NATURE PLAY ASSESSMENTS

Nature play provides valuable opportunities to harness natural, sensory-rich environments, for their intrinsic playability and education-value for children of all ages and abilities. Nature play nurtures cognitive, social and emotional development whilst developing creativity and problem-solving through constructive, child-led play. Bespoke were engaged to prepare a nature play feasibility assessment for the Kaipātiki Local Board. This involved defining assessment parameters and criteria, including establishing nature play typologies -- unstructured play, movement play and education play. Kaipātiki is particularly fortunate to possess one of the largest extents of urban native vegetation within Auckland; which was comprehensively mapped to explore patterns and synergies between ecosystems, walking routes and existing playspaces to evaluate opportunities at a network level. Preferred sites identified were then assessed for play opportunities, with schematic site plans prepared to spatially articulate recommendations.