HELPING THE MOTHER

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 20, 19 October 1943, Page 6

HELPING THE MOTHER

Nursery Play Centre For Hataitai . Parents from Hataitai and Roseneath met last night under the auspices of the Nursery Play Centre Association to learn about forming a local nursery play centre. They were addressed by -Mrs. B. E. Beoby and Mrs. F. Wood.- organizer for the Wellington Nursery I lay Centre Association. The meeting decided to form a centre for Hataitai, and a provisional committee was set up to explore the possibilities of the Roseneath district Mr. A. Leigh Hunt was chairman. ■Some people had the erroneous idea .that nursery play centres were a dumping ground for children so that, motheis could go “gadding” about, said Mrs. Beeby. The) centre helped mothers by giving them a little freedom once in, a while to do necessary shopping and visits to the dentist and hairdresser. In a play centre children were able to play together; mothers did the minding,, and a supervisor was in charge. The importance of the pre-school years was now realized. In that time a child obtained a general “attitude” toward its parents,, habits were established, and it learned to live with others and respect .their rights. . Children’s play was. to them, an intensely serious business, she said. Through play a child learned all about life; it developed his body arid taught him to investigate things, to think, reason and judge; but he must have the necessary materials to play with, in order that' he could create and make things. In imaginative play he loved to pretend. To deprive a child of the right kind of play was as bad for his mind as it was to deprive his 'body of the proper food. , Airs. Wood' outlined the organization and operation of a play centre. It was open one dav a week from three to four hours. Children were accepted from walking age up to five years. There was a small monthly membership fee, for mothers to belojig, usually about 2/-, and each time a ch’,id was left at the’ centre there was a small charge, usually threepence. Once the supervisor was appointed, a room or hall obtained and a committee electfed. the centre could begin. Airs. Wood outlined the necessary type of equipment that it was usual to buy. Already Hataitai has about 50 members and Roseneath has 30 members 'belonging to the association. The following committee was set up: Mesdames Barrett, Tyer, Boyer, Burton, Turnbull, Alley and Pittendrigh. The following provisional committee was set up for Roseneath: Air. and Airs. Dalmer and Mrs. Stacey.