Create a role play museum

By now you’ve probably built up a collection of objects that the children in your class can use for your play museum. It would be a good idea to continue adding some more interesting objects and the Talking about Objects section is full of advice on how to find objects for your collection.

When collecting loans from home, why not use a museums loans sheet to keep a record of the objects in your class collection. You could share this with your class so children can understand the different jobs people do in museums.

So that children can talk about the collection and share ideas, we found it useful to look at the collection to make sure the objects can be sorted in a variety of ways. Sorting by colour, size and even age for example will encourage children to explain share ideas around similarities and differences between things in the past and now.

** please be aware when choosing objects for your collection to make sure that any sharp or breakable objects are identified and only included in the collection when it’s safe to do so**

Why not find a space in your classroom where children can develop ideas around displaying their collections and making a museum. You could transform a play corner, setting up tables to suggest an entrance area. Further tables and empty shelves could provide a simple layout  to inspire children to fill with their own class collections.

Teachers are invited to use the “museum of old things loans box”  from Tees Valley Museums to enhance the space with further museum display resources including label holders and sign boards.

To make your museum realistic, and to keep on top of the objects in your collection, why not create a play museum store. This could be a large box or a set of shelves where children will know that the museum collection can be tidied away to.

A play museum store can encourage children to decide on the objects they would like to have in the museum and to sort the objects in a variety of different ways. This will encourage children to choose the objects carefully and to share their ideas with their peers.

you could recruit some play curators to keep a check on the care of the objects, keeping the area tidy and organised.