What age for Playcentre
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Forum Name: General Chat
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Topic: What age for Playcentre
Posted By: lilfatty
Subject: What age for Playcentre
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 3:37pm
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Ive been wondering about Playcentre.
For those of you who belong to one, what age do you think is good to start? Issy doesnt "do much" yet ... so Im wondering do we wait till shes a toddler that can move around when she can take advantage of all the cool things on offer? ------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months) I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year  http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Replies:
Posted By: SMoody
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 3:42pm
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I took McKayla for her visits when she was about 15 months. If you can see if you cant get her into a SPACE program. Some playcentres offer that and that is from newborn to 18 months. (I think). So it is just for babies. Not as much involved for you to do stuff at a centre and more about you and bubs.
Just saw you are in Auckland and there definately is a few space programs available at the playcentres here. Call up and find out. What area are you in? I know Cockle Bay and Bucklands have one. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 3:44pm
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Thanks for that info ... I will definately ring up about it.
We are in Parnell so I suppose I will ring the ones near to us and see if they do that particular programme. ------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months) I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Posted By: LeahandJoel
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 4:13pm
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We waited until Leah was 17 months but that was because I had a negative experience at one when I was a nanny. We have gone all this term and Leah loves it, we will be going pretty much straight back when I have this baby as well, will be easier to keep a toddler enertained there rather than at home!! -------------  
 
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 6:00pm
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I'd look to starting between 9-12mos but no harm in going earlier if you'd like the company! -------------  |
Posted By: FionaS
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 6:11pm
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I would love to join one and would be happy to do duties as required BUT I fear I truely don't have time to help as much as they require.
How often do you need to help? ------------- Mummy to Gabrielle and Ashley |
Posted By: LeahandJoel
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 6:24pm
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We do 1 duty day per week, which means we get there a bit earlier than some of the others and set up the outdoor equipment and make playdough and other messy activities, and everybody helps with clean up at the end. If you go more than 1 day you can get there a bit later once things are set up. We have only been going for this term as members and did 3 visits at the end of term 1. I have just finished the first course that you can do (some centres are really pushy with the courses and others are more laid back) They recommend that you go 2 times a week but at the moment we only go the once. It took Leah the first couple of times to settle in to were she just goes and plays and doesn't look for me, sometimes I won't see her for an hour if I am setting things up, but she knows I am there somewhere and looks for me when she wants me. -------------
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Posted By: arohanui
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 7:38pm
My friend does the SPACE programme with her 7 month old and they both love it.... she said they pull out a whole heap of age appropriate toys and the babies just play on the mat. She's in a group with babies approx the same age as her wee girl  ------------- Mama to DS1 (5 years), DS2 (3 years) and... http://alterna-tickers.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 8:18pm
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Maya was 11 mths when we started, to be honest it was prob more about me to start with than her coz I wanted to meet some other people with kids of similar ages. She enjoyed it but not as much as she did as she got older. We stayed till she was about 2 1/2. ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: Mum2ET
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 8:33pm
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I have been thinking about taking Ella, but because she is still have her morning sleep the time isn't really going to work for us...so I think if I did decide to do it, it would be after she drops that sleep. ------------- Mum to Ella (5) and Tom (2) |
Posted By: Two Blondinis
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 8:38pm
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We didn't have a very good experience with our local one. We took Caitlin just before her 1st birthday (she had been walking for 2 months by then) and I found the set up was mainly for older kids and didn't cater at all for littlies.
I personally didn't want my 1 year old playing with real hammers and nails  and there was a collage table set up with shells and small beads and stuff - perfect sized choking hazards
SO we didn't go back  ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
 
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Posted By: jaz
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 8:43pm
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Caleb's had a couple of visits and really loves it. I took Brooke from about 2.5 until she started school and would ideally start Caleb when he's about 18 months. He doesn't cope with the long morning too well at the moment. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 9:25pm
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Hmmm good points to ponder over ladies .. thanks ------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months) I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Posted By: Glow
Date Posted: 02 July 2008 at 9:33am
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Brae first started around 6mnths & Kalyx was 6wks. Although they dont do much at that age, the really thrive on the interaction with the other kiddies & adults.
Under 1's are usualy free as they are not chewing through the resources like the older kids. I do Duty 1-2 times a term which envolves arriving 1/2hr early to set up & taking washing home etc. ------------- Mummy of Two Boys B: 2004 K: 2007 |
Posted By: SMoody
Date Posted: 02 July 2008 at 12:16pm
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Duty stuff depends on playcentre to playcentre. For us it is the following:
You need to attend two sessions a week. In a term attend one centre meeting. Then you have a planning meeting where kiddies come with and you just plan the term. You are mothers help once a term on each session you are. So if you are there for 2 session, twice a term. And that is just to set up an extra activity, take washing home and to get some entertainment during morning tea. For example read stories or put music on. Other responsibilities are term clean up for 3 hours. Whole centre gets cleaned. Property day once a year. For 3 hours as well and that is weeding ect or fix some stuff up. Hubbies can do this stuff too. You get free education stuff in the form of courses and play workshops. Some daytime ones as well as nighttime ones. When you have been there for a while you need to take one of the other jobs up. Like library or shopping, or banking, equipment team or property team. I am studying full time, Look after M and do Playcentre and it really isnt that much work as it works around your times. Your child comes first in all things. When I went for visits I got freaked at the carpentry table. I really did. Other thing was the water play. But you know with the high ratio's and 3 full terms of attending one I havent seen any accidents yet at all. None what so ever. I will however suggest if you have a baby to start out with space. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Peace
Date Posted: 02 July 2008 at 8:04pm
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I left introducing Olivia to play group and social activities till she turned 2. I wanted to get a good gage on her and have her to have the ability to understand things like safety hazards. So far we are doing ok ------------- DD1 May 2006 DD2 March 2011 DD3 August 2012 |
Posted By: CaseysMum
Date Posted: 04 July 2008 at 10:03pm
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I started playcentre with Casey when she was 6 months old. I must admit it was more about me than her at that age - we moved to the South island to a small community when I was pregnant and until we started at playcentre I didn't really know anyone locally.
She still got a lot out of it though and now at almost 3 and a half she loves it :) Zoey went for her first visit at 4 days old and now at 12 days old she's been to three sessions (and slept through all 3 - LOL). So she has started really early but that's only because she has an older sister going as well. We're only a little centre - due to being out in the country - so for each day that you attend each week you'll be on parent help 3 or 4 times a term which means getting there early to set up etc Everyone cleans up at the end of session And of course there are the positions like President, treasurer, secretary but they wont try to pull you into those straight away. I'm currently the centre secretary but I was there about 18 months before I got roped into that one |