Unconventional materials from the infant toddler center through school

The educational use of unconventional materials – understood as highly informal and undefined materials that have not been designed for didactic purposes and which as yet are not widely used in schools (Guerra, Zuccoli, 2012; Guerra, 2013) – is a theme that has been attracting increasing interest and targeted research initiatives at different levels of schooling. Indeed such materials – given that they are inexpensive, readily available and easily sourced, may be used flexibly and foster creative and divergent experience – represent a potentially valuable resource for educational services and schools seeking new and stimulating ways to interact with their broader context. This paper presents the outcomes of qualitative research conducted at infant toddler centers, preschools and primary schools, outlining both the transversal usefulness and meaning of unconventional materials for children in general, and the specific ways in which children relate to them at different ages.