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. Color photographs showing how loose parts are used in early childhood settings and how they help children learn.

Introduction to loose parts -- Loose parts -- Senses -- Color -- Texture -- Sound -- Creativity -- Art -- Design -- Symbolic play -- Action -- Movement -- Transporting -- Connecting/disconnecting -- Inquiry -- Construction -- Investigation -- Correlation.