Tākaro ā Poi - Margaret Mahy Family Playground

Just a five-minute walk from the city centre, set beside the gentle curves of the Ōtākaro / Avon River, the Tākaro ā Poi – Margaret Mahy Family Playground is bursting with colour, movement, and play. It's a joyful place, and one of the largest playgrounds in the Southern Hemisphere when it opened in 2015.

The name Tākaro ā Poi carries layers of meaning. It speaks of the swinging motion of the poi, of people coming together to play, and also references Kaiapoi Pā, grounding the playground firmly in place and history.

At its heart, this is a playground that invites imagination and adventure. Slides twist and tumble, climbing nets challenge brave explorers, swings soar, and a flying fox sends riders zipping through the air. There’s a water play area for warm days, in-ground trampolines, tunnels to crawl through, and spaces to rest between bursts of energy. Food trucks and public BBQs turn visits into relaxed, all-day outings, making it easy for families to stay, share a meal, and enjoy time together.

Threaded through the playground is something uniquely Christchurch: a 130-metre Story Arc. This sculptural pathway tells stories of migration and settlement, woven together with artworks, carvings, and words by local writers. Fittingly, the playground is named after Margaret Mahy, one of New Zealand’s most beloved writers. Born in Christchurch in 1936, Mahy enchanted generations with her imaginative, playful, and slightly mischievous stories. It’s very fitting that a playground should bear her name. She wrote more than 100 picture books, 40 novels, and 20 short-story collections, leaving a lasting mark on children’s literature around the world. Her work earned her the Carnegie Medal twice, with a third runner-up recognition. An extraordinary achievement.

Tākaro ā Poi is a place where stories and play meet, where creativity is encouraged, and where joy is taken seriously. In a city that has rebuilt itself with care and imagination, this playground stands as a reminder that recovery isn’t only about buildings but it’s also about laughter, learning, and even a little fun.