Whānau Āwhina Plunket Franklin

27/01/2026

21/01/2026

👶👧👦PUKEKOHE / BUCKLAND and WAIUKU PLAYGROUPS ON HIATUS 👶👧👦

Our playgroups are currently undergoing a period of transition locally so please note that they will be closed until further notice.

There are other services you can attend in the meantime. Have a look at the list below! :-)

If you are in CLARKS BEACH, check out https://www.facebook.com/ClarksBeachPlaygroup

If you are in WAIAU PA, check out https://www.facebook.com/waiaupatuikids

If you are in WAIUKU, check out https://www.facebook.com/RunamochaPlaygroup
and
https://www.facebook.com/mainlymusicwaiuku3

16/12/2025

We have an amazing selection of FREE online parenting sessions available in January! Click through the links below to register for the session of interest to you and your whānau.

Pepe and You - Infant massage 5/1 11am https://bit.ly/485DMWQ
Sleep and settling 0 - 3 months 5/1 1pm https://bit.ly/4ijxSoe
Brain development - the first 1000 days 8/1 1:30pm https://bit.ly/48hAIWl
First foods - starting baby's solids journey 12/1 11am https://bit.ly/44n8LuY
Sleep and settling 3 - 6 months 12/1 1pm https://bit.ly/4ogrPlO
Food progression - moving on from pureed food 19/1 11am https://bit.ly/48B1zhh
Oral Health 19/1 1pm https://bit.ly/4onOFIn
Transition to work / starting preschool tips 22/1 9:30am https://bit.ly/44mLc5w

12/12/2025

It's time to WRAP UP another awesome year of playgroup and Mini Beatz fun in the Franklin area! Join us this coming TUESDAY 16th DECEMBER at Buckland Hall for our HOLIDAY SPLASH PARTY!!! 🌊🌊🌊

We will have a fun water-themed and festive-infused music & movement session then a puku top-up with some morning tea before we head outside for some sprinkler and water play sensory fun. 💧💧💧

Please bring a change of clothes, togs, a towel, sunblock, a hat and a gold coin koha! 🧢👒

TUESDAY 16th DECEMBER
BUCKLAND HALL

🌊10 - 1010am / Welcome & Sign-In
🌊1010 - 1030am / Mini Beatz (Music & Movement)
🌊1030am - 1130am / Morning Tea & Water Play

Come help us celebrate summertime, connection & community in style! Pop it in your calendars now and set an alarm so you & your little ones don't miss out. :-)

11/12/2025

We are wrapping up our Waiuku playgroup sessions for the year and would love to have you all join us for our festive Craftstravaganza session TOMORROW (FRIDAY 12th DECEMBER)!

We will "bake" up a storm through a cooking musical adventure then make some real life special ornaments and decorations for the tree! Wear your festive best and bring some treats to share if you can.🙂

We are also celebrating one of our beloved little people Tessa, who will be moving on to big kids school next year; she has been with us for 4 years of Mini Beatz sessions!!!

FRIDAY 12th DECEMBER
Waiuku St. John Hall (next to the ambulance station)
3 Constable Road

🧅10 - 1010am / Welcome & Sign-In
🧅1010 - 1035am / Mini Beatz (Music & Movement)
🧅1035am - 1130am / Morning Tea & Ornament Crafting

Bring a gold coin*, your rhythm & your little one and enjoy a half hour of music & movement followed by an hour of morning tea & crafting alongside other local whānau.

Our format can work for all ages - from our littlest pēpi to our nearly-5 year olds; we help you tailor everything to suit your tamariki's developmental stage and big person participation is also highly encouraged! 🙂

(*If you never have coins in your purse, we also have pre-paid concession cards available – a $10 donation gets your 5 sessions and a $20 donation gets you 10 sessions. You don’t have to attend the sessions in a row; you just punch your card whenever you do attend! Our concession cards can be paid in-person or via internet banking. However please note that even if you don’t have a gold coin on the day or can’t afford a concession card, we would like you to join us regardless!)

08/12/2025

We are nearing the end of our playgroup sessions for the year - only 2 more to go! TOMORROW (TUESDAY 9th) join us at the Buckland Hall for a fun festive music session followed by morning tea & some seasonal crafting for our littlies - we're sure Nana & Poppa would love a handmade ornament or two under the tree! :-)

TUESDAY 9th DECEMBER
BUCKLAND HALL
🧅10 - 1010am / Welcome & Sign-In
🧅1010 - 1035am / Mini Beatz (Music & Movement)
🧅1035am - 1130am / Morning Tea & Ornament Crafting

Bring a gold coin*, your rhythm & your little one and enjoy a half hour of music & movement followed by an hour of morning tea & crafting alongside other local whānau.

Our format can work for all ages - from our littlest pēpi to our nearly-5 year olds; we help you tailor everything to suit your tamariki's developmental stage and big person participation is also highly encouraged! 🙂

(*If you never have coins in your purse, we also have pre-paid concession cards available – a $10 donation gets your 5 sessions and a $20 donation gets you 10 sessions. You don’t have to attend the sessions in a row; you just punch your card whenever you do attend! Our concession cards can be paid in-person or via internet banking. However please note that even if you don’t have a gold coin on the day or can’t afford a concession card, we would like you to join us regardless!)

24/11/2025

It's sunny & bright and the weather is perfectly right for us to start GROWING OUR GARDENS at our TUESDAY playgroup TOMORROW! Join us at Buckland Hall for a music & play session filled with seeds, planting, counting our harvest and more! 🌱🌱🌱

TUESDAY 25th NOVEMBER
BUCKLAND HALL
🌱10 - 1010am / Welcome & Sign-In
🌱1010 - 1035am / Mini Beatz (Music & Movement)
🌱1035am - 1130am / Morning Tea & Free Play

Bring a gold coin*, your rhythm & your little one and enjoy a half hour of music & movement followed by an hour of morning tea & free play alongside other local whānau.

