The New Zealand State of Play Report
20
The New Zealand State of Play Report Commissioned by the MILO team Foreword by Professor Grant Schofield Ph.D., Psychology
Transcript of The New Zealand State of Play Report
The New Zealand State of Play ReportCommissioned by the MILO team Foreword by Professor Grant Schofield Ph.D., Psychology
Contents
I. Foreword .......................................................................................................................................................... 3
II. Research purpose ................................................................................................................................. 4
III. Research approach & design ................................................................................................... 4
IV. Definitions ..................................................................................................................................................... 10
V. Key findings from the State of Play Report ............................................................. 10
VI. Detailed overall findings ................................................................................................................. 11
I. Foreword by Grant SchofieldTo me, the findings of the State of Play report are
astonishing. My childhood memories are full of exciting,
active and adventurous play; however, the children of New
Zealand today are more likely to remember their ‘carefree’
days watching TV, playing video games and basically just
being sedentary.
The state of play in our country has reached such a critical
point that has to be addressed today, not tomorrow.
Plugged playtime has become the default activity,
displacing active unstructured play with friends and family.
The State of Play report explores what play looks like
in New Zealand today for 8 – 12 year old children. It
investigates what they are playing, who are they playing
with and most importantly, what is it that is stopping them
from playing. The type of play we are focusing on is active,
unstructured play – play without rules, timeframes or
scheduled training. It is activities such as; climbing trees, a
spontaneous game of backyard cricket or the creation of a
new game with a skipping rope.
The good news is that the research shows Kiwi kids love
being active and playing outside. We now have a better
understanding of what the barriers to play are and need
to provide our kids with what they need to ‘unplug’ and
venture into the backyard to let their imagination run wild.
Let them take some risks. Let them make mistakes. This is
how they will learn.
New Zealand families don’t need to be convinced of
play’s importance, according to the research, 97% of New
Zealand parents and 99% of grandparents state play is not
only important, but essential for a child’s development.
Recent scientific studies show that unstructured play
is emerging as a critical determinant of brain health in
children. The Prefrontal Cortex that develops through
childhood is a part of the brain that helps us understand
and manage risk, and control our impulsivity and emotion.
It seems that unstructured play, especially which is
managed by, and on the terms of children, is essential to
brain development. The appropriate time to learn how to
manage risk and emotion when climbing a tree at eight
years old, not behind the wheel of a fast car at 17.
We need to take advantage of our deeper understanding of
play through the State of Play report to ensure that play is
put back on the agenda today and for future generations to
ensure happy, healthy and well-balanced children.
Professor Grant Schofield
Professor of Public Health and Director of the Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition at The Auckland University of Technology. Dr. Schofield has extensive experience in physical activity health promotion, the psychology of physical activity, and overweight/obesity research. He is a recognised expert in the benefits of activity in children and youth. He is the author of many international research papers, and a regular speaker at national and international conference in his area of expertise.
The New Zealand State of Play Report | 3
II. Research purposePlaytime is critical to a child’s development, especially
for 8 to 12 year olds, for shaping their future social skills
and creating the foundations for strong relationships with
parents, grandparents and friends.
In recent years there has been an increasing number of
reports finding that children’s playtime is changing from
active to sedentary, as well as becoming increasingly
structured (organised, competitive and/or passive). The
State of Play Report was commissioned by the MILO team
to understand the extent of this in our own backyard.
For the purposes of our research, unstructured playtime
includes physical activity, often played outdoors. It is
a spontaneous, active and social everyday activity. To
understand how unstructured playtime has evolved,
this research looked to understand the changes from
the perspective of grandparents, parents and children
themselves.
Specifically, the research set out to understand the following
aspects of today’s play against each key audience group:
Children
> What play do they most enjoy and what activities are
they currently participating in?
> Who are they playing with?
> What are the barriers to play?
> What are the current perceptions of play?
Parents
> What are parents’ daily priorities and challenges?
> How do parents’ think children are spending their time?
> What, when and with whom are children playing?
> Are parents engaging in play with their children?
> What do parents think about the role of technology in
their children’s lives?
Grandparents
> How do grandparents believe their grandchildren are
spending their time?
> How engaged are grandparents?
> Do grandparents believe playtime has changed over time?
