Getting Started with Loose Parts

Welcome to Loose Parts in Nature Play, Building Creativity, One Leaf, and Both at a Time. This week's episode focuses on getting started with loose parts. [MUSIC] >> Hi, everyone. Welcome to Loose Parts in Nature Play. My name is Dr. Karla Gull. You may recognize me from my Facebook page and group, Loose Parts Play, or my nature blog, Inside Outside Machina, sharing experiences with loose parts in our local natural adventures. I currently teach beginning college classes online at the University of Phoenix, as well as provide early childhood programming, and professional development in regard to loose parts, outer classrooms, nature play, education, and STEM, or STEAM, or Stream, even. I'm co-author of the book, Loose Parts Learning in K-3-3 Classrooms. Check it out at Griffin House, and find us at LoosePartsNaturePlay.com or.org. LooseParts.org is the newer version.com has all the stuff, all the goodies from the past that really takes you to Inside Outside Machina. Anyway, I was in the Loose Parts Ideas group recently, and this is a question that I hear many times. With permission, I am using Kimberly Shaw's question with this. She said, "Hello, I teach pre-K and have enjoyed many ideas I've seen posted here. I'd like to incorporate more loose parts in my classroom. How do I get started? How do you store materials? How often do you switch out materials? How do you encourage play with these materials? Any advice on getting started is appreciated." So, I hear similar questions all the time. "I'm new to loose parts. What do I do?" And I don't know if there is a catch-all phrase to make it work, or action to make it work. But I do have compiled a few suggestions and ideas on making it happen. This is based on my own experience and even some thoughts from other people in this thread and such as well. My first big thing is to recognize that loose parts and loose parts play is probably already happening in your space. Children innately understand this concept. Think about all the treasures in their pockets and have these squirrel things away. And if they find a piece of wire, they're going to try to make something out of it. But children innately just play with the stuff that they find. The stick that becomes so many different things. The box that becomes the car or a place to color or whatever it may become. I saw something called it turned into a train the other day. So, anyway, they are already doing it. So, part of it is just opening our eyes to what loose parts may be considered and recognizing that that experimentation and exploration that is so important as part of loose parts is already happening. So, I'm going to call this process over product. Watch for the process of children figuring things out, trying things out, putting different combinations together and exploring what things can do. And there you have the loose parts mindset in action. And I say, you know, left to their own devices. Children play around with the stuff that they find. So, watch for that in your classroom. Watch for that in your setting and see how it's already happening. Because honestly, it really is all the time. And then I also, my next tip is just to us ourselves as educators. We need to play. We need to spend some time playing with items and the stuff that we have. And I mentioned this different times just next to my office desk where I'm recording these. I've got all kinds of things like some tubes, cardboard tubes, some empty containers, some rocks that I can send through things, some tree cookies, some Play-Doh. Grab some random stuff and play around with it. See what you might do with it. And take some time yourself to try on that loose parts mindset where you think of additional ideas or ways to use things. So, I've got this probably like a five inch diameter. Yes, diameter is the right word. Not circumference that goes all the way around. A five inch diameter cardboard tube. And it's just about an inch wide. But I can throw it up. I can spin it. I can roll it. I can tie things through. I can tie things to it. I can do all kinds of things with it. It might even become like a bed to some type of creature that I create. I can use it to contain things. So, I can put it on the ground and put a marble in the middle of it and roll it. And that's just me thinking on the spot right now. How many different ways can I use this cardboard wool circle that I have? Find some stuff that you can play around with and get used to that. This concept and idea, we kind of have to let go a little bit and just embrace that process. That process of experimentation and exploration is part of it. And then my next tip is to start with what you have. So, we said that kids are probably already doing it. So, recognizing that it's already happening, watching for those spaces where you see children, kind of using things in more of an experimentation mode, even like think of the things like your sand area. That's a great place where children are probably already engaged that you can just add a few extra things to enhance it as a loose parts area. For there, you may have some containers, some sifters, some rocks, maybe even some sticks, some funnels. There really is, we could do a whole podcast episode on sand play. Sand is loose parts and all of that and recognize that sand goes everywhere. It's just part of it, but it's so engaging and fun. But then also your block area. You may have blocks inside or outside, but those are, I consider those loose parts just as they are, but it's also an easy space to bring in a basket of additional stuff to go with it. You might have nature items, wooden spools, plank boards, small characters, anything, just as additional add-ons to it. And yeah, it's an easy place because children are already playing with the blocks. If you put some other stuff there, what will they do with it? And then you kind of sit back and watch. Play-doh is another way to encode more loose parts. Some of those same things I just mentioned, they could be added into the Play-doh station instead of just our cutters and things. And what happens is children use those as stamps, as use the Play-doh as a connector with things and experiment and explore with Play-doh in a different way. I did want to mention, oh, it's like the dramatic play area. So if you have like a house or kitchen kind of area, something like that, instead of having the fake food, not that fake food is bad, and sometimes we'll find that that gets used in different and unique ways. When we consider a loose parts mindset, the, I use this example all the time, like the little pickle or cucumber slice. It's probably a pickle slice, but I don't like pickles, so I call it cucumber slice. But while we typically see that, oh, that's a cucumber slice. Children look beyond that and see that