Role Play Continuous Provision
Role Play · Continuous Provision
Familiar moments.
Imagined possibilities.
Make a meal, care for a teddy, take a message or set off on an adventure. Offer familiar props, flexible spaces and time for children to create, share and revisit their own stories.
Explore role play continuous provision for nurseries, preschools, Reception classes and childminders, with themed enhancements and selected resources to adapt for KS1.
Home Corner Role-Play PackSee this resource on the page ↓
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01 · Everyday provision
A familiar place to make believe
Build a dependable offer around home life, care, shared experiences and open-ended props. Use a few useful printables alongside real materials, and let children decide what the space becomes.
Home Corner Role-Play Pack
Support everyday home play with room signs, phone prompts, word cards, pretend food and purposeful list-making templates.
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Home Corner — Kitchen Role-Play Pack
Use kitchen-themed printables alongside pretend cooking, preparing meals and home conversations.
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Home Corner — Living Room Role-Play Pack
Add living-room printables to familiar family and home role-play scenarios.
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Home Corner — Bathroom Role-Play Pack
Add bathroom-themed printables to play about familiar home routines and caring for others.
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Home Corner — Bedroom Role-Play Pack
Use bedroom-themed printables alongside familiar bedtime and home role play.
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Home Corner — Home Office Role-Play Pack
Add home-office printables to pretend work, phone calls and everyday message-making.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Begin with the play: suitable everyday objects, dolls and teddies, fabric, bags, containers, paper and room to talk and act. A home corner can stay familiar while the stories change. Children can use a prop in a new way, play alongside someone, watch or join an adult.
Homes, families & everyday language
Reflect the homes, families and experiences children know. Offer pictures and words as communication choices, leaving room for children’s own names and ways of doing things.
Families — Display & Conversation Posters
Five posters show some of the different forms families can take. Use alongside familiar family photographs and conversation to help a home corner reflect children’s lives.
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Bathroom Word Cards & Mat
Use bathroom words, a mat and a sign to support talk about familiar objects during home play.
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Bedroom Word Cards & Mat
Keep bedroom words and pictures nearby for shared talk about familiar rooms and routines.
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Kitchen Word Cards & Mat
Add kitchen words, a mat and a sign to support conversations during pretend cooking and food preparation.
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Living Room Word Cards & Mat
Use living-room word cards, a mat and a sign to support familiar home conversations.
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Types of Homes Word Mat & Cards
Explore names and pictures of different homes, from flats and cottages to caravans and castles.
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Parts of a House Poster
Use labelled house features to support talk about homes, from roofs and windows to gardens and garages.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Messages, lists, signs & purposeful marks
A list, appointment, message or label can have a real purpose in pretend play. Offer paper and tools without requiring children to write before they can join in.
Everyday Writing — Lists
Keep list paper beside everyday role-play props. Children can draw, dictate or write a shopping list, gather supplies or remember a plan for their play.
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Everyday Writing — Messages
Offer message paper when children want to invite someone, share news, ask for help or send a thank-you. Pictures, marks, dictated words and writing can all carry a message.
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Everyday Writing — Signs & Notices
Invite children to make a welcome sign, show a route or share a request in their play. Open layouts leave room for their own pictures, marks and words.
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Everyday Writing — Labels
Untitled label spaces let children name props, organise a pretend shop or explain what they have made. Offer a choice of layouts alongside plain paper.
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Maps, Plans & Routes
Open-ended map and plan formats for children’s journeys and imagined places. Add them when a delivery, adventure or route gives a purpose to drawing and writing.
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My Home Drawing & Writing Sheets
Offer a choice of templates for children to draw, mark or write about their own home.
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Home Corner Mark Making Pack
Keep varied home-themed templates available for purposeful drawing, marks and early writing during play.
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Houses and Homes Drawing & Writing Sheets
Choose home-themed templates for drawing, marks and writing connected to children's play and experiences.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Choosing, communicating & playing together
Use visual choices alongside children’s established communication support. Help children share an idea, ask to join, refuse, negotiate or tell someone what they need.
Key Phrases — Picture Communication Mat
A visual option for everyday messages such as yes, no, hungry, thirsty and play. Use only pictures that make sense for the child, alongside their usual ways of communicating.
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Outdoor Communication & Play-Together Boards
Picture boards for asking, refusing, commenting and inviting during outdoor play. Choose a suitable board for shared pretend play and keep the child’s usual communication supports available.
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Why Is Teddy Sad?
An optional prompt for caring play and conversation about feelings. Wonder about different reasons Teddy might feel sad and invite children’s ideas about what could help.
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First Small Worlds — Toddlers
Twelve illustrated cards help adults support familiar actions with movable toys, following toddlers' interests without requiring a developed story.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Role play outdoors
Bring everyday experiences into a mud kitchen, pretend crossing or open outdoor space. Select props when they help children develop the play.
