Loose Parts for Children with Diverse Abilities

Chapter 1

The Importance of Inclusive Ecosystems and Loose Parts

It is not news that children have an innate need to play. Play is a magnificent activity that sustains life and promotes joy and hopefulness. Play appears at any age, at any stage, and throughout human history in every geographical area and every culture. Children make meaning of their world through play. They benefit from child-initiated and child-directed play opportunities. Children with diverse abilities or special rights also have an innate desire to play and engage in self-sustained play. Therefore play is a crucial right for children with diverse abilities, and it must be respected, nurtured, and encouraged.

This book addresses the importance of play while providing appropriate accommodations to support young children with diverse abilities. We must appreciate play for the sake of play and not as a medium to obtain educational goals or promote the development of children with diverse abilities. I write this book as a commitment and an invitation to early childhood educators and families to see children with diverse abilities’ strengths, to recognize them as capable, competent, and creative, and to listen to their powerful voices. I invite you to create ecosystems based on the practices of peace and freedom where children can become valued members of the community. Together we must work toward changing the current educational narrative that silences the voices of many children, and too often, those of children with diverse abilities.

Gears, twigs, leaves—little children love the world. That is why they are so good at learning about it. For it is love, not tricks and techniques of thought, that lies at the heart of all true learning. Can we bring ourselves to let children learn and grow through that love?—John Holt

As a society, we can’t remain passive and compliant with the current educational system, which focuses on meeting standards rather than creating citizens of the world. We must join hands and work toward creating ecosystems—biological communities of interacting organisms and their physical environments—where every community member is valued and supported. Places where we hear every voice because we are committed to education that serves liberation and freedom rather than promoting oppression and minimizing people by reducing them to a label or an assumption based on negative perspectives.

As I write this book, we are experiencing an incredibly devastating COVID-19 pandemic that has shed light on many inequalities existing in this country. At the same time, we see the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement’s united voices, which has ignited a new push for social justice. It is becoming harder and harder for society to look away from the many inequities occurring in communities of color and communities that face economic disadvantages. Families living with food insecurity, homelessness, or excessive economic disadvantages, including a lack of health care, have been more vulnerable to the pandemic’s effects. In many instances, these are the same families that have experienced the mistreatment and violence of governmental authorities and educational systems. Rooted in Eurocentric practices, these systems separate children into categories that determine their success and failure—thus supporting ongoing and systemic racism, classism, and ableism. The impact is magnified for children with diverse abilities.

Throughout this time, I have engaged in conversations with many educators and families about the impact of online learning and physical distancing. We feel a collective concern that children with diverse abilities are not receiving the support and services they need. The circumstances and the need for physical distance moved children’s learning to a virtual space—perhaps with little consideration for the many children who could not participate due to limitations that do not promote learning in a virtual format. That is why infusing play with Loose Parts as children have transitioned online is crucial to ensure that they continue to find joy and an intrinsic love for learning.

With play under attack by a culture steeped in excessive technology and constant pressure to meet academic standards (which do not reward creativity and playfulness), we risk losing the flexibility and adaptability that is achieved through play. There is a need for more research to deepen our knowledge and understanding of the influence of play on children with diverse abilities. However, we can continue to work with the assumption that play is crucial to the development of all children, and we must create inclusive ecosystems to support the play of children with diverse abilities. Shifting the language from the term environments to ecosystems allows us to see that every person, every object, and the design of the space are interconnected and affect one another. In an inclusive ecosystem, children are not only present but are considered active and valuable members of the family, school, and community. When we approach education from an ecosystem perspective, we begin to value beauty in humans and their surroundings as a catalyst for transforming children’s lives.

In this book, I represent inclusion as the right children have to actively and fully participate in an educational ecosystem with all their gifts and capacities. Even when a disability is an integral part of who they are, it does not alone define them. As educators, we must create and design play ecosystems that support children regardless of their ability, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, language, family culture, or history. Educators can use a variety of adaptations to increase the participation of children with diverse abilities in the classroom ecosystem.

To create ecosystems of hope where creativity and innovation emerge, we have to use a play equity lens in all our practices. We must embrace the ethos that all children have the right to play and that no other adult agenda will replace this basic right. Often in education our focus is on meeting standards and assessing children for progress on an educational and developmental scale. We tend to forget that play brings joy and pleasure to people. Without joy and happiness, learning will not happen. The power of play equity is reflected in the following story.

