Playcentre’s free Messy Play Week event for whānau with children from birth to school age is being held again this year from Monday 2 March to Friday 6 March at nearly 400 Playcentres across Aotearoa.
Families nationwide are encouraged to dive into a week filled with creativity, curiosity, and plenty of mess – all without any of it happening at home.
Each Playcentre will offer a variety of activities including paint, playdough, sand, water, clay, gloop and more, giving tamariki rich opportunities to explore and learn through play.
“Messy play is essential for early childhood development. Studies show that the benefits lie in the open‑ended nature of play, as children follow their own creative processes, practice new skills, solve problems, and share with others the wonder of exploring with their senses,” says Playcentre Aotearoa Chief Executive Nepia Winiata.
“For tamariki, messy play supports physical development and provides opportunities to be creative and develop social skills. For adults, the event offers the opportunity to connect with other parents in their local community. But most importantly, it is a lot of fun,” Winiata says.
Messy Play Week also offers whānau an opportunity to discover the unique Playcentre environment.
In 2026, Playcentre celebrates 85 years of whānau playing, learning and growing together, making it a fitting time for families to experience the magic of our whānau‑led early learning community.
Every Playcentre provides three free visits before enrolment, allowing families to explore its whānau‑led approach to early learning and see firsthand why generations of families have chosen Playcentre for over eight decades.
There are no set fees to attend Playcentre. The organisation is partially funded by the Ministry of Education and, as a registered charity, relies on donations from parents and whānau to support the rich, hands‑on learning experiences offered to tamariki.
Families also gain access to Playcentre’s free adult education programme, which provides practical parenting and early learning support.
Whānau can book a visit to their local Playcentre at any time by visiting www.playcentre.org.nz
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