Mud Kitchen — Ingredients Lists
Children can draw, mark or write ingredients for their imaginary dishes. Use the lists when gathering materials, taking an order or planning a pretend meal.
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Mud Kitchen — Recipe Ingredient Cards
Picture ingredient cards with spaces for quantities support pretend cooking. Children or adults can add numbers when a recipe gives counting a useful purpose.
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My Mud Kitchen Recipe Book
An open recipe-book format for recording children’s invented dishes through marks, pictures or words. Revisit a recipe when the pretend kitchen opens again.
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Pelican Crossing Button & Lights
Printable crossing-button and light props for a pretend street. Add to road and transport play to explore familiar journeys through talk, actions and roles.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑02 · Follow a play interest
Choose a way to play
Go straight to a useful group of covers. Children may combine these ideas, invent another role or keep returning to a familiar situation.
Home, family & caring
Recreate meals, caring routines and everyday moments with familiar props.
Explore home-corner resources ↓Shops, cafés & services
Take an order, share a job, make a list or solve a practical problem.
Explore shops & food play ↓People, places & journeys
Draw on experiences of familiar places, community roles and travel.
Explore real-life scenarios ↓Stories, characters & make-believe
Retell a story, invent a character or change what happens next.
Explore masks, puppets & props ↓Messages, signs & maps
Use marks to make the play work: a note, a menu, a sign or a route.
Explore purposeful writing ↓Outdoor role play
Create a kitchen, crossing, shop or imaginary place in the outdoor area.
Explore outdoor possibilities ↓03 · Find a starting point
Choose by age & setting
Use these as flexible starting points. Choose props and adult support for the children’s experiences, interests, communication and access needs. Links lead to covers on this page.
Babies · 0–18 months
Begin with responsive interaction and exploring suitable familiar objects. Adults can model everyday actions when a baby shows interest; there is no expectation to take a pretend role.
Toddlers · 18–36 months
Make room for repeated everyday actions: feeding a teddy, putting things in a bag or making a pretend drink. Offer a few manageable props and follow the child’s ideas.
Preschool · 3–4 years
Support children to share roles, negotiate what happens and extend familiar scenarios. Pictures, objects and optional marks can help the story develop.
Reception · 4–5 years
Keep space for sustained stories and shared projects. Join sensitively, model useful language and introduce marks or numbers when they serve the play.
Childminders & mixed ages
Choose a small, flexible collection for the home and outdoor spaces you have. Adapt prop size, access and support so children can take part in different ways.
KS1 · Years 1 & 2
Use selected scenarios for purposeful talk, collaboration, storytelling and recording. Add complexity through children’s choices and the focus of your teaching.
04 · Try a free resource
Free role play resources
Explore a full dentist role-play pack, home-corner samples, story props and visual supports. These resources are included with Free Access membership.
Everyday role play & communication
Dentist Role-Play Pack
Add appointment forms, identity cards, dental words and shop props for children exploring a visit to the dentist.
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Home Corner Bathroom — Free Sample
Try bathroom-themed printables as an addition to familiar home and caring play.
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Home Corner Mark Making — Free Sample
Offer home-themed templates for drawing, mark making and writing during everyday pretend play.
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Living Room Word Cards & Mat — Free Sample
Use living-room words and pictures to support talk about familiar objects and routines.
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Bus Stop Role-Play Pack — Free Sample
Explore pretend bus journeys with a free sample from the transport role-play pack.
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Doctor's Surgery Role-Play Pack — Free Sample
Try a sample of surgery-themed printables to support pretend appointments and caring roles.
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Classroom Role-Play Pack — Free Sample
Explore familiar school routines and pretend classroom roles with this free sample.
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Dentist Role-Play Pack — Free Sample
Use this free sample to introduce pretend dental appointments and conversations about visiting the dentist.
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My Family Drawing & Writing — Free Sample
Optional drawing and writing sheets for children to share the people important to them. Their pictures can add a personal connection to home and family play.
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Road Signs for Role Play — Free Sample
Printable road signs for a pretend street, bus route or outdoor wheeled-play area. Let children choose useful signs as their journeys take shape.
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What’s Happening? First/Then & Now/Next — Free Sample
First/then and now/next boards; timetable picture cards are separate. Add familiar images to show a chosen sequence when a child finds this helpful.
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The Little Red Hen Headbands — Colouring Free Sample
Colour character headbands and use them to take on the roles of Hen, Cat, Pig and Goose.
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The Little Red Hen Character Descriptions — Free Sample
Talk about the story characters and record children's ideas through marks, writing or adult scribing.
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Dinosaur Movement Challenges — Cartoon Free Sample
Pretend to be dinosaurs using illustrated movement prompts that invite action, talk and turn taking.
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Goldilocks Masks — Colouring Free Sample
Colour the character masks and use them to act out familiar moments from Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
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Little Red Riding Hood Banner & Key Phrases — Free Sample
Add the story banner and key phrases to a Little Red Riding Hood role-play area.
