Johannesburg - School holidays are in full swing and even though it’s easier to leave the children to entertain themselves by watching TV, global studies warn against this and parents are encouraged to get creative.
School holidays are an opportunity for you to get them away from screens and interested in activities that aid in their development.
To assist parents and caregivers, Dineplan, the restaurant reservation platform, put together a list of nine restaurants that combine good food with offerings that engage young minds and bodies.
JoyJozi in Dunkeld is so much more than just a restaurant. For outdoor fun, this one-of-a-kind family playground has a garden with a treehouse, mazes, slides, a bicycle track and a splash park. Inside, there is a play centre with a games room, reading room and lots more.
If you’re in and around Pretoria and Johannesburg, and looking for something a little different, head to your nearest Clay Café branch in Irene, Lonehill, Montana, Silver Lakes or Wolwespruit. Here, kids of all ages can unleash their inner artist while painting a wide selection of ceramics. In the Western Cape, you’ll find Clay Cafés in Bree Street, Hout Bay, and Paarl.
For budding chefs, there’s Nederburg in Stellenbosch where children can try their hand at cupcake decorating and take part in milk-and-cookie pairings.
Keep the kids from climbing the walls
There’s no beating a jungle gym set-up for getting children active and outdoors, so if that’s what you’re after, these are the restaurants where tykes can run wild in a secure setting:
Cape Point Vineyards has a new jungle gym with a separate play area for toddlers so everyone can have a good time. A short distance away, Aegir Project Brewery in Noordhoek lets parents enjoy artisanal beer, piping hot pizzas, and fried chicken burgers while the kids wear themselves out in the jungle gym.
This was one of South Africa’s 100 most-loved restaurants of 2022, according to Dineplan guest reviews. Otherwise, visit Spier for the day and let the kids roam through the elemental play garden, take part in a grape juice tasting or visit the eagle encounter centre.
Situated in Muldersdrift, close to the heart of Johannesburg, Flavours at La Vue offers a large outside grass area and massive play structures where little ones can let loose.
Not far away, in Parkwood, you’ll find Gioia Trattoria and their team of childminders keeping children entertained with play areas for various age groups and fun activities.
Live, laugh, learn
While it might be school holidays, there is still lots to learn. Hazendal in the Western Cape Winelands is home to Wonderdal, an immersive and interactive edutainment experience combining learning and play.
Here, children between the ages of five and 13 can discover the worlds of science and nature across a variety of indoor and outdoor activity zones.
These are just a few spots to get the kids out of the house (and out of your hair).