Our format can work for all ages - from our littlest pēpi to our nearly-5 year olds; we help you tailor everything to suit your tamariki's developmental stage and big person participation is also highly encouraged! 🙂

(*If you never have coins in your purse, we also have pre-paid concession cards available – a $10 donation gets your 5 sessions and a $20 donation gets you 10 sessions. You don’t have to attend the sessions in a row; you just punch your card whenever you do attend! Our concession cards can be paid in-person or via internet banking. However please note that even if you don’t have a gold coin on the day or can’t afford a concession card, we would like you to join us regardless!)

20/11/2025

Are you ready to BEEP your horn and REV your engine? VROOM into our FRIDAY playgroup TOMORROW in WAIUKU for a music & play session filled with cars, trucks, driving and more! 🚗🚙🏎️

🚗 FRIDAY 21st NOVEMBER 🚗
Waiuku St. John Hall (next to the ambulance station)
3 Constable Road

🚙 10 - 1010am / Welcome & Sign-In
🚙 1010 - 1035am / Mini Beatz (Music & Movement)
🚙 1035am - 1130am / Morning Tea & Free Play

Bring a gold coin*, your rhythm & your little one and enjoy a half hour of music & movement followed by morning tea & free play alongside other local whānau.

Our format can work for all ages - from our littlest pēpi to our nearly-5 year olds; we help you tailor everything to suit your tamariki's developmental stage and big person participation is also highly encouraged! 🙂

(*If you never have coins in your purse, we also have pre-paid concession cards available – a $10 donation gets your 5 sessions and a $20 donation gets you 10 sessions. You don’t have to attend the sessions in a row; you just punch your card whenever you do attend! Our concession cards can be paid in-person or via internet banking. However please note that even if you don’t have a gold coin on the day or can’t afford a concession card, we would like you to join us regardless!)

17/11/2025

Are you ready to BEEP your horn and REV your engine? VROOM into our TUESDAY playgroup TOMORROW at Buckland Hall for a music & play session filled with cars, trucks, driving and more! 🚗🚙🏎️

TUESDAY 18th NOVEMBER
BUCKLAND HALL
10 - 1010am / Welcome & Sign-In
1010 - 1035am / Mini Beatz (Music & Movement)
1035am - 1130am / Morning Tea & Free Play

Bring a gold coin*, your rhythm & your little one and enjoy a half hour of music & movement followed by morning tea & free play alongside other local whānau.

Our format can work for all ages - from our littlest pēpi to our nearly-5 year olds; we help you tailor everything to suit your tamariki's developmental stage and big person participation is also highly encouraged! 🙂

(*If you never have coins in your purse, we also have pre-paid concession cards available – a $10 donation gets your 5 sessions and a $20 donation gets you 10 sessions. You don’t have to attend the sessions in a row; you just punch your card whenever you do attend! Our concession cards can be paid in-person or via internet banking. However please note that even if you don’t have a gold coin on the day or can’t afford a concession card, we would like you to join us regardless!)

14/11/2025

If you are out-and-about in Waiuku today (Fri 14th) or tomorrow (Sat 15th) visit Flora Fest at the St. Andrews Centre. You can even pop a vote in to the People's Choice award for our Whanau Awhina Plunket Franklin floral display (designed by our Community Services Coordinator Melissa Charbonneau)! :-) 🌸🌷🌺🌹

05/11/2025

Pop on your GUMBOOTS and join us to celebrate connection, kindness, music and movement TOMORROW FRIDAY 7th November at our Waiuku Mini Beatz playgroup! :-)

🎵FRIDAY 7th NOVEMBER🎵

Waiuku St. John Hall (next to the ambulance station)
3 Constable Road

10 - 1010am / Welcome & Sign-In
1010 - 1035am / Mini Beatz (Music & Movement)
1035am - 1130am / Morning tea & Free Play

Bring a gold coin*, your rhythm & your little one and enjoy a half hour of music & movement followed by a short morning tea & free play session alongside other local whānau.

Our format can work for all ages - from our littlest pēpi to our nearly-5 year olds; we help you tailor everything to suit your tamariki's developmental stage and big person participation is also highly encouraged! 🙂

(*If you never have coins in your purse, we also have pre-paid concession cards available – a $10 donation gets your 5 sessions and a $20 donation gets you 10 sessions. You don’t have to attend the sessions in a row; you just punch your card whenever you do attend! Our concession cards can be paid in-person or via internet banking. However please note that even if you don’t have a gold coin on the day or can’t afford a concession card, we would like you to join us regardless!)

04/11/2025

Whānau Āwhina Plunket is lucky enough to be a chosen charity for the next time Gibbs Farm open their gates on Thursday 20th November. Gibbs Farm is a world-renowned, privately owned sculpture park and farm located in Kaipara Harbour, featuring a vast collection of large-scale, site-specific artworks.

The best bit? All proceeds go to Plunket and our services dedicated to providing wraparound care for tamariki and their whānau across Aotearoa.

Your ticket includes:
🌿Self-guided tour of Gibbs Farm sculpture park
🥪Delicious packed lunch
👩🏻Friendly, trusted Plunket faces on hand to discuss our mahi over a bite to eat.

(A reasonable level of fitness is required for the day, and we kindly ask that you bring along your own water bottle, sunscreen, hat, raincoat, and sturdy walking shoes.)

You can get your tickets here - https://gibbsplunket.raiselysite.com/