Free and Cheap Things to Do with Kids in Cape Town
15 fun family-friendly activities for mahala or less than R50
Raising children can be expensive. There are nappies, teeny garments, sticky sweets, mini furniture, toys and school fees to think about, so when it comes to entertaining them, most moms and pops likely want to keep costs as low as possible. Of course, this doesn’t mean simply sitting at home – no one wants little tykes climbing up curtains or hanging from lampshades – but rather finding fun family-friendly activities that don’t burn a hole in the pocket.
And fortunately, such things do actually exist in Cape Town. From gratis options like storytelling sessions at bookshops to very affordable to-dos like crocodile viewing, rose picking and grape juice tasting at wine farms, there are plenty ways to keep tiny tots busy while pinching the pennies. If you’re wondering where to find such alternatives, simply take a look below – we’ve carefully compiled an overview of things to do with kids for free or for less than R50 to help you get through the child-rearing phase with your bank balance still more or less intact.
THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS FOR FREE OR LESS THAN R50
Stellenbosch Toy and Miniature Museum
There’s enough to enchant both little boys and little girls for a solid hour or two at this captivating Cape Winelands museum, which is housed in an old 18th-century parsonage in Stellenbosch. The affordable, family-friendly venue is home to an assortment of vintage playthings and a wonderland of tiny replicas of farm houses, historical buildings and rooms complete with mini tables, cabinets, curtains, plates, beds, mirror, grandfather clocks and much more. There are miniscule tea sets, porcelain dolls in period clothing, well-loved teddies and hundreds of Dinky Cars, trucks, convertibles, fire engines and motorbikes. Though, the museum’s stand-out feature has to be the incredibly detailed and realistic miniature display of the Blue Train and its route through the Winelands to the Karoo and back (the train actually moves, but is currently being upgraded and will only be functioning again in September 2014). While fascinating for children, this gem is also a delight for parents, who can reminisce about their toys of past and reconnect with a time before technology took over.
Price: R10 for children; R20 for adults.
Opening Hours: Monday– Friday: 9am – 5pm; Saturday: 9am – 2pm; Sunday: 9am – 1pm (only open every alternate weekend from May to August).
Market Street (behind the Information Bureau) | Stellenbosch | +27 (0)79 981 7067
Treetop Canopy Walkway at Kirstenbosch
While this spectacular botanical garden in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs is always a prime place to spend a day with the little ones, the May 2014 addition of a treetop canopy walkway to its Arboretum has made it even more of a fun-filled playground for young-uns. The 130-m long aerial boardwalk, which has been nicknamed the ‘boomslang’ because of its serpentine structure, winds its way up from the forest floor and between the gnarled trunks of ancient trees before it burst out of the canopy 12m above the ground, turns and snakes back down again. Kiddies are bound to love the incredible view from the top, the heady feeling of floating above treetops and the fact that they can encounter twittering birds and frolicking woodlands creatures at eye level. Plus, much to parents’ delight, making use of the pathway is absolutely free – it’s just necessary to pay the basic entrance fee to Kirstenbosch at the gate.
Price: Entrance to the garden is free for kids younger than 6, R10 for children between the ages of 6 and 17 (free during school holidays) and R45 for adults.
Opening Hours: (summer) Monday – Sunday: 8am – 7pm; (winter) Monday – Sunday: 8am – 6pm
Rhodes Drive | Newlands | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 799 8782
Le Bonheur Crocodile Farm
Located just outside Paarl, this family-run farm gives little ones the rare chance to view hundreds of live Nile crocodiles for next to nothing. Le Bonheur runs regular guided tours that take guests out onto fenced-in walkways that snake between ponds teeming with over 1500 of these fascinating, toothy reptiles. Kiddies can watch the adult crocs slipping in and out of the water, and every tiny tot also has the opportunity to hold a juvenile – an exhilarating experience for any youngster. Once the croc-focused part is done, children can then spend the rest of the day running around on the venue’s verdant lawn, clambering over the outdoor jungle gym, finding distraction in the indoor play pen or fishing for bass and tilapia in the on-site dam (rods are available for rent from the farm’s visitor centre). There’s also a café selling croc pies, burgers, salads and more, and adults can relax at any of several tables or lay out a blanket on the sprawling greens. In essence, it’s the sort of spot you can while away hours while still keeping all your pennies in your pocket.
