Create your own PlayWorld

Our Conceptual PlayWorld model has been developed by one of the world’s leading experts in early childhood education Professor Marilyn Fleer and is based on decades of research.

As an educator, you can use Conceptual PlayWorlds for different things. You can run a scientific PlayWorld or an engineering PlayWorld.

It could be about social and emotional development like a Respectful Relationships PlayWorld, or it could be for some other kind of narrative development play, for example in literacy.

This is a kind of ecology – a program of learning and development which is about creating an imaginary situation together with the children.

Draw from a step-by-step toolkit, and make it your own

There are five steps to setting up and developing a Conceptual PlayWorld that are really important. But make them your own, because you will be making decisions that best suit the children you work with. You know them best.

Download a Conceptual PlayWorld blank template (English) (DOCX, 0.1 MB)

Template in other languages are also available:

Plot
The story needs to have a complex plot. You revisit the story over and over again with the children in an imaginary space. By selecting a story that is quite complex, it means it’s more engaging for the children and for you as the educator.
Characters
Think about the kinds of characters that are in there. You need lots of characters. Not all storybooks lend themselves to having 25 characters but what you can do is think of the main characters.
You can give those main characters cousins who live in other countries or visitors who might come to the PlayWorld, who can then become an additional character.
Drama
The story needs to have drama or dramatic dimension to it so that it’s exciting and it can lend itself to a problem situation that has to be solved and developed over time. New characters can enter the play and help solve the problem.
What do you enjoy?
Select a story that you really love because you are going be a play partner in this PlayWorld.
Use your spaces in different ways
The second part of our tool kit is the design of the spaces, particularly outside spaces. You might decide to use an obstacle course to take your class to a particular place – a special tree or chair for example. You could use a trestle and beams to create a pathway to your PlayWorld.
Inside we can think about what can we change, what spaces can we use. The home corner or block corner can be transformed into a particular PlayWorld.
The blocks are in service of the PlayWorld. They can support the construction of a new building or a new bridge that takes you to some interesting place.
Another element from our toolkit is to think about how you can enter the PlayWorld. You might decide to use a magic wand. It signals, ‘We are now moving into the PlayWorld.’ It also signals that we are also leaving the PlayWorld.
You can wear a costume, or not, to signal the characters of the collective play.
In an outside space, you might use a tunnel to crawl into an imagined microscopic PlayWorld. Entering and exiting the PlayWorld space can be many different things – a chair or a door frame. The idea is to enter and exit the PlayWorld as a group.
What is the problem that arises? You might have a new character who arrives in a special little surprise box – perhaps a little ringtail possum with a special message to give to the children.
It’s something that is introduced, a message to be solved, something to be modelled. It could be anything. It expands the PlayWorld, so it can build over time.
In the Charlotte’s Web PlayWorld the children had to solve Farmer Zuckerman’s urgent problem – all the bugs were eating the apples in his orchard. For the children, it opened up all sorts of questions and ideas about the natural world, ecosystems and growing food.
Think about the way you interact as an educator in the PlayWorld. You can take on a role that is equal to the children, because you are play partners in this process.
You can take on a role where you are with the children, trying to solve the problem, or you are in a leading role, guiding the children through the process.
This allows you to help the children solve the problem collectively, and to deepen the play.

PlayWorld starters

These tried and tested PlayWorlds will help you get started.

Toddlers
Preschoolers
Early Primary
Primary
Other Languages

What Do You Call Your Grandma

This PlayWorld draws on the relationships between grandparents and their grandchildren.

Toddlers Quick and simple

The March of the Ants

Join the ants as they journey on an important expedition. What will they need to take with them to complete their Conceptual PlayWorld? The littlest ant might just end up being the leader!

Toddlers; Primary Longer and Complex

Possum in the House

This PlayWorld uses the idea of a possum getting into the childcare centre and making a big mess to encourage children to think about living things, their needs and habits.

Toddlers Quick and simple

Big Love

This PlayWorld is about the depth of love a parent has for a child.

Toddlers Quick and simple

A Pair of Pears and an Orange

This PlayWorld is an adorable story about making new friends and problem solving.

Toddlers Quick and simple

See all PlayWorld starters

The Snail and The Whale (English & Chinese version)

Preschoolers Quick and simple

Rosie's Walk

When Rosie’s cousin got lost, and was scared of the fox, the children were quick to help – and worked to solve the problem by creating special maps.

Preschoolers Quick and simple

Planning a Conceptual PlayWorld in STEM

Preschoolers Quick and simple

How to Catch a Star

This is a whimsical story with beautiful illustrations about a boy who loves stars so much he dreams of catching one. Concept: Space and distance

Preschoolers Quick and simple

Hippo on Roof

This PlayWorld is based on the much-loved children’s story by Hazel Edwards. In it children learn all about engineering, and ways to solve the problem of a leaking roof.

Preschoolers Quick and simple

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The Spectacular Suit

The children are invited to Frankie’s birthday party. But they’ll need a suit with a spectacular pattern!

Early Primary Longer and Complex

We Love You Magoo

Early Primary Longer and Complex

The Wonky Donkey

Early Primary Longer and Complex

The Secret Garden

This PlayWorld uses the children’s classic about Mary and her cousin Colin as a jumping off point for a space adventure. As they play, the children enact a daring rescue from the dark side of the moon.

Early Primary Quick and simple

Fleer’s Land of Learning Playworld

Early Primary Longer and Complex

See all PlayWorld starters

The March of the Ants

Join the ants as they journey on an important expedition. What will they need to take with them to complete their Conceptual PlayWorld? The littlest ant might just end up being the leader!

Toddlers; Primary Longer and Complex

The Beach Wombat

Primary Longer and Complex

Mr Wolf and the Three Bears

Through this Conceptual PlayWorld the Wolf invites friends, the three bears, around for tea to celebrate baby bear’s birthday and spend the day preparing afternoon tea with Grandma Wolf.

Primary Quick and simple

Imagine a City

The Conceptual PlayWorld model has been adapted for older primary students we call RealWorlds. Our starters are currently in development. Check out this video to see it in action.

Primary Quick and simple

Finding Our Heart

This Conceptual PlayWorld focuses on finding Australia's heart. Through a shared imaginary situation we can begin caring for our country and discover our shared future.

Primary Longer and Complex

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The Snail and The Whale (Chinese version)

Other languages Quick and simple

Fale Samoa

Join Tomasi and his friends as they embark on a magical adventure to learn more about Fale Samoa through Conceptual PlayWorlds.

Other languages Quick and simple

Breg's tornado (Chinese version)

Other languages Quick and simple

See all PlayWorld starters

Learn with us

Would you like to build your own understandings and knowledge of Conceptual PlayWorlds? We offer online or in-person professional development sessions for schools and early childhood education and care services.

Conceptual PlayWorld resources

These resources from Modern Teaching Aids might be useful in setting up your Conceptual PlayWorld

Fleer’s Conceptual PlayWorld

Fleer’s Conceptual PlayWorld

Create your own PlayWorld

Draw from a step-by-step toolkit, and make it your own

Plot

Characters

Drama

What do you enjoy?

Use your spaces in different ways