In the Hand and Mind

The Intersection of Loose Parts and Imagination in Evocative Settings for Young Children

Abstract

The informal learning field has just begun to document the issues and significance of design in outdoor learning environments. The inclusion of movable elements, otherwise known as “loose parts,” in outdoor exhibitions for young children increases engagement and expands the possibilities for creativity. The author reflects on two exhibitions, Tot Spot and Lookout Cove at the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito, California, and looks at how outdoor exhibit components with loose parts work in combination with thematic evocative environments to stimulate focused experimental inquiry and imaginative social play. Both exhibitions have been the subjects of studies looking at how setting design and affordances influence visitor behavior and understanding. These research studies are noteworthy in their ambitions, design and the degree to which they were successful in reaching their audience and stated goals.