www.igniteearlylearning.com.au

Produce the Play

The first component towards

building confident and

connected parents

Hi, I’m Tracy, the founder of Ignite Early Learning. I

help working parents to identify opportunities for

learning through play at home so that they feel

confident and connected to parenting

When you think about how

children engage in play

you think that it just

happens.

But children do need support to play,

especially to get their play started

and to keep it going for longer

Ignite Early uses the analogy of

producing a theatre play to teach

parents the roles that they can take

in children’s play

Produce the Play has been developed to simplify the

teaching strategies used in early childhood

education. We have identified 7 roles that adults

need to take on to support the engagement of their

child in play.

The Location Scout finds the

right place to play

You need to take on the role of The

Location Scout when your child requires

assistance to find the best place to play

The Stage Manager provides the

resources, creates the space, and

sets the scene for the play

When in the role of The Stage Manager you

choose resources, set them up, and help your

child to start to play. When you identify your

child’s interests you can extend learning by

adding resources

The Director helps to create

the storylines that can be

acted out or creates them

You will take on the role of The Director when your

child needs help to create storylines and play

ideas. Observing from a distance, look for the non-

verbal and verbal communication cues that your

child needs help and act accordingly, as the

purpose of The Director role is to keep the play

going

The Acting Coach plays

alongside the child in

order to teach play skills

Take on the role of The Acting Coach when your child

needs to learn how to play and/or use resources. The

Acting Coach shows, talks and demonstrates how to

use resources and themes because when children

don’t have the skills they may become frustrated and

abandon their play

The Actor participates at the

child’s request to play

You will assume The Actor role at the request of

your child. This role is different to The Acting

Coach as you follow your child’s lead. The

purpose of this role is to connect through play

and listen

The Audience comments from

outside the play and observes

what is happening

When in The Audience role you sit on the

outside of your child’s play so that you can

respond to your child’s play, comment on

learning, ideas and developments, and

give encouragement and praise

The Reviewer helps the child to

represent play visually by writing,

drawing, or photographing what is

happening

You take on the role of The Reviewer when

your child’s play is coming to an end and you

want to document it so that you can recreate

it or extend upon it at another time

Play is children’s work and its fun. But when you take

on these roles your child’s learning will be extended,

you will connect to your child, they will be engaged

in play for longer, and you will get things done.

Website: www.igniteearlylearning.com.au

Email: tracy@igniteearlylearning.com.au

Want more information?

For more tips on getting play

happening in your home, visit

our website and download