Loose parts you already have at home

Loose parts are simply open-ended materials — objects with no fixed use. A wooden spoon can be a drumstick, a flag, a magic wand or a mixing tool. That flexibility is where imagination lives.

Because loose parts don't do the play for the child, the child has to bring themselves to the material. This is where confidence, problem-solving and language quietly grow.

Cardboard tubes and boxes. Bottle caps and lids. Fabric offcuts and ribbon. Pinecones, smooth stones and shells. Wooden pegs. Empty jars with lids. Corks. Old keys.

Set a small tray of two or three of these out, without instructions, and see where your child takes it. Try not to suggest — just be nearby. If nothing happens for a while, that's fine. Boredom is often the doorway to the best play.

Loose parts should be sized appropriately for the child in front of you — very small items are not suitable for children under three, and anything used for play should be clean and free of sharp edges.