Gingerbread Boys

So I find these things at estate sales and Goodwill for pennies.

I bring them back to my "Loose Parts" storage room. 

I have a lot!

I play around with the items and make a theme or subject sometimes like apples and gingerbread boys.

I do it. Looks good. It goes on the "Loose Parts" shelf and I watch the children approach it after a lesson is given by me. Not all children naturally understand how to approach making a design and sometimes a heap of all objects is happily laid out. Time for a repeat lesson. They chant, "Circle, circle, diamond in the middle." as they try again. Chaos becomes pattern. Pattern becomes beauty. 

 http://www.aneverydaystory.com/2013/03/05/the-theory-of-loose-parts/