Price: Pond tours cost R28p/p for kids 18 years and younger and R48p/p for adults; fishing rods are available for hire at R20 for one hour, R35 for half a day or R45 for a full day.
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday: 9am – 5pm
Babylonstoren Road | R45 | Simondium | Western Cape | +27 (0)21 863 1142
Gardens Skate Park
Officially opened in early August 2014 in the area below the Mill Street bridge in Gardens, this rad kid-friendly skate park offers little ones of all ages hours of mahala entertainment. The boarding hub was established to transform this vacant, crime-ridden zone into a safer, positive space, and today it is exactly this: a place of fun, play and creativity. Though it is also used by more serious professionals training for big competitions, the rink is open to inexperienced little ones, who can spend whole mornings and afternoons gliding down ramps, trying their hands at flips off manual pads and even attempting to skate down staircases. As it’s well lit and completely fenced in, the arena is safe for younger kids, and there’s also space for adults to stand and watch. While older kids can visit on their own, it’s advisable that smaller children are accompanied by an adult as the park is located right next to a busy intersection. In any case, mom and dad will likely want to join their tots in slipping and sliding down slopes.
Price: Entrance to the skate park is free.
Opening Hours: Opening times are flexible, but the park is open to skaters daily from early in the morning until late at night.
Under the Mill Street Bridge (Jutland Avenue Bridge) | Gardens | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 487 2025
The Springbok Experience Rugby Museum
This state-of-the-art, double-storey museum at the V&A Waterfront is a veritable utopia for sport-loving grown-ups and young’uns. While the upstairs area, which tells the story of the evolution of rugby through a series of interactive digital displays and an assortment of iconic artefacts (like Francois Pienaar’s famed No. 6 jersey), is a wonderland for parents and slightly older kids, the downstairs Springbok Trials zone will keep smaller tots entertained for hours. This multimedia play place invites children (and adults) to try out a range of Wii-like kicking, passing, fitness and reaction tests, and players even get live feedback from a virtual coach. Aside from this section though, the museum’s founders have made every effort to incorporate sound, music, movement, colour, games and quizzes into the exhibit so that it captures the imagination of kiddies as much as it does that of rugga-crazy grown-ups. Plus, tykes will learn a thing or two – The Springbok Experience very effectively sheds light on the broader history of South Africa through the lens of the game.
Price: Pre-schoolers get in for free, scholars pay only R30p/p and adults are charged R50p/p; families of four can enjoy a discounted rate of R140 in total.
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10am – 6pm
Portswood House Building | Cnr. of Dock and Portswood roads | V&A Waterfront | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 418 4741
Story Time at The Book Lounge
If you’re looking to expand your tiny tot’s mind or wanting to whisk your little one away to a distant, magical land, then the weekly storytelling session at The Book Lounge in Cape Town’s East City is a must. Taking place every Saturday morning at 11am, this delightful event not only keeps kids entertained but it also keeps parents’ wallets bulging as it is absolutely and entirely free. The stories chosen cover a different theme every week – sometimes it’s educational (books about manners, for example) and sometimes it’s pure fun (tales of dragons and knights, for instance) – and there’s generally an arts and crafts period afterwards when little ones can colour in pictures and make creative knick-knacks. Story time at The Book Lounge is most appropriate for children older than three years of age but younger than eight, and parental supervision is essential; though, moms and pops likely won’t mind visiting the bookshop with their young offspring as there’s shelf upon shelf of must-read paperbacks for grown-ups too.
Price: Free
Session time: Every Saturday at 11am
71 Roeland Street | East City | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 462 2425
Rose Picking at Chart Farm
A great way to come away with a stunning bouquet of flowers for a very affordable price, picking your own roses at Wynberg’s picturesque Chart Farm is also a fun activity for little lambs. Between November and June every year, the property’s gardens are rich with line upon line of crimson, fuchsia, lemon-yellow and snow-white blossoms, and guests can amble along in between the rows, pruning shears in one hand and bucket in the other, and pick roses of their choice (you pay a tiny price per flower at the end). It’s a lovely excuse to be outside on a clear day, and it’s a novel and exciting option for young green-fingered guys and gals. Plus, the farm is also home to a charming café that sells tea, coffee and lots of delicious treats and looks out over the rolling hills and vineyards of the Constantia Valley.
Price: R4 per rose picked (roses are R2 each on Sundays thanks to a half-price special); there’s no charge for the activity of picking.
