PLAYING A ROLE

Maria Cantarella, CEO of Association of Indoor Play, outlines how role play is reshaping the UK indoor play sector

One of the most compelling growth stories in UK indoor play since the pandemic has been the emergence of dedicated role play centres as a serious and scalable format. What was once a small add-on within larger venues has evolved into a defined category in its own right. Compact, beautifully curated spaces, often positioned just off the high street, are now built entirely around immersive role play experiences supported by a strong café offer and structured session model.

This growth is not confined to standalone operators. Across the wider indoor play landscape, established centres are investing heavily in high-quality role play zones within their existing footprints. Operators understand the commercial logic. Role play broadens appeal into the early years market, extends dwell time, enhances weekday utilisation and strengthens secondary spend. In a challenging trading environment, it provides both differentiation and resilience.

Post-COVID consumer behaviour has accelerated this shift. Families are increasingly drawn to calmer, bookable, capacity-controlled environments that feel safe, manageable and intentional. Parents are seeking experiences that are not only enjoyable but purposeful. Role play delivers precisely that. It offers structured yet flexible play in settings that feel developmental rather than chaotic. At the same time, operators have been adapting to changes in early years funding and the impact of subsidised nursery places on traditional stay-and-play patterns. Strengthening the toddler and preschool proposition has become a strategic necessity.

Maria Cantarella, CEO of Association of Indoor Play (AIP), said: “We have seen a marked increase in both standalone role play centres and larger indoor play venues investing in dedicated role play environments. It has become a distinct and important part of our sector. That is why we have established a dedicated sub-group within the association, giving role play operators the opportunity to share best practice, address specific operational challenges and strengthen their collective voice.”

Built for size

At the heart of these venues is the miniature town concept – a scaled world built entirely at a child’s height. Supermarkets with pint-sized trolleys, cafés with tiny tables and aprons, doctor’s surgeries complete with X-rays, post offices, garages, theatres, hairdressers and veterinary clinics create instantly recognisable environments. Children do not need instruction. They instinctively step into roles as shopkeepers, chefs, mechanics, performers or carers. They build storylines, negotiate scenarios and collaborate with peers in ways that feel both familiar and empowering.

The appeal is not merely aesthetic. Role play is a cornerstone of child development. It is an interactive form of imaginative play in which children act out specific roles and scenarios, often using costumes and props. They are not simply pretending; they are rehearsing life.

“Role play isn’t just play, it’s learning, it’s growing, it’s connection, it’s important”, says Sophie Siddle, from the The Little Town of Play, South Yorkshire and The Little Town of Play Batley, West Yorkshire.

The developmental foundations for this are well established. In Mind in Society, Lev Vygotsky (1978) argued that imaginative social play is central to language acquisition, social competence and cognitive growth. He believed children learn most effectively in social contexts where they negotiate roles, communicate intentions and solve problems collaboratively. Role play environments provide exactly this dynamic: children must listen, adapt, articulate and respond in real time.

A simple prop becomes something entirely different in a child’s hands

Similarly, in Play, Dreams and Imitation in Childhood, Jean Piaget (1962) identified pretend play as a crucial stage in cognitive development. Through symbolic thinking – using one object to represent another, or stepping into a role – children begin to make sense of how the world works. When a child conducts a doctor’s appointment or manages a shop transaction, they are exploring systems, sequencing events and understanding cause and effect.

Learning through roles

Socially, role play demands interaction. Children practise sharing, turn-taking, listening and cooperation. They negotiate storylines and resolve minor disagreements when someone shifts the narrative. These exchanges lay the foundations for empathy, teamwork and an understanding of social boundaries.

Creatively, it stretches imagination. A simple prop becomes something entirely different in a child’s hands. Characters emerge, plots evolve and possibilities are tested. This imaginative flexibility underpins later innovation and problem-solving capacity.

Cognitively, role play requires sequencing and decision-making. What happens first in a restaurant? How does payment work? What tools are required to fix a car? Children begin to understand real-world systems through repetition and experimentation. Even selecting a costume involves intent and planning.

Language development accelerates rapidly in these environments. Dialogue sits at the centre of every scenario. Children articulate ideas, negotiate roles and express emotions. They absorb and deploy new vocabulary naturally — words such as appointment, reservation or receipt become meaningful because they are contextualised.

Emotionally, role play offers a safe structure within which children can explore feelings. They can act out caring for someone who is unwell, handling disappointment or celebrating success. These rehearsals support emotional regulation and resilience.

Confidence grows alongside competence. When a child successfully “runs” a café, leads a performance or directs a storyline, they experience mastery. Role play provides a controlled environment in which identity and responsibility can be explored without pressure.

Physically, while calmer than large-scale soft play, these environments still encourage movement and coordination. Children bend, carry props, fasten buttons, handle small objects and transition between zones. Fine motor skills are strengthened through dressing up and manipulating accessories, while gross motor development is supported through active engagement within the space.

The scale of growth has been significant enough for the Association of Indoor Play to formally recognise role play as a distinct and important segment of the sector.

Operators within the segment echo this perspective. As Anju Pawan, Owner of Teddy’s Playtown, puts it: “When children pretend, they are not escaping reality – they are preparing for it.”

Role play is not replacing traditional indoor play. It is strengthening and expanding the sector’s overall proposition. It reflects a broader shift towards experience-led, thoughtfully designed environments that combine creativity, developmental value and hospitality. In an era dominated by screens and structured timetables, the simple act of running a pretend café, fixing a car or delivering the post remains one of the most powerful, purposeful and commercially sustainable forms of play available to young children.