Designing our new nature play space at Auckland Zoo!
We are planning to build one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s best nature play spaces here at Auckland Zoo in 2026 – with your help!
Our ambition is to move away from a traditional playground, to provide a play space where all ages and abilities connect, explore, and draw from the natural world.
We developed an online survey (which has now closed) to connect and listen to our communities about what’s important as we start designing Auckland Zoo’s new nature play space, with the following prompts in mind:
- Play that helps us learn about Aotearoa animals, plants, and natural places
- Play that includes everyone
- Play that helps us connect to and care for nature
- Play that weaves in our unique culture
- Play that is active, fun, and sparks our curiosity for nature
We want Auckland Zoos nature play space to be an inclusive and accessible, interactive outdoor space for people of all ages and abilities to connect in nature through play.
By creating a nature play space, we are seeking to deliver on the underlying principles that being more connected to nature enhances our visitors’ and communities’ wellbeing (social, physical, mental, and spiritual), and nurtures those life-long connections with nature that help to grow a love and care for wildlife and wild places.
Our nature play space will have a look and feel distinctly of Aotearoa New Zealand by celebrating and weaving in our country’s unique natural taonga, culture, and stories.
