Play Strategy

Play isn’t just about playgrounds and parks—it happens everywhere. From libraries to schools, sports facilities to community events, streetscapes to wide-open countryside, and even informal spots we discover every day. With our lakes, rivers, and rural landscapes, Central Otago offers unique opportunities to play and connect with our surroundings.

Over the past few months, we’ve been working with local groups, organisations, and communities across our district to understand how play fits into daily life. Now, we’re ready to take those ideas—along with yours—and create a district-wide strategy to support and enable play in our community.

What is play?
Play is any activity we do for joy. It’s self-motivated, creative, and driven by curiosity. Play is what makes us smile, explore, and thrive—no matter our age, and it’s extremely important for the development of children.

Play is for everyone
Whether you’re young, old, or young at heart, we want to hear your thoughts. Together, we can design a district where play is a part of everyday life—across our towns, rural communities, and natural landscapes.

Let’s think big
Play is so much more than swings or slides; it’s about creating moments of joy, creativity, and connection with the places around us. We invite you to dream with us and imagine what play can look like across Central Otago.

Play Challenge

While you're out exploring the many Council play spaces, you'll see posters for the Play Challenge, that invite you to visit as many play spaces and provide a bit of feedback. That feedback will help us with our review of playgrounds and you'll go in the draw for a $50 Prezzy card! Click here to learn more and to participate in the Play Challenge.

How can children have their say?

We’re excited to welcome input from children. Click here to print out a page to allow children to express how they play in their own unique way.

Please return this feedback to your closest Council office or library by 5pm 28 April 2025.

We take your privacy seriously. Any personal details you provide will remain confidential. We do not intend to proactively publish any verbatim comments we receive in response to this survey. The results will be collated in a summary report that will include key themes that come through in the comments.

Please note that comments received for any survey are considered official information and may be released if requested under the Local Government Official information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA).