Play is an experience or activity that has an element of pleasure or enjoyment. Play includes outdoors, community, aquatics, sport, games, fitness and health.

On this page you will find:

• Case studies on Play
• Development tools
• National Standards

Case Studies

• IPA Aotearoa New Zealand has a mission to protect, preserve and promote play. With this video they want to share the message of Article 31, that every child has the right to play in their own time, in their own way and in their own space.

  This video captures what is uniquely Aotearoa NZ about play: https://youtu.be/brBsnYLOsbw

• Take a look at this document - it highlights the importance of parks and gives community leaders (and park advocates from all corners) tools they can use to both create and improve green spaces and public places for people of all ages.
  Read the full document

• Take a look at this video; it raises some really interesting points around adventure play vs 'safe' playgrounds https://youtu.be/lztEnBFN5zU

• Everyone Can Play is a best practice toolkit for local governments, community leaders, landscape architects - or even passionate local residents - to use as a reference guide for creating world-class playspaces that are designed to be inclusive of everyone in the community. Take a look

• The Wild Play Garden in Sydney is purpose built for kids to go wild in and explore the wonders of nature - including water sprinklers on a hot day! Watch the video to see a great example of wild play.

Play Tools

PlayCheck

PlayCheck utilises mobile technology to replace the paper-based way of recording playground routine and operational inspections and their results. This is a quick and easy way to capture the required data using any mobile device.

PlayCheck benchmarks questions against NZS5828:2015 Playground Equipment and Surfacing Standards. Issues or high risk faults trigger instantaneous email alerts to ensure timely correction of vandalism, graffiti or failure of a playground equipment.

Best of all, the user can utilise the system to capture history to help develop asset replacement plans.

Download the flyer to find out more

You can also check out our short tutorial on how PlayCheck works below:

Health & Safety Alerts

Sign up for health and safety alerts, ensuring you stay on top of any playground safety issues in Aotearoa. Go to https://mailchi.mp/nzrecreation/play-health-safety-alerts to stay in the know

Magical Park - Geo AR Games

Our local parks are a great way to ensure that our tamariki are getting outside and being active. GEO AR's Magical Park app turns a normal urban city park into a digital fantasy land. Magical Park is a subscription service for councils or other sponsors who want to offer their community free family entertainment in a local park. Their games get kids off the couch and physically active outside and provide a great contactless version of play!

We are excited to be able to offer a discounted to Recreation Aotearoa members who wish to make their park a Magical Park.

To find out more visit the Magical Park website.

To subscribe download this order form and return to info@geoargames.com

Dissertations

No girls allowed? A study of access to public play space in Auckland, New Zealand written by Jacquelyn Collins in part fulfilment of the BA(Hons) UrbPlan degree at the University of Auckland.

Books

Designing cities with children and young people: Beyond playgrounds and skate parks, Dr Bishop K; Dr Corkery L, 2017

NZ Standards for Play equipment and surfacing

NZS 5828:2015 - Playground equipment and surfacing

SNZ HB 5828.2:2006 - Supervised Early Childhood Facilities - Playground Equipment and Surfacing Handbook

SNZ HB 5828.1:2006 - General Playground Equipment and Surfacing Handbook

World Urban Parks: Children, Natural & Play

Whether by necessity or choice, more children around the world are living in urban areas. For the first time in human history we are now more urban than rural society, with 55% of the global population now living in cities and growing rapidly.

In just a few generations, access to play opportunities and nature-rich experiences for children have decreased significantly. This global deficit of play and nature has negative impacts for children's healthy development. There is a growing body of research that highlights the many benefits of play and nature experience on children's physical, mental, social cognitive, and emotional health.