On the 29th of April, we held our second Explorers@Makerspace (E@MS) at our C3.16 MakerSpace classroom. This month’s theme was centered around the question:
How far can Loose Parts play be used in supporting children’s learning?
This E@MS experience is based on Miriam Beloglovsky’s online course that the Year 4s attended.
We first started off the session with a scavenger hunt, going around the MakerSpace to find items that can be used in Loose Parts play. We then gathered around the table and shared our ideas with each other.
After the discussion, the Year 4s shared other items that can also be incorporated into Loose Parts play. Traditional objects such as batik cloth were mentioned. They also shared with us about the importance of Loose Parts play, and had us think about the functions and considerations when implementing Loose Parts play, such as the variety and quantity of materials.
For the next activity, we got to be more hands-on as we plan our own learning experiences and spaces for Loose Parts play for different learning domains. We drew lots to decide on the domain we were focusing on, then got to work, looking around the MakerSpace to find materials for our space. Take a look at the participants working on their space!
When we were done making our spaces, we went around to the different spaces and tried playing. After each play session, we gathered to share on how we used the space, and what we learnt.
After trying everyone’s loose parts play corner, we had a debrief. We went back to the question of the day, and the participants took turns sharing their perspectives. Some of the main learnings everyone gained was:
The variation of materials in Loose Parts play:
They involve not just small, but big items as well.
Writing tools and frames can be used in L&L and art-making.
Embedding loose parts in the curriculum
Integration among functions and domains happens naturally in Loose Parts’ play. The open-ended nature and creativeness of children can contribute as well.
Loose Parts play can be slowly incorporated into fixed lesson plans, especially for a school that is not open to this idea yet.
When planning a Loose Parts play corner, playing with the materials first can help us to explore different possibilities and be intentional.
Have strategies to clean-up easily, such as using a mat or cloth to wrap up and pour the objects back into the container.
We had a lot of fun during this session and we look forward to seeing everyone at the next Explorers@Makerspace event. Comment below on what interested you, and any ideas for our next explorations! Thank you!
Writers:
Publicity: Denise Leong
COL: Therese Chan, Kok Xiu Wen, Ho Hui Zhen, Ang Xing Yu