Loose Parts 4: Inspiring 21st-Century Learning, Paperback

Loose parts are natural or synthetic found, bought, or upcycled materials--acorns, hardware, stones, aluminum foil, fabric scraps, for example--that children can move, manipulate, control, and change within their play. Loose parts capture children's curiosity, give free rein to their imagination, and encourage creativity.

In the newest installment of the wildly popular, award-winning Loose Parts series, Lisa Daly and Miriam Beloglovsky focus on including families and competency building. With inspiring full-color photographs Loose Parts 4 is organized around competencies and life skills children need for success in the future: knowingness, engagement, risk, connections, leadership, innovative thinking, and creativity.

Lisa and Miriam explain the value of loose parts, detail how to integrate loose parts into the environment and children's play, and specifically focus on loose parts for children in family environments--helping educators engage families and extend learning beyond the classroom.

Lisa Daly, MA, is a professor of early childhood education at Folsom Lake College in Folsom, California. She has over thirty years of experience as an early childhood teacher, director, and educator. She has served on community and Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC) boards, including the statewide Child Development Training Consortium advisory board. She is passionate about creative arts and has directed art programs for thousands of children at community family events and camps. She has also presented numerous workshops for educators on art, storytelling, language and literacy, sensory experiences, and music and movement. Lisa is the coauthor of the popular award-winning Loose Parts series and Early Learning Theories Made Visible.

Miriam Beloglovsky, MA, is a professor of early childhood education at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento, California, and has had the pleasure of advising and guiding students for over twenty-five years. She is a strong advocate for children, youth, and families, and consults and supports a variety of family, children, and youth programs, including THRIVE Family Development Network and My Street of Dreams. She has served as a keynote speaker, presenter, and board member to a number of organizations and conferences. Miriam is the coauthor of the popular award-winning Loose Parts series and Early Learning Theories Made Visible.