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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 can 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.
Family Activities
There are lots of different ways to spend time with your family. Explore these ideas for quality time with your whānau.
Family activities - Whānau Āwhina Plunket
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
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)
Play Ideas
See this collection for play ideas, including junk play, manipulative play, physically active play - and loads more!
Playcentre - Play Ideas Complete Collection
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.
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