ABSTRACT
Young children learn about the world and make sense of their experiences through acting out scenes in the role play area or with small world figures, where they may choose and develop characters, try them out, enjoy them and then discard them in favour of the next game. Some children naturally play in this way from a very young age, often because they have been encouraged to do so at home, while others learn to do it by copying and joining in with their peers. Some children will need more help and support as they may find this type of play more challenging and do not choose it spontaneously. Opportunities for drama with the right equipment, a well-planned programme, some good ideas, confidence, flexibility and lots of enthusiasm make a vital contribution to the development of all children.
