In simple terms, open-ended play is free play. There are no instructions, rules, or expectations. Children can explore freely and are not bound by preset limitations. This type of experiential play fosters independence, creativity, and imagination. Open-ended activities focus on the process of exploring and creating, rather than an end product or result. *Play Packs include a note card for each activity - with the exception of any recipes, these note cards serve as a guide and a source of inspiration.

Loose parts are said to spark creativity and imagination, providing endless possibilities for child-led, open-ended play. They don’t have a particular meaning or direction assigned to them until the child gives it to them. For example, wooden peg dolls can be drivers of a big yellow bus or bowling pins waiting to be knocked over.

Your product(s) will ship 3-5 business days after the order is placed. For pre-paid 3-Month Subscriptions and auto-pay Monthly PLAY Subscriptions, the first Play Pack will ship within 3-5 business days of the order placed, and subsequent packs will ship within 3-5 business days of the same day of the month, monthly. For example, if the order was placed on the 5th of the month, the packs will ship within 5 business days of the 5th of every month during the subscription.

Our signature Play Packs are currently recommended for ages 3-6 years old. While confident that a child a little younger or older would benefit from the activities included, the packs feature small parts that are not intended for kids under the age of 3. Check the Shop for other products geared toward younger and older age ranges or fill out a contact form to request a custom order.

Happily Whole Play Packs are unique in that they focus on open-ended play and exploration of loose parts. The activities included focus on the process of exploring and creating, rather than the end result (which is typically a piece of artwork). We don’t sell craft kits, we sell an experience. This type of experiential play fosters independence, creativity, and imagination. Another focus of Happily Whole is to provide materials that are versatile and reusable. Although some materials are meant for one-time use, most materials included can be used over and over again, and in many different ways. The hope is that the children can start building their own “toolkit” of these open-ended materials and loose parts that they can keep coming back to, creating limitless possibilities of independent creative play.

The first week of every month, a new Play Pack design is released and featured. When purchasing a subscription, you can expect to receive the currently featured Play Pack, plus unreleased future Play Packs. To purchase a past featured Play Pack (at a discount), click the "Shop Previous Months Play Packs" button on either the Monthly Play Subscriptions page or the Gift 3-Month Play page.

Soon! We are working on a Subscribers Shop where current subscribers can visit and shop a collection of individual activities, at discounted rate. Stay tuned.

If you have ordered a Monthly PLAY Subscription, you can cancel at any time. If you have any issues with a product that you have received, please contact us at happilywhole@gmail.com and we will be happy to support you.

While more than one child can certainly share the materials in a single pack, there is only one set of materials for each activity. 

If you have ordered an auto-pay Monthly PLAY Subscription, you can cancel at any time. If your billing cycle is on the 5th of every month, you’ll have to cancel before the 5th of the next month in order to ensure that you will not be shipped and billed for that month’s pack. 3-Month Play Subscriptions are paid for upfront and require renewal after completion of the three months. If you have any issues with a product that you have received, please contact us at happilywhole@gmail.com and we will be happy to support you.