Foundation Stage Drama

Your child will experience drama through role play as part of the creative development section (or strand) of the early learning framework. The Early Learning Goal for the Foundation stage states that by age five a child should have developed the ability to ‘Use language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences'.

The practitioner's role is therefore to ensure children are provided with a variety of resources, such as a home corner, dressing up clothes and other props, as well as plenty of opportunity to explore, develop and express their ideas.

Your child will be encouraged to develop skills in creativity, social skills, self awareness and independence. These skills will help your child to learn in other areas and to make connections between different areas of learning.

Examples of Drama in the Foundation Stage

Tina hands a green foam block to the practitioner, saying, ‘Here's a cup of tea.' When the practitioner pretends to drink it Tina shows visible delight, takes back the block and makes another cup of tea.

After watching some ladybirds in the garden, Andrea and Joshua make two wings each from large pieces of red paper. After the practitioner helps them to fasten the wings to their backs, they crouch down and imitated the movements of the ladybirds.

A group of children have packed a bag with resources from the home corner. They are planning to go on a picnic. In the adjoining block area they have built a car to take them to the picnic. They discuss where they will go and set off on their journey.