ABSTRACT
Role play can be developed inside or outside and on large and small scales. There is a tendency to provide commercial resources for role play such as ready-made costumes and plastic food; however these items tend to have limited uses. This chapter will promote an open-ended and creative approach to role play where ‘real’ resources are used and where children are involved in equipping and setting up areas. The activities promote the use of cheap or free resources to stimulate children’s imaginations and enable play to take off on a whole range of levels. This type of play allows children to immerse themselves in different roles, providing a safe place to take risks, re-enact situations and explore feelings. Effective role play scenarios provide real-life, purposeful contexts for exploring mathematics and making mathematical marks.
