Resources for Loose Parts Play
Photo by Mandy Henry on Unsplash
An August, 2024, childcareoptions.ca (CCRR) article looks at ways to expand and diversify a collection of ‘loose parts’ to open up new possibilities for creative and imaginative play.
The article looks at ways of diversifying a “loose parts” collection to help open up new possibilities for creative and imaginative play.
· Cardboard Boxes: now that many people regularly receive parcel deliveries, staff and friends may be able to supply a variety of shapes and sizes. Boxes can be used whole or broken up into pieces of cardboard of different shapes.
· Fabric Scraps: old clothing can be cut up into pieces, along with leftover pieces of fabric from projects, to provide a range of textures, shapes and colours
· Receipt printer cores: ask at stores you regularly use – they may be willing to save these for you
· Plastic/Metal lids: lids from yogurt containers, milk jugs, and jars come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
· Bottle Caps: ask family and friends to save caps from beverages.
Play Scotland offers a Loose Parts toolkit at https://www.playscotland.org/wp-content/uploads/1-Loose-Parts-Play.pdf with links to other resources.
Michelle Lipp, on her website at https://www.fantasticfunandlearning.com/loose-parts-play-kids.html offers a wide selection of ideas to build a collection of items for “loose parts” play, along with links to her series of articles offering further ideas for:
· Teaching Math with Loose Parts Play
· Supporting Literacy Through Loose Parts Play