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How not to cheat children: The theory of loose parts

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... However, not all researchers believe that the type of playground determines its play potential and question the correlation between playground type and children's behavior [24]. Many researchers have carried out research to identify the playground characteristics responsible for certain children's behavior [34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41] and even to determine the strength of their impact [18]. Certain spatial features of a playground influence its play and integration potential more than the type of playground [18,19]. ...
... The therapeutic potential of play that requires creativity has also been recognized in edible playgrounds, children's farms, ecological parks, and naturalized school grounds [70] and playgrounds that provide access to loose parts [34,71]. The therapeutic nature of these places is related to the observation that in any environment, the degree of ingenuity and creativity is directly proportional to the number and type of variables [34]. ...
... The therapeutic potential of play that requires creativity has also been recognized in edible playgrounds, children's farms, ecological parks, and naturalized school grounds [70] and playgrounds that provide access to loose parts [34,71]. The therapeutic nature of these places is related to the observation that in any environment, the degree of ingenuity and creativity is directly proportional to the number and type of variables [34]. An additional factor that can have a positive impact on children may be the social nature of the space and the opportunity to participate in its design [72]. ...
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The article highlights the need for a change in the approach to playground design toward creating spaces with therapeutic qualities that are fully inclusive and therefore meet the principles of sustainable design. The aim of the research was to identify different types of therapeutic playgrounds, to identify components that build the therapeutics of playgrounds, and to evaluate selected contemporary playgrounds in terms of therapeutic potential based on the author’s evaluation tool. The research methodology was based on interpretive, qualitative, and comparative studies. As a result of the research, the author’s typology of therapeutic playgrounds was created, solutions responsible for specific therapeutic effects were identified, and selected realizations of new playgrounds located in Szczecin (Poland) were evaluated in terms of adaptation of these solutions. The conducted research demonstrates the great possibilities of introducing the therapeutic function of play into public spaces and adapting to public playgrounds the solutions characteristic of the five types of therapeutic playgrounds identified. Unfortunately, the research also shows that the evaluated playgrounds use the therapeutic potential of play to a very limited extent. The research connects the issue of playground design with therapeutics, going beyond the accessibility problem, and leading to the identification of desirable directions in playground design. It is necessary to implement an integrated approach, based on the implementation of the identified components of therapeutics and three paths to the implementation of a therapeutic playground. This can contribute to improving not only the quality of playgrounds but also public spaces in cities and realizing the idea of a city that is friendly to all residents.
... The project was based on the theoretical framework of playwork (Hughes, 2001) and the pedagogy of loose parts (Nicholson, 1971), which emphasizes the importance of child-led play and exploration with diverse and open-ended materials. The playwork framework, as described by Hughes, emphasizes the importance of play in children's development and well-being. ...
... Playwork focuses on creating environments and opportunities for children to engage in self-directed play, where they can explore, experiment, and make independent decisions (Hughes, 2001). However, the pedagogy of loose parts, as formulated by Nicholson (1971), emphasizes the value of open-ended materials in promoting creativity and problem-solving skills in play. Loose parts are materials that can be moved, manipulated, and transformed in various ways, allowing children to use their imagination and inventiveness to create their own play experience. ...
... Loose parts are materials that can be moved, manipulated, and transformed in various ways, allowing children to use their imagination and inventiveness to create their own play experience. The use of loose parts in play allows children to engage in open-ended and imaginative play, in which they have the freedom to explore and experiment with different materials and ideas (Nicholson, 1971). ...
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This study investigates how playwork practices enhance the professional development of pre-service preschool teachers (PSTs) and explored the power of playwork practices on pre-service teachers' perceptions of play. Titled "Play for the Planet," the project involved 32 PSTs from early childhood education courses at a university, impacting around 650 preschool children and 300 families across two phases beginning in 2021. As part of their training, the PSTs managed loose playgrounds in a local open traditional park space and evaluated the impact of playwork practices on their growth and understanding of play. The findings reveal that playwork with loose parts not only deepens PSTs' comprehension of children's play but also significantly advances their professional development, fostering a richer appreciation of the pedagogy of play and equipping future educators with the skills to effectively support holistic child development.
