Let loose your imagination!

Loose parts for learning

Keeping with the flow of refreshing our spaces, we decided to upgrade our loose parts area outside. Whilst bringing the new loose parts out to the play area, the tamariki were very intrigued by what materials there were and what they were going to be used for.

  

What are loose parts?

  

They are materials that can be used in a variety of ways. They are open ended resources that have no specific purpose and children make them into whatever they can imagine.

 

Daly & Beloglovsky state loose parts are “Beautiful found objects and materials that children can move, manipulate, control and change while they play. Children can carry, combine, redesign, line up, take apart and put loose parts back together in almost endless ways” (2016).

 

 

Torben: "We're builders aye Joe." 

The value of loose parts…

Children, especially in their early years, are highly creative and full of imagination. Having an environment with loose parts allows children to invent, create and test their ideas develop their working theories.

Kace: "I'm trying to balance it."

Kace: "I need that there."

Kace: "Now a car seat, that's finished, now I'm making a car seat."

Bringing in new pieces has and will continue to allow the tamariki to explore the objects in a new way. When we offer loose parts these objects and materials allow children to be engineers and to be enveloped by their creativity and imagination.

“The unprescription nature of these loose parts in combination with children’s inventiveness and creativity results in them using the items in lots of different ways, enabling all ages, genders and abilities to find ways to play and socialise together” (The Childrens Scrap Store, 2018).

 

Alongside creating engineering opportunities it has also allowed for a lot of discussion and negotiations to occur, whether that is through what pieces children want to use or in how the structure will be created.

“The structures children create in Loose Parts Play are not permanent but are essentially fluid in their evolution: the process of designing, problem-solving, discussing, negotiating and building and talking is far more important than the finished product” (Perth and Kinross Council, 2009).

 

               Torben: "I got a robot arm."                            Alessia I: "This is the road."

                                                             Aiden: "I'm a Christmas tree."

“Children use loose parts to acquire, organize, and apply learning. By physically manipulating loose part, they learn about the objects and the relationships between them while developing problem-solving skills” (Daly & Beloglovsky, 2015).

Torben: "We can tie the wheels onto the board. We can attach that to the back. You can twist it under."

Isabel: "Some wheel cars have tyres."

 

Carter: "I'm making a go cart. Maybe if I twist tighter, maybe it will hold it cause it stick. This is gonna take long!" 

Children's thoughts on loose parts…

“Really good because when they are really good they stay together in harmony. I use them to build some things; I’ve been building a fashion show, I’ve been using them for a car” - Alessia I.

“It’s so cool, I builded a car with Torben. We had some wheels and wood and we had a steering wheel” - Isabel.

"I was just making something. I liked making triangles and they are prickly. They good for bending" - Aiden.

"I made a go-kart last time. Well it was too hard. I'm gonna build a go-kart now" - Carter.

Arohanui

Lauren.

Renovation innovation

Room reveal 

Our quest to create a more harmonious and naturalized kai area that both nourishes the body and rejuvenates the soul was realized over the term break, with teachers working hard to revitalize this space to ensure worthiness of our tamariki.

Eric Nelson, author of 'Cultivating outdoor classrooms' states that "Children deserve the best place possible.  Psychologically, they internalize what their surroundings teach them: the environment is one of their teachers" (2012).

Recycled pallets were given a fresh coat of paint, new foam and coverings, crate chairs were sanded and 

re-stained, vertical gardens were created, creative screening installed...and a sparkly new bench top was added to provide an awesome workable space.

Service to community

A massive thank you to Dylan, our expert builder on loan from Cogan Custom Homes for coming in to help the team achieve our goals.  We couldn't have done it without you Dylan!

We really appreciate you taking time from your busy schedule to support us in this way!!

"What happened to the kai area?  It's so different than before!" said Torben.

"The goodest thing about the kai area is that is has a kiwi in it now.  It is so cool, it is so lovely and kind to me because it has so many things that make me happy.  Thank you to the teachers that made it"  said Torben.

"I noticed that it has soft chairs and hard chairs.  I like the roof because it looks so cool" said Eli.

Refreshed! 

Opportunities to enjoy our new space.

Nothing better than hot soup and freshly baked bread on a cold winters day to test out our new kai area.

Step 1.

How do you make soup?

"First you need a pot" said Leo.

"To cook it" said Alessia I.

"Now you put it in, the soup goes in the cup" said Leo.

"You need hot water, you put all the vegetables in" said Nirvana.

"Hey you have to peel it first!  If you don't peel it, it will be all yucky" said Alessia.

So we start peeling and chopping the vegetables...

"I had that for Christmas day and I really liked it" said Alessia holding up the parsnip.

"You have to have a spoon" said Lil.

Step 2.

Eat the soup!

"The soup was yummy.  I loved it, it was so delicious.  Thank you for making the soup who made the soup" 

said Torben.

"It was yummy and I liked the beans and butter and the bread.  I liked the cooking that the chefs did" said Eli.

                                    

Can't please everyone!  Joe said "The soup, it tasted yuk!" LoL 

"Carrot soup, I liked it" said Ben.

"It's yummy cause it had carrot in it.  I loved the drink in it" 

said Liam.

"It was yum cause it was tasty and I ate it all.  I'd like to say thank you people for cooking it" said Neo.

The results are in...our kai area works a treat and we love it!

Kua hua te marama!

Arohanui

Tania, Rowan, Sandy and Lauren