Child-Friendly Destinations
Keeping youngsters entertained during the summer holidays can easily become a nightmarish ordeal for parents. Stay sane this December with abouTime’s child-friendly destination guide.
Around Durban
A sunny day: On sunny days, head to the beach! Little ones will enjoy swimming in the warm Indian Ocean, building sand castles, picking up shells, flying kites and looking for sea creatures in rock pools. Other options include having a picnic at Durban’s Botanical Gardens and visiting the Umgeni River Bird Park, Fun World Amusement Park and Mini Town.
A rainy afternoon: The Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Umhlanga Rocks is the perfect antidote to bad weather boredom. There is a Barnyard theatre, IMAX and normal cinemas, a Wave House, climbing wall and ScienCentre, and at Fantasy Forest children can enjoy activities like bumper cars, arcade games, ten pin bowling, mini golf and action karts.
A day out: uShaka Marine World offers various ocean activities, an aquarium/oceanarium, amusement park, plenty of shopping opportunities and a wealth of beach activities. All these things make it ideal for a day long outing. Alternatively, take a day trip to the Valley of a Thousand Hills, or – if you are not too far from the South Coast – visit the Riverbend Crocodile Farm in Southbroom.
Around Port Elizabeth
A sunny day: If the weather is good, head down to the Bayworld Oceanarium to catch one of the dolphin shows and marvel at the many other sea creatures. Port Elizabeth and East London are known for their great beaches, and pristine stretches of sand and sea may be found all along the Eastern Cape coastline. Feeling adventurous? Pack the family in the car, and take the day to explore some of the more remote beaches. Youngsters will also love experiencing the action and adventure of paintball at Paintball Heaven in Walmer.
A rainy afternoon: The Bayworld complex is also home to the Snake Park and the Port Elizabeth Museum, which make for enjoyable and educational excursions on a rainy day. At the Bridge Shopping Centre in Greenacres, the Funtasia family entertainment centre will keep kids happy with jumping castles, bumper cars and other features.
A day out: Older children will enjoy exploring the hiking trails and light house at the Cape Recife Nature Reserve, which is also a bird lover’s paradise and home to small animals like otters. The whole family will enjoy pachyderm spotting at Addo Elephant Park, about 75 kilometres outside of Port Elizabeth.
Around Cape Town
A sunny day: Those families who choose Cape Town as their December holiday destination are truly spoilt for choice! In addition to beach activities, children will love taking a cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain, exploring the Cape Town Castle, feeding squirrels in Government Avenue, going penguin spotting at Boulders Beach, having a picnic at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens or going for fish and chips in picturesque Hout Bay.
A rainy afternoon: Get creative at the Clay Café in Hout Bay, go ice skating at Grand West or visit the Two Oceans Aquarium, Iziko Planetarium, SA Maritime Museum or Warrior Toy Museum.
A day out: Kids will be crazy about the adrenaline-pumping action to be had at Ratanga Junction. For a more tranquil option, head to the Cape Winelands for a day. At the Spier Wine Estate, the cheetah outreach and eagle encounters will keep children enthralled, and many other wine estates offer pretty picnic options.
Around Johannesburg
A sunny day: The Johannesburg Zoo is a perfect picnic spot for a sunny day in the Highveld. For more animal adventures, feed the ducks at Zoo Lake, head to the Bird Gardens at Montecasino – where you can also enjoy a meal and a movie afterwards – or cuddle a cub at The Lion Park in Lanseria.
A rainy afternoon: Let the kids work off all that extra energy at the Indoor Karting at the Randburg Raceway, or treat them to a game of Laser Quest at Brightwater Commons. Ten pin bowling at Galaxy World in Rosebank is also bound to go down well with youngsters. Alternatively, check the theatre guides for holiday time kids’ shows, or take them to the Johannesburg Planetarium. If your little ones are feeling creative, have them make their own hand painted ceramic gifts at the Color Café in Hyde Park.
A day out: For a day of educational fun, visit Maropeng and the Sterkfontein Caves in the Cradle of Humankind. Adrenaline-pumping action is a guaranteed part of a visit to Gold Reef City, while a day trip to Sun City and the Valley of the Waves is great for sun-drenched fun.
Story by Jacqueline Cochrane
