Loose Parts Play Ideas for K-2

  

Out of all the new things I implemented this past year, loose parts play was my favorite!

I have been interested in incorporating into my classroom for years, after reading several wonderful books about it. 

I wanted to use it even more after watching my Kindergarten students do it naturally with all of our resources in math centers!

This year I created two sets: Fall and Spring. Next year I will be incorporating a Winter set as well, and I'll add some updates when I do.

Fall

I purchased 3 of these bamboo drawer organizers from Amazon and they are perfect, because you can stack them all together nicely when they are done playing. Also, the dividers reach the bottom, which keeps the materials from spilling into the other compartments. 

For this set, here are the items I purchased:

• dowels 
• wooden doll people 
• wooden clothespins
• pheasant quills
• sticks
• lotus pods
• pine cones 
• painted wooden buttons 
• unfinished wood slices 
• polished stones 

Of course, being in New Hampshire has its perks, I can also add some fresh beautiful maple and oak leaves as they began to change, as well as pinecones.

This became one of our arrival activities each week. I loved seeing the different creations they would make!

Loose parts play can get messy! But thanks to the drawers, they were able to clean it quickly and efficiently each time we used them!

 

I think this was one of my most favorite creations. He used a lotus pod as the top for the tent and sticks, feathers and dowels for supports. It became a campground!

To store it, I just placed everything into Ziploc sandwich bags and then put them altogether in a two gallon Ziploc bag. Now it is ready to go for next Fall!

Spring

For this set, I purchased: 

• cool toned felt balls 
• feathers 
• bright toned felt balls
• bright toned faux pearls 
• acrylic gems 
• silk plumeria flowers 
• assorted bright buttons
• colorful lollipop sticks 

I put this one out in March, I could not resist. We were at the end of another long dreary, gray winter!

They were so excited by all of the colors and textures!

They even found ways to connect the felt balls to the popsicle sticks. A few even included flowers in the mix, but I missed the picture of those!

They love to sort the items in the bins each season too.

This set definitely added a bit of fun to our Monday morning arrival time!

These last two sets are not exactly loose parts, but they are two collections my class adores.

One is all the buttons I have collected over the years from making jewelry.

Some even came from my old necklaces and bracelets. I spent a rainy Saturday taking them apart.

They love sorting them and asking me all about where I got the beads and what kind of jewelry they belonged too.

Last up is our button bin! 

They have used them on our 120's chart. But most often, they use them for sorting.

 

I have a few students who like to see how they change when they put them on our light table!

 

Do you use loose parts in your class?

Looking for more loose parts activities for class?

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