Island Bay Playcentre

Welcome to Island Bay Playcentre, a vibrant establishment nestled in the heart of Island Bay on Wellington's breathtaking South Coast. As a licensed Early Childhood Centre, we are dedicated to providing a high-quality learning environment for you and your child. Conveniently located near the city and the sea, our centre is truly one-of-a-kind. In fact, our last ERO review ranked us in the top 10% of all Early Childhood Education providers nationwide!

At Island Bay Playcentre, our sessions cater to children of all ages, from birth until school age. Guided by the Playcentre philosophy, we foster a supportive atmosphere where our tamariki (children) can develop into confident, independent individuals. Through play, work, learning, and growth, they thrive in an environment that encourages exploration, empowers their interests, and challenges them to reach new heights with the guidance of their first teachers – parents and caregivers.

As parent-educators, we are trained to facilitate and enhance play while having fun alongside our children. We also offer free Parent Education, including a recognized NZQA programme, to all participating parents. Our parents and families actively contribute to our children's learning and development, creating a strong and supportive community within our centre.

With a high adult to child ratio (typically less than 1:5), we provide a balanced blend of group and individual support during each session. This level of supervision allows us to offer exceptional learning opportunities, including excursions to local bush reserves, cooking activities, gardening, and even toasting marshmallows around a fire in our sandpit!

Our expansive outdoor area boasts two large shaded sandpits equipped with an assortment of sand-friendly toys and tools. We also have wooden troughs with a water recycling system and a separate outdoor kitchen for child-led water play. From forts and fireman's poles to climbing boxes, slides, swings, bikes, balls, and more, our outdoor space is a haven for endless exploration and fun. We even have a green space and vegetable gardens for our young nature enthusiasts.

Island Bay Playcentre is not just a place for learning; it's also a place where lifelong friendships are made. We invite you and your whanau (family) to come for a chat or visit – we would love to meet you. Please note that any information provided on this form will be securely stored in an online system accessible to members of our centre, as well as regional and national employees of Playcentre Aotearoa. By completing this form, you confirm your agreement for this storage and usage, and you commit to maintaining confidentiality and using any accessed information solely for the agreed purposes.