Role-play as a language-learning strategy is gaining increasing prominence in digital education because it enables learners to practice a foreign language in authentic yet low-risk situations. Through this approach, students simulate real-life interactions, such as ordering food in a restaurant, speaking at a service counter, or negotiating, thereby not only mastering linguistic structures but also cultivating creativity, spontaneity, and confidence in communication.

As it has long been known in the psychological development of children, a child experiences the world with all their senses, learns and acquires knowledge using speech, rhythm, movement, image, and play. The connection between play and learning is completely natural and part of a child’s earliest experiences. Playing has a very important role in the development of a child’s personality, and therefore, as a tool in the school learning process, it gains even greater significance.

At first glance, it may seem paradoxical to associate the words “game” and “learning”, as in many educational systems, the classroom is still a space of discipline, efficiency, and predefined learning objectives. It is not considered a place for games, storytelling, or imaginative play. Yet, increasingly, research urges us to reconsider this perspective.

Imagine a classroom buzzing with energy, not from disruption, but from focused, joyful engagement. Students are laughing, thinking, moving, and most importantly, using the target language without fear.

In early childhood education, learning is most effective when it is playful, meaningful, and rooted in real-life experiences. One of the most powerful strategies for achieving this is role play. When children take on different roles, such as a shopkeeper, parent, or traveller, they not only expand their imagination but also practice essential language and social skills in a fun and memorable way.

In early childhood education, the most effective learning happens through experience. Young children learn best not by listening passively but by engaging actively: touching, moving, speaking, pretending, and imagining.

Language is more than vocabulary, it’s a way of seeing the world, a vehicle for identity, and a gateway to other cultures. And the earlier children are exposed to other languages, the deeper and more natural this learning becomes.

In a world where borders feel increasingly virtual, and difference is a daily encounter, education has the power to do something extraordinary: to prepare children not just for tests, but for life together. That’s the heartbeat behind the Globetrotters project, an ambitious European initiative that brings language discovery, cultural curiosity, and inclusive learning into the early years of education.