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday: 9am – 4pm (November to June)
Klaassens Road | Wynberg | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 761 0434
Watch the Firing of Signal Hill’s Noon Gun
The daily 12pm blast of the Noon Gun is a sound many a Capetonian is very accustomed to, but few have actually taken the time to travel up to the lower slopes of Signal Hill to watch the historical cannon go off. And while this is an interesting activity for adults, it’s also very exciting for young kids who’ve likely read stories about maritime wars and thrilling battles featuring such old-school artillery. Members of the public are invited to view the noon firing from a safe distance for free and are also treated to a brief talk beforehand that explains the history of the gun, how it’s been used as a time signal for ships and locals since 1806 and how it’s the Mother City’s oldest tradition today. The actual event only takes a second, but kiddies will ride on the thrill of it for hours – and the best part is, it doesn’t cost a thing.
Price: Free
Firing Time: Monday – Saturday: 12pm (arrive at 11:30am for the talk and build-up)
Lion Battery | Military Road (follow signs from corner of Bloem and Buitengracht streets) | Bo-Kaap | Cape Town
Intaka Island
An affordable day trip option, Intaka Island is a 16-hectare wetland and nature reserve right in the bosom of urban suburb Century City and only a short drive from Cape Town’s CBD. At this natural retreat, kiddies and older folk can do a either a guided or self-guided stroll along the 2km-long walkway that snakes around the isle, stopping at various stations on the way to read up about the plants, marine creatures and extensive assortment of birds (over 120 species) that call Intaka home. There are also two designated hides from which families can spy African spoonbills, herons, falcons, egrets, giant kingfishers, if lucky, perhaps the odd water mongoose and more. Plus, little ones can also have a whale of a time aboard a ferry that cruises through the waters around the island and does a brief trip down the Grand Canal too (the boat ride lasts around 35 minutes). It may not be a viable activity on cold, drizzly days, but when the sun’s out, Intaka Island is a prime way to entertain tykes while saving cash.
Price: Entrance:R7.50 for kids under 12 and R12.50 for adults; entrance and ferry ride: R25 for children under 12 and R35 for adults.
Opening Hours: (October to April) Monday – Sunday: 7:30am – 7pm; (May to September) Monday – Sunday: 7:30am – 5:30pm (boat rides operate from 10am until 4pm daily)
2 Park Lane | Grand Central Precinct | Century City | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 552 6889
Snake Park at Imhoff Farm
Whether they fascinate or frighten you, snakes are always mesmerising creatures to watch, so no doubt, toddlers and teenyboppers will be thrilled by a visit to this Kommetjie-based park. The reptile sanctuary and rehabilitation centre houses everything from anacondas, black mambas, spitting cobras and blue-tongued skinks to alligators, chameleons, terrapins and bearded dragons, and children are welcome to hold a non-venomous snake for an additional R10. Guests can stroll through the centre at their own pace, peering into the various enclosures (there’s a description on each) and watching these slimy serpents sleep, eat and slither up branches, and if there are any questions, there’s usually a staff member on hand to offer up some answers. The snake park is also close to many of the other child-friendly attractions at Imhoff Farm (camel riding, face painting and a farm animal enclosure, for instance), so families can squeeze lots into one visit.
Price: R35 for children and R40 for adults for all-day entrance.
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday: 9am – 5pm
Imhoff Farm | Kommetjie Road (M65) | Kommetjie | +27 (0)83 643 3103
Swim at the Sea Point Pool or the Long Street Baths
For next to nothing, moms and pops who don’t have a pool at home can take their small fries to the spectacular outdoor Sea Point Pavilion, which overlooks the glistening Atlantic Ocean, or the indoor Long Street Baths, which are conveniently located right in the heart of the bustling city. While the Atlantic Seaboard option has a baby pool and a child-friendly fun pool, the CBD complex boasts a shallower option for shorter members of the family, and both venues are watched over by lifeguards during the summer season. Of course though, these are not the sort of spots you can just drop young kiddies for the day and leave; rather, they’re places that the whole family can have fun together without breaking the bank.
Price: Sea Point Swimming Pool: R10 for kids and R20 for adults (subject to change end of 2014); Long Street Baths: R1.50 for children and R5.50 for adults.
