Children's Day 2026

This year Children’s Day is growing even bigger than ever before, now celebrating all week long, with events popping up across Tauranga from 23 February to 1 March, leading to the much loved Children’s Day in our city centre event on Sunday, 1 March.

Plan your week of city-wide fun with and discover a range of events from face painting, bubble and foam shows, giant games, scavenger hunts, outdoor movies, pop up skate ramps and more!

Explore the city-wide programme

For the fourth consecutive year, the Children’s Day in our city centre event, on Sunday 1 March, reimagines the heart of our city as a massive multi-zone playground filled with creativity, music, discovery and adventure for all ages and abilities. From the play-zones you know and love to the interactive activations and a brand new dress up parade, get ready to explore even more colourful fun zones across the city centre and immerse yourself in the new Children’s Day 2026 play spaces!

Bring your whānau and make a day of it in the city centre. It’s all free and not one you’ll want to miss!

Find out more about the event

What to expect

Tamariki can get hands-on with painting, crafting and building, explore emergency vehicles and big machines, enjoy live performances and dive into LEGO, games, woodwork, science experiments, face painting, dancing and so much more. Capture all the fun at various event photobooths and join the colourful new dress up parade through the city centre.

• Arts and Crafts Zone – The Cargo Shed
• Performance Zone – Tauranga waterfront, Park North
• Event Zone – The Strand and Masonic Park
• Activity Zone – Tauranga waterfront, Park South
• Construction Zone – Te Manawataki o Te Papa site, off Willow Street
  Brought to you by LT McGuinness.
• Neon Disco Zone – Baycourt Community & Arts Centre
• Low Sensory Zone – He Puna Manawa, Tauranga Library
• New! Mad Scientist Zone – He Puna Manawa, Tauranga Library
• New! LEGO Zone – Tauranga City Council, 90 Devonport Road
• New! Dress up Parade

Plus interactive sessions at:

• TINKD Makerspace –  Basestation, 148 Durham Street
• TOI Tauranga Art Gallery – 108 Willow Street
• Helmet and bike safety checks - BikeBox located on The Strand
  Brought to you by Tauranga City Council Travel Safe Team with support by Triathlon Tauranga.

Find out more about each zone by joining the Facebook event page.

Join the Facebook event

Please note that photos and videos will be taken at this event for pomotional use.

Getting there

• Free parking all weekend in on-street and council-operated spaces in the city centre. No payment, no stress, just park and go.
• Closest parking locations: Dive Crescent carpark, Spring Street and Elizabeth Street parking buildings are just a short walk to the waterfront.
• Accessible parking is available in all parking buildings and on-street. For more info visit mobility parking.
• Bike parking is available at the secure BikeBox shelter located on The Strand. Ride into the city centre using the shared zones and waterfront boardwalk, and get yourself a free safety check while you're there. Brought to you by Tauranga City Council Travel Safe, with support from Triathlon Tauranga.