Keeping the little ones entertained and active can be a pricey and exhausting task. So we've found some free and exhilarating activities to keep the little ones occupied and mischief free.
Horsing Around
Bokkie Park, located in Boksburg, offers free animal interactions. Here, the kids can feed ducks, geese, peacocks, ostriches, cows, sheep, goats, horses, guinea pigs and rabbits. The park also offers many picnic spots under the lush trees, a jungle gym and braai facilities. Entrance to the park is completely free. You can purchase animal feed at the tuck shop, or you can bring your own from home. Pro tip: the animals there are quite partial to large, juicy carrots. But feel free to bring along some cabbage too. Just remember that none of these animals should be snacking on bread.
Museum Tours
Visiting museums is a great activity for the little ones. They are both entertaining and informative. But, they can break the bank. We found a bunch of free museum tours across the city. Your kids can explore and learn all about their city at no cost. Learn about the first African civilizations, long forgotten transport, natural history, traditional medicine, the life of Nelson Mandela and money at these interesting institutions.
Visit a Nature Reserve
Another informative activity is to explore the flora and fauna of our beautiful city. This can easily be done at either the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens or the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens. But for a another option, check out the plethora of nature reserves available in Pretoria and Johannesburg. While some have free entry, others charge only a small amount for the upkeep of the reserves.
Science Experiments
Keep the learning going with science experiments. These fun and interactive activities will keep the kids busy for hours. They will also encourage your kids to think, explore, ask questions and be inquisitive. With these science experiments, they can learn all about the properties of non-Newtonian fluids, grow their own crystals, learn about farming and plants, discover sound waves, uncover the truth about density, use the power of a potato, bend light and erupt a volcano.
Have Fun at a Park
Joburg has many parks located in all the suburbs. Some of these parks may be a bit lackluster, but there are many well-maintained and safe parks worth exploring. The best thing about this is that it's for the whole family, furbabies included. The kids can get some sun playing on the jungle gyms or bring a ball and play a round or two of their favourite sport. You can also pack a picnic for some added family bonding time.
Day at the Library
Our childhoods were filled with days at the library, when we could spend hours going through colourful books of all shapes and sizes. We could sit on the poofy bean bags and get lost in a world of fantasy where none of our little problems existed. And the best part was when all the kids would gather round for story time. Spend the day at one of the top libraries in Joburg. This is the perfect free entertainment for children who still want to be captivated by the fictional world.
