A variety of loose parts are always available for the children to manipulate, combine, take apart, and add to their play to enhance their natural curiosity and creativity. Twice this month, we observed these loose parts used as part of an elaborate arrangement in the children's representations.
Our bird "Twitters" came back from a two week visit with Alexa and Anthony . Her cage was placed on the centre of a table along with some blocks and loose parts. Grace began to place different items along the table and proudly announced that she was making "Twitters cage". She used Plasticine and feathers to create some "birds" for her cage. Over the course of a week, her educators took pictures of this process and Grace used the pictures to tell a story.
Lucas and Coulson worked collaboratively together to build a "dinosaur castle". This all began with a conversation an educator overheard between the two boys. Lucas had a little plastic dinosaur and the two thought they should build a castle for it. The educator quietly placed baskets of loose parts on the floor nearby them and within minutes the castle was constructed. More dinosaaurs have been added, and this too has been left up for the children to re-visit each day.
Lina Maclam R,ECE, AECEO,C. BA. BED
Jessica Chikoski R.ECE