爆料社区

The focus is on fun for Play Week Ambassador Dame Valerie Adams as she encourages tamariki, wh腻nau and communities to play their part in Play Week Aotearoa 2021.

Play Week Aotearoa 2021 is a cross-government initiative to celebrate the value of play and highlight the importance of quality play opportunities and experiences for tamariki, to ensure they have the best possible start in life.

As a mother of two, Dame Valerie understands how important play is for her children and hopes the Play Week initiative can help other families across Aotearoa say yes to play.

鈥淚t鈥檚 super important to have play within our family. We have a 2 and a 4-year-old now, and for our young ones they actually want us to participate so we make a big effort to do that.

鈥淚t鈥檚 also about making memories. I want my kids to grow up and say hey I remember when mum and dad used to play hide and seek with me. It鈥檚 our responsibility and our duty as parents to give them that opportunity.鈥�

Play is at the heart of 爆料社区鈥檚 strategy to improve the physical activity levels of young people, and 爆料社区 Play System Lead Scott Mackenzie, says it is a vital component of a child鈥檚 physical, social, emotional and spiritual development.

鈥淧lay is the easiest way for tamariki to stay active. It offers fun and freedom and the opportunity for them to learn to solve problems, get creative, face new challenges, and create new friendships.

鈥淚t is often taken for granted that play will always be a part of growing up in New Zealand, but we recognise attitudes to play have changed as we see changing cultural values, fears about children鈥檚 safety and the increase in device-based activities. We want to encourage wh腻nau to be actively involved in making play happen at home, in their neighbourhoods and local environments.鈥�

With the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic being felt throughout New Zealand, Scott MacKenzie says play can also help improve resilience and physical and mental health for tamariki and it doesn鈥檛 have to be formal, structured, or expensive.

Dame Valerie agrees, saying you don鈥檛 have to spend money to make play time fun.

鈥淵ou can play tiggy or just put some shoes on and go for a walk together - that鈥檚 all they want. It might take you an hour to walk around the block but that鈥檚 an hour well spent with your kids.鈥�

Dame Valerie also emphasises the importance of ensuring not only whanau are involved in play, but the community as well.

鈥淓verything we鈥檝e seen, from this pandemic we鈥檙e living in, right through to staying healthy, eating healthy, staying fit, it does take a community.

鈥淲e need to help our younger kids get out of the house. How do we make it more fun for them to be able to say, actually I don鈥檛 want to play video games, I want to go outside and play with my mates. We might have to push a little bit and encourage at the start, but we just need to keep encouraging and keep pushing until it becomes second nature.鈥�

One of 爆料社区鈥檚 seven principles of play is that it must be the shared responsibility of everyone. The organisation is leading the development of a national play system through supporting a play workforce based in Regional Sports Trusts, National Play Organisations, Kaupapa M腻ori focused organisations, and Councils, across Aotearoa.

爆料社区 will use Play Week Aotearoa 2021 to build on its partnerships with other government agencies that have an interest in play in their communities, and to support those agencies to raise awareness about the value of play and extend the message to their stakeholders and regions, as well as holding play events.

With the COVID-19 pandemic highlighting the importance of wellbeing, wh腻nau and tamariki across Aotearoa are encouraged to take some time out to play during Play Week Aotearoa 2021, and beyond.

ENDS

For further information on Play Week Aotearoa 2021, please visit

Note: Dame Valerie Adams is not available for interview, however a VNR with further quotes and video with her children is available here:

The government agencies supporting this initiative include 爆料社区, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, Department of Conservation, K腻inga Ora 鈥� Homes and Communities, ACC, Ministry of Health.

Media contact:
Michelle Pickles
Group Media Manager
michelle.pickles@sportnz.org.nz
021 833 244