What is Story Workshop? Story Workshop is a Reggio Emilia inspired literacy approach where children are encouraged to tell their own story in any form they choose. The children are invited to play with a variety of materials (i.e. loose parts, tempura paints, play dough, wooden blocks) and use these materials to represent their stories through play. After creating a story, the child is encouraged to share their stories orally with others which can be documented. Story Workshop is not just about the end product (finished story), but the process in creating the story is equally as important. The finished product could be documented in a variety of ways, such as a photograph, drawn/painted picture, video clip. This can include the written story.
Loose parts are small materials that can be moved around, designed with, and used to create opportunities for play, including Story Workshop. It encourages young children to be creative and inventive when playing. Anything small (from nature and/or everyday lives) can be considered loose parts (i.e. plastic bread tags, pinecones, felt marker caps, wooden beads, buttons).
