Late in Term 3, Mrs Charlton and Mrs McNichol attended three virtual professional development sessions to find out more about ‘Loose Parts Play’ at school.

After participating in the virtual professional development and visiting another school in the district that had already incorporated the ‘Loose Parts Play’ at their school, Mrs McNichol and Mrs Charlton couldn’t wait to get it started at St Joseph’s.

It has been a real success with the students especially in the early years P-3. However, it is just not just for the younger students.  It is being promoted for all the year levels and it is hoped to involve the Secondary students at a later stage to work together with the younger classes. Everyone is encouraged to join in and construct obstacles and build things out of the materials and loose parts that are available.

What is ‘Loose Parts Play’? - you ask.

Loose Parts Play is a type of play that supports imagination, divergent thinking, problem solving, invention and construction. It offers children a sense of wonder. Materials used in this kind of play are recyclable and are able to be moved, joined up, redesigned, lined up and taken apart, carried and put together again in multiple ways.

What are the benefits of Loose Play?:  When children become interested and intrigued with what equipment and objects are out on the playground for them to use and play with, they begin to interact with loose parts, they enter a world of “what if?” That promotes the type of thinking that leads to problem solving and reasoning. Loose parts enhance children's ability to think imaginatively and see solutions, and they bring a sense of adventure and excitement to children's play”.

Available for the students to use are parts such as poly pipes, tarps, bamboo sticks, bark, pebbles, blankets, steel frames (for cubby’s), boxes, bread crates and milk crates. We are, in the near future going to ask for donations of materials that are no longer used but still safe and not broken that the students can use to play with.

Students in P-1, this Term have been involved in some challenges already that have been set by their teachers such as building a ball run with the poly pipes to see how fast and far the balls can travel, construction of cubby houses and an inside challenge with cardboard boxes – construction of a tower with a carpark on every level. All students in Prep and Year 1 have been randomly placed in mixed groups and this has worked well developing social skills, problem solving and general talk to plan and construct their challenge. Year 3 have also been very engaged and excited building ‘ant houses’ with natural bark, sticks and bricks.

How can you help?

We are looking for and asking for donations of any of the listed loose parts below: logs, stones, rocks of varying sizes and textures, pinecones, bricks – foam, real or plastic branches, seed pods and any other random, interesting objects. Please remember all items/objects need to be safe (no sharp, broken edging) and useable for play purposes. Please check in with the teachers if unsure.

If anyone would like to know more or see the play in action, please see Mrs Charlton, Mrs McNichol or Mrs Campbell.

Stay tuned for further information and constructions on Loose Parts Play in the near future.