The largest attendance was at Downer Primary School with 210 children taking part in activities organised by the ACT National Fitness Committee.

There are were at Garran, Macquarie, Turner, North Ainslie, Downer, Aranda, Mawson, Ainslie, Yarralumla, South Curtin, Pearce, Red Hill, Griffith and Narrabundah primary schools; and Koomarri and Campbell high schools.

At each, organised sport was the first "lesson" for the day.

There were competitions indoors later in the day and there was a points system in operation to retain the interest of the children. For variation there were dramatics and charades.

Apart from games, a period was set aside each day for a "library break".

The Canberra Public Library provided a box of books for each centre. Arts and crafts also were part of the activities.

However, one of the play centres was different.

It was a music school at Campbell High School for 70 youngsters.

"This is a higher-quality project," a spokesman for the ACT National Fitness Committee said.

"It is the first one we have held of its kind."

Children took along recorders, guitars or other instruments.

The aim of the centre was to "make music together" with guidance.

Numbers at the play centres in 1970 were up from the year prior. At South Curtin Primary School, 180 children were attending compared with 100 in 1969. At Macquarie there were 140 to 150, compared with 100 the year before.

The centres were open to children aged between five and 15 and were free.

See more trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/14540080