Norway is known for its breathtaking landscapes, outdoor culture, and strong emphasis on child-centered learning. At Midt-Troms Museum, located north of the Arctic Circle, children experience hands-on, open-ended play year-round with Imagination Playground’s Big Blue Blocks.
Used across multiple museum locations, these large-scale foam building blocks encourage creativity, collaboration, movement, and problem-solving through loose-parts play in both indoor and outdoor learning environments.
Bringing Open-Ended Play to Museums in Norway
Midt-Troms Museum serves six rural counties in northern Norway and includes themed museums, open-air museums, and community learning spaces focused on cultural history, traditional crafts, and children’s education.
Because outdoor play is deeply embedded in Norwegian culture, the museum actively encourages children to explore, build, experiment, and engage in supervised risk-taking as part of healthy childhood development.
According to Museum Director Lisa Gay Bostwick:
“Children in Norway are outside playing all year around unless the temperature drops below -10°C. Supervised risk-taking and getting dirty are considered normal and necessary for children’s development.”
This philosophy aligns perfectly with Imagination Playground’s approach to open-ended, child-directed play.
What is your organization’s name and where is it located?
Midt-Troms Museum, in the 6 counties of the region of Midt-Troms, about 2 hours south of the city of Tromsø, far north of the Arctic Circle, in the land of the Midnight Sun and Northern Lights.
Tell us a little bit about your organization!
Midt-Troms Museum is a consolidated museum serving 6 rural counties with a total population of 35 000. We manage 20 museums, five of which are themed museums and 16 of which are open-air museums or small local museums. We focus primarily are traditional crafts and children, as well as natural and cultural history.
Does your country use/implement loose-part play differently from other parts of the world?
Children in Norway are outside playing all year around, unless the temperature drops below -10 degrees C. Supervised risk-taking and getting dirty are considered normal and necessary for children´s development.
How long has your organization had Imagination Playground Blocks?
1 year.
How did the organization initially fund the Blocks?
We are opening Norway´s first Children´s Museum “Midt-Troms in miniature” in the spring of 2021, but we think that ALL of Midt-Troms Museum is a children´s museum, so the Blue Blocks are part of that concept. In other words, they were purchased on the children´s museum budget.
How did the organization initially hear about Imagination Playground?
Interactivity Conference 2014.
What are some examples of ways the organization uses the Blue Blocks?
Outside activities for children.
What is your children’s favorite aspect of using the Blue Blocks?
The opportunity for creative cooperation.
What would you tell another organization that was considering purchasing Imagination Playground Blocks?
Buy them!
Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience with the Blue Blocks?
Have enough of them – we just had to buy a second set!
Explore Big Blue Blocks for Your Space
Whether you’re designing a museum play area, school learning environment, library children’s space, or outdoor community installation, Imagination Playground Big Blue Blocks help transform any space into a creative hub for collaborative play and hands-on learning.
Explore how Big Blue Blocks support:
- loose-parts play
- STEM learning
- open-ended exploration
- inclusive play experiences
- indoor and outdoor environments
Considering Big Blue Blocks for Your School or Community Space?
Imagination Playground’s Big Blue Blocks are used in schools, museums, parks, libraries, and community spaces around the world to create engaging environments for collaborative, open-ended play.
If you’re considering Big Blue Blocks for your school, park, museum, or community space, schedule a consultation with our team to explore the right play solution for your environment.