Letting Their Imagination Run Wild: Loose Parts Play Event in Kings County

September 2026
Written by: Kerri Jack

“We had so much fun watching the kids turn their ideas into reality!” – Pop-up Play event organizer, Maria Lahoud

This summer, The Municipality of the County of Kings teamed up with Canning Recreation to host a pop-up loose parts play event at the Canning Fire Hall. Children and their parents were invited to build, create, and let their

Organizer Maria Lahoud says the motivation for this event was to let kids be the architects of their own play, “We wanted to give children a chance to be creative, use their imagination, try something new and build something with their own hands.”

The event was guided by the Municipality of the County of Kings Belonging Policy. Maria says the policy helped organizers create an inclusive and welcoming program where children and families could participate, be creative, and feel a sense of connection and belonging in their community.

Maria says it was a rewarding event to be a part of, “We had so much fun watching the kids turn their ideas into reality! They built fairy houses, little treehouses, airplanes, spaceships, and so many other creative inventions. It was wonderful to give kids the space and freedom to imagine, experiment, cut, build, and create something completely their own—and then take their creations home with them.”

The event wasn’t limited to the kids, parents were invited to join in on the fun as well, making this a fun experience for the whole family.

Maria shared one of her favourite moments of the event as an organizer, “One of the highlights was watching a family with three boys work together on a plane-building project. Each child took on a different part of the project, while the boys and their parents explored the room together, searching for all kinds of little pieces that could bring their ideas to life. It was wonderful to see them share ideas, help each other, and build together as a family, with each person contributing to the final creation.”

Maria said the event did not come without its challenges. Organizers collected enough materials to host 100 people at the event, but advertising challenges resulted in a lower attendance than expected. Maria says that they are considering making the program ongoing in the future, hoping that consistency would would help increase attendance.

When asked if she had any advice for others considering hosting a loose parts program, she said to start small and not to be afraid to get creative with the materials you already have, “Most of the cardboard and loose parts can be collected for free from local stores.” She said the most important part of an event like this is to give kids the freedom to lead the project, “[Don’t] worry about what they are “supposed” to make. The best part is seeing where their imagination takes them!”