Sensory wonderland in Avon-Ōtākaro Forest Park

A deserted residential playground has been brought back to life as a sensory nature play park.

Te Kohanga Taiao Sensory Nature Play Park opened last weekend on Brooker Avenue in the city’s red zone after two Christchurch businesses – Hummingbird Coffee and The Green Lab - teamed up to work with Christchurch City Council on the project.

Nestled within restoration plantings thanks to the efforts of Avon-Ōtākaro Forest Park Trust, the new park aims to serve as an educational hub and a nature haven to encourage a deeper connection with the environment.

Its design encourages children to discover nature by feeling different textures of leaves and wood, to smell a variety of native plant aromas, and listen for the variety in natural sounds like tapping on wood and rustling leaves.

“This kind of opportunity to invent play, to utilise found materials and discover interesting spaces to play are really important for our children’s sense of independence, creativity and confidence,” says Council Play Advocate Louise Van Tongeren.

“The play spaces are deliberately set up to inspire children to head off and explore, without being overly prescriptive about what to actually do.”

Children learn through all of their senses – for some that is running and climbing and others may learn better through sensory elements, says Louise. 

“When we provide spaces that allow for other kinds of exploration, including calmer play experiences, we are being much more inclusive of a wider range of needs within our community.” 

Once a former residential area, the park is now home to multiple wētā ‘hotels’ and ‘apartments’ made at workshops held at Phillipstown Community Hub. These are warm and dry spaces where ecologically important native wētā, bees and wasps can keep safe from predators like rats and birds.

The park has been designed to significantly increase and encourage the biodiversity of the area. A recent ‘bioblitz’ held at the site as part of the City Nature Challenge uncovered more than 100 different species of plants, insects, spiders and fish in just a few hours.

Council Community Partnership and Residential Redzone Ranger Sarah Mankelow says the Avon Ōtākaro River corridor will be a green spine that stretches from the city to the sea.

“The opportunity to restore and protect the river that runs through the heart of our city and plan ahead for climate change is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

“Created for community by community, it is a beautiful space for all ages and abilities to picnic, play and enjoy.”

The Avon-Ōtākaro Forest Park Trust will take on the kaitiaki role of ongoing care and maintenance of the play space.