Play Week Aotearoa coming to Whanganui

Play Week Aotearoa 2021 is a celebration of play and its value to tamariki, whanau, and communities across Aotearoa. Remember back to your childhood and the joy of play.

This week is also about remembering our own play experiences and friends we made, and those memories will encourage us all to make space and time for our children and grandchildren to have that same carefree experience.

Harriet McKenzie, community activator supporting play, describes the importance of play and Play Week saying, "We all have fond memories playing in our backyards and neighbourhoods. It might not have seemed like it at the time, but this time spent playing was super important for our development and lifelong wellbeing".

"Play is vital in ensuring tamariki have the best possible start in life. It's where they develop skills like problem solving, creativity, physical movements, resilience and friendships.

"That is why, across Aotearoa, we are realising that play is a taonga and we need to ensure it continues to grow and thrive for all tamariki. Play is also super easy and fun, and with this year being tough for many of us, taking time out to play is more important than ever," she says.

"Play week is a great reminder to make time for play, and it can be as easy as getting out in your backyard."

Play is an important part of Sport Whanganui's mahi. Play not only has huge benefits across all aspects of wellbeing, it also helps tamariki develop fundamental movement skills.

The best way to ensure that the spaces, places and people in our community make play easy and accessible is to collaborate with other organisations in the community.

Harriet McKenzie explains, "It's great having the support of local organisations behind play week promoting the importance of play for the wellbeing of our tamariki, whanau and communities".

"We are fortunate in Whanganui to have many amazing groups championing play and providing opportunities for our tamariki to play. It's great being able to join forces in promoting play too.

"An important piece of equipment to get play visible is the community play trailer, a mobile covered storage unit full of play possibilities for tamariki. The trailer is a great example of the local collaboration: Whanganui District Council, Sport Whanganui and the YMCA working together to bring more play to schools and neighbourhood parks."

Simon Bowker, Y Kids manager and now active play co-ordinator since Term 4, has started taking the community play trailer to local schools and whilst in its infancy it's proving hugely popular.

Andy Savage, operations engagement manager for Y Central, describes the bonuses of cross organisational collaboration, saying, "At the Y we know play! We incorporate this in all aspects of what we do".

It's great to work with a group of people who are passionate about raising the value of play with Y Central assisting as the on-the-ground deliverers. From our youngest Tamariki at our Y Kids Play group on St Johns Hill, our Y Kids Early Learning Centre on London St as well as in our before and after school programmes operating at the Jubilee Stadium and St Johns Hill School permission to play is so valuable for tamariki.

Now having the community play trailer we can extend the fun for tamariki to schools and in the not too distant future parks and open spaces. Our Activate Play coordinator has been having a great time engaging with students at Mosston School and Carlton School this past week and looks forward to engaging with tamariki at other schools in the coming weeks!"

Y Central's Play Week in our Afterschool Programmes will have a variety of fun activities including, Parachute Games, Rippa Rugby, Tug of War and many more fun things.

If your school would like Simon Bowker to visit with the community play trailer just give him a call on 027 477 7761 to book.