A series of daytime activities aimed at helping kids and parents get through the school holidays is happening again in January.

The Colab-organised Summer in the Park will happen in Jubilee Park on Tuesdays and Thursdays across three weeks, starting on January 13.

More than 600 children were part of the series last year and 15 organisations, groups and sports clubs were involved in providing the activities.

Many of them are coming back in 2026 for Summer in the Park, facilitated by Te Puke’s multi-organisation body Colab. Free food will be available at each event, which was a key purpose of setting the series up originally.

Beks West, operations support, said the events had moved slightly away from that with a greater focus on the activities, although free food would still be available.

Since last summer’s events, Colab had put together its own play trailer that will be at each event. The trailer carries a variety of games and equipment from giant Jenga, Connect Four and corn throw to volleyball nets and balls for different sports.

Also new this year will be Iconz and Litter Arty. Iconz is a Boys’ Brigade programme that offers action, adventure and activity and a taster will be at Summer in the Park. Those in the Iconz after-school programme had already made stilts for the toy trailer.

Litter Arty is run by Keep Te Puke Beautiful and is an art and craft activity using things that might be regarded as litter.

American football was popular in the past Summer in the Park events and the Pacific Coast Sharks American Football Club would be there to showcase its sport.

Circability, a first-timer last summer, will be back. It uses social circus as a tool for developing personal confidence, physical and emotional literacy, and wellbeing, connecting people and sharing joy.

Others attending are staff from Te Puke Library, Mainly Music, Ngā Kākano, Sport Bay of Plenty, Parafed and IHC.

The programme of events is still being finalised. Keep an eye on the Colab Facebook page for updates. The events will be held between 10am and 1pm each day at Jubilee Park.