Binoculars bring the world closer and add a new dimension to many types of play. For example, in dramatic play, they allow characters to scan the horizon and whisper “I don’t like this, it’s too quiet out there”, or “I see her! Mary’s found the missing lamb and is on her way back with him”, or “Pirates!”

They also open up STEM play and exploration. Possibilities include topics like magnification, distance, measuring, wild critters, optics, glass, vision, and focus.

A wonderful thing about loose parts is that kids will come up with surprising ways to use them. I worked with a school age kid who used binoculars to read a book from the other side of the gym. The book was propped against the wall under one hoop, and he read from under the other one. He’d jog the length of the basketball court and back every time a page needed turning.

Binoculars At Play

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