Construction Play
Inter-Blocks & Inter Playnks
If play environments are the primary classrooms for young children, then loose parts are their best textbooks. The most important aspect of your outdoor learning environment, in our opinion, is the provision of safe and appropriate loose parts.
Without loose parts, children face environments that are static and adult-driven. With them, children learn to take initiative,create, share, build, plan, demolish and start over. We are committed to providing every play environment with safe, durable, and functional loose parts.
Our popular Inter+Blocks, and Inter+Playnks are joined by three new pieces to extend their usefulness and flexibility: A double sized block and an “L” shaped block (corner block) add stability to taller structures, and provide more construction possibilities. The steering wheel block gives an inexpensive and flexible way to encourage dramatic play.
Aqua Blocks
Our Aqua Blocks are designed to integrate with our Inter+Blocks. Children can use regular inter+blocks to create towers for this interactive water play system. The basic set comes with 2 blue blocks, 2 red blocks, 2 teal “S” troughs, 2 teal “I” troughs, and 2 yellow flood gates.
Portable Play Tunnels
Portable play tunnels are too heavy for tots and preschoolers to move, but allow the teacher to re-arrange the space to provide novelty and to create new play opportunities. They are available in two lengths, 30” and 42”, and come with a trex floor.
Kid Stackers
Kid Stackers are another option for loose parts and include unique plastic ramps, semi-circles and "tires". Ridges allow stacking and interlocking. Some parts are large enough to require several children to cooperate in their lifting and use. Others can be handled by a single child. All are colorful and durable. The seven piece set comes with 4 pegs to help stabilize the possible constructions. Plastic “tires” may be ordered separately and come in sets of two.
Sand & Water
Sand is, without doubt, among the most critical, and criticized, elements of play environments. Many adults prefer to do without sand altogether, but if you watch a group of kids in a sand pile, you’ll see the play value. Besides soothing the emotions and providing rich tactile experiences, it is a vital “loose part”, fostering construction play, dramatic play, language stimulation and experimentation with physical properties. Oh yeah — It’s also fun!
Water, too, can provide emotional benefits, practice with physical properties, dramatic play, and tactile experiences. It provokes curiosity and encourages exploration. We offer many configurations of troughs and water tables to fit your space and budget. Our portable water trough system integrates with our Inter+blocks to create a flexible play opportunity for children of all ages.
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