Teachers, save “2021 Chinese Language Week: Loose Parts…” to assign it to your class.

Go on a big of hunt around your house (with permission) and look for things that you can play with that don't fit together in a predictable or usual way. Use these loose parts just like we do in the classroom to create, imagine and build something new or clever. This little project can be done again and again. I'd love to see photos or videos of the things you come up with. * The why-Children need support for their play, by having access to a range of things to play with. These things do not have to be the latest toys, or fancy props for play (e.g., shop tills, fancy costumes, puppet theatres or pretend toys). In fact, the less the things ‘tell’ kids how they are supposed to be used, the better. If children need to pretend that a thing is something else, they are using their brain in a far superior way to when the ‘thing’ tells them what they are. For example, a child who has access to a store-bought shop till will have to imagine less, than a child who creates their own shop till from a cardboard box, buttons, and glue. These things – loose parts – can be sourced from around your home and used and reused for a variety of types of play. They don’t (and shouldn’t) have to cost a thing to find (nor need you to leave the house under current Level 4 restrictions). -raid the recycling bin (clean up cans, plastic bottles, cardboard, glass jars) -old sheets and blankets -pegs, rope/string, old books (to use as weights or props) -unused containers, items that you have sitting in a draw that may be being ‘saved’ when you haven’t used these for some time…… -bowls, utensils, buttons, broken electronic equipment, anything you don’t mind being used in play -natural things – leaves, acorns, stones, branches/sticks, shells, dirt/mud – anything you don’t mind in or used outside the house!