Loose Parts

A Start Up Guide
Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide

Sally Haughey and Nicole Hill

© 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise noted on a specific page, no portion of this
publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording or capturing on any information storage
system, without permission in writing from the authors.

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © Fairy Dust Teaching
 Contents

What are loose parts? 5

What are the benefits? 6
The 7 types of loose parts 8
6 places to find loose parts 23
Final thoughts 24
3 Easy Next Steps 25
Recommended Resources 26

Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

Safety Considerations:

When choosing loose parts for your

classroom - it is important to consider what is
age appropriate.

There are loose parts that would not be safe

for children under three years of age.

Be aware of choking hazards and always

keep a watchful eye.

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching
 INTRO

What are Loose Parts?

“As long as materials can be moved, redesigned, put together,
and taken apart in a variety of ways, they are classified
as loose parts.”

Simon Nicholson, 1971

Founder of the idea of Loose Parts

Loose parts was a term created by an architect Simon Nicholson. He

looked at environments and how they formed connections. He believed
that loose parts were an important component of creativity and higher
order thinking. Here’s a link to his original article - click here!

Loose parts are any collection of

natural or manmade objects that
can be used to extend and
further ideas in children’s
play. They are open-ended
materials that can be moved,
combined, taken apart,
redesigned, lined-up and
more! There is no pre-
determined use or function.

Loose parts are open to a child’s interpretation and creative thinking! A

loose part can become anything!

Loose parts can be thought of as the way for children of all ages to unlock
the cognitive and creative mindset that allows them to build, deconstruct,
persist, create, and work together to unleash the power of creativity that we
all contain.

Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

 Loose Loris Malaguzzi stated,

parts allow “The wider the range of possibilities

we offer children, the more intense
will be their motivations and the
children to richer their experiences.”

Loose parts offer children infinite play

do the opportunities influencing them in ever-
changing ways. The immense benefits of
thinking. offering loose parts exploration is critical to
development of the next generation. Loose
parts allow children to do the thinking instead
of the manufactured toy that has set directions.
This is beneficial because it reaches such a
deep cognitive level of thinking, problem
solving, and persisting.

Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

 Loose parts opens the enormous
possibilities for children to truly
become the critical thinkers they’re
destined to be.

The beautiful piece about loose parts is

no matter the age, children can explore with
the same materials and use them in different
ways suitable for their age development.
Loose parts also promote a wide variety of
play behaviors, including social play,
dramatic play, constructive play, symbolic
play, and even games with rules, when "If you believe the
children make up their own games with the child to be
inquisitive and
materials. creative, competent
Math and science areas are learned as and capable,
children experiment with sand, water, intelligent and
buckets, and stacking materials along with whole, then you will
truly any open ended material. Loose parts create environments
open the enormous possibilities for children which reflect this.”
to truly become the critical thinkers they’re ~Loris Malaguzzi
destined to be.

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

 START-UP GUIDE

The 7 Types of Loose Parts

“Creativity is for the gifted few: the rest of us are compelled to
live in environments constructed by the gifted few, listen to the
gifted few’s music, use gifted few’s inventions and art, and read
the poems, fantasies and plays by the gifted few. This is what our
education and culture conditions us to believe, and this is a
culturally induced and perpetuated lie.”
Simon Nicholson, 1972
The Theory of Loose Parts

After understanding the vast need for loose parts, many people
ask, “Where do I begin?”

You begin by looking

around at your current
collection of materials and
sorting them by textures.
All these types of textures
provide rich opportunities
for children as all of them
can be infused within
every area of the
classroom.

These types of loose parts are all recyclable and easy to obtain
materials that make this even more powerful for teachers, parents, and
children.

The seven types of loose parts are:

-Nature Based -Wood Reuse -Plastic -Metal

Ceramic/Glass -Fabric/Ribbon -Packaging

Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

 NATURE
❏ Sticks ❏ Pods
BASED ❏
❏
Rocks
Dried Flowers
❏
❏
Logs
Sticks
❏ Leaves ❏ Peach Pits
LOOSE ❏
❏
Seeds
Sand
❏
❏
Feathers
Squash
Dirt Sweet Gum Balls
PARTS
❏ ❏
❏ Pinecones ❏ Anise Stars
❏ Wood cookies ❏ Cinnamon Sticks
❏ Wood chips ❏ Nutmeg
❏ Moss
❏ Shells
❏ Acorns

Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

 WOOD
❏ Corks ❏ Scrabble pieces
REUSE ❏
❏
Clothespins
Pegs
❏
❏
Spools
Wood frames
❏ Wooden Beads ❏ Rings
LOOSE ❏ Golf Tees ❏ Puzzle pieces
❏ Chair Legs ❏ Wood people

PARTS
❏ Dowels ❏ Thread spools
❏ Wooden Blocks
❏ Hardwood floor
scraps
❏ Candlesticks
❏ Napkin rings
❏ Wood scraps
❏ Wood pegs

