Play in Marlborough

Overview

If we could reimagine “play” for Marlborough, what could it look like? This survey includes 6 simple questions for you to share your thoughts and ideas.

Tākaro/play is an everywhere possibility. It is a fundamental right for tamariki/children, but it can also be multigenerational and intergenerational.

• Play can be defined as “engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation”. This activity can happen in a variety of and across all ages from 0 - 99.
• In Māori, tākaro can be defined as "play," "game," or "recreational activity". It is a central concept in Māori culture, referring not just to pastime but also to the transmission of knowledge, skill development, having a connection to people and places and a balance of the physical body and wairua.

Our involvement in play/tākaro may change as we move through the differing decades in our life and will look different depending on which cultures have shaped us. E.g. this might be public playgrounds, to engaging with te Taiao/the environment, to interactions in social spaces.

Our engagement in play/tākaro may include access to play (how we get to and from), playful urban design that creates safe, attractive, interactive spaces or “play along the way moments”.

From a benefits perspective, play has an emotional currency that can transcend generations, breakdown barriers and can support emotional wellbeing. It supports cognitive and psychological growth and adaptability across all ages.  If we look broader than the individual, play can also provide cultural, community, economic and environmental benefits if done right.

If play is a lot bigger than we may have initially thought, and it could positively impact our communities, the questions we are asking is ……If we could reimagine “play” for Marlborough what could it look like?

Why your views matter

Your feedback will contribute to the Tākaro/Play Strategy currently being developed for our region.

We encourage you to be both honest and creative in your thinking and if you have seen somewhere that has done playfulness and engagement well both in NZ and abroad, share this with us.