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Fairy Movement Challenges — Free Sample
Invite fairy-inspired movements and imaginative actions with illustrated activity prompts.
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Teddy Bears' Picnic Basket Mat — Free Sample
Draw, make or model what the bears might take on their picnic, then bring those ideas into play.
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Bear Ears — Free Sample
Make wearable bear ears from a paper loop for a teddy bears' picnic or an invented bear story.
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Jack and the Beanstalk Movement Challenges — Free Sample
Bring story events into active play with movement prompts inspired by Jack and the Beanstalk.
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Jack and the Beanstalk Banner & Key Phrases — Free Sample
Add a story banner and familiar phrases to a Jack and the Beanstalk play space.
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The Three Little Pigs Masks — Free Sample
Take on the characters from The Three Little Pigs and act out favourite parts of the tale.
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Wolf Wanted Posters — Free Sample
Discuss the wolf's actions and create a wanted poster using drawing, marks or writing.
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The Three Little Pigs Banner & Key Phrases — Free Sample
Use the banner and story phrases to support a Three Little Pigs role-play area.
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Goldilocks Banner & Key Phrases — Free Sample
Add Goldilocks story phrases and a banner to a space for retelling and pretend play.
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Pirate Ship Signs — Free Sample
Add pirate-ship signs to support conversations and imaginary adventures aboard a pretend ship.
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Design a Pirate Flag — Free Sample
Invite children to draw a flag for their own pirate ship and use it in their play.
View free resource Back to search ↑Seasonal role-play samples
Santa's Workshop Role-Play Pack — Free Sample
Try a seasonal sample for pretend gift-making, workshop conversations and Christmas mark making.
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Santa Express Role-Play Pack — Free Sample
Introduce a pretend Christmas train journey with a free sample from the Santa Express pack.
View free resource Back to search ↑05 · Add a useful possibility
Role-play packs & optional enhancements
Introduce a scenario when it adds something useful to the play. Select relevant props from a pack, leave room for children’s ideas and keep the core offer available over time.
Shops, cafés & food
Offer a few signs, picture props or order forms alongside familiar materials. Children can invent products, change roles and decide what their shop needs.
Card Shop Role-Play Pack
Set up a pretend card shop with order forms, messages, price labels and celebration-themed shop signs.
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Ice-Cream Shop Role-Play Pack — Original
Take pretend ice-cream orders and create menus with food props, shop signs and writing templates from the original edition.
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Ice-Cream Shop Role-Play Pack — Alternate Version
Explore ice-cream-shop conversations using menus, food props, order forms and signs in the alternate edition.
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Corner Shop Role-Play Pack
Explore shopping and selling with goods labels, price spaces, shopping lists, pretend payment cards and shop signs.
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Florist Role-Play Pack
Arrange a pretend florist with flower props, price signs, order sheets and message templates.
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Chinese Restaurant Role-Play Pack
Take pretend restaurant orders using menus, food cards, opening signs and forms for children's marks and writing.
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Farm Shop Role-Play Pack
Take on farm-shop roles with produce props, shopping lists, food labels, menus and price signs.
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Sandwich Shop Role-Play Pack
Create sandwiches and take pretend orders with food props, menus, order forms, payment cards and shop signs.
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Toy Shop Role-Play Pack
Create a pretend toy shop with toy labels, price spaces, wish lists, payment cards and opening signs.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Community places & people
Follow interests in people and places children know. Props can support conversations, caring, organising and shared problem-solving. The free Dentist pack is above.
Optometrist Role-Play Pack
Explore pretend eye appointments with identity cards, eye charts, glasses props and forms for making notes.
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Polling Station Role-Play Pack
Explore voting through fictional candidates and a pretend polling station, with discussion about making a group decision.
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Post Office Role-Play Pack
Add letters, deliveries and postal roles to play with stamp sheets, name badges, signs and writing templates.
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Doctor's Surgery Role-Play Pack
Support pretend medical appointments with identity cards, word prompts, appointment sheets and note-writing templates.
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Classroom Role-Play Pack
Revisit familiar classroom routines with registers, identity cards, activity signs, reading notes and number cards.
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Library Role-Play Pack
Set up borrowing and librarian roles with library cards, sorting signs, book lists and review templates.
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Recycling Centre Role-Play Pack
Sort pretend materials and take on attendant roles using recycling labels, symbols, word cards and note templates.
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Veterinary Surgery Role-Play Pack
Care for pretend animals with vet badges, appointment forms, prescription templates, animal words and fact cards.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Travel, visits & journeys
Create a journey with tickets, maps, bags or a waiting area, then let children decide where they are going and what happens on the way.
Holiday Hotel Role-Play Pack
Explore hotel reception and room service with booking forms, key props, menus, signs and phone prompts.
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Bus Stop Role-Play Pack
Plan pretend journeys with bus passes, tickets, driver badges, route templates and timetable clocks.
