Emergent learning, a pedagogical approach that empowers children to learn through Unscripted materials, or Loose Parts play, is deeply rooted in the pioneering work of early education reformers. This blog aims to delve into the theories that guide the use of Loose Parts, highlighting their transformative role in fostering creativity and problem-solving skills. By supporting how play inspires learning, Loose Parts play motivates educators to reflect on their practices and consider their use in the classroom, igniting a spark of inspiration and motivation.
One of the first examples of the use of unscripted materials was introduced by Froebel (1826). The discovery of the materials went hand-in-hand with the discovery of self insofar as the connection between the materials and the children’s interactions. The materials were often discovered in nature as children interacted with the gardens in the program. Froebel also designed materials that invited children to explore and develop their aesthetic and artistic abilities. The materials were designed to elicit divergent thinking (a thought process used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions).
The concept of materials was further expanded by Rosa Agazzi (1866) and Carolina Agazzi (1870), two Italian sisters and educators born in Volengo, in the province of Verona. The educational method of the Agazzi sisters was for children aged between 0 and 6 and was mainly based on respect for children’s freedom, spontaneity, and autonomy. They saw intellectual, aesthetic, and linguistic development as a process within the active interaction with space, relationships, and materials. They will often use materials discovered in the home, on the streets, or in nature. They called these materials “valuables. Part of their philosophy was to create museums that incorporate materials based on their observation of children’s play rather than to meet predetermined outcomes.
Giuseppina Pizzigoni, a pedagogue and teacher, worked in Italy at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. She considered the environment and materials as teachers meant to be explored rather than taught. The methodology is known as the ‘experimental method.’ This method is based on the child’s direct experience and active activity. Children can touch, explore, deduce, ask questions, and analyze the environment.
Teaching is focused on engaging children in research, hypothesizing, and discovery. Educators focus on how children seek answers and design their research to address concepts and information (inductive method) that they find interesting. Learning is clear, precise, and progressively linked to each other. Pizzigioni defined teaching as ‘cyclical,’ which allows a gradual deepening of what is being addressed, passing from concrete and intuitive facts to abstract concepts. Educators take into consideration children’s interests to support them to learn with pleasure and with a spontaneous interest, never forgetting the joy of discovery that comes with this method (Nicoli, 1947)
An American Psychologist, Jerome Bruner, revolutionized education by introducing discovery and Inquiry-Based learning. This transformative theory empowers learners to absorb information and actively seek answers and solutions. It encourages them to build on past experiences and knowledge, use their intuition, imagination, and creativity, and search for new information to discover facts, correlations, and truths. Unscripted materials were introduced to allow children to make meaning of their discoveries, sparking a new era of active learning.
Celestine Freinet, a French pedagogue, is renowned for his development of the project method and pedagogy. His method, rooted in the Democratic School, places a strong emphasis on the interaction of pedagogy, social, and school environment. He believed that children should be active participants in community life, and the role of the educator was to foster cooperative and supportive actions. This approach, often utilizing minimal resources, including upcycled and waste materials, enriched the learning experience and instilled a sense of community and resourcefulness in the students.
The educational philosophy of Loris Malaguzzi and the Schools of Regio Emilia has influenced education worldwide. The Reggio Emilia Approach highlights that children have rights and not just needs. Children are seen as capable, creative, and the protagonist of their knowledge. Educators, as valued researchers, collaborate with the children, and the environment serves as a third teacher. Within this context, materials become essential and are defined as offering children multiple languages to express their ideas and thinking.
The Remida Center was established in 1996. It is part of the Reggio Emilia Approach’s culture and is designed to prompt sustainability, creativity, and research on waste materials. The Remida Center fosters the idea that “waste materials, the imperfect, are holders of an ethical message, able to stir reflections, which aim to be an educational resource, thus avoiding the definitions of “useless” and “waste.”
The term Loose Parts was initially introduced by architect Simon Nicholson in 1971, who believed that everyone has the potential to be creative and inventive when given materials and the opportunity to experiment, discover, and form new concepts. Nicholson offers us several insightful suggestions (Nicholson, 1971):
Loose parts are variables: Nicholson referred to loose parts as open-ended materials that can be used and manipulated differently. By ‘variables, ‘we mean that these loose parts can be combined, arranged, and used in various ways, providing endless possibilities for play and learning. However, his definition of loose parts extended beyond open-ended materials, including experiences with chemical interactions, gravity, motion, and sound and play with words, concepts, and ideas.
Children’s learning and development thrive in environments filled with loose parts and variables: Simple materials enhance play and serve as powerful learning tools. The potential for play and learning is boundless in spaces that contain an unlimited variety of loose parts. Woodland Tribe, a non-profit organization in England that advocates for adventure playgrounds with loose parts, eloquently describes how children, in these environments, create “remarkable structures and spaces that are non-permanent, full of uncertainty and possibility, always playful, organically changing moment to moment, day to day” (http://www.woodlandtribe.org; accessed July 2018).
However, many play spaces designed for children are unlike those described by Woodland Tribe. They are often sterile and unchanging, limiting children’s potential to manipulate items as they desire and stifling their imaginations.
Involve Children in Space Design: Nicholson proposed that professional people who design children’s play environments, such as architects, designers, and builders, have all the fun creating the spaces themselves with authentic materials and, as a result, have stolen all the fun and creativity from the children.
