10 top adventures for kids

Exciting things for children to do in Cape Town

“I’m bored” are the dreaded words that every parent has to deal with from time to time. Well here’s the cure for when your kids need something to do - we’ve rounded up ten of our favourite activities to inject a bit of adventure into their lives.

From swinging through the trees at the zip line in Ceres to digging through semi-precious stones to find treasure, here are some of Cape Town’s best adventures for children.

Paintball
Struggling to drag your kids away from their computer games? This might be a good way to go about it. Replace their first person shooters with real life combat – well, sort of. Teamwork, stealth and strategy are all part of what makes it so exciting. Hiding behind trees, belly crawling through the grass or strategising with their team will soon make them forget about their computers. Not for the easily bruised, this is ideal for older children (they need to be older than 11 years to play). All the necessary equipment is included, such as the gun, protective gear, bush jacket and first 100 paintballs. Extra paintballs cost R35 per 100 paintballs (an average player uses about 200-300). Younger children can play laser tag which is also on offer there.
Price: paintball: R120 per person, laser tag: R95 per person.
Opening times: Monday – Sunday: 9:15am-12:45pm, 1:15pm – 4:45pm
Area 51 | Imhoff Farm | Kommetjie | Cape Town | 27 (0)21 790 7603

Camel Riding
If the paintball sounds a bit too hectic then why not take your kids for a camel ride at Imhoff Farm next door to the paintball. There are three camels available for rides, gentle enough for your kids to enjoy and the jerky two metre ascent will keep things exciting. You are welcome to join them for the ride too.  There are many other things to do at Imhoff so book a slot at the hut by the entrance when you arrive and then have a look around their farmyard or the shops while you wait your turn.
Price: Short rides: R50 for adults, R30 for children, scenic ride (30 minutes): R150
Opening times: Tuesdays – Sundays and public holidays: 12pm – 4pm
Imhoff Farm | Kommetjie | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 789 1711

Ratanga Junction
With over 23 rides as well as other attractions like train and boat rides this is a great place to take the whole family. Little ones will enjoy the more sedate rides while older children (and parents) can brave the legendary Cobra and other thrill rides. There are also rides the whole family can go on, like Crocodile Gorge where each group gets their own round boat to go down the water in (prepare to get soaked). There’s also mini-golf and a variety of fun fair style games where you can win prizes.
Price: Adventure Rider ticket (those taller than 1.3m): R142, Mini Adventure Rider (those under 1.3m): R70, Fun Pass (for non-riders): R45
Opening Times: Monday – Sunday: 10am-5pm (reopening September 30th)
Century City | Milnerton | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 550 8504

Scratch Patch
Mineral World in  Simon’s Town was opened in 1970 and was the first scratch patch ever. There are a multitude of stones and you pay for the container size that you want to fill. It’s a great place for children to spend some time sifting through the tumble-polished gemstones and choosing their favorites to bring home. They’ll be able to sit on the multi-coloured carpet of stones while choosing from Southern African stones such as Tiger’s Eye, Rose Quartz and Amethyst. Finding their favorite colours and shapes will keep them entertained as they try to decide which treasures to bring home.
Price: small bag: R15, large container: R90.
Opening times: Monday – Friday: 9am – 4:45pm, Saturday– Sunday: 9am – 6pm
Dido Valley | Simon’s Town | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 786-2020

Zip line
Your kids will love channeling their inner Tarzan on the ‘foefieslides’ while you enjoy the picturesque backdrop of the Skurweberg Mountains. The Ceres zip slide tour has eight slides which cover 1.4km in total, making this the longest zip slide tour on the continent. The highest point of the slide is 40m. The full body harnesses with state of the art equipment make the slides safe. This adrenaline filled tour can be enjoyed by children of all ages as well as adults.
Price: R400 per person
Opening times: Monday – Sunday: 8am – 4pm (it stays open later in the summer time)
1 Voortrekker Street | Ceres | Western Cape | +27 (0)72 14 11 804      

Pirate Boat
Craving adventure on the high seas? Set sail aboard the Jolly Roger and enjoy the live pirate show out at sea. There are three daily cruises to choose from as well as a variety of kids’ parties and school group options on offer. Children will love the authentic looking pirate ship and the sense of adventure that the crew helps to create. Start practicing your ‘arrrrghhs’ beforehand and teach your kids some pirate lingo so they can get into character for the trip.
Price: Daily cruises: adults: R100, children: R50, sunset cruise: children: R100, adults: R200.
Opening times: Subject to weather conditions
V&A Waterfront Harbour | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 421 0909

Go-karting
Need for speed? Let them race each other around the 310m mini replica of the Killarney racetrack, complete with twists and turns to keep the adrenaline pumping. The 160cc carts have hydraulic brakes and slick tyres to keep them safe. Please note that there is a 1.6m height restriction so this is an activity for older children. This is a great place to bring them to burn off some energy on a rainy day when the boredom is starting to set in.
Price: adults: R70, children: R60
Opening times: Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays: 1pm – 11pm, Friday: 11am – 11pm, Saturday – Sunday: 10am – 11pm.
10 Myhof Road | Kenilworth | Cape Town | +27(0) 21 683-2670      
 
Cool Runnings Tobogganing Park
We’ve swapped sunshine and beaches for the lure of snow here in Cape Town but that doesn’t mean we have to miss out on the winter sports they get to enjoy elsewhere. This tobogganing may not be down a slope of snow but it is certainly exciting. The 1.25km steel tracks allow for speeds of up to 40km per hour as you race down the hill and there’s no chance of falling into icy snow banks either. There’s also no trudging back up to the top dragging your toboggan behind you as the steel cables do that for you.
Price: adults (over 14 years): R25 for one ride, R240 for unlimited rides, children (under 14 years): R20 for one ride, R220 for unlimited rides.
Opening Times: Tuesday – Friday: 12pm -6pm, Saturday-Sunday: 9am-6pm
Off Carl Cronje Drive opposite the Bellville Velodrome | Bellville | Western Cape | +27 (0)21 949 4439  

Sandboarding
Who needs snow when you have sand? Gary’s Surf School offers sand-boarding lessons for beginners. Once they’ve mastered the art of standing on the board as they fly down the dunes they can attempt some of the more advanced moves and tricks. This is a great way for kids to burn off excess energy while having fun.
Price: R300 per person
Opening times: On appointment
Fish Hoek Sports Club | Fish Hoek | Cape Town | Matthew: +27 (0)83 274 3549 / Gary: +27 (0)83 324 5110

The Book Lounge
For younger children (3-8 years) there’s adventure of a different kind every Saturday at 11am at the Book Lounge. The exciting stories will take them along for a different journey each week. It’s a great way to get them excited about reading and exploring the wonderful world of books.
Price: Free
Opening times: Saturdays: 11am
71 Roeland Street | Zonnebloem | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 462 2425 

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