Author: Betty Yau
Principal, Fairchild Nursery and Kindergarten
Are you ever surprised at how children love to play with the simplest of materials such as cardboard boxes or paper tubes rather than the contents of a box housing a new toy? Children naturally gravitate towards objects which pique their interest and curiosity.
The term ‘loose parts’ was created by British architect, Simon Nicolson in 1971. Loose parts are interesting objects and resources which children can move, manipulate, control and change as they play. This allows children to use the different materials in any combination of ways – the possibilities become endless. Random objects such as bottle tops, small rocks, wooden pegs, corks, old keys, pine cones can allow children to lay out and coordinate the items to create something new, allowing children to imagine a new character, or a different ingredient for a recipe. Such items allow children to have different conversations and interactions with friends, encouraging their communication, collaboration and cooperation. In this way, loose parts promote creativity and innovation too, important life skills today.
Key aspects to consider when selecting loose parts for children are that they should draw children towards them as something they want to play with. Smooth rocks, leaves and sticks provide very open ended opportunities for play, rather than a set outcome. Loose parts are things which can be ordered, sorted or reordered at a child’s will, how ever a child imagines the items should be used in their play.
Nicolson believed that environments also offer many ways for children to engage in different variable items, such as gravity, sound, chemical reactions, concepts, words and people, all of which can also be considered as loose parts. When a setting is rich in various loose parts, children have numerous ways to make changes, allowing them to think differently, process information for themselves and play with materials in an open ended manner.
The value of loose parts lies in the richness of possibilities provided. The branch of a tree can become a fishing rod, a stick for stirring, a utensil to stir fry some vegetables, or even a magic wand! Through children’s active engagement with loose parts, they are self motivated to play and learn, and have the choice over what they play with and how they play with them. There is no prescribed way for children to use loose parts, the more random combinations, the better.
Loose parts allow children to develop their critical thinking as they investigate materials on offer, formatate their own theories on the items and ask questions as they challenge their own assumptions on the resources on offer. They also support children’s divergent and creative thinking with the open endedness provided – there are opportunities for problem solving using interesting things – consider how many uses children might have for a standard empty cardboard box!
Children’s development is positively supported by engaging with loose parts. Gross motor skills are developed as children step or jump from one rock to another, or fine motor skills are enhanced as they pick up shells or sticks – providing the many opportunities for children to experience is really the key.
Children’s social and emotional development also benefits from loose parts – they build the sense of belonging, provide inclusiveness, and ensure ample opportunities for children to collaborate, communicate, negotiate, take risks and solve their own problems, all the while doing so through play.
Through handling different objects, children are reflecting on their learning, building their cognitive development as they analyse how things work and see how concepts come to life, such as less or more water, or why their tower of corks has fallen down. Problem solving skills are ever present when children play, with loose parts.
Using loose parts at home need not be a challenge – consider the possibilities which empty egg or tissue boxes, plastic bottles, or even fruit or vegetable containers can provide for children with the addition of a little water or leaves – allow the children to do the work, and see what they create as they play, you will always be surprised at the power of loose parts.