Children learn most readily and efficiently in an environment where they can joyfully investigate and discover things. They need unscripted materials and opportunities to shape the environments where they play. A five-year research study of outdoor play spaces in Vancouver, Canada, found that “outdoor play spaces that contain materials that children could manipulate – sand, water, pea gravel, mud, plants, pathways, and loose parts offered more developmental and play opportunities than spaces that did not contain these elements” (Herrington, Lesmeister, Nicholls, and Stefiuk, 2007.10).
Tom Williams, the founder of Woodland Tribe, emphasizes, “In our cotton wool society, children are often not used to that amount of freedom and control. But we firmly believe that children build a stronger attachment to the space, and their play is richer and more rewarding when actively creating and changing it” (http://www.woodlandtribe.org; accessed July 2018).
The cotton-wool generations are the children and teenagers of the early 21st century who are viewed as having been overprotected while growing up. The term comes from wrapping fragile things in cotton wool for protection. It is in our hands as parents and educators to provide loose parts, space, and time at home for children to create, construct, assess, and transform their own constructions and ideas through play.
From the Theories of Loose Parts to the Practice
The core philosophy of the emergent learning approach (learning from experience) hinges on the belief that children are naturally curious and intrinsically motivated to learn. Unscripted materials, designed to be open-ended and ambiguous, invite children to explore, engage, and construct their understanding of the world. This approach nurtures problem-solving skills, self-regulation, and creativity, essential elements of holistic child development.
Unscripted materials can range from natural, like sticks, stones, and sand, to more complex items, such as building blocks and unconventional materials. The common thread is their versatility and ability to adapt to myriad uses, limited only by a child’s imagination. Interacting with unscripted materials helps children develop fine and gross motor skills, enhance their cognitive abilities, and cultivate social and emotional competencies.
The Impact of Emergent Learning Approach on Children’s Development
The core philosophy of the emergent learning approach (learning from experience) hinges on the belief that children are naturally curious and intrinsically motivated to learn. Unscripted materials, designed to be open-ended and ambiguous, invite children to explore, engage, and construct their understanding of the world. This approach nurtures problem-solving skills, self-regulation, and creativity, essential elements of holistic child development.
Unscripted materials can range from natural, like sticks, stones, and sand, to more complex items, such as building blocks and abstract art supplies. The common thread is their versatility and ability to adapt to myriad uses, limited only by a child’s imagination. Interacting with unscripted materials helps children develop fine and gross motor skills, enhance their cognitive abilities, and cultivate social and emotional competencies.
Implementing Emergent Learning Approach in Educational Settings
Educational environments that incorporate an emergent learning approach must foster a culture of exploration and discovery. Teachers play a critical role in setting the stage for unscripted learning, carefully choosing and arranging the environment to encourage casual interactions with materials that spark curiosity and wonder.
Emergent learning approaches offer a unique perspective, calling for educators to become co-researchers rather than instructors. They guide children’s activities to stimulate learning while also respecting their choices. This educational method fosters observation and reflection, leading to a more individualized, child-centered approach that can significantly enhance children’s learning experiences.
Supporting Emergent Learning Approach at Home
Families and caregivers are integral to extending the emergent learning approach beyond the classroom. The home environment can be rich with opportunities for children to engage with unscripted materials. Everyday items found around the house, nature, arts and craft supplies, and even recyclables can be unscripted materials, promoting learning through play.
Creating designated spaces where children can freely explore and develop is a great way to encourage an emergent learning approach at home. Parents can support this by providing time, space, and resources and engaging in open-ended activities with their children, empowering them to describe and elaborate on their creations.
Overcoming Challenges and Misconceptions
Families and caregivers, you are the key to extending the emergent learning approach beyond the classroom. The home environment, with everyday items found around the house, nature, arts, craft supplies, and even recyclables, can be a goldmine of unscripted materials for learning through play. You have the power to turn these items into valuable learning tools.
Creating designated spaces where children can freely explore and develop is not just a great way but a powerful tool to encourage an emergent learning approach at home. Parents, you can support this by providing time, space, and resources and engaging in open-ended activities with your children, empowering them to describe and elaborate on their creations.
The Future of Emergent Learning Approach
The emergent learning approach is as much a philosophy as a practice. It invites us to see the world through a child’s eyes, value the process of learning over its product, and recognize each child’s vast potential. Its future lies in its ability to adapt and grow, integrating new research and technologies while remaining true to its foundational principles.
As we look to the future of early childhood education, we must continue to champion the emergent learning approach as a vital approach in supporting the development of well-rounded, creative, and independent learners. By investing in practices that honor children’s natural inclinations and abilities, we pave the way for a future where these children grow to be the innovative thinkers and leaders our world needs.
In conclusion, using unscripted materials in early childhood education represents a revolutionary paradigm shift. It empowers children to learn in profoundly personal and meaningful ways, sparking a lifelong love for learning. With its roots in the insightful works of Froebel and the Agazzi sisters, the emergent learning approach continues to uphold the essence of early childhood education—the unfettered ability of a child to learn, explore, and create.
What do you think?
- As an educator, have you noticed a difference in children’s engagement when they play with Loose Parts?
- How do you think Loose Parts can promote creative thinking and problem-solving skills in children?
- Have you seen any changes in children’s social interactions while they engage with Loose Parts?
- In what ways have you incorporated Loose Parts into your play ecosystem?
- How will you use the theories this blog covers to inform your practices when infusing Loose Parts into the play ecosystem?
