Play centres to open doors

Press, 17 April 1978, Page 6

Play centres to open doors

This week is Playcentre Publicity Week, and most Canterbury play centres will be open at some time during the week so that the public can see what goes on. The North New Brighton, Hornby, and Woolston play centres will hold “live” sessions in various shopping malls several mornings this week. Other play centres will set up displays in shops and libraries.

The publicity officer for the Canterbury Playcentre Association (Dr N. Cherry) said that many people had the wrong impression about the role of play centres. Playcentre, said Dr Cherry, was a family co-operative, with something for every member of the pre-school family. One of the most important aspects of the Play-

centre movement was parent involvement, education, and support. Play centres were not daycare centres, said Dr Cherry. Every family was responsible for providing some supervision on a roster basis. At every session there might be up to 25 children, under two trained supervisors, plus two. parent helpers. “Play centres aim to provide an environment which is rich with experiences and challenges, which is relaxed, friendly, safe and unthreatening, both for children and parents.” A play centre could be opened where there was the need for a play centre, and where 15 families were willing to support it financially, with help from the Playcentre Association.