Sunrise Early Learning Centres in South Australia have created a unique learning environment that puts a spotlight on exploration, creativity and open-ended play. Their play-based learning curriculum is always evolving, drawing from the latest research to make sure children develop crucial cognitive and social skills through imaginative play.
This dedication to play-based experiences means the educators at Sunrise ELC are constantly seeking innovative products to add to their play areas. And it was this search for environmentally friendly, locally made products that first led them to Castle & Cubby.
“Sunrise chose Castle and Cubby because they are very innovative. They have great ideas and they're willing to hear what we need, what the current trends are, and work through to a fantastic solution.”
And Sunrise ELC had a very clear idea of what they wanted – a loose parts table for their early learning centres to encourage discovery, exploration and development of the senses.
The Loose Parts Play Table project
The brief from Sunrise ELC was for a versatile loose parts play table for outdoor, open-ended activities.
Loose parts play tables are essentially that – a table set with a variety of objects. These can be anything from natural objects like stones and leaves to recycled materials such as cardboard and wooden beads. The key part is that there is no predetermined function for any of the items – giving children the opportunity to explore and play in their own way.
There’s plenty of research showing the benefits of loose parts play in fostering creativity, imagination and problem-solving skills in children, as Sunrise ELC shared with us. Because they are so open-ended, loose parts play can be used for nature exploration, arts and crafts, outdoor dining and so much more.
Of course we were totally onboard with making the loose parts play table a reality. We got to work to create something that would meet Sunrise ELC’s brief (and then some).
The tables would be placed permanently outdoors, so they had to be hardwearing. And because they’d be used daily in the ELC environment, we had to make sure they were sturdy and could withstand all sorts of activities.
The loose parts play table comes with removable dividers. Each section can be used to hold leaves, flowers, stones, sand – basically anything. When they’re removed, kids can use the table for arts and crafts.
We also suggested including blackboard material as the table top. So now the loose parts table can be used for drawing directly on it.
The tables would be placed permanently outdoors, so they had to be hardwearing. And because they’d be used daily in the ELC environment, we had to make sure they were sturdy and could withstand all sorts of activities.
The loose parts play table comes with removable dividers. Each section can be used to hold leaves, flowers, stones, sand – basically anything. When they’re removed, kids can use the table for arts and crafts.
We also suggested including blackboard material as the table top. So now the loose parts table can be used for drawing directly on it.
“The children are connecting with each other, problem solving, bringing in new ideas and having fun.”
And we’re not done there
We’re already working with Sunrise ELC on our next collaborative project. The Water Wall is a sturdy, freestanding structure with moveable parts that can be used to direct (and redirect) water through endless pathways. It helps to promote fine and gross motor skills, problem solving and cognitive development, as well as encouraging cooperation and teamwork.
We share the vision for imaginative play spaces that ignite creativity and sensory exploration and we love uncovering the potential for play-based learning through collaboration with ELCs and schools. If you’ve got an idea, we’d love to hear it.
Who knows where it will lead us.