Loose parts are the best learning materials your children can be using at home.. our classrooms are filled with them! These materials are open ended which means they can be used in so many different ways depending on the child and activity. They allow children to express and represent their thinking as they play. You can find loose parts around your home, but the best place to find them is outdoors! Nature is full of loose parts like pinecones, sticks, rock and pebbles, acorns, leaves, etc. Start looking around home, the backyard, and fields and forests around where you live to start creating your own collection of loose parts to use and play with at home. Use the pictures and ideas below to help guide you in your collection and exploration of loose parts!
Sticks provide endless possibilities for play and learning! Collect a group of sticks and try ordering them from shortest to longest, measure them, make letters and shapes with them, or use your imagination to pretend it is something else!
Need more ideas? Click here to see 20 Ways to Play with Sticks!