Have you ever wondered how children learn so much? One of the many secrets to their success is the use of loose parts.
These brightly colored items are easily accessible, stimulating fun and creativity.
They can be found in your homes and around you all day, every day. So why not put them to good use by turning them into learning tools for your children or students?
Loose parts are all around you and can even be used to play.
These tiny bits of cardboard, plastic, wire, or rubber give kids a chance to build their own creations with a few markers and some construction paper.
Teachers can also use loose parts to help students learn how to classify items in their classroom or explore symmetry by building different shapes with different colors.
Read here about the best ways to Use loose parts for kids’ learning.
Table of Contents
Turn Recycled Loose Parts Into Blocks
The most obvious use of loose parts is to build a solid structure that is strong and stable.
A lot of learning happens when children make objects and then paint, draw or even work with them.
For example, they can explore the shapes they are capable of making by creating animal constructions; this particularly applies to young toddlers.
They can also learn about counting by making different shapes with materials such as small pinecones, blocks, or empty envelopes.
Use Loose Parts As A Tool For Sharing
Different types of loose parts can be used for sharing.
For example, if a teacher wants to teach simple math, such as counting, she can have her students make different animals with different numbers of heads and tails so they can all share the same set. Another example is if they are studying animals, they can make ones with colors or shapes so that everyone has one without any leftovers.
Refresh A Familiar Activity
Children enjoy doing the same things over and over again.
This also works with loose parts: when you are at home, make a zoo of your house or even put loose parts in different bowls or buckets so kids can see them every day.
This will help them carry out a familiar activity in many ways.
For example, they can also play with their blocks using different kinds daily to practice and work on good motor skills.
Celebrate The Season
Any season can be a good time to use loose parts since they are brightly colored and reflect their surroundings.
For example, you can make snowmen with different balls, leaves, and sticks during the cold season.
You can also get empty boxes from stores like Walgreens and put sunny little doves inside for a nice Spring decoration.
This will help kids to enjoy their surroundings as well as learn about them at the same time.
Explore Emotions
Loose parts can also be used to explore emotions.
For example, if you want to show your child how sad the ocean looks without a wave or how blue the sky can be on a rainy day, try having them make various shapes using their hands.
Another way to explore emotions is through art: children can create paintings by combining different materials such as paints, colored paper, and various colors.
By using loose parts as a medium of creativity through art, children are sure to enjoy and even learn how they feel.
Practice Sorting And Classifying
Sorting and classifying loose parts can teach children to tell the difference between categories or parts of a whole.
For example, if you have a bunch of different types of blocks, you can ask them to sort them according to color and make towers or bridges with only one color.
You can also have your child classify them by shape and color. This will help them learn how to keep things separate regardless of what kind they are.
Make DIY Math Manipulatives
Loose parts can also be used to make different math manipulatives, such as a geometric shape with a small number on it or a shape representing one of the numbers in a special operation.
This can teach children how to recognize numbers and how they work together in mathematics.
You can even use unwrapped foam pieces that look like your favorite cookies and have them count them.
Model Addition And Subtraction Problems
You can use loose parts to make addition and subtraction problems.
For example, you can cut a ping pong ball and place the numbers around it while they count them together.
Another example is if you get small wooden hearts, you can have your child make different types of math problems, such as adding and subtracting them with many different numbers of hearts as a way for them to practice counting.
This will also teach children about time and how numbers relate to time.
Explore Symmetry
Loose parts can be used to help children explore symmetry by showing them how the same pieces of materials or shapes can be put together in different ways.
For example, you can make a shape like a cube with equal numbers of sides and different shapes, such as a heart or a star on each side.
When they try to put it together again, they will see that they are still the same shape and that it makes perfect symmetry.
Practice Patterning
Loose parts can be used to help children learn to pattern as well.
For example, you can use 6 colored blocks and make a pattern out of them.
This will teach children how to recognize patterns, practice exploring patterns, and even make their patterns.
You can also have them make different shapes like flowers, animals, or anything else they would like while they count the shapes they have made and place them in the right order.
The Bottom Line
Using loose parts can be a way for children to naturally learn how to work with others or even know how to express themselves differently.
For example, if you have some colored balls, you could ask your child to make a shape of what they want their hair color to be while they count the balls and put them in order.
This will teach children about teamwork and help them develop different social skills needed throughout their life.
