Playcentre
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Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
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URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=28210
Printed Date: 28 August 2025 at 8:33am
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Topic: Playcentre
Posted By: FionaO
Subject: Playcentre
Date Posted: 19 August 2009 at 5:28pm
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Hi,
A few people keep mentioning play centre, what is it and is it open to anyone? I found out there is one near me so that could be cool. ------------- 
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Replies:
Posted By: ?Lolly?
Date Posted: 19 August 2009 at 5:41pm
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Playcentre is a Parent run co-operative. You have to be there with your children and under take training.
It's a licensed early child hood centre that you can take your children too, they can go from any age which means you can bring your babies along too. My son started at 13 Months and loved it. He attended up until the beginning of last term when I swapped him to preschool. It's a pretty big commitment and part of the licensing for it be a early child hood centre is that all members do the training. You can check them out and have any other questions answered http://www.playcentre.org.nz/ - www.playcentre.org.nz Hope that helps :) ------------- Captain Chaos (5) & the Trouble Monsters (2!) 
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Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 19 August 2009 at 6:17pm
Playcentre rocks 
BUT you have to be commited to attend meetings and attend the courses for your Playcentre Diploma. I am half way through level one and I am loving it and have learn't so much cool stuff!!! When they turn 3 you can leave them on a supervised session, but your commitment is that you must attend the other sessions and stay to be mother help. My DD absolutely loves it, I have not regretted it one bit! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: ?Lolly?
Date Posted: 19 August 2009 at 9:49pm
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My son loved PC and still really misses it. I felt bad for putting him to pre school but I'm expecting twins and I just wasn't coping. I just got my course two as well! I feel like what I learned has helped me to become a better parent but oh god did I hate all the meetings! ------------- Captain Chaos (5) & the Trouble Monsters (2!)
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Posted By: fallen
Date Posted: 20 August 2009 at 9:25am
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Ahh Playcentre!
My daughter and I attended from when she was around 10 months old though to when she turned 5. I did the training (to Course 3), took on office positions (Centre President, Vice, Rolls and Rosters, Supplies etc) etc. We both loved it. DD is now nearly 11 and still keeps in contact with friends she made there, as do I. A few years ago I did a Polytech course and applied for a scholarship through a ladies organisation. I got the scholarship because of what I wrote about belonging to Playcentre! I'd totally recommend Playcentre to everyone. My only advice would be to check out a few sessions on different days as they are all different depending on the parents there that day. ------------- |
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 20 August 2009 at 9:35am
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my sister was a big PC mum, was there till both her kids turned 5. she did say tho to check out a few as some can be clicky, and she visited 3 centres before she found one that suited her. she too still has contact with some of the mums. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 20 August 2009 at 9:35am
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oh and dont confuse playgroup with playcentre.... very different kettle of fish! ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 20 August 2009 at 12:04pm
I agree, I checked out 3 before I committed to the one I was happy with!! The one I am at made me feel so welcome from the very first moment I walked through their door!! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Bizzy wrote:Posted By: FionaO
Date Posted: 20 August 2009 at 5:36pm
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Hmm interesting stuff, would you think you could do playcentre and work part time?
I am really keen -------------
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Posted By: jaz
Date Posted: 20 August 2009 at 6:50pm
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I took DD there for about 2-3 years and she loved it. I met a great group of people and we all stayed friends for years afterwards. In fact a group of us have a book club and still meet monthly. Some are clicky, some are supportive, in any case most kids love it. You have to commit to a minimum of two sessions a week so it is doable if you are working but you may end up with no spare days. Also it is a commitment as far as meetings, working bees, training etc goes so can be hard to fit in part time work if you are putting in quite a few hours. The great thing is that it gives you a few hours a few days a week that the focus is on you playing with your kids. At home you can get busy trying to do housework and stuff and often don't end up just playing. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 20 August 2009 at 6:52pm
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Yep definately. There are a few Mums at our Playcentre that work part-time, in our case they are primary school teachers, they work 2 days per week and attend playcentre 2 days per week!
Playcentre is very flexible, as in you go the days that suit you, even just one day per week, or you can go every day, its totally your choice! You can attend 3 sessions for free before making the commitement, so go and check a couple out and get a feel for the environments at your local ones! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Bel
Date Posted: 20 August 2009 at 7:26pm
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I have just started Playcentre and we have loved the sessions that we have been to so far! Is is great to see kids having a fun time in a safe environment - and not making a mess at home!
