At MAGNA-TILES, we’re all about creating opportunities for Meaningful Play. Play that’s child-led, developmental, experience-based and fun & engaging.
At Guidepost Montessori, that same philosophy comes to life every day. Through their authentic Montessori approach, children are encouraged to explore independently, follow their curiosity, and build understanding through hands-on learning experiences.
So when we partnered together, it was a natural fit. The goal was simple: create spaces where kids could play freely and in doing so, learn in ways that feel exciting, engaging, and real.
Bringing play to life across Chicagoland
Over the course of three days, 11 Guidepost Montessori campuses across Chicagoland opened their doors to families and the surrounding community. Each event offered something powerful (and often hard to come by): uninterrupted time to build, explore, and connect through play.
With eight hands-on activity stations designed for children ages 2–5+, over 900 individuals came together to experience the power of play-based learning firsthand.
In total, 385 families joined us for 22 hours of screen-free MAGNA-TILES play. A turnout that truly showed how much families value opportunities like this.
What learning through play really looks like
We talk a lot about “learning through play,” but moments like these show what that actually means. When children engage with MAGNA-TILES magnetic building sets, they’re developing essential early childhood skills through hands-on exploration:
- Testing ideas and experimenting with balance and structure
- Making creative choices with shapes, colors, and designs
- Solving problems and trying again
- Collaborating, communicating, and sharing ideas
This is the foundation of early childhood development where children build skills like critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork through STEM play and exploration, as highlighted in our White Paper on 21st Century Skill Development through Play.
It’s learning that feels natural, engaging, and fun because it’s driven by the child.
Big builds, even bigger impact
To bring this experience to life, we filled each space with thousands of tiles and a variety of ways to play.
Across all events:
- 5,000+ tiles were in play
- 8 unique activity stations supported creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving
And the time spent playing adds up in a pretty amazing way:
- Just 30 minutes per child = 450+ hours of total play
- Families staying longer = 700+ hours of shared playtime
That’s days of hands-on learning, creativity, and connection without screens, distractions, or structured pressure.
[Watch the recap reel to see these moments in action]
A bridge between school and home
One of the most powerful parts of these events was the connection between school and home. Families experienced firsthand how children engage with Montessori materials and open-ended toys in the classroom. Parents saw the focus, independence, and creativity that naturally emerge through play.
Bringing Meaningful Play home
The best part? You don’t need a special event to make this happen. You can create opportunities for Meaningful Play at home with simple, everyday moments:
- Building together on the floor with open-ended toys
- Letting your child take the lead in play
- Gving them time to explore, test, and create
These moments support early childhood development, helping children build confidence, problem-solving skills, and creativity through play. If you’re looking for ideas to get started, our Play Guides offer simple, play-based activities you can use right away.
Final thoughts
This partnership with Guidepost Montessori was about more than just a few days of play. It was about showing what’s possible when children are given the time, space, and tools to engage in hands-on, play-based learning.
And if there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s this:
When we make room for Meaningful Play, we’re supporting how children learn best and setting the foundation for a lifetime of curiosity, creativity, and growth.
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