Her son lost track of time on Friday after watching a movie and did not leave the centre until 5.25pm, she said.
He found a gate he usually walked through had been locked and so had to walk the long way home. "He turned around from trying to get through the gate and as he was walking he heard a car door open and shut so he looked back and there was a tall man covered in all black, black pants and top and he had scary eyes."
The mother said her son was really scared when he got home and she had been on the phone to the after school care to find out why he was late.
"He's not a scared kid, he's not usually worried about people so for him to be scared told me there was need to worry," she said.
Tauranga South police Sergeant Chris Summerville said no similar incidents had been reported in the area but there would be more patrols.