Christchurch Airport has opened a large Antarctic themed playground inside its terminal, the centrepiece of a family focused overhaul aimed at making travel easier for families passing through and giving parents a chance to catch their breath.

The newly unveiled Little Explorers Base Camp features a climbable iceberg, sensory play walls, stepping rocks and a model C17 aircraft, alongside three digital touchscreens loaded with games. It is designed, the airport says, to let young flyers burn off energy and soften any nerves before they board.

More than 850 children under 12 pass through Christchurch Airport every day, and more than 170,000 families travel through each year, according to the airport.

“We’re committed to being a family friendly airport,” said Christchurch Airport Chief Commercial and Technology Officer David Cooper.

“Any parent knows that travel days with kids can be a juggling act. Our Little Explorers Base Camp is designed to ease pre flight nerves and help parents to hit pause, enabling a calmer start to their journey.”

Cooper said the investment reflected a long term commitment to supporting families through every stage of the terminal.

“We know more than 170,000 families travel through Christchurch Airport every year, which is why we’re designing every stage of our terminal transformation with families front of mind,” he said.

The playground’s distinctive look comes from Christchurch illustrator Kyla K, whose colourful penguins, gulls and other Antarctic creatures now appear across the walls of both the play space and the airport’s refurbished parent rooms.

“Kids see the world with so much imagination, and I wanted the artwork to celebrate that sense of adventure,” Kyla K said. “Creating characters and spaces that help children feel excited, and maybe even a little braver, before they fly has been so much fun.”

Alongside the playground, the airport has rolled out a suite of upgraded parent rooms fitted with microwaves and private feeding chairs, plus refurbished bathrooms that include all gender options. The new bathrooms feature West Coast photography by John Doogan, which the airport says is part of a push for a more inclusive passenger experience.

The new facilities mark the completion of Stage 1 of Christchurch Airport’s Terminal Transformation Programme. Earlier work in the same stage delivered a refreshed Level 1 food court, new eateries and retail outlets, upgraded seating and a redesigned Domestic Departures area.

Cooper said the early payoff from the revamp had been stronger than the airport expected.

“Following the revamp, more passengers who previously wouldn’t have used our shops and eateries are now choosing to do so. They are up around 25% alongside passenger growth. We’ve even had to increase the number of tables in the food court beyond our original plans,” he said.

Later this year, a second playground themed around polar explorer Ernest Shackleton’s hut will open inside Domestic Departures.

Stage 2 of the wider transformation, which will shift focus to International Departures and the retail areas on Level 1, is expected to take another 24 months.