Exploring how tākaro, mātauranga Māori and our everyday experiences shape the mauri of our kāinga. 

This year we are drawing on the theme of Kaiāio for Aotearoa Play Week. Kaiāio invites us to explore the relationship between tākaro, mātauranga Māori and the everyday experiences that shape how we live, feel and relate to one another. It asks us to look beyond play as an activity for tamariki and consider how the experiences we create, the relationships we nurture and the environments we share contribute to the mauri of our kāinga.

Through an interpretation of 'Ka Ia Io', Kaiāio explores the concepts of ignition, the person and that spiritual essence of being. Kai becomes a point of entry into this kōrero, inviting us to consider nourishment beyond what we eat. Our experiences, relationships, surroundings and the things we bring into our lives all contribute to what we nurture within ourselves and our tamariki. 

Through the play and movement of Hine Pū Te Hue, taonga pūoro, pūrākau and connection to te taiao, tākaro becomes an opportunity to awaken our senses, and explore the relationship between  sound, breath, body and being. These experiences invite us to connect with the living knowledge held within our whakapapa and the world around us, creating opportunities to experience ihi, wehi and wana through play.

But Kaiāio does not end when play stops. It extends into the everyday rhythm of our whare: how we wake, prepare kai, care for ourselves, move between responsibilities and settle into rest. These ordinary moments can hold opportunities for connection, particularly during the times of the day that feel most challenging for our tamariki and whānau.

Every kāinga has its own rhythm 

There are times when everything flows easily and times when emotions rise, tensions emerge and the energy within the whare feels unsettled. These experiences are part of life, a part of being whānau. Kaiāio encourages us to look beneath the surface and consider what our tamariki might be experiencing, how we respond to their needs and what we can do to support connection when the rhythm of the day shifts.

Through tākaro and Whakatau Hā, we can explore the role of breath, sound, movement and presence in helping tamariki and whānau reconnect. Sometimes this might mean creating space to move and express energy; at other times, it might mean slowing down, sharing a familiar waiata or finding a moment of stillness together. There is no single approach that works for every tamaiti or every kāinga. The opportunity is to draw on our own mātauranga, whakapapa and experiences to find what is meaningful for our whānau.

Kaiāio is not about keeping our tamariki calm all the time or creating a perfect whare. It is about recognising that the relationships we build, the environments we create and the experiences we share all contribute to the mauri within our kāinga. Through intention, connection and tākaro, we can create conditions that support our tamariki to explore, express themselves and find their own rhythm.

This Aotearoa Play Week, He Wā Tākaro, He Wā Kaiāio invites us to bring these understandings into our everyday lives. To recognise the value of simple moments, the rituals that are special to our whānau and the opportunities for play that already exist within our daily routines.

Kaiāio reminds us that tākaro can be woven throughout the everyday and extraordinary experiences of being whānau. It is an invitation to nourish the being, awaken through play and create space for āio to emerge within our tamariki, ourselves and our whare.

Mātāmua ko te taiao, mātāmuri ko te tangata. Tākaro mai!