Alice Sharp is joined by Simon Airey, an educator with over 20 years’ experience of teaching, working in specialist provision and the EYFS. Simon is passionate about facilitating open-ended play-based learning to develop key skills and shares his thoughts on why role play is essential to language development in the Early Years. 

Alice and Simon strip the conversation right back to the basics, looking at what role play is, the different types of role play and practical ways to engage children in this type of learning to develop key skills. 

Simon explains the importance of discovering the child’s interests and using this as the foundations for learning to spark imaginations and excitement.