Ways to keep the kids busy this summer in Cape Town

The end-of-year holidays are a great opportunity to spend time showing your children some of the wonderful things Cape Town has to offer.
From theatre productions to fun walks, amazing dino animatronics to rock and roll workshops, here are nine of our favourite holiday happenings on offer:

A trip to the theatre

This year, Cape Town will be treated to a production of Annie at the Artscape from 2 December 2016 to 8 January 2017. Set in 1930s New York, the musical follows little orphan Annie on her adventures with adoptive father Mr Warbucks. It’s heart-warming and funny, and certainly a show the whole family will love.
Get more info: www.pietertoerien.co.za/portfolio-items/annie-the-worlds-favourite-family-musical/

Build LEGO empires

Book a spot and get your kids to build amazing creations while learning great technical skills too. Local LEGO supplier Kiddiwinks runs holiday workshops that include everything from free building to learning the basics of robotics and even animation. Keep an eye out for those workshops in early December.
Get more info: www.facebook.com/kiddiwinksSA/

Join a holiday surf camp

December is a great time to enjoy the outdoors, and what better way to do that than on the beach learning to surf? Surf Emporium Muizenberg runs a series of short surf camps during December that are well-suited to first-timers and intermediate young surfers. Better still, the camps include surf lessons, equipment, hot showers and snacks.
Get more info: 021 788 8687 or email info@surfemporium.co.za

Take a walk to the top of the hill

Get the whole family involved for this fun walk at Dewaal Wine Estate in Stellenbosch. The fun walk takes place on 12 November and again on 3 December, and takes walkers through a half-century-old vineyard block of pinotage grapes. While it’s loads of fun for the kids who can romp through the farm’s open spaces, parents can also partake – especially of the wine tasting of award-winning Top of the Hill pinotage under the ancient fig tree at the top of the hill, and later, a selection of local cheeses on the terrace.
Get more info: www.wineroute.co.za/calendar/event.aspx?DIARYID=14463

Natural history 101

Take the kids to Dinos Alive during the summer holidays and be amazed by the 25 animatronic dinosaurs. Let them enjoy the apatosaurus ride and watch the dinosaur film to get their fill of all things reptilian. Dinos Alive will take place Cape Gate Mall, from 18 November 2016 to 8 January 2017.
Get more info: www.dinosalive.co.za/

Go to open air cinema

It’s novel for both the kids and you to watch a film under the night sky while enjoying great food provided by a selection of food vendors. Go along to one of the Galileo venues – Kirstenbosch Gardens, the Palms in Woodstock; Central Park in Century City, Fedisa Rooftop in Cape Town and Meerendal Wine Estate in Durbanville, to experience a festive, fun-filled evening. There are a range of films to choose from, so you are guaranteed to find one that the whole family will agree on. Get more info: www.thegalileo.co.za/

Nurture your little rock star

For those budding musicians keen to get an edge over the rest, consider booking them into a camp at the School of Rock’s Claremont campus for the holidays. The programs are designed to be fast-paced, high energy and filled with teamwork – perfect for ambitious young rockers.
Get more info: www.locations.schoolofrock.com/claremont#programs

Action gaming

For a fun-filled day outdoors – and one that involves tactical gaming – pay a visit to the  Imhoff farm in Kommetjie to play a round or two of lastertag or paintball. Younger players, starting from six years and up, are also catered for and can play a round of lastertag.
Get more info: www.actionpursuit.co.za/

Circus tricks

For older kids, book a visit to watch Cirque Eloize – an offshoot of Cirque du Soleil – and enjoy the incredible tricks and elastic bodies of this international act. It’s the first time this act will come to Cape Town, and performances are set to be at the Artscape. Performances are limited to 16 to 27 November 2016, so be sure to book your tickets soon and enjoy an early start to the summer holiday season.
Get more info: www.online.computicket.com/web/event/cirque_eloize_id/1021964444