Already wishing the school holidays were a thing of the past? Fear not, here are our top 5 suggestions to keep your little explorers entertained and more importantly outdoors during these school holidays.
Old-Fashioned Fun
Bring back the days of outdoor physical fun, think hopscotch, marbles or even a good game of hide and seek – these games will keep them entertained for hours, just as they did back then. Weather not looking too good, fear not, pull out a deck of cards or a board game, these games do not only provide educational benefits, but also equal amounts of fun.
Plot in an adventure
Take a day out in the holidays to get your little explorers outdoors and exploring the local park or mountains. Suggest a few locations and let them decide which one. Added tip: do a little research on the area, teaching them about the flora and fauna en route. To top it off pack in a picnic and snack, this will help you to save money. Not only will it be a great day out for your little adventurer, but also a nice, quick break in the outdoors for you, giving you a chance to reboot those batteries.
Backyard Camping
Not enough time to get out on an adventure these school holidays, no worries, why not bring the adventure to you! Set up camp in your backyard and plan a family sleep out. Allow your little one the opportunity to help set up and teach them the fundamentals of camping in the process – from the equipment required to how to cook a meal outdoors – these are skills that will stick with them for life.
Plan a trip to your local animal sanctuary or park
Going to an animal park or farm allows your little ones to identify with animals which they may have only read about in books. Here is our list of animal parks to visit across the country.
Gauteng:
Elephant Sanctuary
Bush babies Monkey Sanctuary
Hartbeespoort dam snake and Animal Park
Eastern Cape:
Elephant Sanctuary
African Dawn Bird and Wildlife Sanctuary
Mpumalanga:
Elephant Sanctuary
Limpopo:
Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
Kwazulu-Natal:
Emdoneni Cat Rehabilitation Centre
The African Bird of Prey Sanctuary
Cape Town:
Cheetah Outreach
Butterfly world
Monkey Town Primate Centre
Eseltjiesrus Donkey Sanctuary
Snow Adventures
Snow season in South Africa is here and it may just fall during the school holidays. Be prepared for when it does, by optimally equipping you and your little ones with the correct apparel and gear. Keep an eye on the forecast and be ready to head out for when it lands, because there is nothing quite like throwing snowballs and making snow angels, especially for first time snow adventurers.