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday: 7am – 7pm (both pools)
Note: The Sea Point Swimming Pool is closed until October 2014 and the Long Street Baths are also closed for renovations until August 2014.
Lower Beach Road | Sea Point | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 434 3341
Top of Long Street | City Centre | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 422 0100
Grape Juice Tasting at Spier Wine Farm
This kid-centric activity is a sneaky excuse for parents to have some fun too. While they sample historic Stellenbosch farm Spier’s award-winning range of wines, little ones can be kept busy with their own non-alcoholic tasting experience. Kiddies are given three different types of grape juice to taste as well as a packet of jelly sweets and an activity sheet that they can colour in. It’s a fun way for them to feel like little grown-ups, and it’s an affordable entertainment option too. Families can do their group samplings within the renowned winery’s gorgeous tasting room or, on sunny days, outside on the patio that overlooks the estate’s rolling lawns. Speaking of which, the verdant greenways that spread across Spier are ideal for frolicking on, so when kiddies aren’t analysing the tasting notes in their cups of juice, they can have a ball scampering around the property.
Price: The kiddies’ tasting costs R35p/p whereas the adult options go for between R35p/p and R90p/p, depending on the option chosen.
Tasting Room Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10am – 4:30pm
R310 | Stellenbosch | +27 (0)21 809 1100
A Show at The Rainbow Puppet Theatre
Thereare few more simple pleasures for kiddies than an old-school puppet show, which makes this Constantia-based theatre an absolute must-visit, particularly if you’re tight on cash. The performance space, which is the only permanent one of its kind in South Africa, puts on two shows every Saturday morning, one at 10am and one at 11.15am, using a collection of beautifully made glove, rod and shadow puppets, striking lighting and live music. The team of puppeteers use the little figures to tell fairy tales inspired by the Grimm brothers’ works, including Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood and The Frog Prince, as well as a few other stories, and they rotate through the different fables monthly. Of course, adults are welcome to sit and watch too – in fact, moms and dads will likely enjoy the delightful shows just as much as their offspring. For thirsty and peckish parents and tots, there’s a small refreshment stand that sells tea, coffee, juices and cake.
Price: Only R20p/p for both kids and adults.
Show Times: Every Saturday at 10am and 11:15am
Kindergarten Building | Constantia Waldorf School | Spaanschemat River Road | Constantia | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 783 2063
Fly a Kite at a Local Park
Cape Town is peppered with an assortment of public parks perfect for picnicking, strolling and playing in, and considering entrance to all of them is free, visiting one for the day with the family is an affordable entertainment option. To add a bit of excitement to the experience, why not bring along a colourful kite and spend the time teaching young boys and girls how to keep one of these little crafts in the air. It may not seem like such a thrilling activity for adults, but kite-flying is the stuff happy childhoods are made off. There are many large greenways to choose from, but a few options are listed below – all are open every day during daylight hours.
The Company’s Garden in the city centre(take along some nuts to feed the squirrels)
Green Point Urban Park (look out for the eco-friendly playground)
De Waal Park in Gardens (let the dogs come along too)
Die Oog Conservation Area in Bergvliet(see how many birds, terrapins and tortoises you can spot – this sanctuary teems with flora and fauna)
Family Time at Play Parks
When in doubt, pack the little ones into the car and head for a local play park – entrance fees are usually very reasonable (parents often get in for free) and children almost always have a tip-top time. There’s a recreational centre in nearly every suburb, and most are home to everything from swings, jumping castles, climbing walls and foofy slides to ball ponds, sandpits, tree houses and pedal cars. These family-friendly hubs are also great places for youngsters to make friends, and the myriad of captivating activities takes the pressure for entertainment off the old folk. Below you’ll find a couple of prime play park options to choose from (call the venue to find out about opening hours):
Bugz Family Playpark in Kraaifontein – +27 (0)21 988 8836 (R35 for children and R30 for adults; R5 per token for paid rides)
Planet Kids in Muizenberg – +27 (0)21 788 3070 (R30 for one hour and R50 for two hours for kids aged 2 to 13; R1 per month of age for kids under2; free for adults)
The Playshed at Oude Molen Eco Village in Pinelands – +27 (0)21 801 0141 (Between R30 and R35 for first hour for kids; free for babies under six months; free for parents)
Fun House in Durbanville – +27 (0)82 770 3286 (R40 day entrance for kids under 16; free for grown-ups)
Courtesy Cape Town Magazine