III. Research approach & design This quantitative research study on the state of play in New Zealand was undertaken by a third party research company,
Sweeney Research1 and commissioned by the MILO team. Please note this report only investigates the New Zealand
statistics, unless otherwise noted.
Below is an exact breakdown of the methodology by group:
Children Parents Grandparents
Survey Eligibility 8-12 year old children Parents of 8-12 year olds Grandparents that see their
8-12 year old grandchildren
at least once a month
Methodology > 5 minute online survey
> Conducted 11-17 Nov.
> 15 minute online survey
> Conducted 10-21 Nov.
> 10 minute online survey
> Conducted 8-11 Nov.
Sample (n) 168 406 152
With a total sample of 726 New Zealand respondents, the following considerations were also taken into account:
> The survey size was weighted to be geographically representative of the New Zealand population and to ensure an even
gender split;
> Children’s data was weighted to ensure an even split by childrens’ ages; and
> Respondents were recruited and incentivised through Research Now online panel.
1. Sweeney Research is one of Australia’s major full service research agencies and all studies are conducted in accordance with the International Standard ISO 20252
4 | The New Zealand State of Play Report
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
Age
20-29 yrs 40-49 yrs
30-39 yrs 50+ yrs
9%49%41%1%
A full profile of each of the sample groups is as follows:
Children’s profile
Parents’ profile
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
20% 20% 20% 20% 20%
Age
8 yrs 11 yrs
9 yrs 12 yrs
10 yrs
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
Area
11%8%48%32%
Urban Regional
Suburban Rural
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
Location
13%11%32%11%33%
Auckland Canterbury (Christchurch)
Wellington Rest of South Island
Rest of North IslandParents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
15%9%32%11%32%
Location
Auckland Canterbury (Christchurch)
Wellington Rest of South Island
Rest of North Island
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
50% 50%
Gender
Male Female
50% 50%
Gender
Male Female
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
12%52%31%
Area
Urban Regional
Suburban Rural
5%
The New Zealand State of Play Report | 5
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
27% 25% 17% 21% 10%
Household income
<$50,000 $100,001 or more
$50,001-$75,000 Prefer not to say
$75,001-$100,000
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
10%22%26%14%22%6%
Education level
Basic literacy & numeracy Diploma/technical qualification
High school qualifications Bachelors’ Degree
Certificate Advance Degree
Parents priorities in bringing up children
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 800 10 20 30 40 50Ages of Children in Household
0 10 20 30 40 50Child Carer when at work
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40Ages of Grandchildren
01020304050607080
Plugged VS Unplugged Playtime
0 10 20 30 40 50 60Factor Stopping Children
Ages of children in household
<8 years
8 years
9 years
10 years
11 years
12 years
13+ years 28%
20%
22%
23%
27%
31%
50%
Parents priorities in bringing up children
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 800 10 20 30 40 50Ages of Children in Household
0 10 20 30 40 50Child Carer when at work
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40Ages of Grandchildren
01020304050607080
Plugged VS Unplugged Playtime
0 10 20 30 40 50 60Factor Stopping Children
43%
25%
14%
12%
9%
6% %
29%
1%
Child carer when at work
Partner People running the extra-curricular/ organised activities
Grandparents Their friends and parents
Childcare Nanny
No-one Other
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
Housing status
House/town-house/terrace with garden
Flat/apartment block with garden
House/town-house/terrace with no garden
Flat/apartment block with no garden
3%
2%
1%
94%
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
Distance to nearest park/play area
<3km 6km-10km
3km-5km Further than 10km
2%
2%
5%91%
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
Marital status
Married Separated/Divorced/Widowed
De Facto Single
7%13%69% 11%
Parents’ profile - continued
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
1%
19% 7%26%47%
Working status
Work full-time Non-worker
Work part-time None of these
Home duties Prefer not to say
Currently looking for work
6 | The New Zealand State of Play Report
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
21%45%31%
Location of grandchildren
Same neighbourhood Different towns, same state
Same town, not neighbourhood
Different states
3%
Grandparents’ profile
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
25%75%
Marital status
Married/De Facto Single/Separated/Divorced/Widowed
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
9%33% 14%11%33%
Location
Auckland Canterbury (Christchurch)
Wellington Rest of South Island
Rest of North Island
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
Age
50-59 yrs 60+ yrs
0% 76%24%
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
Area
7% 10%48%36%
Urban Regional
Suburban Rural
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
13%24%21%31%10%
Household income
<$25,000 $75,001 or more
$25,001-$50,000 Prefer not to say
$50,001-$75,000
Parents priorities in bringing up children
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 800 10 20 30 40 50Ages of Children in Household
0 10 20 30 40 50Child Carer when at work
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40Ages of Grandchildren
01020304050607080
Plugged VS Unplugged Playtime
0 10 20 30 40 50 60Factor Stopping Children
Age of grandchildren
8 years
9 years
10 years
11 years
12 years 31%
28%
34%
34%
38%
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
Frequency of visiting grandchildren
Everyday Every 2-3 weeks
A few times a week Once a month
Once a week
9%24%19%34%14%
Gender
Male Female
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
50% 50%
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
Both parents working?
