Early education settings provide a range of learning environments for young children. Using loose parts has become an established method to encourage children’s learning through their play.
The theory of loose parts was proposed 50 years ago by architect Simon Nicholson. It suggests that offering children a variety of open-ended materials for their play significantly influences how they play and what they are able to create, design and discover. The unique features of loose parts are that they are able to be moved around, rearranged, put together, pulled apart and redesigned, and this has an irresistible appeal for children.
Planners, designers and inventors
Using diverse materials, big and small that can be used in many different ways allows children to bring their own ideas and imagination to their play. Loose parts don’t come with a set of instructions for use. They can be used on their own or combined with other materials. Children develop complex thinking skills as they work together to plan their play and make decisions about how they will use the loose parts. They begin to invent games and play worlds around the materials.
Natural, recycled and repurposed objects
Almost anything can be used in loose parts play and opportunities are everywhere. Nature offers a rich bounty of open-ended objects: seed pods, pine cones, leaves, gumnuts, pebbles, rocks, sticks, feathers, flowers, etc. Ordinary items such as boxes, bottle lids and cardboard rolls all provide scope for children’s creativity where they can be used for stacking, balancing, making patterns, or together with other objects for construction. Craft materials including pipe cleaners, patty pans, ribbon and string have multiple uses. Children enjoy experimenting with how to put things together and the challenge of using different items to connect and fasten promotes their reasoning and problem solving skills. Small mats, trays and shallow containers are useful for children to sort and position items and they provide a ready-made frame for their arrangements. Add in children’s preferred toys such as blocks, or people and animal figures and their play ideas will flourish.
Sensory learning
Children are curious and observant about their environment. They are instinctively drawn to touch and feel objects, to sense many different, sights, smells and textures, to pick things up and move them around. The brain processes this sensory input and helps the child to understand concepts, e.g. light and heavy, warm and cold, smooth and rough. Sand and water play experiences are always popular with children and are offered across all Story House Early Learning services to support children’s sensory learning. As they manipulate different objects, children are fine tuning their eye-hand coordination, learning to grasp, hold and control the movement of objects. It takes careful hands to hold a feather and a stronger grip to lift and place a rock. As part of their sensory exploration young children will put things in their mouths. Supervision is important, checking that play items are safe and don’t present a choking hazard.
Immersed in play
Sometimes loose parts play can be labelled as unstructured play or free play, which perhaps understates its significance and impact for children’s learning. The renowned educational researcher and theorist Maria Montessori stated that play is the work of the child. Playing with loose parts invites children to lead their own play, to develop the work, to learn through a hands-on approach. This builds concentration and focus as children become increasingly engaged in their play, developing their resilience when encountering small obstacles and working through ways to resolve them. This type of play also benefits other skill development. Children playing together will constantly communicate, describing their play and extending their language and social skills. They practice their storytelling abilities as they invent and adapt their play, uncovering new ways to create with loose parts. Maths skills are broadened as children count, measure and classify items. They begin to understand the basics of science concepts such as floating and sinking, and seasonal changes in nature.
Loose parts can inspire and sustain spontaneous and complex play. They stimulate children’s curiosity, and lead to unlimited learning possibilities.
Reference: Daly, L and Beloglovsky, M; Loose Parts, Inspiring Play in Young Children, Redleaf Press 2015 St Paul, Minnesota.
By Sabina Klepp, Education Practice Partner – Story House Early Learning.
www.shel.edu.au
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