This informal CPD article, ‘The Rise of Loose Parts as a Substitute for Plastic Toys’, was provided by Little Cub Nurture Hub who offer Baby Room education and training for practitioners which focus on infancy and are in-line with the Early Year’s Framework.
UK nurseries are increasingly embracing loose parts as a creative and sustainable alternative to traditional plastic toys. These open-ended materials—ranging from wooden rings to fabric scraps and silicone objects—are incredible for fostering sensory exploration and supporting schematic play. However, while loose parts offer numerous benefits, their use in baby rooms, especially with infants and toddlers, requires careful consideration. Issues such as safety, hygiene, and developmental suitability must be thoughtfully addressed.
This article explores the pros and cons of incorporating loose parts into baby rooms, offering practical advice for nursery practitioners and managers to ensure they are implemented effectively in safe and enriching ways.
The Pros of Loose Parts in Baby Rooms
1. Supporting Tummy Time for Older Babies
Tummy time is a critical activity for strengthening the neck, shoulder, and core muscles, which are essential for milestones like crawling and sitting. When supervised, loose parts can enhance tummy time for older babies who are starting to reach, grasp, and move. Materials like crinkly fabric squares, shiny metal lids, or smooth wooden rings can be placed slightly out of reach, encouraging babies to lift their heads, stretch and reach.
2. Encouraging Sensory Exploration
Loose parts offer a diverse range of sensory experiences, which are fundamental for early brain development. Natural sponges, soft fabrics, and silicone objects introduce different textures, shapes, and weights that stimulate babies’ tactile and visual senses. This aligns with the EYFS framework (1), which emphasises creating environments that foster curiosity and engagement.
3. Promoting Early Problem-Solving and Creativity
Even from an early age, babies exhibit exploratory behaviours, such as banging, shaking, rolling, and stacking objects. Loose parts provide an excellent medium for these activities, helping babies understand cause and effect. Over time, these interactions lay the foundation for creativity and problem-solving skills as babies experiment with how materials move and interact with their environment.
4. Sustainability and Environmental Awareness
Traditional plastic toys contribute significantly to environmental waste. Loose parts, particularly those made from natural or upcycled materials, offer an eco-friendly alternative. Introducing these sustainable options in baby rooms helps nurseries reduce their environmental footprint while modelling environmentally conscious practices from an early age.
5. Cost-Effectiveness
Loose parts can be a cost-effective resource for baby rooms, as many materials can be sourced from nature, donations, or upcycled household items. For nurseries working within tight budgets, they provide a practical way to enrich the play environment without compromising on variety or quality.
The Cons of Loose Parts in Baby Rooms
1. Unsuitable for Non-Mobile Babies
For younger, non-mobile babies who are not yet reaching, grasping, or manipulating objects, loose parts can be less effective. These infants benefit more from passive forms of sensory stimulation, such as soft rattles, high-contrast visuals, or soothing sounds etc. Introducing loose parts prematurely may result in underutilised materials and cluttered environments, offering little developmental value to this age group.
2. Reliance on Concrete Knowledge for Play
Imaginative play with loose parts often requires a level of symbolic thinking that babies and toddlers may not yet possess. For example, a wooden ring may not be seen as representing a car steering wheel. Instead, toddlers and pre-schoolers typically engage with loose parts through schematic play behaviours. While loose part activities are valuable for cognitive and motor development, imaginative uses of loose parts may only emerge as children develop more abstract thinking skills later on.
3. Safety Concerns
Loose parts bring specific safety risks, especially in baby rooms where children frequently chew or suck on objects. These risks include:
- Choking Hazards: Items like conkers, acorns, and small stones can pose choking risks.
- Toxic Materials: Some natural materials, such as conkers, contain harmful compounds like aesculin, which can be toxic if ingested.
- Sharp Edges and Fragility: Loose parts made of wood, glass, or other breakable materials can splinter or chip, posing risks of cuts or injuries. Regular inspections are essential to remove damaged items.
- Allergens: Certain natural items, such as nuts, seeds, or flowers, may trigger allergic reactions.
4. Hygiene Challenges
Maintaining hygiene with loose parts can be difficult in baby rooms, where chewing or sucking on objects is common. Key issues include:
- Cleaning Frequency: Items require regular cleaning to prevent the spread of germs.
- Material Durability: Wooden and fabric-based loose parts may degrade with frequent washing, making them harder to maintain.
- Risk of Contamination: Natural materials like pinecones or leaves can harbour bacteria, dirt, or mould.
Robust cleaning protocols and staff training are essential to maintain hygiene and safety standards.
5. Demanding Supervision Requirements
The open-ended nature of loose parts requires constant supervision to ensure safe use, which can strain staff resources in baby rooms. Risks include:
- Chewing/Sucking: Babies may attempt to chew or suck on loose parts, requiring immediate intervention.
- Throwing: Young toddlers may throw items, creating safety risks for others.
- Clutter and Overwhelm: Loose parts that roll or scatter can quickly create a chaotic environment, requiring additional tidying and resetting.
These factors highlight the need for monitoring and manageable child-to-staff ratios when using loose parts.
Conclusion
Loose parts are an innovative and sustainable alternative to plastic toys, offering opportunities for sensory exploration, schematic play, and physical development in baby rooms. However, their use must be carefully managed to address challenges such as safety, hygiene, and developmental appropriateness when using with infants and young toddlers.
For non-mobile babies, simpler sensory resources and activities may be more suitable, while older babies and toddlers benefit from structured, supervised activities with loose parts, such as tummy time or schematic play.
By implementing robust safety protocols, maintaining hygiene, and providing skilled supervision, nurseries can create safe, enriching environments. Loose parts, when thoughtfully integrated into baby rooms, can foster creativity, curiosity and engagement while supporting sustainability and cost-effectiveness.
We hope this article was helpful. For more information from Little Cub Nurture Hub, please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively, you can go to the CPD Industry Hubs for more articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.
REFERENCES
(1) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2
