Playcentre is a whānau-centred early childhood education service. You get to play alongside children, encouraging them to interact with others while you meet other parents and educators.
This unique opportunity sets Playcentre apart from kindergarten, childcare, preschool and daycare options. Playcentre creates a sense of belonging as families share responsibilities and decision making. Parents are the first educators of children, and Playcentres around New Zealand foster the involvement of whānau through early childhood education.
The curiosity and creativity of our tamariki is nurtured in a way that allows them to learn about themselves and their world.
Each centre has quality play environments with over 16 areas of play. Your child will be given a chance to explore, create, climb, read, sing, experiment, play music, wear costumes, have their face painted (or do it themselves!), garden, do carpentry with real tools, bake and cook, build sandcastles, swing, slide, dance, spend time in nature and get messy.
The activities change every day and the high adult to child ratio means there are a wide range of options. Playcentre parents all bring different skills, interests, and cultural backgrounds to add to the rich learning environment.
We welcome families with children aged 0 – 6 years. Mixed age play allows your children to engage with others older and younger than themselves. Pre-schoolers learn how to communicate, share and negotiate with empathy for their younger peers.
Parents are valued as the first and most important teachers in their children’s lives and are supported in their role as teachers. Parents learn to support their own and other children’s learning through play, participating in discussions with others and working alongside more experienced peers. Playcentre also offers a free education NZQA Education Programme to develop your parenting skills.
Each Playcentre will have the appropriate number of adults with the required qualifications to run a licensed day.
Some centres have the opportunity for you to drop your children off on particular days when your child reaches a certain age and is confident to do so.
