As Early Years Professionals we are continually striving to improve the quality of play and learning experiences for children. Imagine… a training and professional development organisation set the scene for what turned out to be a magnificent professional development and networking day for Coventry and Warwickshire’s EYPs.

At the event, held at the Butts Arena, Imagine… set up a ‘resource centre’ combining some of the core/continuous materials that should be readily available to children on a daily basis with a beautiful array of recycled/reused found and natural materials and objects.

Based on Nicholson’s ‘Theory of Loose Parts’ (1971). and what we in early years know about open-ended materials, Imagine… sourced and provided a range of exciting and random things that would make even the most rigid thinkers want to look, touch, feel, gather, make, build, construct….. The collection of materials, carefully gathered over many days, months and years was arranged in enticing and inviting ways encouraging practitioners to think more carefully themselves about innovative ways to present their materials to children.

The EYPS Networking day provided an ideal opportunity to play and to experience what we hope becomes a daily part of children’s lives across settings in Coventry and Warwickshire.