PRIME AREAS

Communication & Language

Children using the Imagi Playset naturally engage in:
 

• Back-and-forth conversations

• Storytelling and narration

• Explaining their ideas
   

Example Activities:

• “Tell me about the town”, “Who lives here?” and “What happens next?” - Practitioner asks open-ended questions:

• Collaborative town construction - Children must discuss and agree on what to create - what goes where and why?

• Role play scenarios - Opening a shop (who does what?), mayor of the town, helping deliver the post, constructing a train line
   

Observable Outcomes:

• Increased vocabulary

• Longer sentences and clearer expression

• Confidence in speaking
   

Physical Development (Fine Motor Focus)

Children manipulate, connect, and position books and playcards with control.

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Example Activities:

• Construction challenges - can we build a town around a lake, can we build one on different levels

• Precision play - Fitting designed playcards together carefully

• Rebuilding and adjusting structures - Encourages repeated hand movements and coordination

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Observable Outcomes:

• Improved grip and control

• Hand-eye coordination

• Dexterity needed for writing readiness

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Personal, Social & Emotional Development

Children learning to manage relationships and emotions through shared play.

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Example Activities:

• Group town planning - Children work together to create a single town with multiple different buildings and spaces

• Turn-taking games - Each child adds one piece at a time

• Problem-solving together - “The town party planner is poorly - how can people in the town plan a party on their own?" 

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Observable Outcomes:

• Cooperation and teamwork

• Resilience and perseverance

• Confidence in sharing ideas

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SPECIFIC AREAS

Literacy

Early storytelling, narrative building, and language development.

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Example Activities:

• Story creation - Using a different setting in the town and creating a story around it

• Story retelling - Recreate familiar stories using the playset- returning characters

• Mark-making extension - Draw or write about what they built - what was the story that took place?

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Observable Outcomes:

• Understanding of story structure

• Use of imagination in narratives

• Links between play and early writing

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Mathematics

Mathematical thinking embedded in play.

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Example Activities:

• Counting features, animals, playcards - “How many cats are there versus dogs in the town?”

• Pattern building - Creating repeating structures

• Spatial reasoning - Building up, across, symmetrical designs - "three cards can make a triangle, how would we make a town square?"

• Problem-solving - “Why do some playcards not fit together?

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Observable Outcomes:

• Understanding of shape and space

• Early counting and number awareness

• Logical thinking and reasoning

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Understanding the World

Children making sense of their environment and experiences.

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Example Activities:

• Real-world builds - Homes, schools, parks

• Community play - Creating towns or places they recognise

• Exploration discussions - “Who works here?” “What happens in this place?”

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Observable Outcomes:

• Awareness of the world around them

• Understanding of roles and communities

• Curiosity and questioning

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Expressive Arts & Design

Creative expression through design, imagination, and role play.

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Example Activities:

• Open-ended creation - No instructions. Children design freely - the world is literally their oyster!

• Imaginative worlds - Fantasy settings, characters, and stories - anything goes

• Creative challenges - “Can you turn the town into a winter wonderland?”

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Observable Outcomes:

• Original ideas and creativity

• Ability to express thoughts through design

• Confidence in imaginative play

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Supporting the Characteristics of Effective Learning

The Imagi Playset also enables practitioners to observe how children learn, as outlined in the EYFS Framework:

Playing & Exploring

• Trying out ideas

• Using resources in different ways

Active Learning

• Staying focused for extended periods

• Persisting when things don’t work

Creating & Thinking Critically

• Planning and testing ideas

• Making decisions and solving problems

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What Makes This Powerful for Ofsted

This level of play allows practitioners to clearly demonstrate:
 

• Rich, language-based interactions

• Evidence of child-initiated learning

• Cross-curricular development

• Observable progress over time

It also supports practitioners in explaining “What children are learning and why”, which is central to inspections by Ofsted.