Space Role Play

[Guest]

Hiya

 

Started today on new role play "space". Had some lovely independent creative work making stars and rockets to go on the walls and I know that there is lots of different areas to explore.

However they do not know what to do in there, and some of the girls simply started playing house, using things from around the class! Whilst this is fine and I do encourage independent activities like this, I beleive that the theme "space" will get lots of them excited once they get more involved in it.

 

So my question is: How do I go about it?

At the moment there is very little in there as space props are limited (as in none!) and I plan on getting them to make their own etc. I know they need more guidance and would welcome any ideas as to how to do this!

 

Thank you

Amanda

[Guest]

Can you get hold of the old joystick controls for games consoles? We have some of these and when we have done space in the past have used them along with a keyboard for a space rocket control system. We are lucky in that we have a play telephone box, old fashioned red type with a door, and have covered this with card and painted it to make it into a rocket. You could use very large boxes if you can find them.

Linda

[JacquieL]

Sometimes it can be difficult for chidlren to get into a 'role-play' if they don't have much experience of what they could be doing. I would try setting up a book basket linked to the theme, with fiction and non-fiction books. Reading some stories and re-enacting them or making up a 'we're all going on a rocket' type of drama session might help with ideas - a bit like a magic carpet but use a rocket instead. You could begin with a large piece of paper and collectively draw the rocket on it, what is it like, what shall we put on it, where are the controls, label parts etc. and then all sit on it ready for the count down. The children can decide where they are going and what they see. Help them along with seeing planets, meteorites, other space-ships, satellites etc. Oh dear we're going to near the Sun lets go the other way we'll get sizzled up. they might want to land or meet an alien. You know the sort of thing.

Books I have used for this topic include, Man on the Moon, Moon Zoo, Whatever Next, Martian Rock,

Q Pootle Five, Laura's Star, How to Catch a Star (wonderful book). Stars Stars Stars, Roaring Rockets, Meg on the Moon, and of course 5 little Men in a flying Saucer. There's also a super song about a Green Space Man that used to be on the old Music Box.

[Guest Wolfie]

We've found that our three year olds benefit from a lot of adult role modelling in the role play area, especially when a new theme is introduced. In the past we've also watched a really good DVD with different role play situations as an introduction - the post office, the garage, etc. -to give the children ideas, but I think role modelling by adults tends to be the most effective method.

[Marion]

We did a large group role play activity using the book Whatever Next as part of our literacy activity later in the week the children asked for a space rocket and developed lots of ideas from that. Wellies were brought in for space boots and there were loud count downs and lots of moon walking

[Guest Wolfie]

Oooo and have you come across the "Spaceman Sid" song?

[Guest]

We have had a space rocket twice as our role-play area - this year & last - initiated by two different groups of children.

They quite naturally took to role-play driving the rocket - we had a steering wheel (!) inside and an old computer (to programme the rocket). The children got quite good at the count down to blast-off.

We did find they needed some role-models to develop a storyline for their space adventure - we read Whatever Next and provided the relevant props - this was very popular and the children wrote their own lists of things to take on the journey. We looked at non-fiction texts to find out about more places we could visit in our rocket (most children only aware of the moon/stars). We provided maps of the stars to plot our journeys.

We also read 'The Jigaree' and 'Moon Jump'.