Local preschoolers having a blast on new playground

Children at a local creche and kindergarten are having a blast on their new, redeveloped playground.

The Rotorua Community Creche and Kindergarten had the blessing and opening for their new playground earlier this month.

Teacher Janette McKnight says the planning kicked off in April 2015 and they had consultation with playground specialist Playscapes NZ, families and the children.

She says their bike track was one of the main things the children wanted.

It took a year to apply for funding and then the work started this July school holidays, with the space getting dug right down to the dirt, and was finished the first week of Term 3, she says.

Janette says they children now have a safer place to play, which includes a lot of dual-purpose areas and little pockets of play where the children feel out of sight but the teachers can still scan the whole environment.

Reverend Brian Eagle blessed and opened the playground, also blessing the teachers and those who would use the playground.

Past and present families attended, as well as members of the Rotorua Methodist Church where the creche and kindergarten is located.

"It was so great to have our families come together."

Denise Caudwell, who was a head teacher at the creche and kindergarten from the 80s through to early 2000s, also attended along with representatives from the Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust and First Sovereign Trust Ltd.

The staff say the blessing and opening of the playground was like the icing on the cake and brought a sense of belonging.

The Rotorua Community Creche and Kindergarten are now excited to go forward with their new playground, extended hours of 8.30am to 3.30pm and being open in the holidays.