Alicetown

NAU MAI, HAERE MAI KI ALICETOWN PLAYCENTRE

At Alicetown Playcentre we offer quality, friendly, and fun early childhood education. 

Our centre is a parent run co-operative.  This means all our members contribute to the running of our sessions and the operation of our centre and become part of an inclusive and supportive community.  

If you are still looking for your village, come and check out Playcentre. 

WHERE?

Our Playcentre is located in the rainbow building, nestled between the Victoria Street playground and Hutt Central School in Alicetown. 

WHAT?

We run child-led, adult-supported, free play sessions in our well resourced facility. 

Tamariki are encouraged to explore and learn new skills through free play. They have the freedom to choose from a range of activities available on every session; including music, dress ups, messy play, painting,  playdough, baking, carpentry,  crafts, water, and sand play.

It changes everyday, and our parents all bring different skills, interests, and cultural backgrounds to add to the rich learning environment. 

We have a large outside play area for children to explore, including sandpit, swings, fort, slide, and bike track all providing lots of opportunity for adventure and imaginative play.

Free adult education in parenting and early childhood education is provided to all members to allow us to run high quality sessions. 

Our role as parents is to play alongside our own and other children – to interact with them whilst providing them with nurturing support, guidance, and encouragement to become independent and confident individuals.

WHY?

Free play is children teaching themselves; it helps them develop cognitive, physical, social, and emotional skills all by following their own interests at their own pace and level . Play also offers an ideal opportunity for parents to engage fully with their children.

We believe parents and whānau are the first and best educators of their tamariki.  By supporting parents, and helping them be involved in their child’s education it empowers them and provides great outcomes for families.

With whānau and friends (both children and adults!) all around them, our children feel loved and a great sense of belonging.  This in turn leads to the best environment for learning. 

WHEN?

Our whānau sessions for newborns up to six year olds run Mondays to Fridays from 9am to 11:30am.

We have tuakana sessions for our tamariki nui (big kids) that run on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9am to 1pm.  These extended sessions help develop problem solving, social skills, resilience, and self-care so all our kids are well placed for the transition to school.  

Our centre also regularly runs SPACE programmes for babies in the early afternoon – you can find out more at www.space.org.nz.

HOW?

We offer three free visits so come and check out what we do – we would love to meet you and your family!

Visits can be arranged by contacting [email protected]