Published 3 October 2025
Play, Pause & Power Up: Designing School Spaces for Wellbeing
Schools across Aotearoa are facing rising challenges around student wellbeing, mental health and engagement. Sport New Zealand’s Active Bodies, Active Minds report points to a powerful and practical lever: Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC).
From structured sport to free play and simple ‘brain breaks’, the report reveals how regular movement and time outdoors boosts wellbeing, improves focus, and strengthens social and learning outcomes.
The opportunity: smart school campus design
The opportunity for educators is to turn this knowledge into action through thoughtful school campus design. By creating play and recreation spaces that support movement, rest and connection, schools can provide staff and students with the right environments to thrive.
Well-designed outdoor furniture and facilities are the backbone of these spaces – making activity easier, downtime more restorative, and the school community more connected.
Design tips for school play and recreation spaces
Successful school campus design is guided by one question – how can this space be used to support our education and wellbeing goals?
Every school is different, but the principles are the same. Whether it’s a place to play, learn or socialise, outdoor spaces should be:
Aesthetically appealing – to inspire pride and ownership.
Functional – configured to suit daily school life.
Inclusive – accessible and welcoming for everyone.
Durable – low maintenance and built to withstand high use.
Engaging staff and students in the design process also sends a powerful message: this is their space, designed for their needs.
Outdoor furniture solutions for schools
Urban Effects offers a wide range of products to help design school play and recreation spaces that support EOTC.
- Spaces to gather: Modular seating and benches to encourage connection, with smart layouts that create conversation zones.
- Spaces to learn: Shelters and tables that double as outdoor classrooms, lunch spots or places to simple catch-up.
- Spaces to support sport & school events: From courtside to the sports field and cultural events, facilities that support participation matter. Grandstands help students and staff who aren’t on the field or on stage be part of the action.
- Spaces to play: From table tennis tables to FUNiture that combines seating and play equipment, these add fun, energy and healthy outlets during breaks.
- Spaces to connect: The Chatterbox Seat, developed with mental health advocate Emily Turnbull, provides a unique platform for students to pause, talk and connect – supporting mental wellbeing in a practical and visible way.
The beauty of many of these New Zealand made products is that they can be customised with colours, decals, and laser cut designs that align with school branding and values.
The EOTC effect in New Zealand schools
Newlands Intermediate School: Conversations that matter
Sometimes the smallest interventions have the biggest impact. At Newlands Intermediate School, the Chatterbox Seat provides a platform for connection by providing a designated place for students to talk and check in with each other. Principal Angela Lowe says it has become a simple but powerful way to support student mental health.
Pukekohe Intermediate School: Cheering each other on
At this Auckland school, the decision to re-surface the basketball court in a central part of the school presented the opportunity to transform it into a more vibrant, multi-purpose space. Their installation of Metro Grandstands has made it a space where students, staff and the wider school community can come together to connect, support each other and celebrate school life.
OneSchool Global: Outdoor learning in action
The educators at OneSchool Global Taranaki Campus embraced research showing that showed 88% of teachers say students are more engaged when learning outdoors. The school installed seven Metro Outdoor Learning Tables to turn their lunch area into a hub for innovative activities – from outdoor lessons to cooking competitions that mix maths, science and confidence-building fun.
Ready to activate your school’s outdoor spaces?
Book an obligation free planning session with one of our outdoor space specialists. Through our partnership with Playground Centre, we also offer school playspace design and build services to extend the impact even further.