By role-playing as a customer and shop owner, children develop communication skills, confidence in speaking, and awareness of volume and clarity.
1. Choose volunteers
Ask for two children to take on the roles: one as the sweet shop owner and one as the customer.
2. Set the scene
Explain that the customer enters the shop, goes to the counter, and politely asks for a type of sweet or chocolate, for example: "A Mars bar, please."
Mention that there is loud drilling or building work outside and the rest of the children can create background noise if appropriate.
3. Practise repetition
The shop owner responds with "What?" and the customer repeats their request slightly louder. Continue this three times, gradually increasing volume and clarity.
4. Complete the transaction
On the final attempt, the shop owner understands and says, "Oh, okay. Here you go."
5. Swap roles
The customer becomes the shop owner, and a new customer enters. Encourage children to choose a different sweet each time, with no repeats.
This game clearly demonstrates why we sometimes need to adjust our volume and clarity. Children enjoy the repetition and humour while learning how to make themselves understood in noisy environments.
Lucy Quick, Principal of Perform.
