Friday 30 March 2018

LOOSE PARTS - "NON TOY" PLAY

Playing with "loose parts" or "bits and pieces" can provide children with easy, quick and extremely imaginative games.

The photograph above shows a gorgeous collection of loose parts that my daughter and I made into sets to sell.  Some very happy families snapped them up, and got a lovely selection of items to play with!


This photo shows one of our boys playing with some off-cuts of wood that my husband brought home for them.

What sort of non-toy items can you provide for your children to play with?

It used to frustrate me when I saw lists that went along the lines of:

"Here are some great ideas for loose parts play:
pinecones
sticks
marbles
feathers
etc"

And I would think "what etc?!?! More information please!!"


Over the years playing alongside my children, and researching more about loose parts I started to really understand the fun and play value of loose parts,  and have been able to provide my children with many of the following items, some of them part of our household items, some natural finds from our walks, some have been op-shop treasures, and others I have purchased specially.

As you start to give your children these lovely open-ended loose parts you'll see what bits they enjoy, and what bits they don't like playing with.  But remember - children change!!  And something they didn't want to play with last year might really take their fancy this year!

Here's a pretty comprehensive list I've come up with to get you started with some more of your own ideas:

beads
marbles
fabric pieces
shells
stones
twigs
sticks
bells
pipe cleaners
corks
bottles
jars
pottery
 

acorns
tiny animal ornaments
cones
conkers (chestnuts)
pine needles
flax pods
 

wool fleece
feathers
gumnuts
washi tape
elastic
cardboard rectangles
felt pieces
mirror tiles or little discs
bamboo pieces


ribbon
string
cardboard
plasticine
scarves
coasters
tree disks

pottles
utensils
stainless steel pots
wooden bowls
glass flat marbles
tiny brass ornaments
wood shavings
lichen
driftwood
sequins
beeswax modelling clay
lump of real clay
raw or carded wool
sheepskins
lovely little jewellery boxes or similar


safe tins
wooden pegs/sticks/dowels
rice/bean/wheat bags

tongs/stamp tweezers/teabag pincers
napkin rings
corks
measuring spoons/cups

How's that?!?!


 Photo above shows GORGEOUS carded wool!




What can YOU provide for your children?
I'd love to see!
Send me a picture at:  adventuresinnaturallearning@gmail.com





 
All photograps my own except these two above.
The first shows a 'loose parts box' that a friend is setting up for her little girl, and the very sweet pic at the end was provided by a friend who threw this game together for her delighted little girl!

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