It may not seem like loose parts can help with behaviours or only make them worse but bare with me as I think you’ll see why very soon!

Children communicate needs through behaviours such as hitting, biting, throwing, spinning, jumping, crying, shouting… and the meanings behind them are as individual as the children.

The possible reasons are limitless.

You know what else has limitless possibilities?

Loose parts.

​What if you were able to take these two polar ideas of “limitless possibilities” and find connections that would benefit the children and make our days just a little easier.

Here’s a crazy thought… what if you were able to plan learning experiences for children with loose parts that were engaging but also helped reduce behaviours…

Yes, this is possible!

Pull up a chair and take the next few min so l can share this story with you.

I had set up an invitation to play based on children’s requests to create forts with…

• large boxes
• fabrics
• string
• glue
• paper
• scissors
• mark making materials 

• 

• 

You know what happened first?

Lots of punching and kicking the boxes.

Did I stop this?

No. Why?

Because kicking and punching the boxes created sensory stimulation into their muscles and joints (the proprioceptive sense) which was actually helping calm their bodies.

The impact into their bodies engaged this sensory system and helped them regulate.

They kicked and punched the boxes for maybe 5-10 min.

Loose Parts Helped With Regulation & Less Behaviours

​Once they were done they began to explore the loose parts and create forts;

• sharing ideas
• developing their fine motor skills by cutting strings
• problem solving to make the little doors big enough to crawl through
• storytelling and taking on different roles in their play

All of this for the next 60 minutes! (You know what I did? Observed, documented and enjoyed what was happening before my eyes!)

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

If I said, “No punching and kicking!” the chance of seeing more behaviours during that 60 minutes would have increased substantially.

Instead, the children self-regulated with play using loose parts and then engaged in deep engaging play.

​Loose parts provide possibilities for self-regulation AND the creative play, the kind we see all the time while scrolling on IG 👀📱.

Now that you’re seeing behaviours differently, share a story below from your practice so we can learn together!

MORE RESOURCES

FREE Loose Parts Guide

10 Loose Parts, 5 Invitations To Play

3 Senses That Help Children Regulate