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Play tips and resources
Play tips and resources
Play is easy! It’s fun and gets tamariki and whānau active and doesn’t have to cost you anything!
Take a look around your house, garden and neighbourhood and see what you turn into play. It’s as easy as turning a box into a robot or sliding along the grass on it like a sled, skipping to school, or hanging out with friends or whānau and having some fun.
Get creative with dress ups, head to your local reserve and explore, or take a ball to your local park for a game. The possibilities are endless.
You just need to find a bit of time and space for your tamariki to have fun – and you can join in too! When was the last time you played?
Tips for play
Here are a few tips to kick off some creative play ideas. See how many you can tick off or better still, come up with a few of your own and share them with your whānau and friends.
Have fun
Choose an object from around your home and create a game with it
Kōwhirihia tētahi mea i roto i tō whare, waihangatia he kēmu me taua mea rā
Take your kids to the park after school
Kawea ō tamariki ki te papa rēhia ā muri i te kura
Have fun in the rain with your tamariki
Tākaro atu i te ua me ō tamariki
Head outside
Play a game outside while gathering kai
Tākarohia tētahi kēmu ki waho i a koe e kohi kai ana
Create a scavenger hunt – inside or out
Whakaritea tētahi whakangangahu hamu – ki roto, ki waho rānei
Explore
Dance around the house to your favourite tunes
Kanikani mai huri noa i te whare ki ō tino waiata
Explore parks and reserves and nature near you
Toroa ngā papa rēhia, ngā whenua tāpui me te taiao e pātata ana ki a koe
Resources
Check out these websites for lots of great ideas to play.
Healthy Kids: Activity ideas and tools
Healthy Kids is full of fun, free and low-cost ideas to get your family eating, moving and sleeping well. Explore activity ideas, and more:
Activity ideas & tools | Healthy Kids
Playgrounds & parks | Healthy Kids
Adventure and junk play / Aotūroa (for younger children)
Children learn through play: by doing, asking questions, interacting with others, devising theories about how things work and then trying them out. Play supports children's cognitive, physical, social and emotional learning and development.
Here are some ideas about how you can support your child's learning through play. These ideas cover 23 areas from art through to puzzles, mathematics and science at home.
Download pdf: Adventure and junk play (education.govt.nz)
Play idea: Adventure and junk play – Aotūroa – Education in New Zealand
Kiwi Conservation Club | Hakuturi Toa
For 35 years, Forest & Bird’s Kiwi Conservation Club | Hakuturi Toa (KCC) has been connecting Kiwi kids to New Zealand’s amazing wildlife and wild places.
Check out this huge range of activities that will connect you with nature and the outdoors.
Activities – Kiwi Conservation Club (kcc.org.nz)
Reo Māori.co.nz
Try out these Tākaro ideas, which will help you use and speak re reo Māori – and have fun.
Huatau | Ideas - Te Rangaihi Reo Māori (reomaori.co.nz)
Tākaro Tribe:
The Tākaro Tribe is a whānau (family) of five cute, cuddly and friendly patupaiarehe (woodland fairies) who live in the enchanted and magical Wao Arapū (alphabet forest).
Find a cool range of activities and videos.
If you require an accessible version of any content on the site please contact us and we will be happy to assist.
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