Loose parts capture children's curiosity, give free reign to their imagination, and encourage creativity. This form of play allows infants to be in control and recognize the power of their bodies and actions. A variety of new and innovative loose parts ideas are paired with beautiful photography to inspire safe loose parts play in your infant and toddler environments. Captivating classroom stories and proven science provide the context for how this style of play supports children's development and learning. This book is perect for Montessori and Reggio-inspired programs and educators.

Use loose parts to spark children's creativity and innovation Loose parts are natural or synthetic found, bought, or upcycled materials that children can move, manipulate, control, and change within their play. Alluring and captivating, they capture children's curiosity, give free reign to their imagination, and motivate learning. The hundreds of inspiring photographs showcase an array of loose parts in real early childhood settings. And the overviews of concepts children can learn when using loose parts provide the foundation for incorporating loose parts into your teaching to enhance play and empower children. The possibilities are truly endless.

Loose parts are natural or synthetic found, bought, or upcycled materials—acorns, hardware, stones, aluminum foil, fabric scraps, for example—that children can move, manipulate, control, and change within their play. Loose parts capture children's curiosity, give free rein to their imagination, and encourage creativity. In the newest installment of the wildly popular, award-winning Loose Parts series, Lisa Daly and Miriam Beloglovsky focus on including families and competency building. With inspiring full-color photographs Loose Parts 4 is organized around competencies and life skills children need for success in the future: knowingness, engagement, risk, connections, leadership, innovative thinking, and creativity. Lisa and Miriam explain the value of loose parts, detail how to integrate loose parts into the environment and children’s play, and specifically focus on loose parts for children in family environments—helping educators engage families and extend learning beyond the classroom.

Loose parts cross the boundaries of gender, age, abilities, and socioeconomic challenges. This book helps teachers make a conscious effort to create culturally sustainable environments that allow children to grow and to conquer a dynamic world.

"For each activity presented, the text examines its relation to the rapid brain growth that characterizes the 0 to 3 years, including major developments in sensory reception, movement, language, cognition, memory, vision, and motivation. Revised and expanded, this edition features many full-color images and new chapters on using electronic technology"--

Child-initiated, creative play is returning after decades of erosion. Through the hard work and dedicated efforts of play activists, new opportunities for play are arising, including the use of open-ended play materials in schools, parks, nature centers, and adventure playgrounds. Over 20 play initiatives are described in this book, with dozens of photographs that illustrate the power of play.

Looking to unleash the powerful learning potential of loose parts play, but don't know where to begin? Loose parts play offers a magical and wonder-filled way to deliver learning across the whole curriculum. But there are many things that you need to know to get started on the correct footing, (and many things that might go wrong if you don't!)... What is loose parts play? What are its benefits? How do you set it up? Where do you find ideas? How can it make a real IMPACT? Bursting with more than 200 practical ideas, activities and provocations, 'Loose Parts Play - A Beginner's Guide' is the perfect handbook for teachers and parents of children aged 0-5 that are looking to develop an outstanding loose parts curriculum either at work or at home. Written by two committed loose parts play enthusiasts and experts, with 35 years of early education experience between them, this book provides the following: * Numerous beautiful images of loose parts play in action * A Clear step-by-step guide explaining everything you need to know and what actions to take when * All the inspiration you need to set up exceptional loose parts play experiences in your home, school, preschool, kindergarten, pre-k, nursery or reception class * A no-nonsense outline of what loose parts play is * At least 200 ideas to use loose parts play across the curriculum * What the numerous benefits of loose parts play are * How to manage any risks * How to identify and support schema play * The 'Ten Step Process To Loose Parts Play Success' The authors have written this book in the most accessible and down-to-earth style possible, making it the go-to guide to get started with loose parts simply and successfully.

A book of love poems, describing the ups and downs in relationships from the heart of a man.

Play is serious business. Whether it's reenacting a favorite book (comprehension and close reading), negotiating the rules for a game (speaking and listening), or collaborating over building blocks (college and career readiness and STEM), Kristi Mraz, Alison Porcelli, and Cheryl Tyler see every day how play helps students reach standards and goals in ways that in-their-seat instruction alone can't do. And not just during playtimes. "We believe there is play in work and work in play," they write. "It helps to have practical ways to carry that mindset into all aspects of the curriculum." In Purposeful Play, they share ways to: optimize and balance different types of play to deepen regular classroom learning teach into play to foster social-emotional skills and a growth mindset bring the impact of play into all your lessons across the day. "We believe that play is one type of environment where children can be rigorous in their learning," Kristi, Alison, and Cheryl write. So they provide a host of lessons, suggestions for classroom setups, helpful tools and charts, curriculum connections, teaching points, and teaching language to help you foster mature play that makes every moment in your classroom instructional. Play doesn't only happen when work is over. Children show us time and time again that play is the way they work. In Purposeful Play, you'll find research-driven methods for making play an engine for rigorous learning in your classroom.

Recent research has drawn the link between children's brain development and time spent in the natural environment. In Seasons of Play, Rusty Keeler takes readers on a photographic journey through real child care centers that have embraced his philosophy that natural play space create new opportunities for children to learn and develop. By saying "no" to cookie-cutter care environments, caregivers say "yes" to children's natural tendencies to explore and adapt their play space to suit their imaginations. Looking into natural play environments at actual child care centers, readers will be inspired to create their own outdoor play areas, regardless of location, Keeler's own drawings help readers see just how doable an interactive and engaging natural play space can be - and it can change with the seasons!