... These concepts align with the idea of loose parts, highlighting the importance of free exploration, material provision, and adequate time (Gibson et al., 2017;Maxwell et al., 2017;Waters & Maynard, 2010). The theory of loose parts, introduced by British architect Nicholson (1971), posits that our natural environment is rich in creative elements. Considering the attributes and benefits of in-between spaces, the use of loose parts to provide lowstructural resources in music play could be a meaningful approach. ...
... Research (Lee, 2007;Liao, 2022) indicates that insufficient resources reduce teachers' willingness to establish music environments. Using diverse loose parts in music activities stimulates children's interest (Dewey, 2005) and contributes to positive learning outcomes (Nicholson, 1971). ...
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The aim of this study was to explore the use of in-between spaces to create music environments in a preschool setting. The research method was a 1.5-year case study of a preschool in northern Taiwan, focusing on innovative music environment creation in the in-between space. The implementation process was divided into three stages: exploration, development, and maturity. Children were free to interact with the environment during school hours. Data were gathered through observations, interviews with children, teachers, and the principal, as well as a review of parent-teacher communication books and children’s works. The findings indicated that the in-between space not only had a great impact on children’s development but also enhanced their aesthetic experiences, effectively achieving educational goals. Proper utilization of in between in preschools has the potential to create substantial added value. Designing music environments that leverage their unique characteristics can establish an adaptive and engaging music learning environment for children. This allowed children to unleash their creativity and cultivate habits of independent learning through free play. However, a successful music environment required systematic planning and execution, setting goals in stages, and guiding children through a gradual music experience.
... Design guidelines for natural construction.Nicholson (1971) [80] described loose parts as open-ended objects and materials that children can manipulate in various ways.Anggard (2011) ...
... Design guidelines for natural construction.Nicholson (1971) [80] described loose parts as open-ended objects and materials that children can manipulate in various ways.Anggard (2011) ...
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Early childhood (0–8 years) is a time of rapid brain development supported by spontaneous and informal learning from the surrounding environment. Meaningful contact with nature (a dynamic and varied source of informal learning) during the early years of life sets up rich scopes for such spontaneous learning—especially in the first three years, a period in life that determines all future learning, behavior, and health. Besides its learning affordances, nature-based environments provide numerous health and developmental benefits. Considering that more than 13 million children under 5 years of age in the US spend most of their waking hours in care facilities, the potential benefits of having a nature-based outdoor area in their primary care environments are immense. However, guidelines and assessment standards for designing nature-based outdoor environments for below-three children (infants and toddlers) are almost non-existent. This three-phase research holds the promise of addressing this issue. Phase 1 reviews the available limited literature on below-three children’s outdoor play and learning environments and summarizes their design implications. Phase 2 extracts effective design guidelines and identifies assessment indicators from the Phase 1 studies. In Phase 3, empirical data (environmental assessment data) are collected to compare the existing and proposed design environment conditions of below-3 outdoor play and learning environments in a selected childcare facility. This phase highlights evidence-based assumptions of new criteria, guidelines, and indicators to assess any below-3 nature-based childcare outdoor environments. This research provides new information and insights for designing nature-based outdoor play and learning environments for below-3 children to increase their meaningful connections with natural elements while attending a care facility.
... It is common to build moulded in place rigid installations, so called Kit, Fence, Carpet-playgrounds, even though they do not cater well for variation of play [19,50,80]. These types of rigid playground designs are common, despite that loose materials and malleability are well known to provide important play values and play possibilities [54,56]. According to several leading play scholars such as Sicart, Piaget and Sobel, to be able to change and appropriate is a core element of play [59,69,70]. ...
... A playground that offers loose materials such as sand, water and pinecones, nature play, and a varied landscape that will change with seasons and over the day, creates such possibilities. Such loose materials are known to be important for play values [54,56], as they give children the opportunity to be co-creators of the space, as well as letting the space itself change and evolve. Different types of explorative and discovery play presuppose that there is some change happening, for a child to be able to discover new things also at a playground that they visit regularly. ...
... Noren-Bjorn (1982) also highlights the significance of play spaces that mirror the diverse variety found in nature itself. This variety is evident in natural settings through elements such as ground cover (snow, stones, sand, mud, water, grass, etc.), different types of spaces (secluded and open), and loose parts that children can manipulate (Nicholson 1971). Additionally, the possibility of "chance" events adds to the richness of the play environment. ...
