It’d be a stretch to call elastic the best loose part ever. I mean, it can’t compete with favorites like water, sand, and tires, but it does have a place in playful child-led environments.

It can be used to play that jumping, twisting, tie yourself up in knots playground game that I never learned to play back in the day because it was a Girl Thing. Sadly, I doubt I’ll ever learn now because I could break a hip, and I’m not sure who’d teach me.

Elastic is a good loose part to just have lying around in the craft or tinkering area, so kids can access it when they need it. It can be used in lots of creative and STEM play and exploration. Back in the day, I think it came in white and black, which was kind of boring, but mostly it was sewn into other stuff so who cared. Now it’s available in a variety of colors. What a world we’re living in, boys can now learn to play the jumping, twisting, tie yourself up in knots game with colored elastic. Good times.

Elastic Examples

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