Loose parts play is an open-ended approach to play that involves providing children with a variety of materials of objects that can be moved, manipulated, and combined in a different way. The open-ended nature of loose parts play stimulates children’s creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills as they imagine, design, and build using the materials available to them.
Here’s what you will find in the Loose Parts Play Hub this month:
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Stump table: Dominos!
- Dominos are a great loose part in addition to being a great simple and fun group game. The size, weight and cool smooth texture is great for sensory input. They also make a great clinking sound when all together. As adults, these might all seem like minor details, but to children, who learn through sensory input, these are things they might notice, enjoy and learn from!
- As a game, Dominos are great for matching, number recognition, hand eye coordination, ordering, positioning and lining items up and social cooperation and turn taking.
Desk: Sensory Bottles
- We have created these sensory bottles with water beads, baby oil, hair gel, gems, glitter and buttons. They are glued shut and not meant to be opened but can be handled, tipped and shaken up!
- Sensory bottles are beautiful and interesting and spark curiosity, conversation and attention to detail. They are often times used for emotional regulation because of those things and their ability to bring the mind to the present in a calming way.
Stainless table: Weaving
- Weaving is a great fine motor and creative activity. It encourages focus and attention to detail. Our weave AND unweave boards also allow children to explore the play schema of deconstruction as they are able to take it apart and start again.