... Therefore, this study calls upon local governments to expand their thinking regarding the planning of public spaces for and with children, creating environments that facilitate play throughout the year. They should also consider the introduction of diverse ground coverings (such as sand, stones, and mud), varied surfaces (Lester and Maudsley, 2007), and loose parts (Nicholson, 1971). This approach can benefit children's resilience as they interact with potentially "risky" environments where they may stumble, fall, or experience minor injuries. ...
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The presence of children in outdoor activities has been continuously declining in recent years, which negatively impacts their mental and physical health. Research has highlighted the positive effects of nature interactions on children's manual skills, socialization, and overall well-being. However, most studies have focused on regions with stable winter snow or warm regions without snow. In this study, drawing on affordance theory, both children and snow are considered as agents to examine child-snow interactions. Data were collected during the 2017/2018, 2018/2019, and 2019/2020 winter seasons, utilizing covert observation as the primary research method. The findings demonstrate that children's presence and interactions varied with the seasons, highlighting the influence of snow on public spaces and how its temporality attracts and motivates children to previously unoccupied areas.
... Sando and Sandseter (2022) conducted structured interviews with 71 Norwegian children aged 3-6 years to explore how early childhood education and care (ECEC) environments afford construction, pretend, and physical play. Their study found that loose materials provided children with more play options, aligning with Heft (2003) and Nicholson (1971) views. Sandseter et al. (2022) further identified a strong correlation between children's construction play and tables sized for both children and adults. ...
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Ecological psychology is an approach focused on the perception and behavior of organisms and environments, offering psychological insights for research on children. This study primarily explored the concepts of affordance and behavior setting based on an eco-psychological perspective concerning children’s behaviors and environment. Through a review of previous studies, we differentiated that affordance theory emphasizes children’s direct perceptions of environmental functions, whereas the concept of behavior setting highlights the dyadic relationship between long-term behaviors and environmental material features. However, existing studies on child–environment interactions often overlook children’s immediate actions in the context of affordance theory and fail to account for the dynamic nature of behavior settings. By integrating the distinctive traits of both theories, this study proposes an anticipatory framework based on ecological psychology to guide research on children’s environments, particularly within the indoor spaces of childcare facilities. Future studies should investigate the connections within this framework through field studies of childcare center environments and observations of children’s actions and behaviors during free play to assess congruence with environmental affordances.
... Children's play can have many outcomes, including working through trauma and exploring emotions (Andrews, 2012); by enabling children to direct their own activities, there is a greater likelihood of reducing stigma and working at a child's individual pace. It is further thought that the natural environment encourages creativity and exploration; drawing on Nicholson's "theory of loose parts" that an environment rich in open-ended resources, such as sticks, stones, mud, and water, facilitates inventiveness, creativity, and discovery (Nicholson, 1971). Forest school pedagogy recognises the natural environment as particularly beneficial for creative processes as natural objects may be used to represent innumerable things; for example, a stick may be used as a support structure, a barrier, a pen, a wand, a sword, a conductor's baton, etc. ...
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... Berbeda dari permainan tradisional yang memberikan dampak positif bagi perkembangan anak melalui permainan tradisional terutama permainan yang bersifat kelompok, anak-anak dapat mengalami banyak keterampilan yang dibutuhkan dalam kehidupan sosial, seperti mengambil tanggung jawab, berbagi pekerjaan, bersaing, dan pemecahan masalah (Moore & Wong, 1997;Rivkin, 1995). Studi-studi ini, secara bersama-sama menunjukkan bahwa anak-anak mendapat banyak manfaat dari bermain dialam, karena keanekaragaman hayati lingkungan alam menyediakan berbagai perubahan musim dan alat peraga bermain alami yang merangsang kreativitas dan daya cipta (Fjørtoft, 2000;Nicholson, 1971). Tentu dalam hal ini merujuk pada permainan tradisional sebagai jenisnya. ...
