Playcentre Aotearoa New Zealand is having an open week, on the 17-21 August., Chatting with Emma Curtis, president of The Whitianga Playcentre was a fun. As we were sitting on the couch a whole range of activities were taking place around us; Every corner was an invitation to play – paints, dinosaurs, books, interactive activities all designed for curious minds to grow and explore. Outside, there was plenty to climb, ride, chase, squish, squeeze, and build. Each child was free to choose their own adventure – and the best part was watching the grown-ups get pulled into it too, mums and dads down on the floor building blocks and chasing dinosaurs of their own. This is clearly a place where happy memories get made.
Playcentre isn’t a drop-off centre. Unlike daycare, parents stay with their children the whole time – and according to Emma, that’s exactly the point. It means parents get a front-row seat to every milestone. Parenting, she pointed out, is a big job, and a lonely one if you’re doing it solo. The real value of Playcentre is the community that grows around it: connections with other local families, friendships between the kids (and the adults) that can last for years, and a genuine sense of belonging.
Playcentre welcomes everyone from wide-eyed babies just discovering the world to confident five and six-year-olds ready to run the show. There’s a rich variety of quality play and learning experiences, and with so many watchful parents around, it’s a safe environment where kids are free to discover their own strengths and interests. There’s also support for the grown-ups — including free education programmes, such as credits toward the NZ Certificate in Early Childhood Education
and Care.
Best of all, it costs nothing to bring your child along. Donations are always welcome, of course, and Whitianga Playcentre would like to give a shout-out to St Andrew’s Church and Whitianga Social Services for their generous donations of clothing and pyjamas. The centre is also part of Z service station’s Good in the Hood programme, where fuel customers can donate a token to their favourite local cause. And naturally, there’s the odd bake sale and fundraiser thrown in for good measure.
Come along
If you’re a parent with a young child and would like to check out Playcentre, don’t be shy — come along to the open days. Whitianga Playcentre is open 9am–12:30pm on Tuesdays and Fridays, or simply pop in, chat to Emma or the other mums and dads, ask questions, and get a feel for the centre. Bring old clothes, because children get messy — and let them, because this is hands-on adventure, full of smiling, giggling, happy children.
Come play. Come chat. Come belong.
• Whitianga Playcentre –
1F White Street, Whitianga 3510
· whitianga@playcentre.org.nz · 027 880 3947
• Coromandel Playcentre –
80 Woollams Avenue, Coromandel 3506
· 027 700 1803
• Thames Parawai Playcentre –
331 Parawai Road, Thames 3500
· 027 880 3945
• Whangamatā Playcentre –
100A Achilles Avenue, Whangamatā 3620
· 07 865 7091
• Turua Playcentre –
12 Raratuna Street, Turua 3574
