Loose Parts: Inspiring Play in Young Children

By Redleaf Press
Price $29.95
Age 0-6 yrs.

Loose parts are everywhere. Almost anything that can be held in the hand qualifies - pebbles, acorns, gems, napkin rings, strips of paper, sticks, eggs, spoons, ping pong balls. They can be natural or synthetic, bought or found. What they have in common is their ability to be manipulated, comingled, grouped, sorted, and above all, re-imagined. Kids, left to their own devices, experience loose parts as the perfect open-ended playthings. What this book does, in addition to demonstrating the immense educational and developmental benefits afforded by loose parts, is to provide a framework that guides and inspires parents and educators to make full use of what they have to offer. Its pages are rich in clear ideas and beautiful photographs. Above all, this is a book about the essential value of creativity, the many forms it takes, and the ease with which children can achieve remarkable heights of learning through play with simple objects that abound in our everyday lives.