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Keterampilan motorik kasar pada anak penting untuk dilatih terutama di tahun-tahun awal sekolah. Salah satu cara menstimulus keterampilan motorik kasar pada anak yakni melalui permainan tradisional. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menggali manfaat permainan tradisional engklek dalam meningkatkan keterampilan motorik kasar pada konteks anak usia dini. Metode penelitian deskriptif dengan pendekatan kualitatif digunakan dalam penelitian ini. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa manfaat permainan tradisional engklek dalam meningkatkan keterampilan motorik pada anak kelompok B TK Armawiyah 1 diantaranya yaitu: a) melatih keseimbangan anak; b) memperkuat kekuatan fisik anak; c) menunjukkan kecepatan gerak anak; d) mengasah kelincahan gerak anak; e) meningkatkan kemampuan anak dalam pemecahan masalah; serta f) mengasah kelenturan tubuh dan kekuatan otot anak. Temuan ini memperkuat banyak temuan sebelumnya yang menjelaskan bahwa permainan tradisional sangat bermanfaat bagi perkembangan motorik pada anak. Maka dari itu pentingnya lingkungan yang mendukung permainan tradisional di luar kelas, pelatihan profesional bagi guru TK terkait stimulasi gerak motorik kasar pada anak dan aktivitas fisik lainnya yang sesuai dengan kondisi anak menjadi rekomendasi dalam penelitian ini.
... However, there has been very little focus on the more particular biological (or morphological/geological) content of play settings. To exemplify this, the importance of 'loose parts' (first highlighted by Nicholson (1971)) is a basic principle when creating attractive play settings. The focus is, however, on loose parts in early learning environments (four-to five-years-old; see Flannigan and Dietze (2017) ...
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Global urbanisation reduces greenery and species richness (biodiversity) and limits opportunities for most children to gain experiences of nature. Disconnecting children from nature has implications for their play, health, well‐being, and comprehension of ecological systems, as well as their engagement with the environment as adults. In the competition for land for built infrastructure, the preservation of remaining greenery is essential to fulfill multiple functions. One way forward is to look for synergies between conservation of biodiversity and children's need for outdoor environments of high quality. In this paper, we synthesize the existing literature on how to understand the many interfaces between children and nature, suggesting perspectives and tools for the management and design of nature‐based play settings. We frame this transdisciplinary perspective using ‘play biotopes‘, as a conceptual framework in which both children's play and species are taken into account. We exemplify how the play biotope framework can be put into practice as part of (1) an overall approach to landscapes made more useful to both children and other species, (2) affordances for play in nature such as branches from dead wood, and (3) a design process of a playground by giving input to nature‐based solutions. A conclusion is that play biotopes as a conceptual framework within nature‐based solutions can help increase play and biodiversity by promoting structures for climbing, making huts and biotopes otherwise overlooked in urban planning. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
... Ενώ, καθημερινά μπορούν εύκολα να εντοπιστούν στα αντικείμενα οικιακής χρήσεις, αλλά και σε αφθονία στο φυσικό περιβάλλον (Gull et al., 2019). Τον πρώτο επίσημο, όμως, ορισμό για τα ευέλικτα υλικά το έχουμε από το Nicholson (1971) ο οποίος είπε ότι «Σε οποιοδήποτε περιβάλλον τόσο ο βαθμός της εφευρετικότητας και της δημιουργικότητας, καθώς και η πιθανότητα για ανακάλυψη είναι ευθέως ανάλογες του βαθμού και του είδους των μεταβλητών του». ...