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Airport Role-Play Pack
Create pretend air travel with boarding passes, luggage tags, cockpit controls, cabin windows and travel prompts.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Building, growing & animal places
Explore a workplace or place to visit, choosing the signs and props that help the scenario. Children can adapt the setting as their interests change.
Aquarium Role-Play Pack
Invite aquarium visits and aquarist roles using tickets, exhibit signs, sea-creature props and recording sheets.
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Construction & Building Site Role-Play Pack
Bring site-office roles into building play with identity cards, blueprint templates, material orders and construction signs.
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Garden Centre Role-Play Pack
Explore buying and selling garden supplies with seed props, shopping lists, labels and opening-time signs.
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Dinosaur Museum Role-Play Pack
Create a pretend museum with curator badges, tickets, exhibit posters, fossil cards and recording sheets.
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Zoo Role-Play Pack
Explore zoo visits and keeper roles using tickets, a map, enclosure posters, animal food cards and masks.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Stories, performance & imagined worlds
Create a story, performance or adventure. Joining in can mean acting, moving a puppet, organising props, telling a partner an idea or watching.
Pirate Ship Role-Play Pack
Create pirate adventures with character masks, porthole views, ship signs, treasure cards and mission prompts.
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Fairy Tale Theatre Role-Play Pack
Create a pretend theatre with tickets, stage and box-office signs, story masks and posters for children's performances.
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Teddy Bears' Picnic Role-Play Pack
Plan a picnic with bear ears and masks, pretend food, menus and invitations to draw or write what is needed.
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Singing Contest Role-Play Pack
Organise pretend performances with contestant and judge badges, tickets, score cards, signs and note sheets.
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Space Role-Play Pack
Launch imaginary space journeys with cockpit panels, window views, mission cards and logs for drawing and writing.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Seasonal & celebration settings
Select a seasonal setting when it connects with children’s experiences or interests. Share celebrations thoughtfully and keep familiar everyday provision available.
Diwali Sweet Shop Role-Play Pack
Explore a Diwali sweet-shop scenario with menus, sweet props, order forms and opening-time signs.
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Christmas Pantomime Theatre Role-Play Pack
Plan a pretend pantomime with tickets, performer roles, theatre signs, story masks and familiar audience call-outs.
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Christmas Post Office Role-Play Pack
Prepare pretend festive deliveries with stamp sheets, postal signs, name badges and message-writing templates.
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Spooky Hotel Role-Play Pack
Invent a friendly spooky hotel using character masks, room keys, booking forms, menus and seasonal window views.
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Santa's Workshop Role-Play Pack
Create a pretend workshop with masks, gift props, signs, gift tags, request forms and a shared name list.
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Santa Express Role-Play Pack
Plan a pretend Christmas train journey with tickets, windows, wish lists, luggage tags and seasonal signs.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑06 · Extend a developing story
Masks, puppets & themed props
Browse the existing themed collections in alphabetical order. Select only what helps the play: a puppet, picture, mark-making sheet or prop can be enough. Children do not need to wear a mask or follow a fixed script.
Dinosaurs
Invent dinosaur movements, voices and museum stories using selected pictures, props and information.
Dinosaur Lollipop Puppets — Cartoon
Use dinosaur cut-outs and two background scenes to create small-world stories with lolly-stick puppets.
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Dinosaur Movement Challenges — Cartoon
Use eight cartoon dinosaur prompts for imaginative movement, descriptive talk and shared action games.
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Dinosaur Word Mat
Use the illustrated names of prehistoric creatures to support talk during museum or dinosaur play.
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Dinosaur Museum Role-Play Pack — Dinosaur Collection
Add curator roles, exhibition signs, tickets, fossil props and recording sheets to a pretend dinosaur museum.
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Dinosaur Museum Trip Pack
Record a real or pretend museum visit with creature checklists, tally opportunities and drawing or writing sheets.
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Dinosaur Movement Challenges
Act out dinosaur movements with eight activity prompts that support imaginative action and turn taking.
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Dinosaur Sounds — Phase 1 Phonics Activity
Invent possible dinosaur voices and footsteps using picture prompts while acknowledging that their real sounds are uncertain.
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Dinosaur Fact Posters
Use illustrated exhibit posters to support a pretend museum, comparing creatures with the human-size pictures.
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Make an imagined character or fairy world with optional masks, puppets, drawing and movement prompts.
Fairy Role-Play Masks — Colouring
Colour six fairy masks and use them to invent characters and imaginary adventures.
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Fairy Movement Challenges
Explore six fairy-inspired movement prompts for imaginative action and turn taking.
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Fairies Banner
Add a fairy-themed banner to a temporary story or fantasy role-play space.
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Design a Fairy
Choose from four recording layouts to invent and describe a fairy character through pictures or marks.
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Fairy Lollipop Puppets
Use fairy puppets for small-world conversations and invented stories.
