South Hornby School is putting play first, giving children the time and the tools to connect and keep moving, with the help of their neighbours Sport Canterbury.

On Tuesday 9 March, our Regional Sports Trust kaimahi helped Principal Wendy Huriwai introduce 283 students to Poipoia! Time to Play – and a brand-new play pod that will make its home at the school.

Adam Gard’ner (Healthy Families Ōtautahi) and Brandon Manuel (Healthy Active Learning) represented Sport Canterbury as the school’s new play pod gift was revealed.

Within minutes of the unveiling the students were engaged with wooden blocks, skipping ropes and tug of war. Across the entire school sports field, tamariki could be seen jumping, bouncing, sharing and connecting over new games and activities, many invented on the spot.

“Play is really important for our tamariki here at South Hornby School – it’s about letting their imaginations run wild, having the opportunity to play with each other out on the playground and just having fun,” Says Healthy Active Learning Lead Teacher Cara McLeod.

Sport Canterbury’s Healthy Families Ōtautahi team is part of a nationwide network committed to the prevention of chronic illness through systems change. They work closely with communities to understand the barriers to play for tamariki and find ways that play can be put back at the centre of their learning and development.

Sport Canterbury’s Healthy Active Learning team is also part of a New Zealand-wide approach that supports schools, kura and early learning settings to improve child and youth wellbeing through healthy eating and drinking, and quality physical activity.

“We are delighted today to celebrate play as the recipients of a Poipoia! Time to Play play pod from Sport Canterbury. Play is such an important part of our children's development; they learn a lot of skills such as negotiation, collaboration and coordination,” says Huriwai.

Poipoia! Time to Play consists of a series of play pods, which have found homes across the city:

Ngā Puna Wai southwestern sports and recreation hub
Rowley Avenue School
Aranui Community Trust
Rasol-O-Allah Islamic Centre
South Hornby School

Many of the young people accessing the new play pods have never known a time without a major disaster in their city - there's been two major earthquakes, a major wildfire in the Port Hills and a terror attack – not to mention a pandemic.

According to Sport Canterbury Chief Executive Julyan Falloon: “By experimenting with different equipment, our tamariki can develop a physical literacy that in time leads to a lifelong participation in sport and physical activity.”

Learn more about the Poipoia! Time to Play project - Click here