We work for, and with, the people and places of our whānau, neighbourhoods and communities; to strengthen our communities and to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi; to create supported and empowered people and places. 

We do this by leading and advocating for and with; empowering and enabling; supporting and partnering.

About Play

A child’s earliest physical experiences are through play which serves as the platform for them to cultivate and hone life skills.

Play offers children the chance to engage in enjoyable and meaningful experiences, where they find fun, happiness, and laughter.

Sport Canterbury places a strong emphasis on nurturing a passion for physical activity from a young age, recognising that one of our foundational philsophies is to ensure equitable access to diverse and enriching play experiences within local settings.

Play serves as a safe space for young individuals to encounter risk and challenges, offering them valuable opportunities to learn and grow.

Every child has the right to play, rest and recreation, as recognised in Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Neighbourhood Play System

Sport Canterbury has been working alongside Ihi Aotearoa Sport NZ, schools, kura and communities to support the Neighbourhood Play System.

The Neighbourhood Play System is a locally led approach that helps communities understand how tamariki play in their neighbourhoods and identify opportunities to make play easier, safer and more accessible. It recognises that play happens across a community, from streets, parks and reserves to school grounds and everyday public spaces.

Each project places the voices of tamariki, whānau and community members at the centre of the process. The resulting reports highlight local strengths, challenges and opportunities, providing a foundation for future action and collaboration.

Explore the Neighbourhood Play System reports from across Waitaha Canterbury below.

Neighbourhood Play System

Play Stencils and Play Trailer Hire

Play Stencils Hire

Sport Canterbury's play stencils are available to help schools and communities transform everyday spaces into places that encourage play, movement and learning.

From hopscotch and movement trails to literacy, numeracy and sensory-based activities, the stencils provide a fun and low-cost way to activate play spaces and create more opportunities for tamariki to be active, creative and engaged.

Play Trailer Hire: Poipoia! Time to Play

Sport Canterbury’s play trailer is ready for action and available to help communities activate play, and engage and inspire people of all ages to connect as a whānau.

From balls to tug ‘o’ war ropes, mini stilts, to frisbees, hula hoops, to chalk and loose parts, the hope is that there is something in there to meet a wide range of play needs.

Play Resources

Play Case Studies

Latest Play News


​​​​​Latest Play, Active Recreation & Sport videos

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