Preparing Children for New Situations with Role Playing

I’m on vacation this week and have a few great guest posts to share with you.  My daughter is starting school this fall, so I love these tips from Stacy!

Guest Post by Stacy from A Delightful Home:

Many children are intimidated by new environments. Not knowing what will happen or what is expected brings anxiety and dampens confidence.

Role playing is a fun and simple way to teach young children how to behave (and what they can expect) when entering uncharted territory.

Role playing helps children prepare for any number of situations. Such as:

• Going to school (or a homeschool co-op)
• Attending church
• Swimming lessons
• Visiting grandparents
• Dental appointments
• Parties
• Visiting the library
• And many more!

When my daughter was 5 years old, we decided to enroll her in gymnastics. I told her a little about it and then took her to class.

It was a whole new world! She had never waited in line before (without me), or had to sit on the mat and until it was her turn, or stay out of the way while older children did flips and cartwheels across the floor. It was something she was very unfamiliar with. And it showed.

Her first class did not go well.

The following week we “played” gymnastics a number of times. I pretended to be the teacher and she was a student. We did the warm up, waited our turn, and even had someone cut in line so we could figure out what to do if that happened. She also practiced following instructions and asking for help.

The next gymnastics class was much better!

There is something about role playing that helps kids remember. Plus, it’s just plain fun!

I’ve noticed my children are more apt to recall information they have acted out over something they have simply been told.

Role playing is also a great way to teach manners. Read from a book about manners, or explain the behavior you would like to see, then act it out.

One of the most memorable ways is to act out the wrong behavior first, then have the child correct you. Kids usually find this hilarious.

After the wrong behavior is performed and corrected, have them show you the right way to do it. Do this a few times and your kids will be well on their way to mastering a new skill.

It is always nice to find simple tools that facilitate family bonding and instruction at the same time. I feel role playing does this for us.

Do you use role playing as a teaching tool in your home? In what situations do you think it would be helpful?

 

Stacy is the wife of a preacher and mama to three kiddos. She strives to live a healthy, happy life and is intent on becoming a better mother. Visit her at A Delightful Home.

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