In our classroom community, we play a lot with loose parts.  You will find many different baskets and jars of ‘loose parts’ that we explore with both during exploration centres as well as during thinking and learning time.  We may use loose parts to practise counting groups of objects or create patterns during math time, or use them to retell a story or make up our own during Story Workshops.  We may build letters and words with our loose parts, or explore the properties of materials by building with them or making a picture out of them.  If you are not sure what we mean by playing with loose parts, here are a few articles to help you understand:

http://www.letthechildrenplay.net/2010/01/how-children-use-outdoor-play-spaces.html

Because we use loose parts daily, we are ALWAYS looking for new ones, or replenishment of what we’ve got.  Here are just a few suggestions of ‘loose parts’ we will gladly take off your hands if ever you have them hanging around home!

• washers, nuts, bolts, wing nuts
• ‘small world’ items (think gnome and fairy homes)
• google eyes
• feathers
• acorns
• glass gems
• seasonal loose parts to go with seasons or cultural celebrations
• shells
• mini animals 
• popsicle sticks
• large plastic buttons
• wooden letters 
• shape blocks
• wooden cubes
• felt shapes
• ‘scrabble’-style letters 
• seed pods
• dominoes 
• wooden numbers 
• pom-poms
• small wooden disks/tree cookies
• recycled bottle caps
• mirrors 
• pony beads
• wooden peg people
• If you are ever getting rid of anything you think we might have a use for, please send them our way!!