Alison Heseltine, early years development manager and Ruth Richardson, early years development officer at the Early Years Alliance, share more about our interactive area at the recent Childcare and Education Expo Midlands event
Following the success of our Joy of Doing area at the Bolton Childcare and Education Expo North, we were delighted to continue sharing the important ‘process over product’ message at the recent Coventry Childcare and Education Expo Midlands. With a complementary, interactive workshop running alongside the popular feature area, our aim was to offer a practical, hands-on session to early years educators, where they as adults could experience what we mean by ‘the joy of doing’: the freedom to set your own play agenda with no fixed outcomes or demands.
After a brief introduction to the theory behind open-ended or loose parts play, educators were quick to accept the challenge of freeing their imaginations. They discussed how even a simple wooden disc could enhance play – suggestions included everything from foods to control buttons on a spaceship, and even part of a unicorn! It’s important that, even though all the wooden discs were identical, each participant connected to them in their own unique way – just like children will if given the opportunity to do so.
Once we were all warmed up, the next activity introduced transient art where either in small groups or as individuals, educators could explore a wide variety of natural materials and develop their own combinations and designs. The possibilities for construction, exploration and experimentation were endless – and it was great to hear adults narrating their play just as we hear children do. People also shared their feelings about how as an adult it can be difficult to let go of constraints and preconceived ideas, and that they had found a moment of calm and creativity in the activity.
Throughout the session, participants shared ideas for how to get started with loose parts play, using real life examples to prompt conversations and discussions. A key topic was how to share the learning with families – how to support them in seeing how loose parts play can benefit their child’s development and understanding. How would you explain the ideas and concept to a parent or carer who had never experienced or didn’t recognise ‘the joy of doing’ in their own play memories?
The workshop also provided an opportunity to address safety issues, particularly around the potential risks associated with small, loose parts alongside the importance of knowing your children and their stage of development to guide choices around resources. Taking a proactive approach to the understanding and benefits of such play with risk management and assessments was seen as an essential part of introducing loose parts/open-ended play into provision.
This then led into the final activity of the session: a chance to recognise that not all loose parts play needs to be ‘small’ – there’s a chance to ‘go large’, too. Fabrics, rope, pegs, sticks, cardboard boxes and tubes allow for being truly surrounded by play and immersed in the world it creates – and the educators at the session truly embraced this!
