How Role Play Can Improve Kids' Language Skills

If you're on the hunt for educational toys that'll improve your tot's language and vocabulary, our new Dress Up Sets are just the thing. As youngsters run around the playground pretending to be princesses, doctors and everything in between, they're developing core communication skills without even knowing it.

We explore five ways pretend play can nurture a child’s language development and reveal two brand new kids role play costumes now in stock!

How Can Role Play Support Children's Language?

1. Listening

Toddlers tend to recreate scenes and repeat snippets of conversations they have heard in everyday life, which is excellent for enhancing their listening and communication skills. Grown ups can support this by getting stuck in themselves (if invited of course!) and feeding new vocabulary into the pretend play scenarios.

2. Storytelling

Kids often adapt books and stories they have read into their role play plots. It gives them a launch pad to shape new fantasy worlds of their own, strengthening their ability to think creatively. And as they are narrating these storylines, their grasp on words and sentences will naturally evolve.

3. Experimenting

Pretend play settings are detached from reality, which gives children a sense of freedom as the thought of making mistakes becomes far less daunting. This can motivate them to experiment with words they have heard at home or in the classroom, without the fear of pronouncing them incorrectly or not using them in the right context.

4. Socialising

Playing with their peers is a brilliant way to boost a child’s social communication skills. As kids play together, they will learn all about reading body language, using eye contact, listening to others and taking turns to speak in a conversation. Alongside language development, this will also teach them how to build relationships and work as a team.

5. Planning

Expressing ideas and plans for a play session has kids learning how to vocalise what they're thinking. Beyond acquiring new vocabulary, it also teaches them how to communicate their thoughts with others. This is a fundamental skill which can help tots in all areas of their development, from expressing emotions to making friends.

New Kids Fancy Dress Costumes

In 2022, we launched our first ever kids costumes range. Little heroes could put out pretend fires in their Firefighter Dress Up set, nurse teddies back to full health as a Doctor, or get to work at the local construction site in their Builder Costume. We even have a Scientist Costume for mini Marie Curies and dinky Charles Darwins to make new fascinating discoveries!

This month, we have also added two more kids dress up costumes to our collection. Take a look…

Kids Police Costume

A word of caution. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not treat your little law enforcer to their own Police Dress Up set! This arresting fancy dress costume comes with everything your petite police officer will need to play-patrol the neighbourhood and catch the baddies. It features a blue vest, baseball cap, wooden walkie-talkie, torch, handcuffs, wallet and an ID badge.

Princess Costume

Your little princess will look enchanting in our wand-erful new kids costume. The second they step into their pink princess dress, they’ll be able to set their imaginations free and enter a magical kingdom of fairytale castles, thrones, spells, princes and dragons! The set comes with a felt crown and accessories so they can personalise it however they wish, as well as a magic wand, wooden mirror and comb.

Share Your Fancy Dress Pics

We’d love to see your littlens kitted out in their cute costumes, so don’t forget to share your snaps by tagging us on Instagram @bigjigstoys.