How do loose parts influence symbolic transformation in parent-child play?

Abstract

This study investigates how parents and children play with everyday materials compared to traditional toys. Symbolic transformation—the process of representing objects, actions, and ideas beyond their literal forms—is a key theme of early cognitive development and linked to children’s later academic achievement. Children also transform everyday materials into meaningful elements of their play. Termed loose parts, these materials are valued in early childhood education for fostering children’s creativity and problem-solving, yet empirical evidence examining their impact on symbolic transformation remains limited.

Using a between-subjects design, we examined 76 parent–child dyads aged 3-6 years (M = 4.64, SD = 0.85) assigned to either a loose parts or traditional puzzle condition. Children’s cognitive abilities were assessed using standardized measures of intelligence and executive functioning, and parents completed a questionnaire evaluating the home learning environment. Play sessions were video-recorded and are currently being coded using established observational frameworks to analyze object use and symbolic transformation.

Based on our preliminary qualitative exploration, we anticipate that children playing with loose parts will exhibit higher levels of symbolic transformation than those using puzzles. Loose parts appear to challenge children cognitively by requiring them to create meaning rather than following objective functions. Additionally, we hypothesize that children with stronger executive functioning will exhibit longer, more complex episodes of symbolic play, particularly in the loose parts condition. These findings will demonstrate how material affordances influence children’s symbolic transformation during play, and provide educators and parents with evidence to strengthen curriculum design through thoughtful material selection and responsive interactions.