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

 PLASTIC
❏ Milk Caps ❏ Beads
LOOSE ❏
❏
Bottles
Gerber food
❏
❏
Bubble Wrap
Cones
containers Lollipop sticks
PARTS
❏
❏ PVC pipes ❏ Buttons
❏ Reels ❏ Funnels
❏ Empty spice ❏ Maker Caps
containers ❏ Plastic bead
❏ Film canisters necklaces
❏ Curtain rings ❏ Golf balls
❏ Hair rollers ❏ Cups
❏ Straws ❏ Hula hoops
❏ CD cases ❏ Bag clips
❏ Game pieces

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

 METAL
❏ Nuts and bolts ❏ Forks and spoons
LOOSE ❏
❏
Washers
Tin foil
❏
❏
Links
Metal lids
❏ Old gadgets ❏ Thimbles
PARTS ❏
❏
Bangles
Curtain rings
❏
❏
Silver beads
Soda can tabs
❏ Muffin tins ❏ Thread spools
❏ Potato mashers ❏ Door knobs
❏ Gutters ❏ Discs
❏ Magnets ❏ Hair clips
❏ Keys ❏ Candle sticks
❏ Bottle tabs ❏ Tubing
❏ License Plates ❏ Cans
❏ Spoons

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

 CERAMIC
❏ Ceramic tiles ❏ Sea glass
& GLASS ❏
❏
Glass Beads
Gems
❏
❏
Glass vase beads
Drawer knobs

LOOSE
❏ Marbles ❏ Balls
❏ Prisms ❏ Tiny bottles
❏ Slate
PARTS ❏
❏
Tiles
Flower pots
❏ Granite scraps
❏ Cabinet door
knobs
❏ Small mirror discs
❏ Sea glass

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

 FABRIC,
❏ Chiffon ❏ Doilies
YARN & ❏
❏
Twine
Ribbon
❏
❏
Lace
String
❏ Silk Rope
RIBBON
❏
❏ Wool ❏ Rubber bands
❏ Ribbon
Scarves
LOOSE
❏
❏ Flags
❏ Burlap
PARTS ❏
❏
Yarn
Embroidery
thread
❏ Felt pieces

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

 PACKAGING ❏ Packing Peanuts
❏ Bubble Wrap

LOOSE ❏
❏
Boxes
Cardboard scraps
❏ Paper rolls
PARTS ❏
❏
Wrapping paper
Painters tape
❏ Egg cartons
❏ Ribbon wheel
❏ Cereal boxes
❏ Paper scraps

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

 START-UP GUIDE

6 Places to Find Loose Parts

“Nature is imperfectly perfect, filled with loose parts and
possibilities, with mud and dust, nettles and sky, transcendent
hands-on moments and skinned knees.”
Richard Louv

After understanding what loose parts

are, the benefits, the seven types, and
seeing many examples of loose parts,
you may be wondering, "What's next?"
"Where do I begin?"

If you're already thinking, "I want to do

more of this with my class or my own
kids," then you're already beginning!
The hardest part is changing our
mindset of what we may be used to. In
reality, the beauty of loose parts gets
back to how most of us were raised
with the infinite possibilities of nature
or materials around us.

For starters, looking around in nature

and your own house is where we all
began. It's not about spending money
on more things but having eyes for
recyclable materials.

1.Thrift Stores
2.Garage Sales
3.Businesses
4.Families
5.Walks with Children
6.Recycled Home Goods

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

 Conclusion

Final Thoughts
“Children learn most readily and easily in a laboratory-type
environment where they can experiment, enjoy and find out
things for themselves.”
Simon Nicholson, 1971
Founder of the idea of Loose Parts

In the traditional classroom materials we see primarily plastic and

bright colors. The visual processing system is the main system being
used as we see the dominance of high frequency colors. Traditional
educational methods are visual and auditory heavy.

In the Reggio-Inspired classroom

there is a diversity of materials
with not only a visual feast but also
a strong offering of the tactile.
The tactile processing system
interprets information through the
touch receptors in the skin.
Research has shown a strong
connection between the
emotional center of the brain and
the tactile system.

Through touch, a child learns

about the world. . . weight, size,
temperature, texture. It is here
where young children begin to
develop their sense of pleasure
and pain. Considering this - what
is a bright colored plastic
environment providing a child? It
is the difference between a Happy
Meal from McD and an organic
meal rich in vegetables.

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

 Three Easy Next Steps:
❏ Look at the checklists for each of the 7 types of
loose parts. Make a list of what you already have
available.

❏ Pick 3 to 5 loose parts you would like to add to

your existing collection.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

❏ Send home a letter to families asking if they have

any of those loose parts.

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching

 Recommended Resources:

Beautiful Stuff: Learning with Found Materials

By Cathy Weisman Topal and Lella Gandini

Loose Parts: Inspiring Play in Young Children

By Lisa Daly and Miriam Beloglovsky

Loose Parts 2: Inspiring Play with Infants and Toddlers

By Lisa Daly and Miriam Beloglovsky

The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia

Experience in Transformation
By Carolyn Edwards and Lella Gandini

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching
 For more ideas – go to
www.fairydustteaching.com

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Loose Parts: A Start-Up Guide: © 2017 Fairy Dust Teaching