Messy or Meaningful? The Role of Adults in Play-Based, Loose Parts Learning

I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve spent hours setting up a beautiful classroom space. Carefully chosen loose parts, new provocations, intentional areas for children to explore. I’d leave knowing I had created an environment that invited curiosity and connection, only to come back a couple of days later to find the key items packed away, pushed to a high shelf, or removed completely.

One of the most beautiful rooms I ever visited was overflowing with loose parts. Natural, open-ended resources were displayed with such respect that children engaged with them equally as respectfully. Every visit, the environment looked almost untouched - not because children weren’t using it, but because they valued and cared for it.

Yet, right next door, another team tried to recreate the same approach and struggled. Their shelves became cluttered, resources broke or disappeared, and the space felt chaotic.

The difference?
The first team didn’t just put resources on the shelf. They deeply understood and believed in the purpose of play.

The success of a play-based environment isn’t just about what sits on the shelves. It’s about the way adults perceive play and how they either support - or resist - children’s agency in the space. When educators see play as “just fun” or worry about the mess, misuse, or clean-up, they may unintentionally limit children’s opportunities for deep engagement.

But when adults:

• Trust children as competent learners

• View play as children’s real work

• Offer resources and then step back to observe, scaffold, and support inquiry

…the environment transforms. Children rise to the expectations of respect. They care for the materials. They stay engaged longer. They collaborate more deeply. The “mess” becomes meaningful.

Why Educators Resist Loose Parts and Play-Based Learning

It’s completely normal for educators to feel resistance when introducing more loose parts or open-ended play. Common worries include:

• “The children will just make a mess.”

• “They won’t use the materials properly.”

• “It’s too much work to set up or pack away.”

• “We don’t have the space to do this.”

These worries usually come from an adult burden of control: the pressure to keep things tidy, efficient, and measurable.

But here’s the truth: children don’t learn best in controlled perfection - they learn in authentic exploration.

From Mess to Meaning: Reframing Play as Real Learning

Loose parts are not “just stuff.” They are powerful tools for:

• Fine motor development (threading, stacking, sorting)

• Language and communication (negotiating, storytelling, naming)

• Mathematical thinking (measuring, patterning, problem-solving)

• Science and inquiry (testing, experimenting, hypothesising)

• Identity and agency (choosing, creating, preserving their environment)

When adults shift their mindset from “this looks messy” to “this looks like learning,” resistance starts to ease.

Reflection Questions for Educators: Messy or Meaningful?

If you’ve ever hesitated about loose parts or play-based approaches, ask yourself:

• What makes me uncomfortable about children having more control?

• Do I see mess as failure or as evidence of exploration?

• How can I scaffold play without over-directing it?

• What message does my environment send to children about their value and capabilities?

The way your classroom environment is presented sends a powerful message. A thoughtfully curated, respectful space communicates to children:
“You are important. Your play matters. You deserve to be in a space that reflects your value.”

Practical Ways to Reduce Resistance in Your Team

If your team struggles to embrace play-based learning, here are strategies that help:

• Start Small – Introduce just a few loose parts at a time. Model how they can be used, then step back.

• Co-Create Agreements – Invite children to create rules for caring for materials. Ownership builds responsibility.

• Shift the Language – Replace “messy” with “busy” or “creative.” Words shape perception.

• Reflect as a Team – Discuss your discomfort openly. What’s driving it—fear of judgement, workload, or habit?

• Connect to the EYLF v2.0 – Play-based learning isn’t just “allowed”—it’s the expectation. Outcomes 1, 3, and 4 explicitly support identity, wellbeing, and confidence through agency-rich play.

  
  

From Resistance to Reflection: Adults Shape the Meaning of Play

Every educator carries their own perceptions of play into the classroom. Some embrace loose parts wholeheartedly. Others hesitate, resist, or try to control.

But children notice. They feel whether their play is trusted, respected, and valued.

The real transformation begins when adults let go of control and lean into trust. Because when children are trusted with their environment, they don’t just play.
They flourish.

A Play & Purpose Co. Reflection

At Play & Purpose Co., we believe reflective practice is the foundation of meaningful change.

If your team is ready to reflect on play-based learning and reduce resistance, explore our leadership and educator tools:

Your Planning Guide to Re-Architect Your Playspace – Practical strategies for creating intentional, child-centred environments.
Make it Matter: 12 Months of Meaningful Staff Meetings – A done-for-you plan to guide reflective conversations and build quality improvement slowly, together.

These tools are designed to help educators shift from “fear of mess” to “joy in learning” and - to build classrooms that truly respect children’s play.