Yes No
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
Babysit when parents working
Regularly Rarely
Often Never
10%33%32%25%38%62%
Parents Pro�le Grandparents Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Education Level
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Children in Household
0 20 40 60 80 100
Housing Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance to nearest park/play area
Child carer when at work
0 20 40 60 80 100
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Marital Status
0 20 40 60 80 100
Household Income
Ages of Grandchildren
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location of Grandchildren
0.000000 16.833333 33.666667 50.500000 67.333333 84.166667 101.000000
Frequency of isitning g-c
0 20 40 60 80 100
Both parents working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Babysit when parents are working?
0 20 40 60 80 100
Working Status
Gender
KIDS Pro�le
Age
0 20 40 60 80 100
Location
0 20 40 60 80 100
Area
0 20 40 60 80 100
Importance of Play
0 20 40 60 80 100
Feeling about play with parents
Education Level
Gender
Working status
Retired Working full-time
Working part-time Other
31%19%42% 8%
The New Zealand State of Play Report | 7
IV. DefinitionsThroughout the research, the words listed below are
defined for this report as:
> Children: New Zealand residents aged 8-12 years old
> Structured play: Extracurricular and organised activities
that children participate in outside of school hours such
as training, dance classes, swimming lessons etc.
> Active/unstructured play: Unstructured activities
children engage in outside of school. For example;
backyard cricket or splashing about in the pool.
> Screen time: Watching television/movies or playing on
the computer.
> Plugged time: Screen time plus playing computer games.
In the survey we defined ‘play’ to the respondents as:
> To parents and grandparents: “The fun, creative,
recreation or play activities that your children/
grandchildren engage in wither on their own or with
others (e.g. siblings, friend, parents) outside of school
hours.”
> To children: “The fun activities you do either by yourself
or with other people, like your friends or family, when you
are not in school.”
V. Key findings from the State of Play Report
The state of play is in turmoil in New Zealand
as research reveals today’s kids are not playing
every day. In fact, the findings demonstrated that nearly
1 in 2 (46%) kids are not playing every day. Further, parents
(64%) and grandparents (74%) agree that children don’t
create their own play or games as much as they used to
in their own childhoods. This demonstrates a marked shift
in playtime behaviours from the past two generations to
today’s children.
Parents, grandparents and children agree on the
importance of play. In fact, 97% of parents and
98% of grandparents believe play is not only important
but essential for a child’s development. Yet parents admit
playtime often falls off the list of priorities.
Children are actually asking for a re-prioritisation
and issuing the call for more playtime. The
research reveals 2 in 5 (40%) Kiwi kids are saying they want
more play time outside and almost two-thirds of children
(63%) want more time playing with their parents.
The research reveals parents and children both
face similar barriers when it comes to play:
finding the time, sourcing inspiration and over-reliance
on technology. While these barriers take different forms
for parents and children, the result remains the same in
that playtime is decreasing.
It’s critical that these barriers be addressed and
the desire for more playtime be met because
without enough playtime, New Zealand kids may
not fully develop social skills and they may miss out
on critical bonding time with their parents. The vast
majority (96%) of parents say that play helps children
learn social skills and 72% of parents believe that they
really connect with their kids through play.
The following pages delve into each of these findings
more deeply to give a better understanding of the true
state of unstructured, active play in New Zealand.
1.
2.
4.
5.
3.
10 | The New Zealand State of Play Report
VI. Detailed overall findingsThe state of play is in turmoil in New Zealand,
as research reveals today’s kids are not playing
every day.
