Manila’s weekend routine for kids has become almost predictable: a restaurant table, a plate of chicken tenders, and an iPad propped up against a water glass to keep them quiet. With limited green spaces in the metro, parents face a tough choice between screen time at home or pricey indoor play areas.
Starting this June, the LEGO Group is offering a third option. Anchored by the powerful tagline “Play Builds You,” the initiative turns select mall atriums across the Philippines into free, interactive playgrounds that fuse the nostalgia of traditional Filipino street games with creative, hands-on brick-building.
Now in its second year, the campaign builds on insights from the 2024 LEGO Play Well Report which found that 98% of parents believe play strengthens family bonds and builds essential life skills like creative thinking, problem-solving, and resilience.
A Modern Take on ‘Larong Pinoy’
To bring this to life, the LEGO Group swapped digital screens with physical, tactile challenges that allow children to experiment and learn through play:
The highlight of the playground is a life-sized piko or hopscotch course. Instead of using traditional stones, children must first build their own pamato (marker) out of LEGO bricks before tossing it and hopping through the grid.
Right next to it, the typical mobile gaming screen is replaced by a massive, physical maze. Instead of swiping a screen, children tilt and guide a marble through a brick-built labyrinth using a hands-on control board. Through hands-on LEGO play, children learn through trial and error and overcoming challenges which are often lost in online games.
Making Play Accessible for Filipino families
With the rising cost of family outings, the LEGO Playground offers a completely budget-friendly day out. Entry is entirely free, and parents do not need to buy a single toy box for their kids to join in the fun.
To encourage children to keep these offline creative habits at home, every participant who completes the challenge grid will receive a complimentary LEGO “Make & Take” mini-set to build on-site and take home.
Where to Find the LEGO Playgrounds
The interactive playgrounds will roll out across the country every weekend until the end of July. Families can catch it every weekend across major retail partners:
Toy Kingdom and Toys”R”Us: Running every weekend until July 26 at select branches nationwide
Rustan’s: Running exclusively on all weekends of June
LEGO Certified Stores: A rotating roster of two official LCS branches will host in-store weekend activities every single weekend throughout June.
Parents can also take advantage of special promotions running until July 31, 2026. Selected LEGO core lines, including City, Friends, DUPLO, and NINJAGO, are available at discounts of up to 30%. Additionally, shoppers who spend ₱3,000 worth of participating sets will receive a complimentary retail-exclusive polybag (Autumn’s Waffle Stand at Toy Kingdom and Space Science Mech, Mobile Music, or a Go Kart Racer at Toys”R”Us and Rustan’s) while supplies last.
For the full schedule and list of participating stores, visit www.lego.com or follow official LEGO stores online such as bankeebricks.ph, Lazada, and Shopee.
