CITY BUZZ: Pretend and play every single day...

We’re off to buy new shoes and then we’re heading to the park to jump in the biggest puddles we can find.

But - oh no - the shoes we want are on the very top shelf, just out of reach. Luckily there’s a ladder nearby; we climb, and climb, then reach for our favourite pair of wellies.

“I want the yellow ones mummy!” Imogen squeals.

“I want blue!” shouts one the other children, which sets off a deluge of delighted cries from everybody else: “pink!” “green!” “purple!”

With our new shoes on, we’re back in our cars and on our way to the park.

The best part of all this? The room we’re in is completely empty. The cars, the shoes, even the ‘breakfast’ we’ve just cooked together is all a result of plenty of imagination.

I’ve brought my two-year-old to Sheffield’s Pyjama Drama class - a 45 minute session that is all about enhancing a child’s imagination and confidence.

And I’m honestly amazed to see for myself just how much ‘pretending’ this group of toddlers is capable of.

“Our focus is pretend and play,” smiles Hollie Campbell, who - along with a small staff - runs the sessions in schools, nurseries and public toddler groups across the city.

“We use drama and storytelling in all of our sessions, along with a mixture of songs and music - and no two sessions are ever the same.

“We deliver bespoke sessions exploring every topic imaginable; from road safety to friendship, pirates, starting school, families and underwater creatures - the list is endless!

“Our classes are highly physical, and our name reflects our core belief that pretending and play should form part of a child’s every day experience. We keep all of our classes small so that the drama is always child-led.”

Imogen’s having a whale of a time. I smile in amazement as I watch her pull open a ‘wardrobe’ and start rooting through it for an outfit.

And with different classes for different ages, there’s something to suit everyone.

Hollie explains: “Our thirty minute ‘Dewdrops’ class is for babies and young toddlers. ‘Raindrops’ classes are thirty five minutes and are for older toddlers more secure on their feet and who are just beginning to use their imaginations. ‘Rainbows’ classes are for preschool children and are forty minutes, and ‘Sunbeams’ children are five to seven years old with their class running for one hour.”

Visit www.pyjamadrama.com or call Hollie on 0114 2995227 for details.