Ideas for entertaining the littlies this school and kindergarten holidays – and all things that I would actually willingly want to do MYSELF. Plus they don’t all cost a fortune…
Ideas for entertaining the littlies this school and kindergarten holidays – and all things that I would actually willingly want to do MYSELF. Plus they don’t all cost a fortune, ‘cos we all know how everything seems to have ‘excludes school holidays’ on special offers. There are a surprising amount of great value activities out there though, and here are a few we’ve rounded up.
Sky Tower
Going up the Skytower is pretty much Auckland’s version of the Eiffel Tower. They’re running a discounted offer for only $15 every Monday -Thursday until 31st October 2013 for Auckland residents bringing proof of address such as a power bill. You can also get bargain parking if you take your Skycity carpark ticket to a cashier and get it stamped to pay only $5 to park for up to 3 hours, with a minimum spend of $20.
Onepoto Basin Children’s Road
This best-kept North Shore secret, found immediately off the Harbour Bridge Onewa Road exit, is a public park with an adventure playground and children’s road. There are two playgrounds; one for pre-schoolers with low slides and swings, and one for primary kids with a tall choob slide and a flying fox. Its piece de resistance however is the tar-sealed road with give way and stop signs that junior motorists can scooter and bike around in the landscaped park. Take bread for the pukeko lake too.
Below: My son rides his motorbike around the children’s road at Onepoto Basin.
Silo Park
The newly-revamped Silo Park playground at Wynyard Quarter has a sand pit full of equipment for younger children and a basketball court for tweens and teens. Check out their website for free open-air public movies and events such as markets all year too, at www.silopark.co.nz
MOTAT
This is a perennial favourite of ours and often has specials. During the school holidays they run School Holiday Experiences that are free with your admission ($16 adults, free for under fives) 13th -28th July 2013. See Motat.org.nz for info.
Auckland Museum
The Auckland War Memorial Museum has a plethora of school holiday activities, for free or low cost, aged from toddler story-times to marine discovery and Marae experiences. They have an entire page of fabulous holidays ideas displayed on their Auckland Museum website.
Auckland Zoo
Yep, not cheap, but where else are you going to see lions, tigers and bears? Exactly. Auckland Zoo is running an ‘Epic Adventure’ this July 2013 school holidays at 10, 12 and 2pm daily, with a theme of saving the rainforest, with activities and prizes for kids and it’s free with your admission ticket. See details here at Auckland Zoo website. $25 for adults, under 4s free.
Kelly Tarlton’s
The world’s largest display penguin colony is here in Auckland, At Kelly Tarlton’s SEA LIFE Aquarium. Darren Cross dressed in a penguin suit tux to give fishy snacks for their fun ‘housewarming party’ this week to welcome them to their new enclosure. This school holidays there are exciting activities, colouring-in competitions and penguin movie screenings on offer, plus their informative penguin talks are increasing to five times a day, every hour from 10.30am to 2.30pm. During school holidays you can buy tickets online to save: it’s $28.80 instead of $36 per adult. By the way, did you know outside of holiday season you can buy an off peak pass for $50 per adult and $25 per child over 4 for unlimited visits? Twos and under are always free. For more info see www.kellytarltons.co.nz
Cooking Together
You don’t have to be a Junior Masterchef contestant in the making to enjoy cooking together. It’s free – you’re going to need to eat anyhow – and gives them life-long skills. Below are two ideas to start with; one healthy, one not-so-healthy idea for children’s parties.
Below: Make Tiny Teddies racing cars by biting the legs of Tiny Teddies cookies and securing onto mini Mars bars with a dot of icing. Attach four Smarties wheels with a dot of icing.
Homemade pizza. I Googled a no-yeast recipe with only three ingredients and got the children to mix it and spread the dough and tomato paste base, then add loads of healthy vege toppings and some shaved ham and grated cheese to finish.
Movies
We have recently seen and enjoyed:
EPIC 3D – A beautifully-animated fantasy feature. Read our full review on Thread of Epic 3D here.
Monsters University – Laughs galore in this prequel to Monsters Inc. Loved it.
For older ones, the best gentle comedy/coming of age drama I’ve seen for ages is The Way Way Back starring Toni Collette and Steve Carell, about 14 year old Duncan’s summer vacation job at a waterworld that changes his whole outlook on life and self esteem. 10/10
Oz The Great & Powerful is released on DVD this week. Starring James Franco, Mila Kunis, and Rachel Weisz, it is best for older children and some scenes may scare littlies (flying monkeys especially!). Great special effects and a strong cast.
More free ideas (from my friend Anya)
Go visit the airport to watch planes
Go watch the helicopters land and take off at Mechanics Bay.
Have a computer-free day and talk to each other for a change. That is pretty out there. Read a book.
By Megan Robinson 15 July 2013
Leave a Reply