Just wanted to point out that there are many "policies" and "rules" at PC, but they don't all have the same... We can attend only one session a week if we want to, different centres run different days/times etc. My PC is open on Tues/Fri mornings only (I live in the country). So it is worth checking out their policies etc as well. The other question that was important for me was their discipline policies as that can be dependent on the centre as well. ------------- Mum to two beautiful kids 
Luke (09.11.2007) Amy (01.04.2009) |
Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 20 August 2009 at 7:48pm
Very true Bel, especially the discipline one!! We have no smacking (obviously), no yelling and no time-out policies. They encourage distraction to correct behaviour at our centre, which I have to admit works 99% of the time! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Bel
Date Posted: 21 August 2009 at 11:43am
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Yeah I had been told by a friend that they wouldn't "let" you do timeout - she was horrified! So I asked the President and she said that they basically turn a blind eye would if you chose to use that method of discipline, but they would try and teach you some "better" ways. I enjoy the way that they work positively, make me think about what I am saying and help Luke understand his and my actions a bit more.
But we don't use TO at home anyway, so it is not an issue either way. ------------- Mum to two beautiful kids
Luke (09.11.2007) Amy (01.04.2009) |
Posted By: Nikki
Date Posted: 21 August 2009 at 1:19pm
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Hi - just a quick questions guys - I got some info sent from my local playcentre at a show but haven't been yet (was working before having Morgan) .... can I just drop in for a session, or do I need to ring and let them know I'm coming? (I have no idea where all the info is now, woops!).
I have heard alot of time is required, so maybe its not for me with Jake already in daycare two days and manily music one day, and having a new bub to drag along. But i thought it would be good to have a look. Is there less time committment if you're just attending 1 day per week? ------------- DS (5yrs) and DD (3yrs) |
Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 21 August 2009 at 2:06pm
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I hated it. I had no time for me, my little one was tired & his sleep patten was so messed up.
You have so much to do & the one I went to had a clicky little group that was hard to get in to. Then trying to breast feeding & take your turn at things just got too stressful. All the things & meeting etc just made it not fun. So we do coffee groups & music group & the local church run a morning group for all so heaps of us go there & it is great. Oh & we sooooo love kindy. |
Posted By: gypsynita
Date Posted: 21 August 2009 at 2:18pm
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You should check out whether your local Playcentre has a SPACE programme running - it's specifically for kids in their first year and is a really good way of seeing whether you like playcentre before you have to commit to it. There's no compulsory training or anything and its free!
We've been going to SPACE since Cian was about 3 months old and we love it! The kids have all grown up together in this first year and even though you have to keep an eye on your child (obviously!) i find it's really good "time-out" for me. ------------- Anita Mum to Cian (Aug 08), Josh (Jun 10) http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: floss
Date Posted: 21 August 2009 at 2:19pm
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I go to playcentre with my 3 one day a week and love it, I am also secertery and equipment officer (which means I get to buy the toys!!) but have to drop that job since I am starting my ECE training soon, I don't feel it takes up alot of time as there is normally only one meeting a month and most centres have a policy that you only have to attened one meeting a term, as for the courses I do many of these durning the week at sessions so take my kids along as there is always someone to watch them or go to the night ones which is nice to get out of the house for awhile.
I love playcentre where else can you get all the use of equipment for around $3 per session!! ------------- My beautiful big girl Sienna 15.04.06 Double the trouble double the fun Noah & Lola 10/11/07 |
Posted By: Nikki
Date Posted: 21 August 2009 at 9:07pm
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I had a read of their website which answers lots of questions. So I take it kids stay there instead of going to kindy --- but do they expect all the kids to stay there instead of kindy when they turn 3? I would imagine that in a years time Jake would either be in daycare more hours cos I'll be working again, or in kindy (so I have a bit of time with just Morgan). So would it be OK if I was only thinking of giong for probably a year? ------------- DS (5yrs) and DD (3yrs) |
Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 21 August 2009 at 9:14pm
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Nikki you can attend Playcentre as much or as little as you like! For example alot of the Mums at our centre have their children attend Playcentre 2 or 3 times per week and the other days they attend kindy. This is what I plan to do, have DD in Playcentre for 2 days per week and then Kindy 3 days per week (when she turns 3 obviously).
Playcentre is there for you to use how best suits your family. You are required to attend one meeting per term, which really is not alot of time, maybe 2 hours at the most in one evening during the week. The courses are fabulous for learning tips on how to be a better parent I have found! I have attended only one meeting so far and found it so interesting. I have also met some lovely Mums and I am sure we will become great friends! Infact I am sure after our girls night out in a few weeks which is a belly dancing lesson, pot luck dinner and bottles of wine, we will be fabulous friends lol ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Nikki
Date Posted: 21 August 2009 at 10:09pm
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Thanks peachy - sounds good. I will definitely check it out! ------------- DS (5yrs) and DD (3yrs) |
Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 04 November 2009 at 9:57pm
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bumping for milo1 ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: LJsmum
Date Posted: 05 November 2009 at 12:43pm
thanks for bumping the thread, great reading.
I went to one this morning DS1 loved it, but i think i will look around and go to another to compare. Is there info about committment and all the requirements if you sign up? Might check the web site. -------------  
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