[Familyofmonkeys]

Am interested in anyones experience of Playcentre. The couple i've contacted locally require you to run sessions.....not sure i'd be able to do this with 3 sprogs to watch at once. Also, is it true that in South Island parents tend to drop kids off and not stay with them every session like they do in Auckland?

[sizzlingbadger]

Used to go to the local Playcentre.

It was a fantastic experience and my two loved every minute of it, my youngest still asks to go back every now and again :D

The training is worth doing if you've got a baby but if your youngest is say 2-3 then it wouldn't be long before they'd be heading to kindy.

The playcentre we attended tended to look out for everyone else's kids and mucked in where ever needed. Very worthwhile in getting to know other parents and children, we've now got a huge network of friends I would never have met if I hadn't gone along.

Very positive experience although not to everyone's liking :nice1

[Familyofmonkeys]

What sort of training did you have to do? It is something you can take kids along with you? About mucking in...did you have to change other kids nappies or just your own? Was wondering if you meant more like doing activities with children?

Can't let my son out of my sight for a second....he is a real escape artist and at all playgroups we attended in UK, I had to follow him around very closely in case he decided to do a runner for an open door/window or try and pull pictures and things off the walls etc, and poor baby just had to get dragged along for the ride. Older daughter happy to sit and do painting an stuff, so much easier.

[sizzlingbadger]

You do a basic Course 1 then onto Course 2 and if you really are into it Course 3. I did Course 1 and it really only does take an evening or a couple of Playcentre sessions.

Oops meant mucking in as activities with the kids :D Making morning tea, keeping the playcentre tidy and up to date with displays.

I would go along if I were you, my youngest is an escape artist also but where ever kids are there's usually an adult around. It gave me and my middle one more time whilst my youngest had time with other adults. I'm sure he'll be so busy with stuff he won't even think of it, it's just like a mini kindy and gets them used to the kindy environment earlier with routines if you're lucky :)