Roman Day Adventure

Overview

This 60-minute session introduces Reception children to life in Roman Britain through immersive, age-appropriate role play and hands-on activities. It aligns with the Early Learning Goals for Understanding the World in the National Curriculum for England (Early Years Foundation Stage - EYFS) and supports developing historical knowledge and curiosity.

---

National Curriculum Links

Early Learning Goal: Understanding the World – Past and Present

• Children know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things.
• They talk about the lives of people around them and their roles in society.
• Pupils begin to understand the past through settings, characters and events encountered in books read in class and storytelling.

---

Learning Objectives

By the end of the session, the child will be able to:

• Recognise key aspects of life in Roman Britain (homes, clothing, food).
• Understand what it might have been like to live in Roman times through role play.
• Use new vocabulary related to Roman life (e.g., togas, centurion, villa, marketplace).
• Demonstrate curiosity by asking and responding to questions about the past.

---

Resources Needed

• Simple Roman costume pieces: paper togas, cardboard helmets, fabric sashes
• Pictures/cards showing Roman life: homes (villas), soldiers, marketplace, food
• Replica or images of Roman artefacts (pots, coins, toys)
• Play food pieces (fruit, bread, cheese) and baskets or trays
• Soft bricks or cardboard boxes to build a “Roman villa” corner
• Storybook or simple short story about a Roman child’s day
• Large map of Roman Britain for introduction

---

Session Outline

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Sit child comfortably and show the large map of Roman Britain. Talk briefly about where the Romans came from and when they lived here (around 2,000 years ago).
• Show pictures of typical Roman homes, soldiers, and markets. Introduce basic vocabulary such as “villa,” “centurion,” and “togas.”
• Read a very short, engaging story about a Roman child waking up in their villa and going to market (2-3 minutes narration).

---

2. Role Play Preparation (10 minutes)

• Dress the child in a simple Roman toga and cardboard helmet. Explain what a centurion is and what a toga was for. Use mirrors so the child can see themselves.
• Create a small Roman villa scene using soft bricks or cardboard boxes. Let the child help arrange the furniture and “artefacts.”
• Prepare a basket/tray of play food for the market scene.

---

3. Roman Life Role Play (30 minutes)

• Roman Villa: The child can “wake up” in the Roman villa, sit on cushions, and pretend to eat breakfast with play food (bread, cheese, fruit). Talk about what Roman families might have eaten.
• Market Visit: Move to the marketplace setup. The child can “buy” or “sell” food items using simple phrases like “Good morning! I want bread, please.” Encourage using new vocabulary.
• Centurion Patrol: The child can put on the helmet and pretend to be a Roman soldier protecting the villa or walking through the town, giving simple orders such as “Stop!” or “Look here!” in a playful way.

Throughout this activity, engage by asking:

• “What do you think Roman children liked doing for fun?”
• “How is this food different to what you eat now?”
• “Why do you think Roman soldiers wore helmets?”

---

4. Reflection and Assessment (10 minutes)

• Sit down and look at the pictures/cards together again. Ask the child to point to and name Roman objects or places they remember from the role play.
• Ask them to share their favourite part and why.
• Encourage the child to talk about what was the same or different compared to their own life (EYFS goal).
• Make simple observations for assessment: ability to use new vocabulary, show understanding of Roman life, and eagerness to ask/answer questions.

---

Extensions & Adaptations

• For a quieter child, focus more on storytelling and showing artefacts.
• For further engagement, create a simple Roman mosaic craft in future sessions, linking the tactile historical exploration.
• Use technology by showing short visuals or animations of Roman Britain after the role play for reinforcing learning.

---

Teacher Notes

• Keep language simple, clear, and repetitive to support vocabulary retention.
• Use enthusiastic tone to encourage imaginative participation.
• Reinforce links to child’s own experience (“Just like you have breakfast now, Roman children did too!”).
• Observe the child’s responses and adapt pacing accordingly.

---

This lesson combines tactile learning, role play, historical knowledge, and language development specifically tailored for Reception within the UK National Curriculum framework’s historical understanding aims. It offers a memorable entry point into the ancient past for young learners.