Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/rethinking-loose-parts-four-key-principles-beyond-the-stuff/5026446/
While we often think of loose parts as “stuff,” Simon Nicholson’s original theory actually contains additional sound educational principles beyond the material options. Nicholson advocated for children’s involvement in their own education, using the environment as part of the learning process, putting experimentation at the core of understanding, and inviting application to real world problems. Children in our care benefit from these principles as well.
Children’s Involvement in their Education
Nicholson (1971) suggested that we should decrease the restrictions and limitations around children’s play and investigations. He mentioned, “Young children (often) find the world incredibly restricted—a world where they cannot play with building and making things, or play with fluids, water, fire, or living objects, and all the things that satisfy one’s curiosity and give us the pleasure that results from discovery and invention.”
While we may not be playing with fire in many settings, allowing children to explore the world around them helps develop a sense of wonder and awe. Having a “yes” environment, in which we do not restrict children’s curiosity, helps them develop and grow. Intentionally setting up our spaces for less restriction includes using an open, flexible floor plan, where materials from one zone can move to another zone. Of ...