I facilitated a two hour workshop on Loose Parts (in the classroom), this
week-end. I put a lot of work into the preparation of it, reading articles and blogs, thinking about my own experiences, talking to co-workers, writing it out and refining it and then practising my presentation. I am very passionate about the use of loose parts in childcare environments, both inside and outside.
In the workshop we talked about what loose parts are, and where the theory originated. We talked about the considerations of bringing loose parts into the classroom for different age groups. We had great discussion that was intelligent, relevant and interesting.
And we played!
A felted play mat with animals. Along side were baskets of corks, chestnuts, drift wood and stones.
Plexiglass, tins, unit blocks, tree blocks, cardboard, wooden chess pieces.
Cardboard flowers, buttons, coins, and gems with small squares of card stock.
Grimm rainbow stacker, geometric shapes and mardi gras necklaces on a mirror.
I hope all the participants went home feeling inspired to provide children with loose parts in their classrooms. Maybe loose parts that can be put in one small corner or in the play yard. Just enough for educators to see that children will fall in love with this choice of materials as their imaginations come alive with possibilities, experiences, creativity and fabulous ideas!
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"In any environment, both the degree of inventiveness and creativity, and the possibility of discovery, are directly proportional to the number and kind of variables in it." - Simon Nicholson
Sorry Simon, that it's taken so long for us to "get" this.
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