Let’s Talk Loose Parts Play
The natural world is full with loose parts!
When I was younger, we’d play kitchen outside by smashing up berries, mud, and grass and mixing it all together. Then, we’d set our rock table with big green leaves and puffy snowball-like hydrangeas. We’d imagine we were at a fancy restaurant, say “excusez-moi” as if we were French, and laugh the afternoon away.
In the same afternoon, we’d use sticks as scythes and knock down tall grasses before building our fort out of the logs and sticks we’d find in the surrounding area. In the outside world, anything can become a loose part. Anything can be used to craft a playful world for yourself, and for others!
What is Loose Parts Play, and Why is it Beneficial?
Loose parts places the power in the hands of the player. When using loose parts, individuals build a world of their own, leverage their imaginations to fill in gaps and collaborate with those around them to invent together. It’s sort of like the Stone Soup story: everyone brings a bit of something to the table, and when it’s all said and done, there’s a beautiful feast for the imagination waiting in the mud and muck.
Don’t forget to attend the “IPA-USA National Day of Loose Parts Play” event on Saturday, September 16. (Scan the QR code for more information).
If you love getting outside and exploring nature, check out these Park Activities from our partners at Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. There are many ways of exploring nature and creating something along the way.
How can you use loose parts to tell a story? Can you use them to create a picture? The world is yours with loose parts play!
Loose Parts Play Resources
[WATCH] Rusty's Backyard - Loose Parts, Rusty Keeler YouTube
“Loose Parts” in Children’s Outdoor Play Environments Resources, International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education
Playful Possibilities: Simple Cardboard Box More Than it Seems to Young Learners, Omaha Wolrd-Herald
Loose Parts Play in Preschool: A Guide for Educators and Parents, brightwheel
When Kids Like the Box More Than the Toy: The Benefits of Playing with Everyday Objects, The Conversation