Twins Brian and Bridget were born prematurely. They received early intervention services from birth. Bridget progressed faster than Brian, who had no mobility on his left side. He was protective of his left arm and refused to use it or allow people to touch it. When the twins entered an inclusive preschool, Bridget easily adjusted and enjoyed the sensory explorations and daily interactions with peers. Brian took longer to adjust but progressed steadily. Every morning Brian gravitated toward the shelf with natural Loose Parts and a basket of feathers. Brian enjoyed arranging and rearranging feathers in different configurations. He picked up one feather at a time and ran it up and down his left arm and hand. Little by little, he gained interest in other Loose Parts and learned to sit next to other children. One day Brian took one of the feathers and ran it up and down Silvie’s arm. She quietly sat and allowed Brian to continue. After a few minutes, Silvie started laughing and turned to Brian, saying, That tickles. Brian quietly extended his right arm so that Silvie could run the feather up and down. The Loose Parts served as a catalyst to include others in play and help them successfully socialize. Later the educators found out that the occupational therapist would gently move soft objects up and down Brian’s left arm to help him accept people gently touching it. Using this information, the educators decided to add more soft Loose Parts into the ecosystem for Brian to explore. They brought soft fabrics and ribbons for him to insert into tissue boxes. Observing and listening to children and taking the time to analyze what we observe is a valuable tool when creating inclusive ecosystems and filling them with Loose Parts.

The Language of Loose Parts

Loose Parts are materials that entice children of all abilities to explore and engage in sustainable play. We all have memories of playing with rocks, sticks, shells, and other natural or found materials. I remember collecting interesting metal bottle caps and playing intricate games with them. Loose Parts are inexpensive, or, even more often, free. They support children’s interest in discovery and exploration, and they give full rein to children’s imagination, creativity, and innovation. Loose Parts support educators in creating spaces where creative and joyful expression is inspired and where relationships are built through the sharing of ideas and interests. Loose Parts are non-prescriptive and can be used flexibly. This can be particularly helpful for children with diverse abilities, who manipulate the Loose Parts according to their abilities. Unlike toys, Loose Parts do not come with a predetermined set of directions that measure children’s skills, knowledge, or capabilities. There is no right or wrong way to manipulate and use Loose Parts, so they diminish the possibility for failure and decrease anxiety and frustration. Loose Parts remind us that our focus needs to be on children’s joy of play rather than assessing skills and striving for mastery.

The educational philosophy of Loose Parts provides children a language to express their ideas, feelings, and interests. The following are some examples of how Loose Parts enhance children’s creative language:

Loose Parts help children express who they are and how they perceive themselves.

They support children in making connections and building relationships.

They invite children to participate in something bigger than themselves.

Beautiful Loose Parts invite children to look closely, notice details, and think about how they will use them to express their ideas.

They support perspective-taking and gaining new understandings about themselves and the world.

They offer multiple possibilities to explore and experiment.

They promote innovation, creativity, and invention. They trigger that deep place that helps us say, I have an idea.

They offer educators a window into children’s thinking and their perception of the world.

They support children in expressing their emotions and feelings.

They help adults express and extend children’s ideas.

They celebrate mistakes as opportunities to learn.

They invite children and adults to collaborate.

Exploring Loose Parts requires educators to take a risk and suspend their previous conceptions of how children learn. Educators must play with Loose Parts, explore them, and create with them until the materials feel less risky and their value becomes clear. I invite you, the reader, to find yourself feeling inspired or curious about your discoveries.

Loose Parts to Inspire Adults to Be Joyful and Creative

Loose Parts can help families and educators recapture the joy of playing. It is challenging and exhausting to continually care for and educate children with diverse abilities. Families may feel tired of constantly worrying about their children. Educators may feel tired of creating adaptations to meet an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or Individualized Educational Plan (IEP). It is not surprising that educators and family members rely on store-bought toys that are promoted to help achieve specific skills. I want to invite educators and families to shift their perspective and consider the magic of Loose Parts to build the same skills and more.

Loose Parts are more than just objects that provide play opportunities. They are part of a powerful educational philosophy that supports playful inquiry and profound learning. I find that they bring hope and create a space for communication with children, educators, and families. One of the most amazing and creative endeavors for adults is finding Loose Parts and considering all the affordances or properties they offer children. Even before I began writing this book, reflecting on and, most important, playing with the different Loose Parts allowed me to consider the many possibilities. It also required me to look in many places, including nature, thrift shops, repurpose stores, and garage sales, where finding unexpected discoveries brought joy and appreciation for both recyclable and upcycled materials.

