While my kids don’t do a lot of extra-murals during school time they do make up for lost time during the school holidays… I do seek out programs that they can join in and holiday programs they can sign up for. They love it and over the years they have built up quite a repertoire of different things they have tried. Also they meet tons of kids this way, from all walks of life. I do have the advantage of safety in numbers and have never had to send a child anywhere new on their own, they either go with a sibling or a friend… and we have been lucky they have yet to go to anything that they didn’t enjoy enough to really want to go back to!!!
- Sporting Chance: All my kids have enjoyed cricket and soccer at Sporting Chance during the school holidays… they usually have a week or two of coaching in the mornings during the holidays, where kids from all over Cape Town gather at a couple of venues and play. They are very organized, the coaches are fantastic and the kids have heaps of energetic fun.
- The Planetarium: Has great programs for kids and since I know less than nothing about anything way out of this world, I consider it vital that they go to something at the Planetarium from time to time.
- The South African Museum: Often has fabulous holiday programs every time my kids have been there they have come back raving and ready for more!!! These are usually an hour or two in the morning. I usually drop the kids that are attending and the roam the museum with the rest of the gang. If the little ones get restless while they are waiting there are great gardens to play in right outside, not to mention free parking.
- Save Our Seas Shark Center has a school holiday program: I can’t rave on long enough about the shark center. If you haven’t been yet then call them and see what’s on on the day and take a visit!!! To find out more you can contact them: Save Our Seas Shark Centre Tel: +27 21 788 6694
- The Aquarium: has great artsy crafts and activities during the holidays, if you are planning a visit then make sure to have a look at their program and you could include a stop off and make a craft or watch a show. They have fabulous holiday programs for kids and they don’t have to be members.
- Kirstenbosch: Has great nature art programs during the holidays. You can contact Sue Nepgen here.
- Frank Joubert Art School: Always have great art classes in the holidays… you can contact Gabby for more info.
- Noordhoek Farm Village: always has a heap of stuff going on… with free activities for kids, seriously!!!
The Se7en + 1th Thing…
And since I am not one to reinvent the wheel… Here is a great lists of holiday activities I found for you to peruse… actually I will be scanning through looking for fun, new things for my kids to do. Cape Town Kids: has a great list of things to do. Enjoy your holidays.
Thanks for those ideas! will pass them on to my kids, although quite a bit older, still love outings!
I am grateful for this post – what a great idea. There is so much for them to do here in summer. I have been feeling bummed about how little we can do in the term (both for sanity and finance sake), but hey, summer break is coming!! So thanks for the advance warning!
Hay J, I am always surprised at how much stuff is free and you din’t have to look too far for it!!! I am sure you will find heaps of wonderful things to do when your summer eventually rolls around!!!
Those look like great places to visit. Almost makes me want to leave out cold climate. Love the photo of the Aquarium.
Hi Cheryl!!! We love the aquarium…but is a bit of a pricey outing for a family of ten!!! My oldest guys just spent this week there on a behind the scenes course – totally awesome and kinda wish I was 11-ish again!!! Enjoy the coolth for us and we will enjoy the heat for you!!!
I’ve been having a computer-free week, and I am only now catching up on all your posts! We also have some super free holiday programs here ‘behind the boerwors curtain’, but I seem to have a bit of an obsession about safety and only take them if I can also attend. Granted, my eldest is only three, so it is quite appropriate for me to still tag along, but I hope I will learn to relax a little when they get older. The shark center looks like something we will definitely enjoy! I think I will wait for the school term to start before we make the trip out there, though!!
Hay Joyful Mama… Computer free weeks I have discovered are quite lethal for bloggers!!! I took one and went from being quite purposeful about posting everyday to quite ambivalent of ever getting back-up!!! Needless to say I am back in the saddle but quite content to miss the odd day or three!!! Otherwise None of my three year olds would want to go anywhere on their own without their crowd of brothers and sisters – safety in numbers and all that!!! Give your guys time!!! There is a lot of good stuff out there that is fun and when they are ready they will fly!!! Hope you have a fun week and enjoy some holiday time!!!