Play Week Aotearoa 2026:

whānau play, where whānau are

What helps whānau play more often?

It’s easy to think the answer is more facilities, new equipment or organised activities. But often, the best opportunities for play are much closer to home. A backyard, a local park, a patch of grass, or the street where you live can all become places where tamariki, rangatahi and whānau connect, move, explore and create their own games together.

Play Week Aotearoa 2026, which runs from 19–25 October, is all about celebrating the benefits that play, in all shapes and sizes, brings for tamariki, whānau and communities across Aotearoa.

This year’s Play Week theme is “whānau play, where whānau are”, serving as a reminder that play doesn’t need to be complicated, expensive or organised.  

Play Week 2026 is also an opportunity to celebrate tākaro Māori – traditional Māori games, movement, sport and physical activity that can connect whānau with te ao Māori, te reo Māori, whakapapa, stories, place and each other.

Play is one of the most important ways young people learn about themselves, others and the world around them. It helps them to build their confidence, creativity and coordination.

Its benefits extend beyond physical activity, supporting social connection, emotional wellbeing, resilience and confidence. It gives our tamariki and rangatahi the chance to take risks, solve problems, spend time with others – and, most importantly, have fun.

But play isn’t just for kids. When whānau play together, it helps strengthen relationships, create shared experiences and build a greater sense of belonging. Even the simplest of games can create time to connect and enjoy being together.

A local park can become the setting for a game of any shape or size; a walk around your neighbourhood can become a challenge or adventure; and a few simple household objects can spark an idea for a new game that you can make up on the spot.

Sometimes, all our young people need is a little time and the freedom to decide for themselves what play looks like.

For Aktive, creating opportunities for whānau to play together is an important part of building a more active and connected Tāmaki Makaurau. We know that lifelong participation in physical activity doesn't begin only on sports fields or in organised programmes. It starts with positive experiences of movement, connection and play in everyday places.

This Play Week, Aktive is encouraging Aucklanders to look at the places around us a little differently and recognise the potential for play in everyday spaces.

Instead of asking, “Where can we go to play?”, try asking, “How could we play here?” Because when play becomes a natural part of everyday life, the benefits extend far beyond the moment itself, helping create healthier, happier and more connected communities.