Take a walk through one of Invercargill’s parks this week and you might rediscover the
simple childhood joy of swinging from a tree.
Twenty new tree swings have been installed across the city ahead of Play Week, a national
campaign beginning on Monday 20 October, offering Invercargill parkgoers of all ages a
chance to enjoy spontaneous, active fun outdoors.
Invercargill City Council Play Advocate Dr Damien Puddle, known as Dr Play, said the swings
provided recreational opportunities in natural spaces beyond the traditional playground.
“The swings are made from simple, affordable materials and are a great way for people to
enjoy some playful movement when they’re out and about,” he said.
“We installed six swings as a trial last year, which the community loved, but they wanted
more. We now have 26 tree swings in parks and reserves across the city.”
The swings were attached to sturdy overhanging tree limbs, which had been assessed by
Council arborists to ensure they were strong enough to support both children and adults.
Some of the swings reused materials from other playgrounds and were installed in a way
that prevents damage to the trees.
Puddle said Play Week was the perfect time to roll out the new swings, with a range of
additional activities planned to mark the national campaign.
“Play Week is all about celebrating the value of play for tamariki, whānau and local
communities,” he said.
“As well as installing new swings, our portable monkey bars and table tennis equipment will
be at Anderson Park over the weekend and there will be family-friendly events around
Invercargill over the course of the week.”
Other activities would include a play trail and scavenger hunt event at Stadium Southland
organised by Active Southland, the Great Game Gala at Invercargill Central run by Great
South, and a pop-up play event at Pomona Street Playground with South Alive.
For those looking for further ideas and inspiration for play, the second season of Dr Play’s
podcast, newly named
The Playful City, would be launched on Radio Southland on Saturday
25 October.
Puddle said he was looking forward to seeing families out and enjoying the week’s activities,
but the fun would not stop at the end of the week.
“When Play Week wraps up, the tree swings will be kept as a permanent feature in our
parks, adding to the play opportunities that make Invercargill such a vibrant place to be.”
A map showing the location of tree swings, information about Play Week activities and links
to The Playful City podcast could be found on the Invercargill City Council website:
www.icc.govt.nz/play.
Play Week in 2025 runs from Monday 20 October to Sunday 26 October.
