Loose Parts

The kids spend so much wonderful, creative time with our loose parts.  We have a pile of logs, bricks, boards, and this fall we've had hay bales.  They sustain their interest in these things for long periods of time.  They build and tear down and build again and pretend, pretend, pretend.  Their creative minds are working hard, and loving it!  How many things one board can be: a ramp, a slide, a bridge, a bed, a table, etc, etc.

One part of the Reggio philosophy that we have latched onto is to assist the children in feeling ownership in our space.  We do this by setting up opportunities for them to do some kind of "work" to benefit our home.  Most recently, some of the kids chose to paint our lose parts logs.  They were wonderful before, but oh, how beautiful they are now!