Role play is a way in which children learn to interact with others and to make sense of what is happening in the world around them. Children will often role play situations they see happening in their own lives, for example if you have a new baby in the house the older children will often play with babies change their nappies and feed them.
Did you know role play is a fantastic way to help children become more comfortable with bed time? A great way to do this is to use your child’s favorite toy do the same as you do with your child at their bed time routine. So if you read a book before bed then read a book to the toy, then put them to bed as you do your child. Put the toy to bed in the child’s room in the toys own bed. When you leave the room with the child be excited with your child that the toy is staying in bed or that the toy is going to sleep, be really proud of the toy. Make sure you and your child go back on the toy while they are in again be really proud of the toy for being asleep. Then in the evening you can pop the toy back into its bed in the child’s room at the same time you put your child to bed.
By doing this you are showing your child that when they go to bed you are still close by and you still check on them. Role play can be effective with children from as young as 9 months.