Celebrate Play Week and head into the city centre to join in the fun, with a range of options to suit all ages; from junk play in te Komititanga to an introductory course on Mahjong, street game design workshops, Dungeons and Dragons sessions and much more.
Art and Play: a Photographic Exhibition
Friday 25th October, Sunday 3rd November - Ellen Melville Centre
This multi-media window installation invites passersby to experience the creativity of loose parts play as seen through the eyes of school children. The images and words showcased are drawn from a single day of Junky Monkeys sessions at a Primary school, highlighting both the artistic expression and the joyful silliness inherent in junk play. This installation is part of an ongoing initiative by play researcher Panda Rose entitled ‘Art and Play’ which advocates for the importance of process, rather than product, in children’s activities.
The Urban Room in conversation with Tim Gill – Urban Playground - How child-friendly planning and design can save cities.
Friday 25th October, 8.45am-10am - Online
Join The Urban Room in conversation with Tim Gill, author of Urban Playground: How child-friendly planning and design can save cities, and learn how Tim's groundbreaking research shapes play and mobility for our young people and results in better cities for all.
Out and About - Pop Up Play
Saturday 26th October, 10am-1pm - Myers Park
Head a long to Myers Park and have a go at one of the games and activites on offer by the Pop-up Play team. There will be a wide range of equipment such as, hoops, footballs, rackets and discs to play with. The team encourage people of all ages and abilities to have a go, improve their skills and have fun.
Play in the Square – Te Komititanga
Sunday 27th October, 10am-3pm - Te Komititanga Square
We will be taking over Te Komititanga Square for a full day of outdoor play activities for all ages. Jump into the mini-soccer Hungerball arena and test your skills in this fast-paced communal game of frantic footwork. Stretch your imagination with the expansive loose parts playground from Junky Monkeys and Conscious Kids. Sit down with the folks from The Open Fort at their Play Cafe and make some new friends while playing games, running around on some secret treasure hunts or buzzing as bees in their giant Bee Garden game.
Street Games Design Workshop
Tuesday 29th October, 6-9pm - Silo Park
Join the game designers from The Open Fort for this one-off special event inside Silo 6 in the Wynyard Quarter. Aimed at families and adults, they will take you through a fun game design process – designing, prototyping, playtesting and playing imaginative outdoor games using their giant kit of game props. They will provide everything you need – just bring your creativity, imagination and fun!
Mahjong
Wednesday 30th October, 11:30am-1:30pm and 6-9pm - Freyberg Square/ Ellen Melville Centre
Come learn Mahjong with the 1-Missing 3-Lonely Wobbly Table Mahjong Club! Their friendly, experienced sifu (Teachers) will take players of all ages through the basics and teach some tips and tricks to experienced players. This wonderfully social game is a great way to make new friends and test your memory skills.
There will be a lunchtime ‘taster’ session run during the day, with the main event in the evening.
Play Urban Design Workshop
Wednesday 30th October, Time 4.30pm - 7pm - Isthmus Office Queen St
Get your creativity flowing and join this open studio workshop with interactive engagements to explore, test and consider with what a Playfull City could look like. The event will be bookended with Pecha Kucha talks from 4 innovators working in this space towards creating a Playful City here in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Register for the event here.
Auckland Conversations - How can we make Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland a playful city?
Thursday 31st October, 5.30pm - 7.30pm - Aotea Centre
Play is essential for tamariki wellbeing, and playful environments are welcoming and joyful spaces for everybody – but play hasn’t always been at the top of the list of considerations when designing urban spaces, or when thinking more generally about what makes a city a good place to live, work, and visit.
Join us at this Auckland Conversation as we encourage participants to imagine what it would be like if Tāmaki Makaurau was full of opportunities for play and fun, for people of all ages.
Register for the event here.
Dungeons & Dragons
Friday 1st November, 11:30-1:30pm and 6-9pm - Freyberg Square/ Ellen Melville Centre
Ever want to delve into the realm of your imagination, escape the office and be the hero (or sneaky rogue!) for a change? Dungeons and Dragons has seen a global resurgence in recent years – come experience what the fuss is all about and join in a game session with the master storytellers from Questbook. Designed for all ages - families and newcomers alike are welcome to come play.
There will be a lunchtime ‘taster’ session run during the day, with the main event in the evening.
Book in your D&D session here – space will also be available for walk ups.
Mas-wrestling – A traditional Kazakh sport
Friday 1st November, 11:30-1:30pm - Freyberg Square
A member of the Kazakh community will bring a Mas-wrestling stick to EMC and demonstrate how this traditional sport is played. Mas-wrestling is a strength-based sport where competitors pull on a wooden stick to try and unbalance their opponent.
Play in the Square
Saturday 2nd November, 10am-3pm - Aotea Square
We will be taking over Aotea Square for a full day of outdoor play activities for all ages. Jump into the mini-soccer Hungerball arena and test your skills in this fast-paced communal game of frantic footwork. Stretch your imagination with the expansive loose parts playground from Junky Monkeys and Conscious Kids. Sit down with the folks from The Open Fort at their Play Cafe and make some new friends while playing games, running around on some secret treasure hunts or buzzing as bees in their giant Bee Garden game.
Out and About - Conscious Kids
Sunday 3rd November, 10am-2pm - Myers Park
Finish off play week by exploring Myers Park for a play session focused on nature and the environment delivered by the Conscious Kids team.
City Centre Ride ‘n’ seek
October 1 - 31, 10am-2pm - Myers Park
Biketober is underway and the City Centre Loop is a great part of the network to explore on bikes. During October, come check out the Loop and Ride ‘n’ Seek as you go! There are 5 interactive boards around the Loop where you can enter a draw to win one of these fantastic prizes:
- Tickets to Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium, for four people;
- A ferry pass to Waiheke, for four people;
- A round of golf at Holey Moley, for four people;
- A visit up the Sky Tower, for four people;
- A month’s e-bike hire from the Electric Bike Team (for one person) or a $60 voucher for Bangkok Rolled Ice Cream (for four people)
The City Centre loop is a 6.7km network of off-road paths and protected cycle lanes connecting you to all the city centre has to offer.
Take a photo anywhere along the City Centre Loop and go into win spot prizes.
How to enter:
- Take a photo of yourself, or with your crew enjoying a ride on the City Centre Loop
- Post to Instagram
- Include #BiketoberAKL
So what are you waiting for? With three weeks to go, grab your friends, family or team-mates and get out there!
More information: https://at.govt.nz/cycling-walking/courses-events/biketober-2024
The Auckland city centre Play Week programme is supported by Auckland Council and the city centre targeted rate and all activities and events are free to attend.
