Buchan Street Playcentre

About Buchan Street Playcentre
About Playcentre
Playcentres are parent-led early childhood services where families work alongside trained educators to support children’s learning through play, offering a warm, community-driven environment. These centres cater to parents who want to be actively involved in their child’s early education, enjoying a supportive, cooperative model that values whānau participation and mixed-age play.
What Is 20 Hours ECE funding?
20 Hours ECE is a government-funded initiative that helps reduce the cost of early childhood education for families with tamariki aged 3–5. Eligible children can receive up to 20 hours of funded care and education each week at participating services. Centres can set their own enrolment patterns and may ask for optional charges, but the funded hours themselves should be free of compulsory fees. If you are unsure how this works at Buchan Street Playcentre, it is best to ask the centre directly how they apply 20 Hours ECE.
Community Profile
Roll & age distribution
Buchan Street Playcentre currently has a roll of 19 children tamariki , with most children enrolled in the Unknown age band.
Roll and demographic figures are based on data supplied by the Ministry of Education
Parent Reviews
“We have never written a review before, but felt compelled to do so after our recent experience — we have never been treated so poorly by a salesperson. After finding a beautiful hand puppet on your website that we knew our little boy would love, we decided to support a local business and made the 40-minute drive to your store the next morning. We had every intention of purchasing additional items as well. From the moment we entered the store, we were ignored. Unable to find the puppet, we approached a staff member for assistance. Rather than offering to help, she remained seated, looked at us as though we were a nuisance, and curtly stated that the item was not in stock. When I mentioned that I had seen the puppet listed as in stock online just the night before, she scoffed and dismissed it, saying, “That was a couple of days ago.” I reiterated that I had checked it only the night prior, but she responded in a slow, condescending tone, explaining that “0 stock means no stock.” I politely asked if she could check the website and update it to reflect that the item was out of stock. She claimed it already was. Not wanting to escalate the situation, we left — only to notice her standing by the door, on the phone, watching to make sure we had exited. We walked away feeling confused and genuinely hurt by the treatment we received. After returning to our car, I checked the website again — and sure enough, the puppet was still listed as available and could be added to the cart. We make an effort to shop locally and support small businesses, but this experience left us feeling incredibly disappointed. Sadly, you’ve lost what could have been a loyal, returning customer.”
“What a great shop! I was very pleased with the quality and price of the items I bought for my grandson and their customer service is excellent. I have already recommended them to my friends and family.”
“Such a warm service and knowledgeable for each developmental stage of what would be a good idea for individual children. Helped me with making sure I knew all the functions of the toy I had purchased before I left the store. There is so many affordable gifts for children of all ages and great tools for the teachers on the family. We always look forward to our next visit.”
“Wow this is such a great shop, small but super organized. Many great options for open-ended play.”
“Excellent shop! First time in as usually buy online. Service for both is fabulous! Best kiwi resources! Also have hape, Landa kade and more”
Interested?
Contact the centre directly to check for availability or arrange a visit.
Getting ready for daycare?
See what your child will need for their day: labels, drink bottle, lunchbox, spare clothes, sunscreen and more.
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