What a busy and productive year it has been! Our PLD Team has worked hard to deliver programmes that strengthen centres with new skills, confidence, and knowledge to support their tamariki. Whanaungatanga and creating space to talanoa have remained at the heart of our work, helping us build strong, respectful relationships and truly understand the needs of centres and whānau.

We wish you all a restful, joyful, and rejuvenating break.

Learning through play ideas for the summer break

Here are some Playcentre-inspired ideas to enjoy with tamariki over the summer break. Follow their interests, take things slow, and enjoy learning through play together. Spend time outdoors exploring nature, creating, playing with water, or building huts. Use everyday activities like baking, gardening, or helping around the home as opportunities for learning.

Above all, enjoy playing, curiosity, and time together.

🌿Nature & Outdoor Play

  • Go on a summer scavenger hunt (find textures, colours, natural treasures).
  • Build huts or dens using blankets, branches, or boxes.
  • Create nature art with sticks, leaves, shells, or driftwood.
  • Beach play: digging channels, building sand villages, exploring rock pools.
  • Water play: buckets, sponges, ice blocks, scoops, measuring cups.

🎨Creative & Messy Play

  • Set up a simple outdoor space with paint, water, chalk, or clay.
  • Frozen paint or ice cube drawing on hot days.
  • Homemade playdough with festive scents (cinnamon, peppermint).

🏡Everyday Learning at Home

  • Involve tamariki in baking or preparing kai (measuring, mixing, choosing flavours).
  • Set up “real life” play stations: washing dishes, hanging washing, gardening, sweeping.
  • Create a loose-parts box with bottle tops, cardboard tubes, ribbons, fabric scraps.
  • Involve tamariki in household routines (making beds, feeding pets).

🤝Whanaungatanga & Community

  • Visit different parks, libraries, or community events together.
  • Share stories from whānau—Christmas traditions, family history, songs.
  • Create a family photo album or scrapbook together.

🧠Inquiry & Exploration

  • Follow your child’s interests—bugs, vehicles, shops, water, art, music.
  • Simple science: making bubbles, mixing colours, floating/sinking.

😌Slow, Unstructured Time

  • Space for free play, rest, and spontaneous imagination.
  • Let tamariki take the lead in deciding the day’s adventure.

Upcoming PLD Opportunities 2026

Have a look at our online PLD options.

Playcentre whānau team roles

Playcentres are whānau-led community hubs, where parents, grandparents, and caregivers play an essential role in creating rich learning opportunities for both children and adults. We’re pleased to let you know that updated information about the whānau team roles is now live on our website. You can explore the refreshed content to see how each role contributes to your centre community.

Contact PLD

If you have any PLD questions, please contact Karina Hart, Professional Learning and Development Lead on 027 880 5378 or [email protected].