Nearly 1 in 2 (46%) children don’t play every day.
To understand this number, the research first looks at
the time constraints on today’s generation versus that of
past generations. Nearly half (43%) of parents and (46%)
grandparents say kids have less playtime compared to
when they grew up.
Parents believe that today’s children are increasingly
demanding, with almost 3 in 4 (72%) parents and 4 in 5
(83%) grandparents agreeing that children require more
to entertain themselves than they needed as kids. Further
emphasising this point, a highproportion of parents (65%)
and grandparents (74%) stated that children don’t create
their own play or games as much as they used to in their
own childhoods.
However, more than 1 in 3 parents (36%) and 2 in 5
grandparents (44%) also acknowledge that kids today have
less playtime than they did in their own childhoods.
1.
Everyday
Most days each week
A few days a week
Mainly just on weekends and holidays
6%
5%
36%
54%
The New Zealand State of Play Report | 11
12 | The New Zealand State of Play Report
Parents priorities in bringing up children
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
01020304050607080
0
10
20
30
40
50Ages of Children in Household
0
10
20
30
40
50Child Carer when at work
05
10152025303540
Ages of Grandchildren
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Plugged VS Unplugged Playtime
0
10
20
30
40
50
60Factor Stopping Children
37%
40%
32%
29%
16%
20%
21%
51%
52%
38%
33%
22%
1%
1%
38%
31%
23%
15%
15%
1%
1%
Household chores
Playtime outside
Homework
Extracurricular/organised activities
Playtime inside
Screentime
Playing video games
Child’s perspective
Parents’ perspective
Grandparents’ perspective
Parents (65%) and grandparents (68%) however agree on
what children should spend less time doing, which is being
plugged into technology.
Activities children should spend more time on:
Parents, grandparents and children agree on the
importance of play.
Across all three audience groups – grandparents,
parents and children – all recognise the importance of
unstructured, active play.
To begin, the majority of parents (97%) and grandparents
(98%) agree that playtime is not only important, but
actually essential for children’s development. So much so,
that only 17% of parents and grandparents agreed that
academics are more important than play. Interestingly,
children agree with 86% stating play is more important, or
equally as important as academics.
While there is no doubt parents recognise the importance
of play, it often falls off the list of priorities, taking a
backseat to teaching manners, getting a good education
and communicating with children.
2.
When asked what children should be spending more time
on, more than half of parents (52%) say that their children
should be spending more time playing outside, which
children also agreed with.
Parents priorities in bringing up children
71%
55%
43%
35%
26%
25%
17%
14%
9%
Teaching your child respect/manners/good morals
Spending enough time communicating with your
child
Ensuring your child gets a good education
Ensuring your child has enough time to play and
just be a kid
Ensuring your child is active
Spending enough time playing with your child
Protecting your child from peer pressures
Ensuring your child has a nutritionally balanced diet
Protecting your child from TV/movie/internet
influences/dangers
The New Zealand State of Play Report | 13
Children are actually asking for a re-prioritisation
and issuing the call for more playtime.
First, in order to understand why children want more active
unstructured play, it is important to establish their current
playtime habits.
The research reveals children are spending nearly half (47%) of
their time outside of school hours ‘plugged in’ to technology,
with ‘playing games on the Internet’ (72%) being the activity
children participate in most during the week.
However on the other hand, the most likely playtime activity
for New Zealand children on the weekends is going to the park
playground or beach (77%).
Percentage of children’s time spent plugged in
So now that we’ve established current playtime behaviour, it is
important to understand how children’s habits relate to their
desires.
First, there is a discrepancy between what parents think
children like doing and what the children actually say they like
themselves. More than half (56%) of parents think children
enjoy playing games from their parents’ childhood. Where in
fact, 96% of children state they do enjoy playing games from
their parents’ youth.
In addition to this, the majority (72%) of children say that
outdoor play is their favourite activity – and that they recognise
they should spend less time on technology. And, interestingly
when it comes to who children want to be spending more time
with when playing, 63% stated they’d like to play more with
their parents.
47%
53%
Plugged into technology
Unplugged
3.
