cultures as well.
6. Developing Social Skills
Role playing together can allow children to both engage in play and learning as well as discover how to interact with one another. Just imagine a pair or group of children playing like they’re in a grocery store, taking turns being the checker while others line up to buy various items.
It’s a fun experience for them, and they get to learn about what it’s like to work or shop at a grocery store. As a result, they learn more about this activity and begin building friendships by playing together. While it may just look like play, there’s really some important learning going on!
7. Learning by Doing
As children practice various kinds of roles, they learn more about those roles. Essentially, it’s like having on the job training, except they aren’t actually on the job and they can work through the various aspects of that role in their own time and in a safe way.
These activities are also fantastic for helping them to learn about their growing interests, as they may find that some activities are more fun than others. Consequently, they can start to develop ideas about the kinds of roles and careers they may be interested in as they grow up.
Conclusion
No matter what role they’re playing, experiencing the activities involved in it for themselves is a great way for children to discover various aspects of the world and start putting themselves in the shoes of other people. As a result, they become more empathetic and have a greater capacity for understanding others.
Because of that, it’s a good idea to encourage role play quite often. Additionally, allowing them to experience a number of roles is a great way to provide a well-rounded experience. Not to mention, it’s going to be a whole lot of fun for them in the process!
I’d love to know what your favouite role playing games are for your kids? Leave me a comment below and ill get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Play!
Erica
Check out my other popular articles on the benefits of play for your kids: Benefits of Musical Instruments for Toddlers and Benefits of Water Play for Your Child
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