as a stamper for the Play-doh. They see it as a coin. They see it as a token. They see it as an ingredient in what they are cooking. That's not cucumbers, et cetera. So dramatic play areas, even just some scarves, any of those things, pieces of fabric, things that are kind of, they can be open-ended, but they don't necessarily have to be kind of thing. Heidi Wolf also mentioned that she's used a project in, I'm going to kind of give it a name, like a classroom sort, or there's something called a book called the Beautiful Stuff Project. And I'll share what she's done, but then also some ways that I've used it as well. So ask the children to find three beautiful things that fit in a paper lunch sack. This is from Heidi. Get parents permission to bring them in and see what things they see as beautiful. Sort the items, add to the building area, and see what grows. They ask specifically for lids, size, shape, color, and it's amazing to see what the children do with something we usually view as trash. So actually like recyclable stuff. Those are a treasure trove for all kinds of loose parts that can be part of it as well. I have done this on a more natural side of things, and I've also seen that process with that Beautiful Stuff Project, and it may be more than three items or whatever. But we've done something called Autumn Treasures, and I believe I have a podcast episode of it, and I'll put it in the show notes, but it just documents how children were able to find natural items in their walks, and we talked about what to responsibly collect and such. But they brought them in their paper bag, and then we were able to sort with them, and build with them, and create art with them, and then they had a whole tub of beautiful fall, autumn loose parts treasures that they could use as part of their outdoor play. And some of it probably even went inside. So that's one way, and children are integral in that whole process. As they gather, they sort and go through things, and then they find ways to use it as well. To some degree, I'm also going to give a tip to just kind of let go of the control. I think sometimes we put out some stuff to be used by children, and we expect it to be used in a certain way. If we can just let go of that control and allow things to happen, I find that while I may have a small thought or idea of what might happen, I find that children take it way beyond and make different connections and learn more, and I learn from them when I let go of some of that control and just let them experiment. Of course, there are some safety parameters and things of that sort. No choking hazards for younger children. You might have some supervision, and you might just have some basic rules around safety and such. And then also another way that I might do things is to start with a book or a prompt, and then I get out of the way. And I shared a list of books that I think have that loose parts mindset as part of it with Kimberly, and she said that she already had some of them in the classroom and she uses them. So that goes back to that first tip. Recognize loose parts and how it's happening all the time. So you might have a book or a prompt, but then that's never the end if we start something with that, but we allow the children to experiment and explore in ways that are meaningful to them with that. So some books kind of along that, not a box, not a stick, mats. What is that called? I cannot think of it right now, but Matland rocks a box in. If you find a rock on my beach, there are many pebbles. I think is what it's called. Anyway, I have lists of all kinds of books around this, the fort, all kinds of things. And so there's lots of applications of loose parts as well. And then also my next tip is gonna be like, it kind of goes along with those loose parts starts. I mean, I have a whole podcast episode on that, especially like with during COVID. And then also on loose parts nature play kits, mobile kits that you can use different ways. So I will link to those. But with that, really study the children and Miriam Beloglowski, she is co-author of the loose parts books. There's like one through maybe even five now. I think a new one just came out recently. She said to create invitations to play. Watch children engage with the materials. What do you see? What is their interest? Then you bring in other materials or books to support their research. Always start with a child and not the objects. And yes, I appreciate that very much. So study the children. What are they doing? I will also share a link to Michelle Prats. No, that's not the right name. Michelle Thornhill. She has put together a Michelle Prats school too. But Michelle Thornhill is put together at this spreadsheet. If your child is doing these, they may be in using these schema and these are some natural loose parts that you may have available. And then some commercial toys even that you might have available as well. So that is an excellent resource. And I will link to that. But study the children. What are they doing? And how can you support them in that? And I like the questions that Miriam poses as well. There are some great questions in Nicholson's original theory. I'm going to share a little bit about that in a minute. But go back to that evaluation piece. What are you noticing? What are they engaged in? What do they need to support their play, investigations, experimentations? And I assert that within play or in addition to play, children are doing so much beyond play. Can I say that? But you'll see on other podcast episodes in some of the workshops and such that I do, just all the verbs that are involved in loose parts. And I think that's important to remember that there is a lot of things that are connected to our standards. Think of those verbs that are the beginning of many standards. Those are many of the actions that I see when left to their own devices of playing. They are measuring and estimating and figuring things out. My next suggestion is just to involve the children. We don't have to be the ones in charge. The children can be part of that. And that's really one of the sentiments that Nicholson talks about. I have a couple of articles in exchange, either co-authored or authored exchange magazine that I'll link to podcast episodes of those. And then also, let's see, just going to Nicholson's original theory. He really talks about how we shouldn't be the ones having all the fun creating the environment, but children should be able to create their environment too. So we should include them in as many aspects of that as we can. What are their ideas? What do they want to do? And then my last tip is just to study and read about loose parts. Like I mentioned, I'll share some links to exchange articles, some professional development books that I've gathered that I find are additional