A parent-led Playcentre on Muriwai Road in Waimauku, in the Rodney district north-west of Auckland. Parents come along with their tamariki, and the centre treats the whole family as the learning unit, rather than leaving the child in care alone.
The centre takes children aged 0 to 6. Play is free and child-led, set out across 16 areas to suit different interests and abilities. The programme follows the Te Whāriki curriculum. Some Playcentres run sessions for newborns to one-year-olds alongside other new parents, and the centre runs a free NZQA-approved adult education programme for enrolled whānau.
A Tuesday Space Session runs from 12.30pm to 3pm, according to the website. Families can visit three times before enrolling, and the website sets out a two-step path: arrange a visit, then request to enrol.
One parent says the staff are very welcoming from the first visit, and that their boys had an excellent time on their first day. Another describes the centre as a place where her children can play with friends while she chats with other parents.
The centre is at 69 Muriwai Road, Waimauku. Our pick in Waimauku for a family with a toddler who wants to stay involved in their early learning.