Te Kāmaka Mātauranga Kōhanga Reo
Playground goals ticked with a safe, flexible and easily maintained solution
Tired playground reinvigorated with colourful PlayBlox moveable play equipment.
Te Kāmaka Mātauranga Kōhanga Reo is an early childhood education centre based in Auckland, their playground was more than 24 years old, it was sturdy but looked tired and outdated.
Centre Manager, Alice Henare had seen an email, highlighting the features and benefits of PlayBlox movable play equipment and decided to reach out to Melissa Cowie (Mel), Playground Consultant for Park Supplies & Playgrounds, the PlayBlox manufacturer.
Mel offered to conduct a free playground inspection for Te Kāmaka Mātauranga Kōhanga Reo, Alice accepted, and Mel was quickly on-site to perform a Level 2 Operational Playground Inspection of the existing space and equipment.
The existing structures were predominantly made from timber and Mel uncovered many instances of rotting, splitting and splinters which were not immediately obvious to the untrained eye but were of significant concern. Alice says of the experience….
Alice Henare - Centre Manager
"Mel was really awesome; she shared her thoughts and expertise and it felt like she was genuinely trying to get the best outcome for us. She helped us consider the pros and cons of keeping the existing playground and repairing it or going with a replacement option, the latter became the best decision for us."
Play Space Before & After
Te Kāmaka Mātauranga Kōhanga Reo required a new play space that was within budget, would brighten the area and would be workable for children of various ages. Safety is also paramount within an early childhood play space so naturally, it was a key consideration when deciding on a playground supplier and specific equipment. PlayBlox play equipment meets all the New Zealand Safety Standards for play equipment in a supervised early childhood setting.
PlayBlox equipment is designed, built and certified in accordance with NZS5828:2015 Playground Equipment and Surfacing Standard and NZ5828 Appendix A: Supervised Early Childhood Education Services.
Alice shares; “We have children aged from 1-5 years playing on the equipment as well as our adult supervisor staff at times too, it was important that our new playground was durable and could handle both children and the adults who are assisting them.”
Alice Henare - Centre Manager
"We could see that with PlayBlox we could easily pack up and down the equipment when needed and change the configurations to mix things up for the children. It would also be easy care and simple to maintain with the clipping system. Being able to purchase extra blocks at any time was also a real drawcard. Our core age demographic changes every year so as they children age up, we could buy blocks suited for them, it would enable us to cater for specific age groups."
Flexibility and easy maintenance were also important to Te Kāmaka Mātauranga Kōhanga Reo, they wanted to
be able change the playspace at any time as certain activities with the children required a large flat space.
Eventually Te Kāmaka Mātauranga Kōhanga Reo settled on the “Hikuwai Combo” from the PlayBlox catalogue which included a variety of PlayBlox movable equipment including different size Blox, Climbers, Slides and Bridges. It was an easy choice for Alice to go with PlayBlox play equipment by Park Supplies & Playgrounds as the equipment ticked so many of their playground goals.
As well as the PlayBlox, Te Kāmaka Mātauranga Kōhanga Reo also decided to add some new fixed playground equipment form the Park Supplies & Playgrounds range and opted for a Lilypad Basket Swing, always a favourite with children of all ages and abilities.
QUICK AND SEEMLESS INSTALLATION
Te Kāmaka Mātauranga Kōhanga Reo decided they also needed to replace their surfacing to accommodate the new playground, the existing surface was a thin black rubber matting, but a decision was made to move to TigerTurf which provides cushioning but would also give the playground a more natural and open feeling.
Mel met with Alice frequently and was highly organised in her approach. Alice shares, “The TigerTurf took around 10 days to complete and then only another week for the swing to be installed and PlayBlox delivered. The whole installation process was very quick and ran smoothly. It was completed in early January within a short timeframe so that it would be ready when the centre reopened for 2021, Mel’s coordination of the project was seamless and hassle-free.”
ADDED VALUE IN STAFF TRAINING
Prior to the opening of the playspace, Mel ran training with the Te Kāmaka Mātauranga Kōhanga Reo staff to show them how to correctly set-up, clip together and maintain the equipment. This gave Alice confidence that moving forward they would be able to configure the equipment safely.
The new play space has been operational since late January 2021 and Alice and the team at Te Kāmaka Mātauranga Kōhanga Reo couldn’t be happier with the result
Alice Henare - Centre Manager
"PlayBlox has introduced a raft of colour to the previously tired playspace. The panels haven’t faded at all, we have also had a lot of issues with graffiti in the past – PlayBlox panels are fantastic as you can easily get rid of the graffiti with a simple wipe of a paper towel."
“The kids absolutely love having multiple climbing options, the Gladiator Rings are a particular hit!
The swing is also amazing, we can get 6 kids on there at once so it’s a real go-to for both the children and supervisors.”
Alice Henare - Centre Manager
On working with Park Supplies & Playgrounds Alice says, "The team at Park Supplies & Playgrounds are amazing people, their communication and co-ordination is very much on point. They really understand and take on board the needs of the children. I would highly recommend them to other ECE’s, Mel is still in contact regularly to make sure everything is on track and running smoothly. We appreciate the follow up, the whole experience from start to finish has been great!”
Download your copy of the Te Kāmaka Mātauranga Kōhanga Reo Case Study
PLAYBLOX SETUP - TIPS AND TRICKS
Check out our latest video below to see PlayBlox expert Mel Cowie’s tips and tricks for the safe and correct set up of our movable play equipment, ensuring the wellbeing of your tamariki and rangatahi and maximising the play value of PlayBlox at your centre.
Is your school planning a new playground?
If you would like more information or assistance in planning your playground please get in touch with us on
0800 752 947
or contact one of the team below
READY TO GET STARTED
Simply contact us to start planning your next project, or if you prefer browse our products online and create your own enquiry cart!
SALES MANAGER
Mobile: 021 822 676
Phone: 09 527 4666
Email: jenny@parksupplies.co.nz
PLAYGROUND CONSULTANT
Mobile: 021 0805 3949
Phone: 09 527 4666
Email: dan@parksupplies.co.nz
PLAYGROUND CONSULTANT
Mobile: 021 243 7038
Phone: 09 527 4666
Email: adrian@parksupplies.co.nz
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