Wednesday 24 October 2012

Emotional expression in loose part play

I love this time of year, it always feels like the beginning of something to me rather than the end. As I watch the leaves fall, I don't mourn their death, I admire the glorious next step on their journey. They hang, back-lit in the sunshine, smoldering, in no way moving on quietly. One part of their job complete, but another remains. 

An additional joy is found in that in their changing state they add to the innumerable loose parts that nature provides, allowing endless opportunity for us to manipulate them to our ends...




Sometimes we can manipulate things in a way that is apparently random, 



or maybe to create a 'picture' of something recognisable....



...whilst at other times perfect control is what is required....


        



But yet sometimes by being allowed to be 'out of control'...



...we can learn to express our emotions rather than burying them underneath layers of fallen leaves.