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Fairy Writing, Drawing & Mark Making Sheets
Offer three recording layouts for children's fairy-inspired pictures, marks and story ideas.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Goldilocks & the Three Bears
Revisit a familiar story with pictures, puppets and optional masks, leaving space to change the story.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears Masks
Take on the familiar story roles and act out encounters at the bears' cottage.
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Goldilocks and the Three Bears Masks — Colouring
Colour the character masks before using them to explore the Goldilocks story together.
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Goldilocks and the Three Bears Word Mat
Keep story words and pictures nearby for conversations, retelling and marks made during play.
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Goldilocks and the Three Bears Word Cards
Use individual story word cards as picture prompts for retelling, role play and shared talk.
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Goldilocks and the Three Bears Lollipop Puppets
Create a small-world retelling with character puppets and a picture of the Three Bears' cottage.
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Goldilocks and the Three Bears Banner & Key Phrases
Display the story title and familiar repeated phrases to support shared retelling.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Halloween
Choose playful seasonal characters and story props that are comfortable and meaningful for your group.
Halloween Masks
Use friendly Halloween character masks for optional seasonal pretending and invented stories.
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Halloween Masks — Colouring
Colour friendly Halloween masks and use them to create seasonal characters for play.
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Spooky Hotel Role-Play Pack — Halloween Collection
Create a friendly spooky hotel with masks, room keys, menus, booking sheets and mark-making prompts.
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Halloween Character Descriptions — Basic
Invent names and favourite activities for six spooky characters, or create a new character on the blank sheet.
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Halloween Character Speech Bubbles
Imagine what seasonal characters might say and record their words through children's marks or adult scribing.
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Halloween Character Descriptions — Detailed
Explore a character's identity, home, interests and special ability with six prompts and a blank character option.
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Halloween Lollipop Puppets
Use six seasonal characters for small-world conversations and invented Halloween stories.
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Halloween Lollipop Puppets — Colouring
Colour six Halloween characters before turning them into puppets for small-world play.
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Halloween Puppets Pack
Combine character and object pictures with setting backdrops to create seasonal small-world stories.
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Use selected masks and theatre display resources for an adult-supported drama or character interest.
William Shakespeare Masks
Use Shakespeare masks as an optional addition to a theatre or history-inspired role-play project.
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Shakespeare Banner & Quotes
Add a Shakespeare-themed banner and quotations to a temporary theatre or history display.
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Shakespeare Masquerade Masks
Offer masquerade masks as props for invented performances or a theatre-inspired enhancement.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Jack & the Beanstalk
Explore characters, actions and alternative story ideas with picture and writing prompts.
Jack and the Beanstalk — Movement Challenge Cards
Eight movement prompts invite children to act out parts of the story together.
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Jack and the Beanstalk — Lollipop Puppets
Story pictures to attach to lolly sticks for retelling and small world role play.
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Jack — Wanted Posters
Wanted-poster sheets to accompany Jack and the Beanstalk story play.
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Jack and the Beanstalk — Role-Play Masks
Character masks for acting out and retelling Jack and the Beanstalk.
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Jack and the Beanstalk — Colouring Masks
Colour and personalise character masks before using them in story role play.
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Jack and the Beanstalk — Word Mat
Keep story words nearby for retelling, role play and children's own marks or writing.
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Jack and the Beanstalk — Word Cards
Story word cards for a role-play display, retelling or mark making.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Little Red Riding Hood
Retell or change a familiar story using puppets, pictures, optional masks and purposeful marks.
Little Red Riding Hood — Banner & Quotes
A story banner and key-phrase call-outs for a Little Red Riding Hood play area.
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Little Red Riding Hood — Word Mat
Key story words on a mat to support retelling and conversation during play.
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Little Red Riding Hood — Word Cards
Word cards to keep alongside props when children retell the traditional tale.
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Little Red Riding Hood — Role-Play Masks
Character masks for taking roles in Little Red Riding Hood story play.
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Little Red Riding Hood — Colouring Masks
Colour the character masks and use them to act out the story.
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Little Red Riding Hood — Picnic Basket Mat
Draw, collage or make playdough food for an imagined visit to Grandma's house.
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Little Red Riding Hood — Wolf Wanted Posters
Poster templates invite children to discuss the wolf's actions and record their ideas.
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Little Red Riding Hood — Wolf Wanted Posters, B&W
Black-and-white poster templates for discussing the wolf and adding children's ideas.
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Little Red Riding Hood — Lollipop Puppets
Cut-out puppets and three background pictures for retelling the story.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Doctors, nurses & caring for teddy
Use teddy scenarios and pretend forms for caring play, conversation and making up a story. These are play props, not medical instructions.
Doctor's Surgery — Role-Play Pack
Signs, identity cards and appointment or note templates for a pretend doctor's surgery.
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Poorly Teddy — A4 Labelled Posters
Eleven labelled teddy posters for pretend doctors-and-nurses play, conversation or mark making.
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Medical Word Mat
A word mat to keep beside pretend medical props for conversation and emergent writing.
