Our students have eagerly watched and begun to enjoy the new backyard play space in the Junior School. The aim of this space is to foster imagination and creativity through play. Loose parts play is a type of play that supports invention, divergent thinking, problem solving and offers a sense of wonder to children. There are materials that can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up, and taken apart and put back together in multiple ways. There are materials with no specific set of directions that can be used alone or combined with other materials. Albert Einstein told us that “Play is the highest form of research” and this is our desire for the children, to learn through play. When using the Backyard, the children must ask themselves a series of questions: 1. Do I feel safe? 2. Am I actually safe? 3. Are other around me safe? It is a pure joy to watch and listen to our students play so freely.
Further reading on play can be found at: https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/mental-health-matters/social-and-emotional-learning/play-children-learn-through-play/play-helps