Playcentres to open for an orientation week

Rapanui-Brunswick Playcentre families ready to open for Playcentre Open Week. Photo / Bevan Conley

Playcentres throughout Whanganui are inviting whānau with tamariki (children) aged 0-6 years to visit during Playcentre Open Week.

The open week begins the day after Te Rā O Ngā Tamariki-Children’s Day, on Sunday, March 5.

“While Playcentre is a nationwide charity with over 400 centres across the country, each local playcentre is made up of individual tamariki and whānau that play, learn and grow together to create their own playcentre community,” Playcentre Aotearoa chief David Moger said.

“Playcentre is an early childhood education (ECE) provider with a difference; it is parents and whānau who care for the children attending,” Moger said.

Whanganui parent Margaret McBride said she had recently moved to Whanganui.

“What a relief to me that I could join a new playcentre and know I’d be welcomed and continue my supportive parenting journey,” she said.

Rapanui-Brunswick Playcentre is among those taking part in Playcentre Open Week. Photo / Bevan Conley

Aramoho Playcentre president Rachel Carter had been offering early childhood education to families for 50 years, but has been experiencing low numbers recently.

The largest playcentre in Whanganui is in Springvale, operating five days a week for mixed-age children. They also run Space, an initiative for newborns at playcentre (for babies under 1 year) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons.

Playcentre also offers parenting support, including connection with other parents to share joys and challenges with, to a free NZQA-approved education programme to develop parenting skills and understand how children learn and develop.

Whanganui playcentres and opening hours:

Springvale Playcentre, 39 Fox Rd: Monday to Friday, 8.45am to 12.15pm

Aramoho Playcentre, 23 Burmah St: Tuesday and Thursday, 9am to noon

Rapanui-Brunswick Playcentre, 823 Rapanui Rd: 9am to noon (visit during Playcentre Open Week and receive three visits free)

Eastside Playcentre, 10 Matarawa St: Open every day but Thursday, 9.30am to 12.30pm

– This report was produced under the Public Interest Journalism initiative, funded by NZ on Air