helps for this. And we don't have to know everything to recognize how loose parts are already happening in our space, and then also how to move forward with it. So keep learning. This podcast may be a helpful thing for it. I am going to link to several podcast episodes that maybe help. Another familiar question I hear a lot is, the children aren't playing. So they put some stuff out, but then we maybe have some expectations that we need to let go of. But they have some expectations in our head and the children aren't interacting with the materials in that way. So I do have some tips in that for hesitant children and some approaches that you may use with that. Then also another one, 30 plus approaches to loose parts. I see loose parts as a big umbrella term that includes so much like makerspaces, big large outdoor spaces. Sometimes I think people think loose parts are just so small, tiny things that can be there, but it doesn't have to be at all. And loose parts don't even have to be things. It could be wind or fire or ice. And I have podcast episodes about many of those. I'll have those links to those articles in exchange. Another one is finding loose parts, where to get materials and all that kind of stuff inexpensively often. And then autumn treasures that kind of explains that classroom sort, that beautiful stuff project as well. So I will share those. There were a couple of other kind of questions embedded in that. So just getting started, jump in and do it. Recognizing what's happening and then supporting children in their play with stuff or not stuff. There are curiosities with the wind and how things are happening with that. And as far as storing materials, I like to store where they are being used as much as possible. Though I will have some cupboards and such and bins of things of like-minded items that we can bring out at different times. If children have access to that area, all the better. It is easy to get overwhelmed with loose parts. Some people have mentioned less is more sometimes. Since I do this professionally so much, I do have a lot. And then I've got bins. I started with plastic bags, but now I've got more bins of things of like, I'm kind of looking over here. Got all kinds of things that roll. Could be balls, but could be all kinds of other things. Some game pieces, some Play-Doh items, some seasonal or holiday kinds of things. Bits and baubles and things that we throw in at different times. But then I have other things. I have big bags of sticks. And so really it's what is the stuff? Where is it going to be used? And then have some flexibility with that storage and how it's being used because big sticks may come inside. They may be outside. They may have a special place. But connect with other people. The Loose Parts Play Group is a great place to ask questions and connect and see how other people are storing things and such. So I encourage you to come and network with other people with that. And then as far as encouraging play with those materials, we talked about a little bit, but involving the play, recognizing what they're already doing. And then if there are issues with them not playing with stuff, and it may not be our idea of how they play with it, or they may choose other things that they find more interesting at that moment. And that's totally okay. And probably may even include Loose Parts if we open our eyes to see it as Loose Parts. But if they're still not interacting with this stuff, there are a lot of tips in that hesitant children podcast episode to help with that as well. And then I did also want to mention that from our book Loose Parts Learning in K-3-3 Classrooms, Griffin House did put a video together that I'll link to. It talks about a couple of aspects that could be used like a junk jar, stem bins, and kits. I shared a couple of Loose Parts kits, and one of the recent episodes was about that as well, but one on measuring and one on stonework play. Those are great ways to do it. And honestly, I've got lots of material here, and I love learning and seeing what other people are doing. I am still learning all the time, and the children teach me so much as I allow them to interact with this. If you are still interested in more, I do have professional development opportunities all the time. Feel free to reach out and see what's available, or if I can chat with your group, I can work with people remotely and in person as well. But really, the biggest thing is opening your eyes to the Loose Parts mindset, seeing how it's being used and jumping in and getting started, and then using evaluation questions to observe, notice, and then respond with additional materials and such that would be helpful for the children. We are signing off today as Loose Parts Nature Play, Building Creativity, One Leaf and Build at a Time, find us at LoosePartsNaturePlay.org. And Kimberly, thank you so much for this question. I hope it gives you some ideas, and I hope you'll come back and share with us and tell us some of the things that you started as your first steps. So if you are still listening, think about those tips I just shared. I'll kind of do a quick, quick overview of them. Recognize it's already happening. Play. We as adults need to play. Start with what you already have, and just add a few additional things to it. Do that beautiful stuff, project, classroom sort kind of thing. Let go of that control and let it just happen. Use a book or a prompt and then get out of the way. Study the children or use Loose Parts, Starts kind of things or invitations. Involve the children and then study and read about Loose Parts and continue doing that. So those are my kind of major tips, but choose one. Choose one, two, or three things that you can do in the next week or two weeks or month to get started with this. It doesn't have to be big. I will tell you that this whole Loose Parts stuff that I do started from going to a workshop about outdoor classrooms, and they had, "Well, what are your three things that you're going to take away and do?" And one of them was to start a Loose Parts zone at a nature center that I was doing work at, and it has exploded from there. I just kept going through that cycle of learning and digging and experimenting more and more and allowing the children to be the star of it or the participants, because it doesn't have to be children. It can be any age. So yeah, anyway, thanks so much for thinking about that. And feel free to let us know. I'll put kind of a post out there to let us know how you are choosing. What are the first few things that you are going to do to get involved more with Loose Parts in your situation in the classroom? And share that with us, and then share some pictures or some ideas of how it went in some evaluation feedback as part of that. Thanks so much. Bye. (upbeat music)