Let the Children Play: Scoping Review on the Implementation and Use of Loose Parts for Promoting Physical Activity Participation.

Natalie E Houser,Joan Turner,Michelle R Stone,Lindsay Roach,Sara F.L Kirk

doi:10.3934/publichealth.2016.4.781

Natalie E Houser, Joan Turner + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3934/publichealth.2016.4.781

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Abstract

Active play has become a critical focus in terms of physical activity participation in young children. Unstructured or child-led play offers children the opportunity to interact with the environment in a range of different ways. Unstructured materials, often called loose parts, encourage child-led play, and therefore may also promote physical activity. The purpose of this scoping review was to determine what is currently known about how loose parts may influence physical activity participation. Following a systematic literature search, a total of 16 articles were retrieved, reviewed and categorized according to: (1) types of loose parts; (2) types of play; and (3) types of thinking. We found that there are currently a range of loose parts being used to support play, but the way in which they are implemented varies and there is a lack of clarity around how they might support the development of active outdoor play and physical literacy skills.

Highlights

Active play is an essential component of children’s lives that contributes to physical development as well as cognitive, social and emotional wellbeing [1]
We found that there are currently a range of loose parts being used to support play, but the way in which they are implemented varies and there is a lack of clarity around how they might support the development of active outdoor play and physical literacy skills
Research is finding that children may interact with unstructured materials in ways that allow for discovery and engagement in a more physically active way [8], supporting the importance of incorporating loose parts and unstructured play to encourage increased physical activity participation and physical literacy development

Summary

Introduction

Active play is an essential component of children’s lives that contributes to physical development as well as cognitive, social and emotional wellbeing [1]. Research is finding that children may interact with unstructured materials in ways that allow for discovery and engagement in a more physically active way [8], supporting the importance of incorporating loose parts and unstructured play to encourage increased physical activity participation and physical literacy development. The process of acquiring and working on movement patterns and skills, is an important aspect of physical literacy, unstructured and child-directed free-play is essential for various other aspects of children’s development and should not be overlooked [1,9]. Unstructured play is described as child-led play which has no specific outcome or rules in mind, allowing for the child to work on decision-making and discovery on their own [1]. This is different from structured play which has a set outcome in mind and is often adult-led [1]

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