The children engage in child directed play for a large portion of the day in the Oak classroom. Child-directed play is play that evolves when children choose what to play and make up their own rules for how to play. A great example of child-directed play is loose parts play. Loose parts play is a type of play that supports invention, divergent thinking, problem solving and offers a sense of wonder to children. It is a label given to any collection of natural or man-made materials that can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up, and taken apart and put back together in multiple ways to expand upon children’s play. (Kart, Nudel, https://playactioninternational.org/, The Importance of Child-Directed Play, May 2021, https://playactioninternational.org/news/the-importance-of-child-directed-play/).
Loose parts are materials that can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up, and taken apart and put back together in multiple ways. Loose parts can be used alone or combined with other materials. There is no set of specific directions for materials that are considered loose parts. The child is the direction.
We have a plethora of different loose parts materials in the Oak classroom. This year, we created a loose parts collection area to gather recycled materials to use at loose parts. We have already started gathering applesauce tops and play dough lids.
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| The bottom shelf is our loose parts collection area. |
Overheard during loose parts play today.
"I am making a trail to the house." - CG
"Ari, I am giving you all the red." - HR
"I am collecting all the yellow." - AG
"I am putting them all together for Jane. She is making a rainbow. I am helping her." - RB
"I am making a rainbow maze." - JO
"A castle." - OT
"Can I play too?" - RR "Of course!" - JO
"Let's connect it." - CG
"Yeah, let's make it long!" - HR
"Want to help me?" - LG
"Mrs. Mahern is that glass? It can break. I will be careful." - OT
"I'm happy to share mine with you." - JO
"Thank you. Do you have more?" - RR
"We need people." - CG
"No, we don't. Just pretend this has powers." - AG
"This can be Chase. It is blue." - AG
"This is Sky (holding up pink wood piece." - CG
"Want to help me make an octopus?' - LG
"I can't. I am too busy making Grampy!" - OT
"I have 16, 1, 2, 3...those are a lot." - OT
"Put all the keys in here." - MO
"I am filling it up." - JO
"Can I have one?" LG "Okay. Which one do you think is good?" - JO
"There's a bee in the hive! Oh my gosh!" - SS
"We are twins!" - AG
"Put all the same colors together." - CG
"I am splitting them because you are taking my things. You have those." - RB
"Let's make a cake!" - CG
"Look there are two Skys. There are two the same." - HR
"Help me make my thing, okay?" - MO "Sure!" - RB
"I made an H. Now I am gong to make an R. It is a little tricky to make an R." - RB
Indiana Learning Foundations:
SC4.1: Demonstrate engineering design skills
APL1.1: Demonstrate initiative and self-direction
M4.2: Exhibit ability to identify, describe, analyze, compare, and create shapes
SC6.2: Demonstrate algorithmic thinking and debugging
APL2.1: Demonstrate development of flexible thinking skills during play
APL3.1: Demonstrate development of sustained attention and persistence
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