“Playcentre has helped me realise how much as parents we can teach our kids and how much they learn through play. My children love the outdoors, exploring, learning and creating. I credit a lot of this to the great environment they spent their preschool years in!”

Juliette joined Playcentre while pregnant with her second child after feeling exhausted and overwhelmed with what to do with her toddler during the day. Juliette soon came to realise that being at Playcentre gave her a community of parents who may be going through similar struggles, making her feel less alone.

“If it wasn’t for Playcentre, I would have found it very hard to feel settled in New Zealand, especially as English is my second language.”

“As a working mother and business owner it can be a lonely place. The connections I have made at Playcentre have allowed me to find a community of like minded parents. It has provided me with an entire support network that has given me so much joy and help and laughter”.

“For us, Playcentre has become the absolute highlight of our week. We get to spend quality time together, make new friends and there's always so much to do. The boys absolutely love it because they know it's going to get messy!”

“The social side of Playcentre has meant the world to me as a stay at home Mum who was going through some tough times early on.”

Tihanee first joined Mount Maunganui Playcentre as a toddler with her two younger siblings and wanted her daughter to be able to create the same great memories as she did. She now attends with her daughter alongside her Mum, who now gets to enjoy Playcentre as a Grandparent.

“My children have really strong relationships with children that they will end up at school with. They have also spent a lot of time getting to know their friends’ parents at Playcentre. All these connections provide a great sense of belonging and set them up well for learning.”