Coralie Bodley’s Playcentre Story
Supporting Her Reo Māori Journey
For Coralie Bodley (Te Kapotai), Playcentre is a living expression of a philosophy that aligns with Māori values, a place where whānau lead learning and whanaungatanga is central, and tamariki grow through free exploration within a village grounded in manaakitanga.
Her story is mirrored in the journeys of many others, with Playcentre serving as an early supporter of the revitalisation of te reo Māori and te ao Māori values in the wider community.
Coralie attended Howick Playcentre with her mum from 1983 to 1988. She later returned to Playcentre with her own children, attending SPACE at Totaravale Playcentre in 2012, and then Red Beach Playcentre from 2013 to 2021.
Coralie’s adult journey into te reo Māori began with the support of the North Shore Playcentre Association’s te ao Māori field officer. Through the regional Mahi Ngātahi o Puāwai rōpū, a six-week reo Māori course was funded and delivered by the local marae, Te Herenga Waka o Orewa.
This was a Te Ataarangi full-immersion class held at Silverdale Playcentre, which eventually led to the centre opening a Puna Reo, a full-immersion “language spring” run by Playcentre volunteers with their tamariki. This was named “Te Puna Reo Māori o Te Whānau Tupu Ngātahi ki te Weiti.” During the last four years of her Playcentre journey, Coralie also attended this Puna Reo at Silverdale Playcentre.
A Philosophy That Mirrors Te Ao Māori Values
Playcentre’s philosophy that children learn best through a whānau-led, community-driven model reflects long-held Māori ways of being.
Coralie describes Playcentre as “a marae or village situation,” where learning happens collectively and naturally.
“Playcentre is very similar to a marae or village situation, where whānau are uplifting each other and going through the parenting journey together… also your parents and your grandparents can be involved. The whole whānau is welcome.”
Within this space, values such as whanaungatanga and manaakitanga are not taught as concepts, they are lived every day.
“Coming into a new space, a very introverted person, and just experiencing that manaakitanga… that was exactly what I needed.”
This alignment to te ao Māori values is core to Playcentre’s enduring relevance for whānau Māori. At Red Beach Playcentre, te ao Māori was also celebrated as part of established practices.
“Red Beach Playcentre did Matariki really well – with karakia, waiata, manaakitanga, and whanaungatanga all wrapped up in a fun gathering and lots of shared kai. The Matariki celebration was a favourite time of the year for my whānau.”
Whānau as First Teachers
At the heart of Playcentre’s philosophy is the belief that parents are the first and best educators for their tamariki. For Coralie, that journey began with certainty.
“As soon as my daughter was born, there wasn’t ever any question about joining Playcentre, I just already knew it was the best option.”
Her own journey reflects a discovery of that role as educator, supported by the collective strength of her Playcentre community.
“I believed in motherhood… being the most important job that I could do at that time.”
In choosing to stay with her tamariki and learn alongside them, she gained confidence — not just as a parent, but as a leader.
“Through the years I gained confidence in myself and my parenting knowledge… I was able to offer that same manaakitanga to others that I had been shown.”
This is the pattern repeated across generations: when whānau are trusted as educators, they grow in capability and confidence.
Learning Te Reo Through Relationships
Te reo Māori blossomed for Coralie through the relationships that were formed with other whānau, with the wider hapori and with the Playcentre rōpū Māori and regional team.
“Hearing other parents speaking Māori at the Puna Reo… they were able to carry the play and carry the sessions with their language… that was really inspirational for me.”
At first, she spoke very little.
“I was basically mute the whole time… said a word here and there but I was able to contribute in many ways – through waiata, and reading books, and being present with the tamariki and my few words.”
But the supportive environment allowed her confidence to grow.
“It was a safe space… not an expectation that you have to be fluent… but there’s a chance for you to grow in that direction.”
At Playcentre, te reo Māori is encouraged and can flow naturally through play, and connection.
Community as the most important thing
Again and again, Coralie returns to one word: community.
“I didn’t know that I needed a community… and then I got a community and realised that that’s the most important thing.”
This sense of belonging, of shared responsibility and care, reflects the Māori worldview. It also creates the conditions where whānau thrive.
“When my dad died the whole Playcentre village came into effect… I didn’t have to ask for help, they just helped.”
For her tamariki, this meant growing up surrounded by trusted adults, strong relationships, and a network of care that extended beyond immediate whānau.
A Continuing Legacy
Coralie’s story spans generations – from attending Playcentre as a child, to bringing her own tamariki, to now working within the organisation as the Kaihononga Māori for the Upper North Island region.
Despite changes in society, she sees continuity.
“It’s the same good stuff still happening.”
The “good stuff” — whānau-led learning through play, community connection (with vital tuakana-teina relationships both as an adult and as a child) and celebrating whakapapa — remain as important today as they were 85 years ago.
Playcentre has long created the conditions for women to rediscover their strength as the first educators of their tamariki. From that foundation, everything else follows — confidence, leadership, language, identity.
It has always been this way. And it still is today.