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Role play encourages a child to develop their social skills by promoting sharing with others, listening and persuading co-operation between children in order to foster friendships. The importance of role play should not be underestimated as it teaches children empathy (understanding and compassion) for others and is vital learning aid. Toys that encourage role play make ideal playroom pieces for children, to fire their imaginations and generate a creative aspect to their play. Children do not, merely, play with role playing toys, but, rather become absorbed into that world. So, when a child plays with a race car he or she becomes the racing driver or the pit crew and helps them to develop a sense of how these people feel and function. Role playing can lead to further education and debate by encouraging children to discuss the feeling of their characters. The play hospital, for example, could be used to introduce a child to a hospital environment and to explain the roles of staff (i.e. the nurses cares for us, the doctor gives us medicine to make us feel better). If a child is anxious of a real-life hospital visit the play set could be a useful tool in explaining why a hospital is not a place to fear. A doll and its accessories (cradle, buggy, bed and high chair) allows a child to take on the role of mummy and if a new addition is expected within a family could provide a starting point to discuss what a new baby in their home could mean. Although, role playing toys allow for education opportunities for you and your child it is a fantastic method of encouraging a child’s imagination and not every play situation requires a lesson behind it, but, can be used for the love of play alone. To further develop children’s interaction with the pretend worlds, whywoodworks, supply a range of play sets and play mats with detailed play scenes for children to become totally immersed in their worlds. Choose from dolls house, castle, transport, pirate and fairy and watch as your children disappear into these magical make believe locations.