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What Happened to Teddy? — Thinking Sheets
Look at a teddy picture, discuss a possible story and draw or write what might have happened.
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Poorly Teddy — A5 Labelled Posters
Eleven smaller labelled teddy posters or cards for pretend medical play.
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Poorly Teddy — A4 Posters & Separate Labels
Teddy pictures and separate labels for matching, discussion and pretend surgery play.
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Poorly Teddy — A5 Posters & Separate Labels
Smaller teddy pictures and separate labels for a matching activity alongside pretend play.
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Poorly Teddy — A4 Posters & Description Match
Match a spoken description to a teddy picture, then use the pictures in pretend play.
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Poorly Teddy — A5 Posters & Description Match
Smaller teddy posters for matching spoken descriptions and supporting pretend-play stories.
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Medical Word Cards
Word cards for a pretend surgery display, role-play conversation or emergent writing.
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Patient Detail Sheets
Patient-detail sheets to use as writing props in a pretend doctor's surgery.
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Poorly Teddy — A4 Labelled Colouring Posters
Eleven colouring posters for personalising a teddy display or pretend medical play area.
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Poorly Teddy — A5 Labelled Colouring Posters
Eleven smaller colouring posters for teddy-themed pretend play and mark making.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑People Who Help Us
Draw on real people and jobs, with pictures and optional prompts for trying different roles.
People Who Help Us — Word Mats
Picture-and-word mats featuring familiar community jobs, from postal worker to dentist.
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People Who Help Us — Word Cards
Community-job word cards to display or use alongside children's pretend roles.
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People Who Help Us — A4 Posters
Posters showing community helpers for discussion and a role-play display.
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People Who Help Us — Banners
Banners featuring community helpers to introduce a role-play area or themed display.
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People Who Help Us — Lollipop Puppets
Community-helper puppets for small world stories and conversations about different jobs.
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People Who Help Us — Role-Play Challenge Cards
Fifteen prompts invite children to try a familiar community role, alone or with others.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Pirates
Invent a crew, plan a route, send a message or decide what the treasure chest might hold.
Pirates — Colouring Masks
Five pirate masks for children to colour and use in imaginative play.
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Pirate Ship — Role-Play Pack
A pirate-ship role-play pack for a themed pretend-play area.
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Pirate Character Description Sheets
Describe an imagined pirate orally, through writing or with an adult scribing children's ideas.
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Pirate Treasure Map & Template
Use a treasure map in play or design a new route with the blank template.
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Pirate Mission Cards
Instruction cards to introduce a pirate mission into children's role play.
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Pirates — Movement Challenge Cards
Ten action prompts for shared pirate-themed movement and turn taking.
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Pirates — Wanted Poster Template
Create a wanted poster to introduce characters and new ideas into pirate play.
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Pirate Porthole — Drawing & Imagination
Imagine the view from a pirate ship, then talk, draw or act out what happens next.
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Pirate of the Month — Drawing Prompt
Invent a pirate character through a drawing, a description or a new role-play story.
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Pirate Ship Names Game
Create names for the ships in a pirate role-play adventure.
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Pirate Ship Signs
Signs for a pirate-ship play area, offering words and places to use in imagined conversations.
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Pirate Names Game
Invent pirate names to use when children take on characters in play.
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Design a Pirate Flag
A template for children to design a flag for their imagined pirate crew.
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Treasure Chest Guess
Discuss what might be hidden in a chest and add drawings or writing to speech bubbles.
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Treasure Chest — Special Things
Choose what feels special enough to hide in a treasure chest and record it in thought bubbles.
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Pirate Hat Template
Design a pirate hat to accompany a chosen character or adventure.
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Pirate Speech Bubbles
Add a pirate's words through marks, drawing or emergent writing.
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Pirate Ship Portholes
Porthole pictures for a pirate-ship play area and new story ideas.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Space
Use a journey into space as a starting point for imaginative talk, drawing, role play and shared questions.
Space — What Is...? Posters
Eight illustrated posters introduce space words to keep alongside an imagined space mission.
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Space — What Is a Star? Posters
An illustrated explanation poster, plus a colouring version, for a space-themed area.
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My Space Adventure — Booklet
Draw, make marks or write about imagined journeys before or after space role play.
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Space — Dramatic Role-Play Pack
A space-themed pack for an imagined mission or astronaut role-play area.
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Space Item Word Cards
Space-object words and blank cards for conversation, displays or children's own labels.
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Planet Word Cards
Planet names and blank cards to use alongside space-themed role play.
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Draw an Alien
A drawing sheet for inventing an alien encountered during an imagined space journey.
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Design a Planet
Design an imagined planet to visit in a space role-play story.
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Planet Fact Cards
Planet facts and blank cards to prompt conversation and develop imagined space missions.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Teddy Bears’ Picnic
Plan a pretend picnic, care for the bears and use selected props to develop the shared play.
