Having loose parts in your play setting can stimulate creativity and imagination. Discover the potential of loose parts play, what it is and why it is so important to children’s development.  Features practical ideas for collecting and introducing natural loose parts to your home or education setting with our ‘Loose Parts = Creativity + Discovery + Imagination’ info sheet.

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Subject Area: Loose Parts

This Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play was developed in Canada in conjunction with a cross-sectorial group of partners, stakeholders and researchers from around the world seeking an evidence-informed Position Statement on active outdoor play for children aged 3–12 years. The Position Statement was created in response to practitioner, academic, legal, insurance and public debate, dialogue and disagreement on the relative benefits and harms of active (including risky) outdoor play. The final Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play states: “Access to active play in nature and outdoors—with its risks— is essential for healthy child development. We recommend increasing children’s opportunities for self-directed play outdoors in all settings—at home, at school, in child care, the community and nature.” The full Position Statement provides context for the statement, evidence supporting it, and a series of recommendations to increase active outdoor play opportunities to promote healthy child development.

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Excellent resource full of great ideas and imagery to help families and care providers restore nature to children’s everyday outdoor play and learning environments. Includes information on the developmental benefits of nature play,the importance of risk taking, where to start and how to implement change in your play space. Includes a list of suggested materials to introduce, different types of settings, how to manage a nature play space and the importance of getting children’s input right from the beginning.

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The Mclaren Vale township is home to Madge Sexton Kindergarten, one of the first five sites to be built as part of the Preschool Outdoor Learning Project, during 2014/15. Teachers and community liaison officers share how this has enriched their local area and enabled unexpected variations in their children’s’ play.

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Length: 10m : 05s