Havelock North Playcentre

25/05/2026

Our beloved train was sporting 3 wheels for a few months (still being pulled around by some muscle I might add!) but it is now fixed! Special thanks to a special grandparent for bringing their expertise to help us out ❤️

18/05/2026

We have had a great start to term 2! So much fun getting messy and trying out different forms of play. Come and visit any weekday morning 🫟

14/05/2026

01/05/2026

Kua hinga te tōtara i Te Waonui-a-Tāne
A tōtara tree has fallen in the great forest of Tāne.

Today we acknowledge, with deep sadness and gratitude, the passing of Mary Grant - co-founder of Parenting Place and someone whose wisdom, warmth and care has touched the lives of many families across Aotearoa.

With her husband Ian, Mary began what would become Parenting Place in 1993, inspired by their shared vision to communicate confident, hope-filled parenting. She carried and shaped this vision for many years with boundless creativity and dedication.

Mary had a special way of connecting, of helping people feel seen, understood and encouraged. Her legacy lives on in the many parents, caregivers and young people impacted by her work, and in the heart of the mahi we continue today.

Our thoughts are with the Grant whānau at this incredibly sad time.

We will share more in the coming weeks as we reflect on Mary’s life and the extraordinary ‘force for good’ that she was.

Moe mai e te Māreikura 💜

24/04/2026

A pilot programme in music therapy has shown measurable benefits for both teen parents and their tamariki in Wairarapa.

Trialled at Masterton’s Puawānanga teen parent unit in term 4 last year, the programme set out to see if starting a school day with big smiles, world music, waiata and dancing could improve learning for parents and their babies.

For the programme’s creator, Pip Algie, it was all about helping young parents to find a little joy amid the headwinds of parenthood, and to learn strategies around positive parenting through musical play.

Being the focus of so much creative attention had a notable effect on the young tamariki in the pilot, who were more settled and relaxed at childcare after one of Pip’s sessions.

Anonymised feedback from ākonga themselves has also been positive: “I like seeing all the kids happy. I feel peaceful,” or “I feel happy and part of a family.”

WHAT IS MUSIC THERAPY?
A clinical practice that uses music to support a person’s physical, emotional, cognitive and social wellbeing.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE
This story is from the latest Education Gazette. Read the article online: https://bit.ly/48i3RS8