Altea's Municipal Play Centre to Operate Year-Round from 2026

Altea's Municipal Play Centre will transition from a temporary resource to a permanent service available throughout the year. This has been confirmed by the Councillor for Social Welfare and Equality, Anna Lanuza, who highlighted that this initiative, under the Equality Department, will continue operating throughout 2026 thanks to funding from the Ministry of Equality's Corresponsables project.

Until now, this service was only available until December, but efforts by the municipal area have secured its future, establishing it as a stable space for play, learning, and children's interaction. "The aim is for the Play Centre to become an established resource for the town of Altea," Lanuza explained.

The councillor recalled that this service was initially created to support the work-life balance of Altea's families, but its positive reception has led to its establishment as a permanent municipal programme. To this end, the team has been strengthened with a coordinator, Maricreu Manzano, a town hall employee with extensive experience in Social Welfare and Equality.

"We can now consider the Play Centre as another municipal resource. We have expanded the staff and stabilised the service to offer continuous and quality care," Lanuza explained.

Altea's Municipal Play Centre provides a safe space where children can stay in the afternoon while their families work or study. "It is a help for families who have no one to leave their children with, but also for those in training or actively seeking employment," the councillor noted.

The service is designed to support the balance of work, education, and family life, one of the main objectives of the Equality Department of Altea's town council.

The Play Centre's coordinator, Maricreu Manzano, detailed that the team of monitors and caregivers designs dynamic and age-appropriate programmes weekly. "Every week, creative workshops, cooperative games, learning activities, writing, mathematics, and reading are prepared in a relaxed environment," she explained.

These activities aim to foster imagination, cooperation, friendship, and the values of coexistence and inclusion, which are essential pillars of the project.

In addition to its educational and recreational function, the Play Centre has become a meeting point for Altea's families, promoting values such as respect, participation, and creativity. "We want families to be part of this space too, which is why we organise joint activities that strengthen family and community bonds," Manzano highlighted.

The Town Council encourages families to register at Altea's Social Centre, where service applications are managed.

The Play Centre operates Monday to Friday, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, although attendance every day is not required. Families can choose the days and times that best suit their personal or work needs.

In this way, the Town Council seeks to adapt the service to the reality of each household, offering a flexible model that promotes balance and participation.