Big Ideas from Small Designers: How 6-Year-Olds Shaped Their Own Play Space
A Challenge Worth Solving
At Te Huarahi Linwood Avenue School, the outdoor play environment lacked spaces that truly reflected the needs and aspirations of tamariki. Recognising the inequities children face in shaping their own environments, the Gather design team set out to address this by involving tamariki directly in the design process.
Designing With, Not For
The project followed an inquiry-driven co-design approach, aligning with the school's cultural narrative and curriculum objectives. Through a structured design thinking process - Research, Define, Ideation, Prototype and Build - tamariki explored their outdoor space, identified missing elements, and imagined new possibilities.
Engaging, hands-on activities allowed Year 2 children, just 6 years old to articulate their ideas through sketches and scale models. The excitement grew as they constructed full-scale cardboard prototypes, enabling them to physically interact with their designs before finalising them.
Real-World Impact
The result? Two unique play structures - a seed pod and a pied stilt - directly inspired by mahinga kai and the children’s aspirations for spaces to climb and hide. The hands-on build phase gave tamariki practical skills, confidence, and a sense of ownership over their environment. The project also strengthened community bonds, with whānau actively participating in construction and celebrating the final outcomes.
As one child reflected, 'I learnt that if something doesn’t work, keep trying until you get it.' Meanwhile, teachers and the principal saw firsthand the broader benefits - enhanced problem-solving, communication, and spatial awareness skills, deeply embedded in inquiry learning.
Inspiration for Councils
This project demonstrates the transformative power of co-design with tamariki. Beyond play structures, it fostered a deep connection to place, boosted confidence, and created stronger school-community relationships. Councils seeking to create more inclusive and meaningful public spaces should take note: when children are actively involved, the results are more innovative, engaging, and impactful for everyone.
