At Playcentre grandparents are welcomed as a valued part of our village. Grandmother Lisa Kaukau, who attends Manurewa Playcentre with her 17-month-old mokopuna Anahera, shares her story.
Kia Ora. My name is Lisa. My Playcentre journey started with my son and continued with my nieces and nephews who are now all young adults and teens, so I have been involved on and off with Playcentre for over 20 years.
My husband and I have had our 17-month-old mokopuna (grandchild) in our permanent care since birth. Her name is Anahera. While it was fun being at home with Nan, Anahera was missing out on learning and playing with other kids and adults. She was bored and I was tired. I spoke with one of my friends who had returned to Playcentre with her nephew, and I realised there was a perfect solution…Playcentre.
We went for a visit on the last day of term in December 2024. I opened the gate and Anahera took off running. She was excited by the bright colours and all the other kids she could see playing. We were greeted warmly, and I introduced myself and Anahera to some of the adults there and had a quick conversation with my friend. I turned to find Anahera, and she had gone off with one of the older girls to play in the sandpit. It took all of 10 mins for her to feel safe and comfortable enough to leave my side, so we joined up.
We have been Playcentre members since the beginning of Term 1 this year. It has been amazing. Anahera absolutely loves it and so do I.
All the things that make Playcentre a wonderful place to be are still there, in fact they are even better. All the learning areas and activities are set up to be child-led, so the kids decide what they want to do and when and parents/caregivers assist and guide where needed. There are many different cultures, and different ages and genders and we all learn with and from each other.
Anahera and I have had so many wonderful experiences so far. We have gone kayaking, had a water play day with slides and big blocks of coloured ice, made summer rolls, takakau (Maori bread) and hot cross buns. She is getting to learn so much about the world around her and the people in it. She is learning about relationships and friendships with others. She has a wonderful tuakana/teina relationship with the older children and in turn the younger ones. She is learning to communicate with others and form relationships with other adults. All these things are essential building blocks for helping our tamariki learn and grow and most of all be happy and have fun.
Going from being a Playcentre Mum to a Playcentre Nan has been different for me too…in a good way. I love it even more than I did back then. The child led play focus has come full circle. My understanding of it is better and to see it in action to its full potential is wonderful. I am enjoying watching Anahera learn and play so much more because I know how important it is and what it is giving her, and I love seeing her happy and content. At the end of every session her wairua is full and so is mine.
I am not the only grandparent who attends either, just like the kids, the age groups of the adult members are all different too. It’s good to be able to chat with others and learn from them and they learn from you as well and to make new friends.
So, if you are a full-time grandparent like me or if you look after your mokopuna a few days or hours a week – give Playcentre a go. You won’t regret it!
