Loose Parts and Sand

These last few weeks we've been playing with sea sides and pirates. L had a pirate party with her NCT besties and a very special visitor, check out my Instagram feed for pics. And we've continued this theme in our playtime and stories.

In the sensory tray I put some sand and in a basket I put a collection of lose parts.  Loose parts mean that play is really open ended, it is slow and can respond in many different ways to what and how the child wants to play. It is also really open for opportunities for talk. 

In our loose parts basket I put; set of measuring spoons, a fish ice cube tray, a small bucket, figures from a recent CBEEBIES Swashbuckle magazine, a playmobil pirate and treasure chest, including treasure, a small barrel, Grimms wooden water building set and some shells.

L started by trying everything out in the tray. Everything was used to try and scoop sand, pour it, build with it, bury with it and sprinkle it. And all the characters joined in the funs. 

Over the week we developed the use of the loose parts. I set up a pirate world complete with buried treasure. L had great fun hiding treasure and finding it, and setting me a challenge to find all the treasure too. 

The Grimms wooden play set is wonderful, we've used it loads in lots of different ways to support imaginative play or in building play. It's really tactile and the colours are beautiful.