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Η επιλογή υλικών στα πρώιμα εκπαιδευτικά περιβάλλοντα σχετίζεται με τις αντιλήψεις και τις στάσεις των εκπαιδευτικών σχετικά με τη μάθηση των μικρών παιδιών. Για δεκαετίες στα σχολεία της Reggio Emilia τα εκπαιδευτικά περιβάλλοντα οργανώνονται με ευέλικτα υλικά. Υλικά τα οποία μπορούν να μετασχηματιστούν με απεριόριστους τρόπους και συνεπώς, ενισχύουν τη διερευνητική μάθηση, την κριτική σκέψη, την ικανότητα για επίλυση προβλημάτων και τη δημιουργικότητα των μικρών παιδιών. Παρά τη χρησιμότητά τους, τα ευέλικτα υλικά στην Ελλάδα είναι μόλις τα τελευταία χρόνια που λαμβάνουν όλο και μεγαλύτερη αναγνώριση. Για το λόγο αυτό, σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας είναι να αναδείξει τη χρησιμότητα των ευέλικτων υλικών αξιοποιώντας τεχνικές μάθησης από το πεδίο της εκμάθησης των ενηλίκων και αυτό πραγματοποιείται σε δύο μέρη, ένα θεωρητικό και ένα βιωματικό. Λέξεις κλειδιά: ευέλικτα υλικά, παιδαγωγική, παιχνίδι, μάθηση. Εισαγωγή Τα οφέλη του ελεύθερου παιχνιδιού για το παιδί και την ανάπτυξή του είναι γνωστά (Spencer et al., 2019). Ειδικά, μέσα από το ελεύθερο παιχνίδι ενισχύεται η ανεξαρτησία των παιδιών αφού μετασχηματίζουν τα υλικά δίχως προδιαγεγραμμένες οδηγίες και δίχως να υπάρχει ένας τελικός σκοπός. Μαθαίνουν να ελέγχουν τα συναισθήματά τους και κατ' επέκταση τη συμπεριφορά τους. Τους δίνονται νέες ευκαιρίες για να εκφράσουν τη δημιουργικότητά τους. Μέσα από τις ελεύθερες αλληλεπιδράσεις τους και την ανάπτυξη του συμβολικού παιχνιδιού με άλλα παιδιά, εξερευνούν τον κοινωνικό κόσμο και καθώς μπαίνουν σε διαδικασίες λήψεις αποφάσεων, αναπτύσσουν τις αντίστοιχες δεξιότητες (Spencer et al., 2019). Το ελεύθερο παιχνίδι κατέχει διαφορετική θέση στις τρεις περισσότερο δημοφιλείς παιδαγωγικές προσεγγίσεις (Aljabreen, 2020). Οι εκπαιδευτικοί χρειάζεται να σκεφτόμαστε κριτικά ως προς τη χρήση των όρων «παιδοκεντρικός» και «ελεύθερο παιχνίδι» και κατ' επέκταση, την υιοθέτηση και εφαρμογή του όρου «ευέλικτα υλικά». Η κατανόηση των διαφορετικών παιδαγωγικών προσεγγίσεων και εκπαιδευτικών μέσων συσχετίζεται με την τη εικόνα του παιδιού (Malaguzzi, 1994). Υπάρχουν εκατοντάδες εικόνες του παιδιού και καθένας μας έχει μέσα του μία εικόνα που τον καθοδηγεί καθώς αρχίζει να σχετίζεται με το παιδί. Τα ερωτήματα που χρειάζεται να προσεγγίζουμε κριτικά είναι: Ποιες εικόνες του παιδιού βλέπουμε συχνότερα γύρω μας, στους γονείς; στους εκπαιδευτικούς; Ποια εικόνα του παιδιού κυριαρχεί στις διαφορετικές παιδαγωγικές προσεγγίσεις; Ποια εικόνα του παιδιού επιλέγουμε συνειδητά εμείς; Επειδή, είναι η εικόνα του παιδιού που μας καθοδηγεί στην επιλογή, ερμηνεία και εφαρμογή των παιδαγωγικών προσεγγίσεων και συνεπώς, στην ορθή ή μη παιδαγωγικά αξιοποίηση των ευέλικτων υλικών. Τα ευέλικτα υλικά εντοπίζονται στους παιχνιδότοπους περιπέτειας, μία σύγχρονη εκδοχή των παιχνιδότοπων σκουπιδιών που δημιουργήθηκαν στα τέλη του Β' ΠΠ. Ενώ, καθημερινά μπορούν εύκολα να εντοπιστούν στα αντικείμενα οικιακής χρήσεις, αλλά και σε αφθονία στο φυσικό περιβάλλον (Gull et al., 2019). Τον πρώτο επίσημο, όμως, ορισμό για τα ευέλικτα υλικά το έχουμε από το Nicholson (1971) ο οποίος είπε ότι «Σε οποιοδήποτε περιβάλλον τόσο
... All studies regarding loose parts or equipment associate these with higher levels of PA. This consensus regarding the effect of loose parts has not always been found in previous research with other age spans (Houser et al., 2016), which may be because loose parts can vary widely between studies and offer opportunities to engage in different types of play (Nicholson, 1971;Play Wales, 2017). In this regard, two important considerations should be taken into account. ...
