Real Life Learning Through Play

Real Life Learning Through Play – A Term of Imagination, Teamwork & Deep Learning

This term, our upper primary learners have led the way through a series of incredible, imaginative, and most importantly, educational role play experiences. These weren’t just games — they were rich, hands-on opportunities to build real-world skills, confidence, and creativity in meaningful ways.

We started with a Sweet Shop — their top-voted idea. A mix of old sweet tins and wrappers gave it that authentic feel, and a little imagination to turn pipe cleaners, cotton buds, and all sorts of loose parts made the most fantastic sweets that the bairns could then label how they saw fit. With labels, price tags, signs, and a till, they explored:

Budgeting & money handling

Customer service & communication

Teamwork, organisation & decision-making

Writing for a purpose

Next came a Hairdressers & Beauty Salon — fully planned and run by the class themselves. From appointment books to makeover stations, this role play supported:

Speaking & listening skills

Purposeful writing

Real-life numeracy

Social skills like turn-taking and leadership

Creative expression and self-confidence

Finally… the Cinema!

From the moment it was revealed, the space came alive with movie posters, tickets, snack menus, and even theatre performances. Reusing items from the sweet shop and packaging from sweets for the snack bar gave it a realistic feel. A few bits from Amazon added a bit of cinema flair, but honestly — it’s amazing what a pair of scissors, a brown Sharpie, and some packing peanuts can do for popcorn. Children took full ownership — deciding how it worked and what it needed to grow. Through it, they developed:

Literacy skills — signage, storytelling

Numeracy — pricing, handling money, giving change

Critical thinking — organising the space, assigning roles

Collaboration and problem-solving

And to top it off, on the last day of term, we turned their cinema into a real one. Each child was given a £5 budget and had to pre-order snacks, calculating totals and making sure they stayed within budget. They arrived at the cinema with their tickets, collected and paid for their orders, and enjoyed a full film experience — complete with real popcorn and the satisfaction of seeing their ideas come to life.

Why role play in upper primary?

Because this is where learning becomes living.

Because when children lead, they invest.

And because through play, they build the skills that truly matter: creativity, communication, collaboration, resilience, and joy in learning.

Massive well done to our incredible class — your imaginations, teamwork and real-life thinking have made this terms play so much fun and in the words of some of the pupils today ‘AMAZING!’