Nursery World - Around the Nursery, Part 7

What is small-world play, how does it benefit children, and what can settings do to make sure it is provisioned in ways that ensure quality and diversity? By Penny Tassoni

Dinosaurs and vehicles are classic small-world props

Imagine the scene: two children have a dinosaur each in their hand. They stand facing each other. The dinosaurs meet and both children roar. One child suggests that one dinosaur might then run off. There is an argument about whose dinosaur will turn around. The scene represents small-world play in action.

The term ‘small-world play’ might sound unfamiliar to some adults, but everyone recognises it when they see it. It involves children playing with small replicas of animals, people and objects in an imaginative way. It comes under the wider umbrella term of imaginative play. It is part and parcel of most settings’ continuous provision and also figures in children’s play at home.

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