8mo–20mo10 minSocial playFree playFamily time
Role‑Play Sorting Station
A simple pretend-play ‘shop’ where your child sorts everyday props in different ways (type, size, or function), practising early categorising and number talk in play.
What you'll need
Essentials
- 2–3 small containers or baskets
- a mixed set of ‘role-play’ items (cups, spoons, toy food, socks, soft toys)
- a teddy/doll (optional customer, can be any soft toy)
Nice to have
- paper labels with simple pictures (cup/spoon) taped to containers
- a small cloth (to ‘hide’ items for a fun reveal)
Movement level: low
What you'll do
The 4-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
What it practices
- Beginning to organise and categorise objects, e.g. putting all the teddy bears together or teddies and cars in separate piles.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Says some counting words randomly.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Knows that things exist, even when out of sight.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Equip the role-play area with things that can be sorted in different ways.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)