Everywhere I go I look for Loose Parts that can be infused into inclusive and equitable ecosystems. On a sojourn to my mother’s hometown in Texas, I visited an antique shop and walked up and down the aisles, marveling at the different objects. The space once housed the five-and-dime variety retail store. The smell and the sound of the wooden floor brought back my childhood and how excited I felt when I could select a toy to take home. I looked and explored, touched, and felt different objects. I pondered and wondered with deep curiosity. I finally stopped in front of a glass jar filled with handmade scrubbers used to wash dishes. I ran the scrubbers up and down my arm and manipulated them close to my ear to hear their sound. They were colorful and beautiful and would provide a wonderful textural exploration for young children. Joyfully I purchased thirty of them. On a visit to another antique shop, I was attracted to the history and possibilities of old doorknobs. I purchased them thinking that children with diverse abilities would enjoy exploring them and weighing them on my antique scale. Personally, I love the idea of including old objects in the early childhood ecosystem, as I believe they connect us to our past and our history and help bridge old and new technology while providing for a hopeful future.

With this book, I want to invite educators and families who joyfully support children with diverse abilities to encounter their own creativity as they find Loose Parts to engage children in play. Look through your own home—find your old buttons, and then sit with them and explore their colors, textures, sounds, and smells. Think, How will children with diverse abilities explore them? Search for fabrics that have beautiful patterns or pile up small towels with a variety of textures. Open a drawer and play with plastic storage containers. Stack and fold silicone cup-cake holders, find silicone brushes to run through your fingers, or make dynamic sounds as you bang on pots and pans. Take a walk in nature and discover all the beautiful gifts the earth gives us. My dear friend Michelle recently sent me a bag of amazing rose pine cones that her educator Jacky collected for me. I cherish them, and I know they will engage children to touch and explore them. Their spiral shape is also intriguing and reminds me of change and transformation.

Inspiration can be found in different places, from a visit to a friend’s house (yes, I have been known to ask friends to give me napkin rings and other objects they no longer use), to a walk in the forest, a garage sale, or even your own cabinets. We just need to look at objects with a different lens—a lens that brings hope, intention, and understanding of both our interests as adults and the interests of children with diverse abilities.

Loose Parts Play for Children with Diverse Abilities

Play is that active, joyful way children choose to spend their time when they are not directed by adults. It is also the way that children, regardless of their ability or background, connect with one another. For example, Simone, who exhibits neurodiversity, finds playful ways to invite other children to play with her. On one occasion, Simone closely observes Jayme and Charlotte setting a table with cups, saucers, and small, colorful wood beads for a tea party. She approaches the space and touches Jayme’s shoulder, smiles, and points to herself. Charlotte approaches Simone and says, Yes, Simone, you can come to our tea party and taste the macaroons. Simone has developed a system of communication that other children understand. As the tea party continues, Simone takes some wooden chips and puts them on a plate. She points to them, picks one up, and brings her macaroon to her mouth, pretending to eat it. Jayme says, Thank you for the delicious cookies. For Simone, communication happens through body language—she is incredibly skilled when she engages in play that is meaningful to her.

When children play, they inhabit the fertile world between actuality and possibility. They incorporate what may be part of their imagination—such as being a fairy that changes people’s lives—and combine it with real Loose Parts in the environment, creating fantasy lands that grow and change to accommodate their ideas. This is the creative process. Children with diverse abilities may hold on to this playfulness for a longer time than other children, and it must be regarded as a mark of strength, not disability. For children with diverse abilities, Loose Parts provide opportunities for children to do the following:

test their abilities safely and bravely and gain confidence in their capacities

fully participate in the classroom community and family life, feeling less isolated and more engaged

understand how their bodies move and how they work

engage in active learning and joyful and imaginative play

explore and express emotions and feelings

collaborate and co-construct knowledge with other children and adults

heal, grow, communicate, and learn

be energized, renewed, and inspired

With this book, I want to invite educators and families to more intentionally consider the tools and materials they offer children, incorporating, designing, and adapting Loose Parts to ensure successful outcomes for children with diverse abilities while continuing to build the empathy of children who are developing typically. We also hope to guide educators and families to successfully design spaces where belonging is central to learning and growing. I want to help educators and families deepen their understanding of how Loose Parts serve as a vehicle for children to express their thinking and knowledge of the world.

Because Loose Parts are open-ended and free of biases and stereotypes, they let children focus on strengths instead of deficits, and because Loose Parts support individual abilities and interests, they provide a way of looking at differences that connects rather than separates people. As children manipulate Loose Parts, they engage in thinking about themselves, the world, and the realities of other children. Adults can learn from the way children welcome learning, from their capacity to accept people who are different from them, and from their dedication