Little Feet - Mangere

The towering Totara and Pine trees created the foundation for the design of this early childcare centre's outdoor space. Weaving a water play river through the trees, and a combat course that threads through planting, encourages the children to be immersed in a natural environment underneath the canopies. Situated in a strong Pacifica and Maori community, the design incorporated play elements such as a Waka, Archways, a Wharenui and Fales that provide links back to the diverse cultures within the centre. This two story centre also has a play area built on the top floor. This creates a secondary space that extends out from the classrooms which is soft fall compliant to set up challenging modular equipment. With a long narrow area down the building, the end result adheres to fire accessibility requirements while still providing diverse play elements that aren’t compromised in size. From sandpits, to mud pits, cubby houses and messy play zones, the kids will have a variety of options to enhance their imaginative, social and physical play experiences.