Rocking and Rolling. Using Materials Creatively to Enhance Toddler Learning Environments

Resource Type: ArticleStandard 1Standard 2Standard 4Topic: Developmentally Appropriate PracticeTopic: Partnership-building with FamiliesTopic: Teaching Skills and Strategies
Written By Kadisha Conteh

https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/fall2024/rocking-and-rolling

This article highlights how educators boost toddler engagement by following children’s interests and using "loose parts"—low-cost, open-ended materials like nature finds and repurposed household items. It suggests that replacing expensive, single-use toys with versatile, family-donated materials fosters deeper problem-solving and agency while creating a sustainable learning space that is culturally reflective of a child’s home.

Organization/Author: Erin Skaggs and Janelle Jamero, Young Children, NAEYC 

Type of Resource: Article

Publication Date: Fall 2024

Topic of issue of YC: Informed and Guided by Context: Strengths-Based Teaching and Learning

Kadisha Conteh
Previous

From the Pages of TYC. Partnering with Families to Support Young Children’s Social and Emotional Development Through Picture Books
Next

Our Proud Heritage. Drawing on Women’s Expertise: Establishing the Bureau of Educational Experiments