Now that the school holidays have arrived, the kids are at home and hoping for a fun-filled break. You might be asking yourself the same question every year, what is there to do in Cape Town for the school holidays? If you’re stuck on what to do in the beautiful Mother City, here are seven fun activities suitable for the whole family.
1. Two Oceans Aquarium
See the wonderful, mystical creatures under the sea at Two Oceans Aquarium. From different predators to the cuter baby penguins, give your kids the chance to see all sorts of aquatic animals and sea life. There are interesting things to see all over the aquarium so they will never get bored. During the October holidays, the whole month is dedicated to celebrating sharks in Sharktober which is when your kids will get to learn about the many different sharks. Head over to the Two Oceans Aquarium website to start reading and learning.
2. PlayDate SuperPark
Let the kids run wild, and get some exercise at the PlayDate SuperPark, V&A Waterfront. Children aged 12 and under can have a day of fun, fitness, and adventure. Toddlers can play safely in the Little City, and for older children, there is a 3D maze for them to explore and a high zip line course. You can also keep an eye on the kids while relaxing with a tasty snack and freshly ground coffee.
3. A Day Outdoors At Kirstenbosch Gardens
Spend a day relaxing at the Kirstenbosch Gardens under skies of blue, on lush green grass while the kids will enjoy running around in nature. On sunny days this is an easy inexpensive activity to get your kids away from technology, out of the house, and enjoying fresh air. All you have to do is pack a picnic basket filled with their favourite snacks, sunscreen, and a picnic blanket. If you don’t feel like driving, the city sightseeing hop-on hop-off buses will get you there, so you can also enjoy a view of the landscape and greenery on the way.
4. Visit Table Mountain
Everyone knows and loves visiting Cape Town’s famous Table Mountain. Take the children to Cape Town’s most iconic and famous tourist attraction for a view of the city like none other. Take a guided tour at the top of one of the world’s new 7 wonders of nature for the whole family to see dassies, porcupines, grysbok, mongooses, snakes, and tortoises. End the tour at the gift store before having a delicious lunch at one of the popular restaurants there.
5. Bugz Family Playpark
An action-filled day for the kids at Bugz Family Playpark is a must. Kids are able to play while developing their emotional, physical, and intellectual well-being, as well as social skills, imagination, creativity, cognitive skills and so much more. Besides the mental benefits, they get to be active and exercise their muscles. Your children will get to choose between the indoor play area, treehouse, mud kitchen, splash zone, and jungle gym. There are outdoor rides and various play zones with signs explaining what skills your child will be developing. For animal lovers, there is a petting farm too.
6. Hop-On Hop-Off City Sightseeing Red Bus Ride
Hop on an open-deck sightseeing bus for a ride to explore 3 different routes, with over 30 sightseeing stops en route. You and your kids will get to see all of Cape Town’s main attractions, secluded spots, and magnificent beaches. The red bus leaves from V&A Waterfront every 30 minutes, starting at 9 am. Pick one or all of the routes and give your kids the opportunity to learn all about Cape Town via a special commentary on the bus.
7. Tidal Pool Swimming
During the summer school holidays (or even those warm winter days), your kids can spend a day swimming in the rock pools along the coastlines of Camps Bay, St. James, and Dalebrook. These tidal pools are an enjoyable, family-friendly, safe, and free place for the kids to swim and play. Get your kids to take their goggles and snorkels along too so they can explore the natural underwater habitats, for the chance to see octopi, sea slugs, anemones, sea hares, cuttlefish, and seaweed.
We hope these ideas have helped you form your own list of entertaining activities you can plan for your kids in Cape Town during these school holidays. Hopefully, you are no longer scratching your head for interesting things to do, and you and the kids don’t spend their whole holiday period inside the house.
