Playcentre History

The first centre opened in Karori Wellington NZ in 1941, driven by a group of women concerned for the struggling women around them during war time.

The NZ Federation of Nursery Play Centres Association was formed in 1946. (The word "Nursery" was dropped around 1960 and "playcentre" became one word in 1974).

In 1950, recognised centres received Government funding.

A minimum list of equipment was accepted by the Ministry of Education in 1961 and minimum standards for Supervisor training set in 1963.

In 1962 there were 170 affiliated centres. This had grown to 350 centres in 1966 and 560 centres in 1970.

Te Whariki, the early childhood curriculum document, was officially adopted in 1996.

Howick Playcentre History

Howick Play Centre in Howick Auckland was established in 1946 and operated from the church hall (now the Uxbridge Centre). It later moved to the RSA Hall and then to the Football Association hall in the Domain in Wellington Street in 1959.

At and Extraordinary General Meeting on 31 June 1959 it was agreed that the Howick Nursery Playcentre become an incorporated body, and it was proposed that the Centre buy a Fencible Cottage in Nelson Street. The first meeting in the new building was held on 15 September 1959, The cottage was originally built for Thomas Heath in 1850. The camellia and holly trees still standing were planted by the Heaths around 1900.

After many years of renovations the cottage was demolished in 1968 and the current premises built. These were officially opened on 3 May 1969 by the Hon Mr. A Kinsella, Minister of Education, and have also been renovated and extended over the years.

Howick Playcentre's strengths now lie in its ownership of its own land and building, its commitment to providing an excellent early childhood experience for its children, the wide range of backgrounds, skills and training of the families who attend the centre, and the support and strong friendships those families provide for each other. Howick Playcentre is not just a Preschool building, it is a living, breathing, ever-changing, growing organism which has emerged from its long and interesting history.