Play School was first broadcast in New Zealand on Tuesday 22 March 1972 for a 26-week trial period, with a group of six hosts chosen, one pair for each week.
Its first producer was David Istance, an ex-BBC TV floor manager, who had worked on the British Play School, as well as comedies All Gas and Gaiters and Hugh and I Spy during the 1960s.
He later returned to the UK and worked as a production assistant on Juliet Bravo (1980) and then as a production manager on Bergerac, Juliet Bravo, All Creatures Great and Small (1983), Malestrom and Tenko Reunion (1985) and in the mid-80s worked at BBC TV Training at Elstree Studios.
The final edition, recorded in March 1989 was number 440, presented by Pauline Durning and John Mann.
Waric and Janet were joined the following year by Jan Johnstone, Ray Woolf and Elizabeth Rogers.