Broadening Horizons. Brightening Futures
Children enjoy simple pretend play, using objects to act out a familiar activity, such using a wooden block for a phone. As their pretend play progresses, children think beyond the 'here and now' and can consider different perspectives. For example, when reading 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt', the children often suggest the bear is lonely and just wants friends.
Children develop the confidence to have their own ideas and make links between their experiences and observations as their understanding of the world increases.
As children begin to introduce goals into their play, they also develop the skills to maintain attention and ignore distractions in order to achieve the things that are important to them.
Children are also able to solve real life problems, such as when in the home corner sharing 6 slices of pizza between two friends, they might give each friend one slice to begin, then a second and finally a third.
Development Matters 2021