Everyday household objects and utensils You probably already noticed the interest that your child may have shown towards the daily life objects that they have seen you use at home. The simple items that we are so used to having, and no longer pay much attention to, are not taken for granted by your little one: a hairbrush, comb, whisk, pots and pans are all very new to your child and exciting to explore. They want to see what these items can do and how they can be used. Such items are called open-ended resources, meaning that the ways to engage with them are endless, and they are a source of many play opportunities. This is the beauty of such resources: they offer hours of engagement, and children are never bored when playing with them. They develop your child’s imagination and curiosity and help their creativity come to life. They are also free, as you already have them at home. What's not to like!? Some of the most popular items that your child will love to explore and play with are: Pots and pans with lids Wooden spoons Whisks Colander Tupperware and food containers Cleaning brushes and sponges Cardboard boxes Massage rollers and brushes Loose Parts Play ‘Loose parts’ play includes items that are easily accessible at home and so beneficial for your child that I also wanted to include them in this article. They are another great way of encouraging some wonderful learning and exploration at home. Loose parts are items in multiple quantities that you can find at home, find in nature or purchase to provide endless learning opportunities for your child. Some examples of loose parts can be: Shells Sticks Cardboard boxes Pine cones Pompoms Bottle tops Metal jar lids etc. Loose parts were first mentioned by Simon Nicholson in his Loose Parts Play Theory in 1970’s. The author of the theory put emphasis on the ability of the items to be: Moved around. Altered. Put together and pulled apart. Designed and redesigned. Carried. Stacked and unstacked. (Reference: Loose Parts Play Ideas for Children) Benefits of loose parts play are known and valued around the world and used in many early years setting to provide invaluable learning opportunities. These benefits are now evident in an extensive research done on the topic. Through engaging with open-ended resources in the above ways a child can explore their own ideas through the following types of play: Mastery: repeat an action until its mastered. Construction: use materials in a goal-oriented / product-oriented way. Rules-based: create, negotiate and adapt to rules. Arts-based: using materials to draw, model, perform. Symbolic: transform an object using imagination or fantasy. Language: using words they make up or change. Make-believe: imaginative role play. Sensory: materials of different textures. Rough & Tumble: physical; involving contact between two or more players. Risk-taking: understand how far they can go. (Reference: EXPLORING LOOSE PARTS PLAY AT HOME) Safety First Although we understand the benefits of our children using household items in play, we often have a perception that items that are not labelled as 'toys' or produced solely for children are not suitable to be used by them. We are meticulous when checking the age range suitability provided by toy producers and we put away and out of reach majority of household items. Parents often worry about allowing their child to engage with such items, as they are afraid that these could cause injury or harm. However, it is important to find a happy medium so that we can support our children’s experiential, holistic learning by using authentic and practical items and, at the same time, keep them safe and feeling secure. It is very important that the items that you select to give to your child are safe, and free from sharp edges, long strings, or small elements that they could choke on, so always remember to check and think how your creative child could use such items and assess the possible risk. Also, remember to always supervise your child when playing with loose parts and household objects, and engage in their play as much as they would allow you to. You can use such opportunities to encourage their language development by offering narrative to their play. Your engagement also means that you can help their play develop more by offering additional resources or simple clues that could help them to persevere in their exploration. Kayla from 'This Family Thing' created the video below with some brilliant examples of loose parts play resources and how these can be used with your child. Enjoy and have fun playing!