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The decline of children's opportunities to play outdoors raises a new concern about the quality of outdoor play environments, and their developmental and well-being benefits for children. This systematic review aims to synthesize the associations between outdoor play features and children's behavior and health. PRISMA guidelines were followed (2021). The inclusion criteria were studies with children aged between 5 and 12 (Population); that addressed presence, absence or disposition of equipment, natural elements, loose parts, resources availability , type of terrain and space modifications (Intervention or Exposure); in pre-post intervention or between groups (Comparison); related to health and behavior in different domains (Outcomes); with an experimental, observational, descriptive or longitudinal design (Study design). Indoor context, adult-led activities and struc-tured activities were excluded. A literature search of five databases (PubMed, Web of Science, ERIC, Scopus, and PsycINFO) was concluded in March 2022. After identifying 28,772 records, duplicates and irrelevant titles were removed, and abstracts and full-text articles were screened in duplicate. The remaining 51 eligible articles (45 primary studies) were assessed for risk of bias with QualSyst. A narrative synthesis of the results was conducted. The most frequent behavioral or health outcome addressed was physical activity. Included studies focused on the following space features: fixed structures, space naturalness, floor markings, loose parts/equipment, area available, and the combination of factors. Although some positive effects were found, the heterogeneity between studies did not allow to draw firm conclusions on the effects of each environmental feature on primary children's health and behavior. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42020179501.
... Le matériel libre et polyvalent aussi nommé « loose parts » ou « pièces libres » représente du matériel dit « naturel » ou brut, qui est durable et mobile. Il vise l'apprentissage par l'exploration(Gull et al., 2019;Nicholson, 1971). Par exemple, il peut s'agir de feuilles, de branches, de roches, tout comme de matériaux recyclés, l'important étant que les enfants puissent lui donner une fonction symbolique s'ils le souhaitent puisque son usage n'est pas déterminé(Forest School Canada, 2014). ...
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Cette étude vise à brosser un portrait de l’engagement d’enfants âgés de 3 à 5 ans en éducation par la nature, lors de sorties en milieu naturel. Ce portrait est dégagé à partir d’observations effectuées avec l’outil Individualized Classroom Assessment Scoring System (inCLASS) et d’entretiens réalisés auprès des éducatrices de ces enfants. Les résultats des observations montrent que l’engagement dans les apprentissages, d’un niveau moyen-élevé, est le domaine dont le score s’avère le plus élevé chez les enfants. Ce domaine est également celui qui ressort le plus des propos des éducatrices, en plus d’être relié à l’engagement envers les pairs, d’un niveau moyen-faible. Les données dévoilent aussi un faible niveau d’engagement envers l’adulte. Parallèlement, les éducatrices déclarent que les enfants les sollicitent peu en milieu naturel, notamment parce qu’ils se montrent autonomes dans leurs explorations et leurs jeux. Ces résultats sont discutés sous l’angle de l’apport de l’éducation par la nature à l’engagement des enfants.
... The concept and relative significance of creative, open-ended play in the development of students has been widely acknowledged for a considerable period of time. The theory of loose parts, titled "How not to cheat children," was formulated by Simon Nicholson in 1971 (12). Loose parts are defined as materials that possess variability, allowing them to be utilized in multiple ways, thereby enabling children to engage in experimentation and invention through play. ...
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Utilizing underutilized items is a crucial aspect of fostering environmental consciousness. This encompasses the utilization of miscellaneous components (loose parts) to create a frugal experience. The objective of this qualitative research is to investigate the perspectives expressed by junior high school students who participated in a case study. The case study provided a frugal framework for cultivating frugality. The findings revealed that despite the constraints of limited resources, the students were able to manifest their creative ideas through construction. This implies that creative ideas can be realized without the need for expensive and unaffordable resources. Consequently, educators can enhance the teaching and learning process by incorporating loose parts to contextualize students' frugal experiences.