Parents priorities in bringing up children
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
01020304050607080
0
10
20
30
40
50Ages of Children in Household
0
10
20
30
40
50Child Carer when at work
05
10152025303540
Ages of Grandchildren
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Plugged VS Unplugged Playtime
0
10
20
30
40
50
60Factor Stopping Children
40%
37%
32%
29%
21%
20%
16%
57%
34%
47%
64%
54%
49%
74%
3%
28%
20%
7%
25%
31%
10%
Playtime outside
Household chores
Homework
Extracurricular/organised activities
Playing video games
Watching TV or movies or playing on the computer
Play time – inside (but not video
games)
I should spend more time on this
I spend the right amount of time on this
I should spend less time on this
14 | The New Zealand State of Play Report
The research reveals both parents and children
face similar barriers when it comes to play:
finding the time, sourcing inspiration and overreliance
on technology.
More than 4 in 5 (88%) parents believe playing with their
kids is one of the most enjoyable activities they can do
with their kids, second only to doing something with their
families.
The most significant barrier for both groups is quite simply
time. Nearly half (42%) of parents find it challenging to
find the time to play with their kids and 64% of parents are
feeling guilty about it.
A notable contributing factor to parents not playing with
their kids is that half of parents (50%) agree it is looked
down upon for a parent to leave work early to play.
The pressure of time doesn’t stop with adults, with
school having a significant impact on children’s
play. 2 in 5 children (41%) say that they have too
much homework or are too tired from school to make time
for play.
The next barrier for playtime is lack of inspiration.
More than 1 in 3 (38%) of children say they’ve
run out of ideas run out of ideas for play. And
supporting this statistics is that nearly two-thirds (58%)
of parents believe children have forgotten how to amuse
themselves without electronic devices.
This insight leads into the third and final barrier for
play – an over-reliance on technology. Nearly 1 in
3 (31%) children report they don’t have anyone to
play with, which means they may turn to electronic devices
for play. And, parents agree as more than half (54%) of
parents say children spend too much time watching TV or
on the computer, making it a barrier to active play.
Factors stopping children having more play time4.54%
52%
33%
28%
22%
21%
10%
7%
7%
6%
6%
1%
11%
Spends too much time watching TV/on computer
Has no-one to play with
Gets bored, doesn’t know what to do
Spends too much time playing video games
Is too tired to play
There are not enough places to play in our
neighbourhood
We have no-one available to supervise them
Is too lazy
Has too much homework
Our neighbourhood is not safe
Has too many extracurricular/organised
activities
We are too busy visiting family
Other
The New Zealand State of Play Report | 15
It is critical that this desire for more playtime be
met. Without enough playtime, New Zealand kids
may not fully develop social skills and they may miss out
on critical bonding time with their parents.
There is no doubt that parents and grandparents are
certain of play’s role in their children’s development, with
a vast majority of parents (96%) and grandparents (98%)
stating that playtime is a great way for children to learn
social skills. 4 in 5 (85%)parents also believe that playtime
develops a child’s imagination and creativity more than any
other activity. In addition, nearly three quarters (72%) of
New Zealand parents and 4 in 5 (81%) grandparents feel
that playtime enables them to connect with their children.
Grant Schofield’s closing comments:
“We need to reprioritise setting children free in the
backyard and neighbourhood, to engage with the world
on their own terms, in their own time, with their own
choices about what to do. Active unstructured play
comes naturally; it is their default mode – kids don’t need
to be taught how to do it. All they need is to be in an
environment that is socially supportive of it.
What is remarkable is that the majority of kids (90%)
live less than three kilometres of a park or play area, yet
nearly half of kids don’t even play every day. Back when
we were kids, we would always be outside exploring the
neighbourhood, making friends with other children nearby.
Play is not a solo activity and is best with multiple people.
Therefore if your child has no siblings, parents need to
either take an active role in play and/or help their child
meet other kids in the neighbourhood. Involving yourself
in play with your child is great for social development and
relationship building, and with 63% of kids saying they
want to spend more time playing with their parents, it will
be greatly appreciated.
Children haven’t forgotten how to play, they just need
some encouragement from the people they rely on and
trust the most – their family.
It’s time to unplug and play!”
5.
16 | The New Zealand State of Play Report
The New Zealand State of Play Report | 17
Media enquiries: Georgia Ness
Account Manager, Bullet PR
Ph: (09) 375 1515 | Mob: 021 808 324
Nicholas O’Flaherty
Managing Director, Bullet PR
Ph: (09) 375 1515 | Mob: 021 303 181
CONTaCTS
