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Inspiring Ideas

Practical guides and creative resources to inspire play for children everywhere.

Creative Resource

Play Things: Loose Parts Play in Good Times and Bad

Loose Parts Play ideas in good times and in times of crisis.

Authored by Penny Wilson, “Play Things: Loose Parts Play in Good Times and Bad” originated as an excerpt from IPA’s April 2020 PlayRights Magazine. It was made publicly available to inspire creative play opportunities for children during global crisis situations.

The document was developed over the prior year and was not originally designed for pandemic or quarantine contexts — it is a colourful and helpful guide to inspire creative play for children everywhere.

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About the Author

Penny Wilson

The guide was authored by Penny Wilson and forms part of IPA's PlayRights Magazine. To access the complete PlayRights Magazine, membership in the International Play Association is required.

What is Loose Parts Play?

Loose parts are materials with no specific set of directions that can be used alone or combined with other materials. Children can move, carry, combine, redesign, line up, take apart and put together loose parts in almost endless ways.

Assorted colourful play materials and toys — close-up textures

Right to Play Award

Inspiring Practice from IPA Members

"It has never been more important to restate the importance of play. Fundamental, essential, vital — the words in this Declaration reflect IPA members' message to the world that play is an essential part of childhood. All children have a right to experience play which, in the words of the Declaration, is free, open, boundless, sometimes chaotic, sometimes transformative. Play is a right which all adults have a responsibility to uphold.

The IPA Declaration highlights the growing evidence of the effects of lack of time and space for play and the serious and life-long effects on children's bodies and minds. IPA wishes to alert the wider community to this evidence and call for action to address this deprivation before the affects cause lifelong damage to more children."

— Theresa Casey, President, IPA

View Declaration