Pocket Size Treasures
Just as the stains noticed on clothes at the end of the day can often paint a story illustrating the day's events such as time spent at the art easel or perhaps a fall in a mud puddle. Have you ever wondered about the story hiding inside of those pockets? What are some things you have found inside a child's pockets at the end of the day? Perhaps, small sticks, unusual shaped rocks, a lost key, a bottle cap. The list can go on and on. Thus, such treasures can end up inside pockets of the beholder.
These items can be referred to as "loose parts". Discovery of loose parts can be a purposeful extension of a child's natural curiosity and play. Feeling the beads in a jewelry box, exploring all the different sized shapes of nuts and bolts inside a tool box or maybe just spending time alone breaking apart sticks and sorting accordingly on a sandy playground. Such activities sparks creativity, imagination and calming. Breaking apart, constructing, or just tinkering promotes creativity and everything else for creating and inventing.
I remember as a child both of my grandmothers referred to my younger sister as a "meddler", meaning that she would seek opportunities to "pilfer", "tinker" with their belongings, especially jewelry, buttons, hair pins, scarves as these items were usually displayed in random collections on pretty trays or inside keepsake boxes. Looking back, I realize my younger sister was indeed a "tinkerer" looking for opportunities to extend her thinking and curiosity with loose parts. "Tinkers" can sometimes seem bothersome especially if they are facinated with other's belongings, as was my sister and of course the origianal "OG" Tinkerbell!
I recommend two resources to learn more about purposeful "Loose Parts" play for young children. Lisa Daley's book "Loose Parts Play Inspiring Play in Young Children". Her book beautifully illustrates objects which encourage creative play in young children. Fairy Dust Teaching is a web based resource that shares ideas to incorporate loose parts play, as well as resources to encourage a natural play based approach to learning which stimulates creativity and problem solving in young children.
Children's books with imaginative emphasis on what treasures can become from one's pocket are a fun way to extend thinking about loose parts. A somewhat silly and nononsense, "Whats in My Pocket" authored by Todd Key is one suggestion. The titled book, "Whats in Your Pocket" authored by Heather L. Montgomery is a story of how a pocket treasure can become something beautiful.
And, remember what you may find in those pockets just might be the beginning of something beautiful!
