Chain can be used in many ways in an early learning setting. You may already have some supporting your swing seats or the wiggling bridge on your play structure. Or maybe it’s linked together to form netting for climbing.

Free-range chains for carrying, dragging, hanging, tossing, jumping, building, and swinging adds variety to your play space. This loose part is good for supporting heavy work–activity that pushes or pulls against the body or involves carrying. It can be used in dramatic play–“lock up that dragon before she attacks the castle again”. It can also be used in playful STEM learning. For example, how does a section that was left in the freezer overnight compare to a section that’s been sitting in the sun all day? How does a section of chain hanging from a tree branch move in the wind compared to a length of yarn? How could it be used to hang a bird house or make climbing the climbing tree easier?

Chain comes in all kinds of sizes. The plastic stuff is bright and shiny, but not too strong and not much good for heavy work since it’s not, well, heavy.

Chain Examples

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