A visit to the beach with breaking waves in the foreground can be an awe-inspiring experience. For a child, the beach is a giant playground, a natural canvas where they can explore hidden nooks and crannies, search for treasure, roll down sand dunes, fish in rock pools, dig in the sand, listen to the sound of the waves, feel the salt water on their skin… the opportunities are endless.
Juliet Robertson, of Aberdeenshire-based Creative STAR Learning, says, ‘Simon Nicholson’s Theory of Loose Parts talks about “variables” in an environment, which are the loose materials and include the water, sand, tides, rocks, shells, plants, animals, sounds and smells. At a beach, the interplay between all these elements provides limitless opportunities for children to engage in all different types of play at a highly multi-sensory level.’
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