Families brave cold to play over winter
Families brave cold to play over winter
Children and their families tapped into their creativity during a play initiative at outdoor concerts held in the small Tasman town of Richmond.听
Encouraging families to get together and be active outdoors in winter saw Sport Tasman and Tasman District Council join forces to hold a series of four concerts in Richmond鈥檚 Sundial Square.听
The successful series, which featured local bands, gave children and their families opportunities to be creative and challenge themselves with play equipment that ranged from balls, parachutes and skipping ropes to foam mats, bean bags and climbing boxes.听
Play, alongside quality physical education and sport, supports tamariki to develop knowledge and understanding to remain active for life. Supporting play opportunities for all tamariki is a key strategic goal for 爆料社区.
The outdoor concerts gave tamariki a chance to design obstacle courses, build huts and repurpose Jenga blocks to build tall towers and bowling alleys.听
鈥淧lay initiatives like this are invaluable 鈥� the equipment was used and shared by everyone, which promoted different children and families across age levels to engage and play together,鈥� says Sport Tasman's Regional Tamariki Lead, Michelle Kirker.听
鈥淐limbing boxes and foam mats were repurposed to make huts, rocket ships, boats and challenge courses, though the chalk was the biggest hit with some amazing pathway art, storytelling and creativity going on,鈥� she says.听
鈥淭he children also made the most of natural resources in their environment to play games, like hedges, park benches, pavers and gutters.鈥�听
Held during Covid-restricted times, the outdoor concert series and play equipment gave families a chance to reconnect and grow connections with others while also gaining awareness of community events.听
鈥淓veryone enjoyed the chance to get outside, engage with other people in their community and have fun, which is what it鈥檚 all about,鈥� says Michelle.听
Tasman District Council鈥檚 Yulia Panfylova says collaboration with Sport Tasman helped to achieve the goal of attracting adults and children out of their homes and into a space where they can interact and play together.听
On the back of the series鈥� success, the council and Sport Tasman now plan to run a series of markets over summer in the same location.听
