Playcentre Association celebrates 75th anniversary

A pop-up Playcentre session was held in Wellington’s Civic Square  to Celebrate 75 years of the Playcentre Association.

Wellington Playcentre Association executive team member, Joanne Fullelove, organised the event and said the milestone was a great opportunity to promote the organisation.

Playcentre is an early childhood education organisation, run as a parent co-operative.  Playcentre encourages child-initiated play and recognises parents as the first educators of their children.

Fullelove said the pop-up play session was a success with 19 Playcentres from Otaki to Miramar involved.  All centres took responsibility for an area of play.

“I was impressed, it was great that everyone was on board with it,” she said.

With a representation of nearly every type of play, preschoolers had the opportunity to roll around in cardboard boxes, score soccer goals, create collages, and even try their hand at carpentry.

“The people bought the event alive, Playcentre children got in there and got stuck in,” Fullelove said.

Fullelove said it was great that children saw that it was okay for them to participate, and adults were there supporting them.

The preschoolers and their parents were having so much fun that Fullelove said she had a last-minute panic at the end of the two-hour event.

“I was surprised that people stayed for the maximum amount of time,” she said.

The event was so popular, Fullelove worried that Cool Moves, the moving company due to pick up the equipment, would turn up mid-play.

“People were still interested and curious right up until the last minute so that was positive,” she said.

Wellington City Council Deputy Mayor, Justin Lester said it was great to see so many young children with their parents in Civic Square.

“Civic Square is meant to be a place for young and old to gather and the Playcentre pop-up added plenty of fun, vibrancy and joy to the area,” he said.

Lester said the event was a good opportunity for him to talk to parents and understand what was currently happening within Playcentres in Wellington.

“Playcentres play an important part in early childhood education and it was good to see the hands-on involvement of parents in Civic Square.”

Lifetime Playcentre member, Fay Clarke, joined the fun during her morning tea break.

Clarke said she was made a lifetime member of the Wellington Playcentre in the late 1970s and the privilege of being a life member meant she liked to be a “live” member.

“The pop-up session was delightful and as I work in Cuba St I went down to enjoy my morning tea break amongst Playcentre people,” she said.

“Seeing all the parents and children enjoying the myriad of experiences offered in Civic Square reinforces my belief that parents are the best educators of their children.”

Tawa-Linden Playcentre mum, Lee-Ann Newton came with her son Kalden. She said the event was a great way to show the Wellington public the huge impact Playcentre has had on its community.

Newton said she came along to the pop-up session as it was a great way to support Kalden on an adventure.

She said the event highlighted the 75 years that Playcentre had provided support and learning via play to tamariki, families, and communities.

“Play is learning!” she said.