Here at Glen Innes Kindergarten we have been re-exploring the true meaning of free play with loose parts and open-ended resources. This, of course,  is something that we all do within our own environments.  For us, our investigation has been a vehicle to enhancing our curriculum and reinvigorating our team after the stops and starts of lockdowns.

We have engaged our whānau, who have risen to the challenge and provided us with loose parts from Papatūānuku and beyond.

These pics are a snapshot of some of the innovative play the children have devised.  Froebel, who founded Kindergarten in 1837, placed great value on child-led activity and believed practitioners should work with children to give them freedom to explore, discover and create for themselves, whilst offering sensitive guidance.  This theory and approach is as relevant today as it was way back then.