Kids At Play is run by the Centre Manager, the professional leader responsible for the Centre's day-to-day operations. A Centre Supervisor and Head Teacher support the manager.
Teachers work in rotating teams coordinated by the Centre Manager. We employ housekeeping staff and relief teachers. The Centre also operates a centre cook & a financial administrator.
Kids at Play is a not for profit, incorporated society. We are a community day care who is different from any others in the local area.
Centre Social Events
As a community daycare, we have three annual social events organised by the centre’s parent social committee.
Parents enjoy getting to know each other but often don’t have time to foster relationships during the drop-off and pick-up periods at either end of the day. Our social events allow parents to get together and know each other better.
In the past, this has included a fish and chip or pizza evening at the centre with the kids, a pub quiz at various local locations, and beer and wine tasting. We support our local community at these events. All events are open to the broader friends and family of KAP. The more the merrier!
A small amount of fundraising may be run at social events to support the centre with those unique resources that support and develop our children’s learning.
The social committee is always keen to have more volunteers to help organise events, contribute to the auctions and add to the friendliness of each of the events, so please let us know if you are keen to help.
Dates for each event will be communicated as it draws closer – look for posters in KAP and flyers in your parent's pocket.
COMMUNICATION
Kids at Play communicates with parents via several avenues:
Emails: A monthly newsletter is sent out to all parents & important notices for special days, or parent information is emailed.
Parent Pocket: In the sign-in area, notices are left in parent pockets.
Daily Massage book: for parents to record daily massages to be shared that may otherwise get missed.
Sign-in-Tablet: Parents/caregivers are assigned an access bin to sign their child in/out daily.
Learning Stories / Story Park: Every month, a learning story is produced for your child and added. The story is loaded online for the wider family members to see. Whanau are encouraged to leave notes online and collaboratively share the children’s learning and interests.
Teachers: All teachers can be approached during drop off and pick up to answer various questions, and they will engage you with fun stories about your child/children.
History
Before our current location, Kids At Play operated under Western Area Hospital Childcare Centre Inc., based in Point Chevalier, until the centre relocated to Bellwood Ave in late October 2001.
Education Review Office Report
Animals
Kids at Play has one pet which arrived due to the emerging interests of the children:
George is our centre bird who loves a good morning chat and can say, “Pretty boy, George.”