New Windsor Playcentre

Nau mai, haere mai and welcome to New Windsor Playcentre

Playcentre is unlike any other early childhood education organisation. At Playcentre, both children and their parents / caregivers attend and learn together.

The curiosity and creativity of our tamariki is nurtured in a way that allows them to learn about themselves and their world. Your child will be given a chance to explore, create, climb, read, sing, experiment, play music, wear costumes, have their face painted (or do it themselves!), garden, do carpentry with real tools, bake and cook, build sandcastles, swing, slide, dance, spend time in nature and get messy. You’ll get the chance to do all these things too because you are your child’s best teacher!

Our Playcentre parents come from a diversity of backgrounds – so they bring much life experience into our community and into our sessions. At New Windsor Playcentre, you’ll find a multicultural multigenerational community working collaboratively for the benefit of our tamariki ataahua (beautiful children). As well as parents attending with one or two of their own children, you might also meet an aunty bringing a niece or nephew. You may find a grandparent bringing their mokopuna. All share an interest in young children, and they share a willingness to learn alongside young children.

We welcome families with children aged 0 – 6 years. Mixed age play allows your children to engage with others older and younger than themselves. Siblings are not separated.

We see benefit in our high number of adults on session (our adult : child ratio is usually 1:2) so children have many opportunities to relate to adults: to follow the children’s interests, to explore ideas, and to extend their vocabulary. Children have time to wonder, to dream, to play, to take risks and to learn about themselves and about others. They learn to self regulate.

You’ll find that at New Windsor Playcentre, we are offering a once a week ‘outdoor session’. This is where adults and children explore the natural world (so many fascinating places to explore even within our urban environment!). We also offer a four hour ‘extended session’ once a week.

We encourage families to attending Playcentre at least twice a week, but we recognise that as children grow, the benefits of Playcentre increase by attending three or even four sessions per week.

At Playcentre, families come together and lifelong friendships are formed.

We welcome you to visit New Windsor Playcentre. We would love to meet you and your family, and we’d love to introduce you to our families! Naumai Haere mai!