Loose Parts: Inspiring Play in

Winner of the 2015 Brain Child Award from Tillywig & Toy Media Awards

Use loose parts to spark children's creativity and innovation

Loose parts are natural or synthetic found, bought, or upcycled materials that children can move, manipulate, control, and change within their play. Alluring and captivating, they capture children's curiosity, give free reign to their imagination, and motivate learning.

The hundreds of inspiring photographs showcase an array of loose parts in real early childhood settings. And the overviews of concepts children can learn when using loose parts provide the foundation for incorporating loose parts into your teaching to enhance play and empower children. The possibilities are truly endless.

Lisa Daly: Lisa Daly, MA, is professor of early childhood education at Folsom Lake College in Folsom, California. She has over 30 years of experience as an early childhood teacher, director, and educator. She has served on community and Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC) boards, including the statewide Child Development Training Consortium advisory board. She is passionate about creative arts and has directed art programs for thousands of children at community family events and camps; and she and has presented numerous workshops for educators on art, storytelling, language and literacy, sensory experiences, and music and movement.

Miriam Beloglovsky: Miriam Beloglovsky, MA, is a professor of early childhood education at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento, California, and has the pleasure of advising and guiding students for over 25 years. She is a strong advocate for children, youth, and families, and consults and supports a variety of family, children, and youth programs, including THRIVE Family Development Network and My Street of Dreams. She has served as a keynote speaker, presenter, and board member to a number of organizations and conferences.