Teddy Bears' Picnic — Role-Play Pack
Signs, food props, name badges and writing prompts for organising an imaginary picnic.
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Teddy Bears' Picnic — Colouring Bear Ears
Colour and cut out bear ears to attach to a fitted paper headband for picnic play.
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Teddy Bears' Picnic — Masks
Bear masks to use when children take roles in a teddy bears' picnic.
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Teddy Bears' Picnic — Bear Ears
Cut out bear ears and attach them to a fitted paper headband for pretend play.
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Teddy Bears' Picnic — Colouring Masks
Personalise bear masks with colour before using them in picnic role play.
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Teddy Bears' Picnic — Lollipop Puppets
Picnic-themed pictures to turn into stick puppets for small world stories.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑The Little Red Hen
Use character props for retelling, negotiating roles and imagining a different ending.
The Little Red Hen — Role-Play Masks
Hen, Cat, Pig and Goose masks for acting out the traditional tale.
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The Little Red Hen — Colouring Masks
Colour Hen, Cat, Pig and Goose masks and use them in story role play.
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The Little Red Hen — Headbands
Character pictures to attach to paper headbands for retelling the story.
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The Little Red Hen — Colouring Headbands
Colour and assemble character headbands for acting out the story.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑The Three Little Pigs
Explore character voices, build a story and use optional picture or writing prompts to share ideas.
Three Little Pigs — Movement Challenge Cards
Seven action prompts invite children to explore the story through movement.
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Three Little Pigs — Role-Play Masks
Character masks for acting out and retelling The Three Little Pigs.
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Three Little Pigs — Lollipop Puppets
Story pictures to attach to lolly sticks for retelling and small world role play.
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Three Little Pigs — Word Mat
Story words to keep nearby during role play, retelling and mark making.
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Three Little Pigs — Word Cards
Word cards for a story display, imagined conversations or children's writing.
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Three Little Pigs — Character Descriptions
Discuss the characters and record children's ideas through writing or adult scribing.
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Three Little Pigs — Colouring Masks
Colour the character masks before using them to retell or adapt the tale.
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Three Little Pigs — Wolf Wanted Posters
Poster templates for talking about the wolf's actions and recording children's ideas.
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Three Little Pigs — Wolf Wanted Posters, B&W
Black-and-white poster templates for discussing the wolf and making a story prop.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Toys
Recreate a toy shop and talk about the toys children might choose, describe or offer to a customer.
Toy Shop — Role-Play Pack
Toy labels, prices, signs, wish lists and picture props for running an imaginary toy shop.
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Toy Shop — Description Match
Listen to an imagined customer's request and choose the toy picture that best fits.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Zoo
Use animal pictures and props to invent a visit, a character or a story together.
Zoo — Dramatic Role-Play Pack
Tickets, maps, signs, name cards and animal-food props for an imaginary zoo visit.
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Zoo Animal Masks
Six animal masks for taking different roles in zoo-themed play.
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Zoo Animal Masks — Colouring
Colour six animal masks before using them in imaginative zoo play.
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Decorate an Elephant Mask
Plain and patchwork elephant-mask templates for decorating and using in role play.
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Zoo Animal Lollipop Puppets
Eighteen animal puppets for small world zoo stories and pretend conversations.
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Zoo Animal Lollipop Puppets — Colouring
Colour eighteen animal puppets and use them in small world zoo role play.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑07 · Support choosing & returning
Signs, labels & organisation
Use signs and labels to make spaces and materials easy to find. Select what is useful for your setting, and leave room for children’s own signs and changing ideas.
Toddler Visual Support Labels
Includes a Home, Caring & Pretend section within a wider toddler label pack. Match selected labels to accessible props for imitation, familiar routines and early pretend play.
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Preschool Visual Support Labels
Includes a Role Play section within a wider preschool label pack. Use the relevant labels beside resources for identity, messages, routines, care and responsibility.
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Symbolic & Pretending — Schema Labels
Purpose-led labels for open-ended props, home and community play, small worlds and performance. Select labels that help children find resources they can give their own meanings.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Home-corner banners & display materials
Choose a heading or border when it helps children recognise and use the space.
Household Objects Border Sheets — Horizontal
Offer landscape sheets with household-object borders for children's home-themed pictures and messages.
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Household Objects Border Sheets — Vertical
Offer portrait sheets with household-object borders for children's home-themed pictures and messages.
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Houses and Homes Banner
Use a Houses and Homes banner to label a related display or temporary play enhancement.
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Home Banner
Add a simple Home banner to a familiar pretend-play space.
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Bathroom Banner
Label a pretend bathroom area or related home-corner display with a room banner.
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Bedroom Banner
Label a pretend bedroom area or related home-corner display with a room banner.
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Home Office Banner
Add a Home Office banner to a space for pretend work and messages.
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Kitchen Banner
Label a pretend kitchen or home-corner display with a kitchen banner.
