Otumoetai Playcentre

24/09/2026

Come and support us at the Tauranga Farmers Market this Saturday! We're looking forward to seeing everyone and will have so many special things on sale - from homegrown fruit & veg to baked deliciousness, as well as fun things like slime and playdough that our tamariki got involved in making.

All the money will go back to our Playcentre and will help us create the most welcoming, creative and collaborative environment for our little ones ❤️

04/08/2026

You’re invited to Playcentre Open Week!

If you have a baby or preschooler, come along and experience early learning where whānau and tamariki play, learn and grow together in a supportive community. Your child will enjoy a range of play experiences, from messy and outdoor play to arts, music, and water exploration.

Playcentre Open Week runs from Monday 17th to Friday 21st August 2026.

We offer three visits before you enrol, so you can experience our supportive and welcoming community for yourself.

Email [email protected] to organise your free guest visit 💜💛

20/07/2026

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the folks at Tauranga Te Papa Rotary club! With their support, three of our members will be able to complete First Aid training ⛑️

This will ensure that our tamariki are always safe on session and that we're able to continue opening our doors every weekday morning as we can't run a session without a FA-trained person present.

Ngā mihi nui,
OPC team 💜

27/06/2026

🌳 Look who moved in over the weekend!!! 🍂

​As part of our shady tree project, te rākau taumaru, our newest member has officially arrived just in time for our Matariki celebrations. Fitting with the season of new beginnings and life, a claret ash tree has been planted for our little ones.

Being deciduous, it works with the seasons, allowing warm sunlight through during the winter months and providing a leafy canopy for shade in the summer. ☀️

​We hope this will be a wonderful visual reminder of the changing seasons for our tamariki. And those deep red autumn leaves are going to look stunning in our little ones' play! 🍁

​A massive THANK YOU to everyone who voted and helped make this beautiful addition to our center possible! ❤️ And of course to Bay of Plenty Regional Council for their financial support.

22/05/2026

Ngā mihi nui to everyone who voted for our Shady Tree project! 👏 Bay Of Plenty Council has confirmed that our project has been successful and we will receive funding through the School Sustainability and Resilience Fund.

Big shady tree is coming to Ōtūmoetai Playcentre!

20/05/2026

What a special moment for our tamariki this morning! 🤩 Ruben the Road Safety Bear has visited our Playcentre to practice road safety skills and do some dancing. Everyone had so much fun!

Playcentre Aotearoa

19/05/2026

Ōtūmoetai Paycentre weaves pakiwaitara into art and play

"At Otumoetai Playcentre, a new mural is doing more than brightening a wall. It's helping tamariki step into local stories, sparking language, curiosrity and a deep sense of belonging"

Read the full story in the latest Education Gazette: https://gazette.education.govt.nz/articles/issue-4-2026-building-belonging/

Image description: Front cover of the Tukutuku Kōrero, Education Gazette.

13/05/2026

10/05/2026

It's Te Wiki o Te Wāhanga Mātauranga / Playcentre Education Week! 📚

Did you know that our enrolled members can complete a free NZQA approved NZ Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 4), building skills in parenting as well as developing capacity as an early childhood educator at Playcentre and beyond?

Keen to join? Email us at [email protected] or fill in a short form at https://www.playcentre.org.nz/centre/otumoetai/ to book your three free visits.

07/05/2026

For every printer installed through BDL, native trees are planted by Trees That Count. So far, 48 trees have been planted on behalf of Playcentre Aotearoa! Supporting regeneration projects across Aotearoa - including Two Loops Catchment, Aureate Reforestation, and the Mt Pirongia foothills.

The same printers that help us share the stories of our tamariki, our centres, and our whānau are also contributing, in a small but real way, to restoring the environments those tamariki will grow up in.

It’s a simple example of how our Procurement team work to align with our Playcentre values, creating impact beyond the immediate need 💛

www.treesthatcount.co.nz

Image description: Trees That Count tile showing that they've planted 48 trees on our behalf.