... All this makes them very interesting, since they facilitate and stimulate the child's personal interpretation and transformation (Miklitz, 2011). Nicholson (1971) defines them as «loose parts» because they are materials that can be moved, carried, and combined as the child likes by being free and open to the world (Garcia-Gonzalez & Schenetti, 2022). ...
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Over the last decade outdoor education has become a topic of interest for Italian educational services, representing an opportunity to promote active teaching practices and transversal competences in the national context, in connection with the world. It is therefore necessary to reflect with educational intentionality on the purposes of outdoor spaces and their role in overall pedagogical planning. This study focuses on a participatory design process of outdoor spaces and describes the experience carried out in select educational services in the Emilia-Romagna region, with the active participation of educators, teachers and other stakeholders. The research findings are presented in the form of a set of guidelines, which represents a formal tool used to encourage participatory design practices and a benchmark for outdoor learning space planning.
... Nature contributes by making space rich in content, diverse, moldable and under constant change (Sebba, 1991). Loose parts is an attribute well acknowledged to nourish play (Nicholson, 1971). The overall structures, features and characteristics of a landscape are also supportive of children's place making by forming niches for certain activities and habitats for certain play narratives (Fjørtoft and Saegie, 2000). ...
... Technology and engineering skills and concepts have also been found develop in young children through time spent in naturebased education contexts. Young children have been observed to apply the resources that nature provides, sticks, rocks, and leaves to construct shelters and use these "loose parts" (Nicholson, 1972) as technological tools . The incorporation of movement activities provides young children with opportunities to relate to "specific experiences on the relationship of quantity, number recognition, counting, space and geometry, patterns, and simple operations" (Park, 2020, p. 67). ...
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Early childhood is an important time for building children’s affinity with nature and the environment. Early childhood professionals play a crucial role in developing young children’s understanding of the natural world. Over the past 50 years, there has been a movement in early childhood education and care contexts to provide young children with the opportunity to learn in natural surroundings such as forest schools and nature kindergartens. This research, occurred in four bush kinders, an Australian example of nature-based, early years education influenced by the forest school approach to education. In this paper we interrogate key ideas concerning environmental education, drawing on seminal empirical research, guiding curriculum documents such as Australia’s Early Years Learning Framework and government policy documents to build understandings of how children’s play can be observed by educators who can then support the children to develop their understandings of the natural world around them. Through ethnography, a methodology that uses both participation and observation of research participants, it became apparent that young children’s play-based learning offers opportunities for development of understandings of the environment. Applying a recent definition of environmental education from the US Environmental Protection Authority (2022), we analysed four vignettes which provide examples of educators and children’s interactions supporting children to build an affinity with nature observed during the research. This research’s implications are novel when considering the relatively new bush kinder approach to early childhood education as the findings remind us of the benefits of bush kinders in generating opportunities for young children’s environmental education.
... A member of the team (CN), trained in qualitative research, conducted semi-structured interviews via telephone or video conferencing. Background literature on play and loose parts play informed the design of the interview guide [13,14,20]. The interview guide contained questions surrounding involvement and experiences with the take-home play kits such as "Could you describe the family's usage of the play kit"; benefits of play: "What did your child(ren) enjoy most about the play kits", and impact of the pandemic on physical activity: "How was your child's physical activity impacted at the beginning of the pandemic." ...
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The restrictions introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic affected the regular routines of Canadians, including access to play and physical activity opportunities, while limiting social connections. In response to this, a recreation centre created take-home play kits that contained loose parts with the aim of facilitating unstructured play. Between August 2021 and January 2022, ten parents participated in semi-structured interviews via telephone or videoconferencing platforms that captured their experiences of the take-home play kits. Using Thematic Analysis, we identified themes and subthemes reflecting parent perceptions and experiences of the take-home play kit. Three themes emerged: (1 A forced renaissance of play; (2) Bringing unstructured play home, and; (3) Parenting is child’s play. Parents shared how the pandemic resulted in decreased physical activity and social opportunities for their children. The parents described how the take-home play kits supported unstructured play as well as their perspectives on the importance of unstructured play. Parents in our study suggested that a take-home loose parts play kit could be a useful resource to help engage children in unstructured play in both indoor and outdoor environments.
