Section 10 of the Education and Training Act 2020 defines a playgroup as a group that meets on a regular basis to facilitate children's play and in respect of which:

1. no child attends for more than 4 hours on any day and
2. more than half the children attending on any occasion have a parent or caregiver present in the same play area at the same time and
3. the total number of children attending on any occasion is not greater than 4 times the number of parents and caregivers present in the same play area at the same time.

Education and Training Act 2020, Section 10 – New Zealand Legislation

Playgroups include puna kōhungahunga, cultural playgroups and community language playgroups.

Playgroups are certificated in accordance with the Education and Training Act 2020 under the Education (Playgroups) Regulations 2008, which prescribe minimum standards that each certificated playgroup must meet. Certification criteria are used to assess how playgroups meet the minimum standards required by the regulations.

Education (Playgroups) Regulations 2008 – New Zealand Legislation

For each criterion, there is guidance to help playgroups meet the required standards.

The certification criteria were last updated in September 2022.