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Living Room Banner
Label a pretend living room or home-corner display with a room banner.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑Existing legacy sign set
This older add-on is retained from the previous page. It contains social-distancing signage; select or adapt only items relevant to your setting’s current arrangements.
Legacy Role-Play Signs — Social-Distancing Add-On
An archived social-distancing sign set retained from the original page; select or adapt individual signs rather than treating them as current practice guidance.
View All Access resource Back to search ↑08 · Develop your provision
Role play planning & practitioner guidance
Explore the environment, adult interaction and thoughtful enhancements behind role play. The age-specific provision packs include relevant role-play guidance; wider tools support responsive practice and resource choices.
Continuous Provision Setup Guides — Toddlers
Explore toddler-room setup guidance when arranging familiar, manageable opportunities for early pretend play.
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Universal Continuous Provision Pack — Preschool
Explore the preschool provision pack when planning everyday role play within the wider learning environment.
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Universal Continuous Provision Pack — Reception
Explore the Reception provision pack when planning a connected environment that includes role play and small world.
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Continuous Provision in a Childminding Setting
Explore provision guidance for a mixed-age childminding setting when choosing accessible resources and everyday play opportunities.
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Baby Room Continuous Provision Maps | 0–9 & 9–18 Months
Guidance for responsive baby environments, sensory exploration and early communication, with sensitive adult support.
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Creative Media & Expression Toolkit | Toddlers
Includes dramatic play and story expression, transforming everyday objects and supporting children’s ideas without directing the play.
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Reception Enhanced Provision Planning Toolkit | 4–5 Years
Plan small, responsive additions to familiar provision that deepen learning, support access and follow children’s interests.
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Adult-Guided Learning in Provision | Reception
Guidance on joining children’s play, modelling language and ideas, and knowing when to offer support or step back.
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Continuous Provision FAQs | Preschool
Read practical answers about stable provision, purposeful enhancements, sensitive adult involvement and inclusive access.
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Provision Rotation & Resource Selection Toolkit
Choose open-ended resources for mixed-age play and refresh provision in response to children’s engagement within shared home spaces.
View resource details Back to search ↑09 · Explore further
Related themes & collections
Follow a developing interest into the wider collections below. These covers remain available from the original Role Play page.
All About Me
Browse the All About Me theme collection.
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Dinosaurs
Browse the Dinosaurs theme collection.
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Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Browse the Goldilocks and the Three Bears story collection.
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Jack and the Beanstalk
Browse the Jack and the Beanstalk story collection.
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Medicine: Doctors and Nurses
Browse the Doctors and Nurses theme collection for further pretend-play resources.
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People Who Help Us
Browse the People Who Help Us theme collection.
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Recycling
Browse the Recycling theme collection.
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Teddy Bears' Picnic
Browse the Teddy Bears' Picnic theme collection.
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Teeth and Oral Health
Browse the Teeth and Oral Health theme collection.
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The Environment
Browse the Environment theme collection.
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The Three Little Pigs
Browse The Three Little Pigs story collection.
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Traditional & Fairy Tales
Browse the Traditional and Fairy Tales collection.
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Zoo Animals
Browse the Zoo Animals theme collection.
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Christmas
Browse the Christmas theme collection.
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Emotions and Feelings
Browse the Emotions and Feelings collection.
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Halloween
Browse the Halloween theme collection.
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Road Safety
Browse the Road Safety theme collection.
Explore collection Back to search ↑Role play continuous provision: common questions
What belongs in core role play provision?
Familiar props, suitable everyday objects, dolls or teddies, fabric, containers, paper and a flexible space give children something dependable to return to. A home corner can support many different stories. Adults help by noticing, responding and joining sensitively when their involvement is useful.
Do we need to change the role-play area every week?
No. A familiar offer gives children time to revisit experiences, practise language and develop shared stories. Add or change something when observations suggest a useful next possibility. A themed pack can support an interest without replacing the whole area.
How can adults support the play?
Watch and listen first. Join as a partner when invited or when a small contribution may help: model a phrase, introduce a useful prop, respond in character or support children to negotiate. Step back when the children can continue together.
Does role play need writing sheets?
No. Marks and writing are useful when they serve the play: a shopping list, message, sign, ticket or appointment. Children may draw, make marks, use a picture, dictate to an adult or choose not to record. The play does not depend on completing a sheet.
How can children take part in different ways?
Offer familiar props, manageable choices and different ways to communicate. A child might act, move a puppet, direct a partner, watch or play alongside others. Keep established communication support available. Costumes, masks and speaking in front of a group are optional, and roles are open to every child.
Do we need to print a whole role-play pack?
No. Use a few relevant pages, share a picture on screen or take an idea into play with materials you already have. Choose what helps children make decisions, communicate, imagine or return to a developing story.
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Connect role play with the rest of your provision
Original resource designs and illustrations © Little Owls Resources. Additional image credits are stated within the resources. ↑ Back to Top of Page