... Таб. 1. Седам приступа и области учешћа деце и младих у процесу планирања урбаних простора (извор: Francis, Lorenzo, 2002; превод, прерада и додатни коментари од стране аутора) Tab. 1. Seven approaches and areas of participation of children and youth in the process of urban planning (source: Francis, Lorenzo, 2002;translation, revision Moore (1990Moore ( , 1993, Nicholson (1971), Cooper (1970), Chawla (1986), Soebel (1990) корисне идеје, развој иновативних метода и препорука за учешће деце; доприноси концепту или студији случаја (нпр. пројекат парка, игралишта, …) идеализација, oслања се искључиво на визије деце, без учешћа и сугестија одраслих примењује се када постоји потреба за генерисањем нових визионарских идеја, анализе потреба деце и њиховог става ПЛАНЕРСКИ/ ЗАСТУПНИЧКИ Референце: Bishop (1992), Goodey (1979), Hester (1999) развој софистицираних метода и политика, теорија партиципације и заступања интереса, професионалан однос према стандардима, процедурама није холистичко, изоставља из процеса оне за које се планира, сегментирано, питање консензуса са другим интересима у простору често се замењује другим приступима НАУЧНИ/ МУЛТИДИСЦИПЛИ-НАРНИ Референце: Hart (1978), Heft & Wohlwill (1987), Gorlitz et al. (1998), Lynch (1978 допринос дефинисању закључака о јединственим потребама; шта узети у обзир у дизајнирању пријатног окружења за децу и младе није увек препозната важност директног учешћа деце у стицању знања о простору и потребама jош увек је врло заступљен у научним радовима, студијама и истраживањима САЗНАЈНИ/ ЕДУКАТИВНИ Референце: Carr & Lynch (1969), Chawla (1995), Lepore & Lorenzo (1989) допринело развоју метода укључивања деце у теме, њиховој едукацији и подизању свести о окружењу и просторним аспектима деца не учествују довољно активно, добијају информације о теми, њихове идеје се уносе у пројекат "обрађене" од стране одраслих специјализован, активан део партиципације деце у пројектима ПРАВНИ/ ЗАСТУПНИЧКИ Референце: UNICEF (1996), Bartlett (1999), Bartlett et al. (1999), Hart (1992Hart ( , 1997, Sattertwaite et al. (1996), Moore (1990), Rivkin (1995), Chawla (2001) Интересовање за прилагођавање потребама деце, за њихов начин коришћења урбаних простора и поимања града, појавило се седамдесетих година прошлог века и интезивирало објављивањем неколико студија на ову тему аутора попут Линча (Lynch, 1977), Варда (Ward, 1978) и Вилсон и Херберта (Wilson, Herbert 1978). ...
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... Three workshops were designed as a laboratory for exploring new possibilities in the gravel pit. The workshops were inspired by the concept of "loose parts" (Nicholson, 1971), which is often used in adventure playgrounds to stress the importance of "variables"-objects and materials that can be moved, modified, and combined in new ways. The place itself was considered one such "variable," along with several discarded materials, such as wood, fabrics, tarps, tubes, old tires, and rope, available for everyone to use in combination with relevant tools. ...
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This research investigates the significance of the physical environment in early childhood education and care (ECEC) institutions as a facilitator of deep-level learning. Building upon Laevers’ concept of deep-level learning, this study explores the interplay between objects in ECEC settings, children’s play, and their deep-level learning. The primary objective is to examine the potential mediating role of play in the relationship between objects and deep-level learning. The research methodology involves the analysis of a sample consisting of 928 two-minute video observations collected from eight ECEC institutions in Norway. The results demonstrate a positive association between children’s engagement in play, their utilization of objects, and deep-level learning. The findings suggest that constructive and symbolic play partly mediate the positive relationship between deep-level learning and object utilization. These outcomes highlight the pivotal role of play in early childhood education and emphasize how elements within the physical environment can effectively support children’s learning.
... Despite the wide application of LPP since its development in 1971 (Nicholson, 1971), it has hardly been examined in relation to social participation of children with disabilities. Sterman and colleagues (Sterman et al., 2020) showed that LPP can stimulate creative and collaborative outdoor play between children with autism and/or intellectual disabilities, yet this was examined only in special educational settings. ...
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Chapter
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