At the US Play Coalition Conference, we shared around the theme of play and wonder: how loose parts spark creativity and thinking in children.
Instead of talking in big ideas, we stayed close to classroom documentation—what children actually do. Photos, moments, small stories. Children building, testing, changing their ideas, and making sense of things in their own way.
We looked at these together, noticing how children think with materials. How a simple setup can turn into problem-solving, storytelling, or figuring something out step by step.
At one point, educators also got to play themselves—with the same kinds of loose parts. That shift mattered. It wasn’t just about hearing—it was about experiencing.
People shared things like:
“This was so fun—I didn’t realize how much thinking is happening while playing.”
“I can actually do this. I already have these materials.”
“This feels simple, but also really powerful.”
What stood out was how accessible it felt. Nothing fancy. Nothing extra. Just a different way of seeing what’s already there—and trusting children with it.
And it felt like an important reminder—play is not separate from learning. It is how children learn.
