Creating a role play area - Doctor's Surgery

One of the things on my Day Zero Project was to create a role play area for Harry and Mia. I was inspired to make one because we've been looking around various pre-schools and schools lately and they all have one. They look really fun, both to create and play in, and we were able to make space for one in Harry's bedroom.

I used our room divider to mark out the area, and covered the walls with a sheet to curtain it off. Then I asked Harry what sort of role play area he would like to start with. I made a few suggestions, and he chose a Doctor's Surgery. Part of the fun was working on it together, and he really loved helping me to set it up by finding things from around the house that he thought would fit the theme.

I wanted to bring in some ideas about staying healthy, and so I found some good posters about healthy living to print out for him to colour to go on the walls. I kept it simple, and chose posters about eating lots of fruit and vegetables, exercise and having a good night's sleep (a particularly relevant one for him!). Harry coloured them in while we talked about what they meant. I also printed out some vaguely medical charts and made him an official looking clipboard using my cutting mat and a bulldog clip.

We have a waiting area outside the surgery with a chair and some books to read, then inside the doctor has a table and chair, with a bed for patients to lie on while being diagnosed. We already have a toy medical kit, and I added a few bandages and plasters that were in our own first aid kit.

It didn't take very long to put it all together, and I was able to improvise pretty well with things that we already had around the house. I'm intending to rotate through lots of different themes - Harry has already requested a dentist which I think would be really good as he has so far refused to show a dentist his teeth. I'm also thinking a shop, restaurant or cafe, kitchen and library.