Play School - Series Seven, Episode 142

Performing is the only thing I've done; it's the only thing I can do.

– Actor and presenter Rawiri Paratene on his long career in the arts, Stuff, 11 April 2021

I spied these things outside. They're for my outside egg box collection. There's a cone, and here's a stone, there's a leaf, a nice, soft rose petal, a shell from a snail...

– Presenter Winsome Dacker Aroha talks about her 'outdoor finds'

We got told off because Winsome [Dacker] wanted to say 'kia ora'. And they said 'no, we have to say 'good morning' and all of that sort of stuff, because we're trying to teach people how to speak'. And Winsome...well it made her cry, and I was really, really wild. And I said "what do you mean?". . . and I was a protestor  .  . . I said 'it's our language', and I said 'we should just be able to say 'kia ora'. And I had to talk with a producer, who was fantastic . . . she worked it out, and so from then, we could say 'kia ora'. And of course the next day, I said 'tena koe'! I was just being silly...

– Former Play School presenter Rawiri Paratene on breaking through cultural barriers in Kiwi television, RNZ, 5 August 2021

..in the early early days of Play School they were going to can it because children's television was not really valued by broadcasters . . .  apparently the government recieved more objection letters in the mail for the possiblity of cancelling Play School than they had ever ever had over any subject.

– Ex Play School presenter Pauline Durning recalls reaction to the show's potential cancellation, RNZ, 5 August 2011