Proving The Power Of Play For Tamariki - Play Week Aotearoa 2024

Play is the foundation for an active life and one of the earliest physical experiences kids have.

While play is fun, there is a serious and beneficial side to ensuring tamariki are encouraged and given enriching opportunities to play.

Play Week Aotearoa 2024 runs from 26 October to 1 November and the Sport NZ Campaign* will introduce the “Play Lab” where children show us the importance of play and how it helps build physical, social and organisational skills. These skills help tamariki build the confidence and knowledge to ensure they are active throughout their lives.

One of the benefits is the development of fundamental movement skills such as stability, and locomotor skills, which involve moving the body to get from one place to another.

“Play is a child’s earliest physical experience, and it helps develop resilience, creativity, emotional connections, and an understanding of their environment, says Sport NZ Play Manager, Scott Mackenzie.

“Kids who play develop skills that help them stay active for life.”

Research from the University of Auckland** shows that tamariki growing up in the 21st Century in Aotearoa need to be able to think critically, be creative and innovative, and have well developed social skills, adaptability and resilience to thrive in the face of challenges such as pandemics, resource depletion and growing social inequities. The foundations for these skills are laid during a child’s early years.

“Children learn and develop skills when they have fun in play, whether it’s interacting with others or playing alone. The best play is unstructured and spontaneous. It can happen anywhere, with no particular outcome,” says Scott Mackenzie.

“Play allows children to develop a sense of self, a sense of belonging, and a sense of community. If they experience positive and rewarding play experiences during childhood, they are more likely to remain physically active as they grow up.”

Play is at the heart of Sport NZ’s strategy, where we are working with a play workforce across the motu to ensure all tamariki have quality opportunities to be active and healthy, to reach their goals and achieve their full potential.

Notes:

* Link to Sport NZ Play Week Campaign video here: https://youtu.be/PxFet_P0yx0

**Research paper - University of Auckland – Ahead of the Game: Why play is the key to children’s future success.

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