Junky Monkeys spreads joy, expands imaginations, and prioritises play in schools and communities.
Junky Monkeys is a loose parts play provider – meaning we work with schools and events, showcasing and advocating for the potential of play. Our goal is to spread the transformative power of loose parts play throughout Aotearoa.
Since 2017, we have facilitated hundreds of joyful, open-ended play experiences in schools and community events, while also supporting schools in activating their own loose parts programmes.
Benefits to Loose Parts Play:
Playing with a pile of junk forces kids to collaborate. You will see kids playing outside of their friend groups, testing and trialling social skills within an authentic context.
By giving students time, space, and resources to test out ideas, they start to see potential everywhere, with no right or wrong answers. Students test, evaluate, problem-solve, and reflect because they are intrinsically motivated.
Students will be taking physical and mental risks outside of their comfort zones. New learning happens here, where kids feel safe to try without feeling judged or evaluated on their progress.
With endless possibilities in play, students will naturally draw on their creativity to solve problems and generate original ideas. Imaginative play will unfold all around, as students pretend they are in different realities. Re-enacting experiences and making sense of the world around them.
Learning will be unfolding everywhere, and it is the teachers role to look for it and identify how that potential can be acknowledged, celebrated, or utilised.
Removing the four walls can break down barriers to students learning with their whole bodies. Moving outside creates positive neural pathways associated with being in the natural world, laying the foundation for a stronger sense of connection and responsibility for protecting our whenua.
Play is a universal language that brings people together, uniting them in shared adventures. The feelings that come with these adventures – joy, curiosity, and delight— create positive learning moments that build students connection
Through playing with junk rescued from landfill, students gain a hands-on, experiential understanding of the waste cycle and their role in creating a circular economy. One person’s trash becomes another’s treasure.
Seeing kids highly engaged in play while navigating relationships is often where school values are practised and honed—values such as respect, kaitiakitanga, resilience, and whanaungatanga. In these moments, students aren’t just learning about these concepts— they’re living them.
Junky Monkeys have proudly activated play for:
What people say about us...
Every child that participated was beaming with delight. The creativity, perseverance, and imagination that was displayed was amazing. They all asked when Junky Monkeys was coming back again!
– Kaiako
I wish it was junky monkeys everyday. I wish we could start the day over.
– Student
I saw learning everywhere, the curriculum was oozing out of the play.
– Kaiako
This is the best school day ever!
– Student
Whoever created Junky Monkeys is a genius. This is the best day ever.
– Student
Junky Monkeys are the inventors of fun!
– Student
This programme reinforced the need for play across our Year 1-8 group. The teachers definitely observed the benefits and are keen to make loose parts play a regular occurrence at our School.
– Kaiako
We will be having Junky Monkeys at our school for the third time soon. It’s such an amazing learning experience for the children and the teachers! The creativity, problem-solving and collaboration that transpires is so awesome to observe and be part of. A bonus is that you don’t need to worry about organisation, parent helpers, ratios for off-site trips or paying for expensive buses. I highly recommend the Junky Monkeys experience.
– Kaiako
Did Junky Monkeys inspire you to offer more play?
Schools We've Woked With:
St Johns Mairangi Bay, Holy Cross, Massey Primary, Dominion Road, St Therese, Papatoetoe South, Māngere Bridge Primary, Pokeno School, Sancta Maria, Owairaka School, Christ the King Catholic School, Yendarra, West Harbour, Stanley Bay, Northcote Primary, Bailey Road, Royal Oak, Avondale Primary, Avondale Intermediate, Windy Ridge, Kohimarama School, Stanhope Primary, Chapel Downs, Vauxhall, Royal Oak, Shelly Park, Parnell Primary, New Windsor, West Harbour, Takanini, Don Buck, Edendale, St Mary’s Papakura, Kaipara Flats, Halsey Drive, Sunnybrae Normal, Torbay, Te Papapa, Monte Cecilia, Newton Central, Henderson High, Mauku, AUT Refugee Centre, Oteha Valley, Glen Avon, and Remuera Primary.
Junky Monkeys in the press:
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