The Power of Play!
Play isn't just fun – it's how little minds learn and grow! Experts like those at Play Scotland identify 16 distinct play types, each unlocking unique developmental benefits. Whether it's developing a creative disposition through fantasy play, building cooperation skills through social play, or strengthening bodies through locomotor play, every play type has a purpose. Research shows that play enhances brain development, emotional resilience, physical co-ordination and much more – making it an absolute MUST in early learning. At Sense-a-Story, the power of play is purposefully woven into each and every tale.
The activities that complement each story aren't just randomly added to bring the story to life – they're purposely chosen to incorporate as many play types as possible (13 of the 16, to be exact) because it's through engaging in the widest range of play types that children gain the extensive benefits of play. Every squish, sniff, scribble and song in our sessions is a chance to ignite all 5 senses while sparking growth through play. Here's how we do it, with real examples from our classes, and the developmental benefit behind each play type.
Dramatic Play and Socio-Dramatic Play
Key Features - Acting out scenarios or roles with a performative flair (dramatic), often alongside group collaboration and negotiation (socio-dramatic).
Example: In ‘What's that sound, Spot?' by Eric Hill, we each play as part of an orchestra. This fosters self-expression, collaboration and negotiation as children choose which of the instruments they would like to play for the ‘audience'.
Exploratory Play
Key Features – Sensory investigation and discovery. Involves touching, manipulating, or testing materials to understand properties and satisfy curiosity.
Example: In ‘The Wide-Mouthed Frog' by Keith Faulkner and Jonathan Lambert, we dig for worms in the mud, or in ‘The Smeds and The Smoos' by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, we visit a dry planet (sand), a flower planet (real and artificial flowers), and a slimy planet (jelly). This encourages curiosity discovery, early scientific thinking and fine motor control.
Creative Play
Key Features – Making something original through hands-on expression. Involves crafting, drawing, or decorating with freedom to experiment and produce unique outcomes.
Example: In ‘Elmer' by David McKee, we decorate elephants with pens, crayons, dot markers, stickers etc. This fosters innovation and self-expression, fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and artistic and creative confidence.
Fantasy Play and Imaginative Play
Key Features - Magical “what if” scenarios beyond reality.
Example: In ‘Dragon Post' by Emma Yarlett, we flap chiffon scarves and feel the wind in our faces as we soar through the sky on fire-breathing dragons! Or in ‘Maybe' by Chris Haughton, we check the coast is clear of any tigers before venturing to the banana tree! This fuels imagination and creativity and encourages problem-solving. It also forms the basis of figurative language.
Role play
Key Features – Stepping into specific characters or jobs to mimic real life actions.
Example: In ‘The Little Red Hen' children take on the task of making bread from scratch and acting as bakers, kneading the scented playdough “bread”. Playing roles like this helps children to see different viewpoints and perspectives, and practice life skills.
Communication Play
Key Features – Words, sounds, songs or gestures are the main mode of play.
In ‘The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark' by Jill Tomlinson and Paul Howard, we sing songs around the campfire along to the ukulele. Singing together builds listening skills, vocabulary, and rhythm and rhyme awareness. Using Makaton in our stories also adds to communication play.
Symbolic Play
Key Features - Using objects or actions to represent something else. Relies on imagination to assign meaning, laying the groundwork for abstract thinking.
Example: In ‘Stick Man' by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, children can pretend their stick is a pen as they draw pictures in moon dough. Or in ‘Whatever Next!' by Jill Murphy, we blast off to the moon in a cardboard box! This develops abstract thought and visual representation - key for language and maths.
Object Play
Key Features - Interacting with physical items – manipulating, moving or experimenting with them. Highlights hands-on exploration of how things work.
Example: In ‘Little Pea' by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Jen Corace, children can roll small green balls down slopes of different lengths made from cut cardboard tubes. This involves testing and discovery, motor skills, coordination and cause-and-effect.
Locomotor Play
Key features – Whole-body movement like running, jumping, climbing.
Example: In ‘Maybe' by Chris Haughton, we jump and run away from tigers. Or in ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff, we climb over the bridge. This strengthens gross motor skills, coordination, physical confidence and spatial awareness.
Mastery Play
Key Features – Practicing or perfecting a skill through repetition and challenge.
Example: In ‘A Home for Stone' by Corrinne Averiss and Rosalind Beardshaw, children build a wall and a rockery with different sized and textured blocks. This promotes persistence, competence and resilience and a sense of achievement.
Social Play
Key Features – Any social or interactive experience.
Example: The social and interactive nature of Sense-a-Story IS social play! The structure of every class - the welcome song, the storytelling (whilst introducing each sensory element as the story dictates), the free play, the tidy up, and the goodbye song – builds emotional intelligence, cooperation, friendship, turn-taking and a sense of belonging.
At Sense-a-Story, these play types form the basis of our multisensory storytelling. The list above is by no means exhaustive (whittling it down to a few examples was a tricky task!); however, it hopefully highlights how notable play is in helping children develop holistically – mind, body and spirit. Every muddy dig, every tower built, every scented playdough cupcake is a step towards a child's potential. The real magic happens in the 15 minutes of free play at the end of each session, where children choose to play with any or all parts of the story. That's when the best ideas emerge, when the meaning-making happens, when the deepest learning takes place – when it's child-led and unscripted. We explore a new story each week, bringing new activities that weave in the different play types every time. To tap into the full benefits and fun, block-book your classes and watch your child thrive through the power of play – one multisensory tale at a time!
