Play Week Aotearoa 2025 - for everyone, everywhere!

When was the last time you really played? Not scrolling on your phone, or ticking off another task, but letting yourself get caught up in the simple joy of play.

Play gives us freedom and moments to take risks. For tamariki, play helps build a love of being active, make sense of the world, get creative, build friendships, and learn skills that last a lifetime.

But play isn’t just for children; it’s for all of us. Whether you’re five, 55, or 85, play is a way to move, laugh, imagine, and reconnect.

Play Week Aotearoa 2025 (20-26 October 2025) celebrates the value that play brings to tamariki, whānau, and communities everywhere. The good news is, you don’t need special equipment or a set plan to get involved in play: it can be as simple as a game of tag at the park, or hide and seek in the back yard.

Play can be noisy or quiet, done on your own or shared with others. It can be woven into everyday life, if we make room for it. And it matters. Play sparks creativity, helps us manage stress, and strengthens relationships. It keeps bodies moving and minds active.

Play is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to encourage physical activity, and it sits at the heart of Aktive’s vision for Auckland to be the world’s most active city. It also links directly to our 2024–2028 Strategy, where Participation is identified as a key focus area which contributes to a healthier, more active Tāmaki Makaurau.

For tamariki, play is a natural way of learning and growing. For adults, it brings joy and connection with whānau and friends. So how might you step into play for Aotearoa Play Week? Here are a few simple ideas:

• Get your colleagues together for a quick game of tag at lunchtime (yes, really).
• Build a blanket fort with tamariki, cousins, or friends.
• Head to a playground and have a go on the swings, just like when you were a kid.
• Invite your whānau to a game night – cards, puzzles, or charades.
• Turn a walk into a round of “I Spy.”

You don’t have to be perfect at play; you just need to give it a go. This Play Week Aotearoa 2025, take a few minutes to make space for it. Simple, quick, unplanned – it all counts. Because play isn’t only for tamariki. It’s for all of us.