One of the most wonderful parts of a Reggio-inspired classroom is watching children transform ordinary materials into extraordinary creations. A handful of bottle caps can become wheels for a race car, fabric swatches can turn into superhero capes, and a few tile samples can inspire a whole city!
As we continue to build our collection of loose parts (open-ended materials that invite creativity and imagination) we would love your help. Before you toss something out, take a quick pause and ask yourself… could this become a preschooler’s next great invention?
Here are a few of our favorite treasures to collect:
Bottle caps, yogurt lids, and applesauce pouch tops
Buttons, ribbons, fabric scraps, or old tile samples (if you happen to be an interior designer or a wedding planner, you might just be sitting on gold!)
Cardboard tubes and packing inserts (those unique pieces that come with a new appliance)
Old keyboards, landline phones, pagers (am I dating myself?), or computer mice
Outdated tech cords, calculators, or CD collections from the 90s that are just taking up space
Corks, jar lids, spools, nuts, bolts, buttons or puzzle pieces that have lost their match
Broken jewelry, beads, or costume accessories looking for a second act
Remember, your trash is our treasure, and in the hands of a preschooler, even the most unexpected item can spark a world of imagination.
Thank you for helping us fill our classrooms with endless possibilities!