From face painting, pony rides and mini jeeps to bouncy castles, crafts, stage performances and barbers on site, there was something for everyone. Blankets were laid out, picnics were shared, and the park was alive with colour and energy as tamariki made their way from one activity to the next. The free sausage sizzle was a crowd favourite, alongside a range of food stalls and trucks keeping families warm and well fed. As always, the event was smoke-free, vape-free and alcohol-free, ensuring a safe and welcoming space for all.

Our activity stations saw strong engagement throughout the morning. A total of 103 tamariki and rangatahi entered the Guess the Pens and Pencils draw, with Joy taking the win after guessing within one of the correct total. Another 110 whānau entered the Guess the Grocery Total competition, with Oliver coming impressively close, just $2.71 off the final amount. Of those 110 whānau, 69 shared that they had previously heard about He Waka Tapu, highlighting the strength of our community presence and relationships.

One of the standout activations was our te reo Māori challenge, where tamariki and rangatahi rolled the dice and performed a te reo action in exchange for bubbles. In total, 200 bubbles were handed out, and it was awesome to see so many young people confidently engaging with language in a fun and positive way.

While the weather packed in around 1:20pm and we made the call to pack down early, the day was filled with aroha, laughter and genuine connection. A huge thank you to everyone who braved the rain to celebrate Te Rā O Ngā Tamariki with us. We hope you went home with tired tamariki, full hearts and some special memories. We can’t wait to do it all again next year.