Toymates roleplay section

26 February 2020

Immerse your toddler in the wonderful world of roleplay at Toymate.

While no-one wants their baby to grow up too quickly, it turns out that helping your toddler act like a tiny adult is one of the best things you can do for their development.

And the perfect place to start is the Roleplay section of Toymate.

Past the Action, Preschool and Dolls areas of the toy store, you’ll find the Roleplay section, with shelves stacked with tiny Weber barbecues, Dyson vacuum cleaners, grand pianos and even pretend mini Bosch power tools.

According to early childhood educator Holly Thurling, owner of Googong Boutique Early Learning, toddlers as young as 12 months are keen to immerse themselves in the world around them.

“Roleplay is so important for children as it helps to develop their understanding of the world,” Holly says.

“Through roleplay, they work through family relationships, friendships and social roles as well as roles in the workplace and community to understand what they are and how they relate to one another.

“Roleplay was previously thought of as an activity primarily for little girls, but it is so beneficial for both genders to try out roles that aren’t bound by social constructs.”

While dressing as a pirate, playing with a farmhouse or pretending to bake a cake might seem like simple activities, Holly says, they’re actually helping children to navigate real world problems.

“Roleplay gives children the skills to negate problematic behaviors they may encounter in life, such as bullying,” she says.

“It helps them to develop empathy and strengthen relationships, they can also work through familiar or unfamiliar events that have occurred to develop coping mechanisms for the future.”

“Roleplay allows, children take on the roles of animals or people – increasing their language skills, interactions and ability to relate to the world around them.”

Popular Roleplay items at Toymate include kitchens, home ‘corners’ with play food and mealtime props, and small world play is also popular. Small world play involves exploring small or miniature-themed worlds like oceans, zoos, a mini Australia or a forest.

And Roleplay isn’t just for toddlers: playing out real-world scenarios is a crucial tool for learning and development in children up to age 12.

For Toymates opening hours, click here.

Please note – the product prices in these images may have changed since the photos were taken. See in-store for further details.