With school holidays fast approaching, it’s time to start thinking of ways to keep the kids entertained in the coming weeks. We have put together 8 of our favourite activities for the kids around Auckland that are sure to keep the school holidays fun for the whole family.
ODYSSEY SENSORY MAZE
For a unique experience in the heart of the city, dive into Odyssey Sensory Maze. Located in Auckland’s Metro centre just off Aotea Square, Odyssey is a maze filled with illusions, lighting effects, scents, sounds and strange sensations. A hidden treasure in the city, navigate through each unique room for an experience you’ll never forget. Recommended for those aged 8 and over. Odyssey takes around 20-30 minutes to complete.
For pricing and bookings see: Odyssey
AUCKLAND ZOO
Auckland Zoo is home to over 1400 animals and is a fun day out for the whole family. With over 135 species, get the kids involved and educated in animal conservation while getting up close and personal with animals from all over the world. Open everyday except Christmas, Auckland Zoo also offers Safari nights, behind-the-scenes and junior keeper experiences, photography workshops and caters for birthday parties.
For upcoming zoo events and pricing see: Auckland Zoo
UPTOWN BOUNCE
Kids bouncing off the walls? Then hop into Uptown Bounce! With wall-to-wall trampolines, Uptown is a great way to get the kids active while having fun. The indoor ’slam dunk’ section offers hoops surrounded by padding, ‘air bags’ provides cushioning for budding acrobats and gymnasts, and ‘dodgeball’ is great for groups to compete in teams. Uptown Bounce also offers a Les Mills Kids Class, hosts children’s parties and also offers toddler time for the younger members of your family.
For bookings see: Uptown Bounce
RAINBOWS END
Rainbows End is New Zealand’s largest theme park – with 16 main rides complete with 2 rollercoasters. For thrillseekers and those just looking for a day of fun, Rainbows end caters to all ages. Kids Kingdom is an area that caters to children under the age of 8, while extreme rides such as Stratosfear, Fear Fall and Power Surge are sure to keep the older kids entertained. Open all year round (except Christmas), the park also offers seasonal night rides with local performers on these nights.
For details on night rides and to purchase tickets see: Rainbows End
GLOPUTT MINI GOLF
For the thrill of mini golf with a slight twist, try your hand at Gloputt Mini golf. Completely glow-in-the-dark, the 12-hole course offers a bizarre technicolour experience. The course is also indoors, which makes it great for a rainy day activity.
For Gloputt hours and bookings see: Gloputt
MOTAT
Auckland’s Museum of Transport and Technology is not only a social history museum, but also an interactive experience for kids. With different themed events almost every weekend, kids can explore and discover old steam trains, printing methods, cars, the history of Antarctica and more. An educational day out with ever-changing exhibitions, Motat is open 7 days a week 10am-5pm.
To see upcoming Motat events see: Motat
XTREME ENTERTAINMENT
To keep the kids entertained for hours on a rainy day, take them down to Xtreme Entertainment in Wairau Valley. New Zealand’s largest indoor playground houses tenpin bowling, Kidzone, laser tag and a Timezone arcade. With two locations – Wairau and Botany – the facility also offers Skytv and free wifi, so the adults can kick back and relax while the kids play. Xtreme also offers school holiday specials and is great for groups and parties.
For more information see: Xtreme Entertainment
BLASTACARS DRIFT KARTS
Blastacars is the ultimate karting experience with a purpose-built indoor track for an adrenaline pumping experience. With a 220 metre indoor track that can cater for up to 12 racers at a time, Blastacars is also home to an arcade to keep everyone entertained. Book as a group or race one on one.
To make a booking see: Blastacars
