Friday, June 14, 2019
Winter school holiday fun
On holiday this winter school break and don’t know what to do with the kids? We’ve got you sorted.
If you’re scratching your head, trying desperately to think of ideas to keep the kids occupied during the school holidays (especially in winter), you’re not alone.
From Mandurah to Albany, we’ve found the best things to see and do, so your family has the best holiday ever.
- Get lost in a bookstore
There are some good old-fashioned stores in the region that are as popular as ever. In Busselton, let the kids hide away in the gorgeous reading nooks at Viva Books and Barefoot Books. Also highly rated is Margaret River BookShop and Paperbark Merchants in Albany.
- Take a cooking class
Nurture your child’s inner MasterChef and enrol them in Rustico at Hay Shed Hill’s 2.5-hour cooking school. Ideal for kids aged eight to14, they will learn how to make Caesar salad, gnocchi, Eton mess and a mocktail. Find out more.
- Visit the Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre
When the weather takes a turn for the worse, check out the holiday program at ALAC. The pools are open every day, plus a Superhero party, roller disco, pool party for the older kids, plus bubble soccer and basketball games.
- Explore a maze
Exercise both the body and mind. Try Amaze’n in Margaret River with its half-hectare hedge maze, botanical gardens, mini golf, giant outdoor chess, and table games. Or visit Yallingup Maze, with several different mazes, a bouncy castle, and an indoor puzzle and board game area.
- Cow on down to the DejaMoo festival
Saturday 13 July is DejaMoo, a dairy festival in – where else? – Cowaramup. The main event will be the COWPAT Trophy Race with homemade wooden racing cars, plus there will be face painting, laser tag, pony rides, a bouncy castle and markets.
- Learn while on holiday
When in Albany, make sure you visit the Museum of Great Southern for Ancient Rome: The Empire That Shaped the World. This interactive exhibition is open from 13 April to 21 July 2019.
You might also like to read: 35 indoor holiday ideas
- Take a surfing lesson
Winter is the perfect time to learn to surf. Margaret River Surf School offers a ‘SurfGroms’ package for beginners and intermediates aged five to 12. For those going surfing sans instructor, read Family-friendly surf breaks in the South-West.
- Learn archery
Get the kids away from the electronics and into the great outdoors. Busselton Archery and Family Fun Park has an archery class for kids aged six and over, and ‘archery tag’ – a mix of dodgeball, paintball and archery with foam-tipped arrows – for those 10 or older.
- Get creative
Flex your craft skills at a class in Busselton or Dunsborough Libraries. In Mandurah take a trip to Paper Plane Co, a gorgeous store with craft supplies, unique toys and books. Or get messy with a pottery workshop at Happs Pottery near Dunsborough.
- Cruise on a pirate ship
Dress up as your favourite pirate and hop aboard Mandurah’s pirate vessel for a 45-minute cruise through the canals. If you’re in Busselton, the foreshore playground with a pirate ship is a good pirate-related option.
You might also like to read: School holiday activities for all personalities
- Animal encounters
Visit Peel Zoo for an unforgettable animal encounter with dingos, koalas, and macaws. For petting and handfeeding, try Denmark’s alpaca and petting farm, Wonky Windmill near Dunsborough or Sunflowers Animal Farm in Margaret River. There are also whale watching cruises and plenty of horse riding stables in the region.
- Get your adrenaline pumping with indoor rock climbing
Keep the kids physically active without worrying about wet weather at Mandurah Indoor Rock Climbing. For children seven to 13, there is Ninja Training and a Holiday Climb Club. And for those eight and above, there is an Aerials Silks and Trapeze class.
- Get your chocolate fix
Step aside, Willy Wonka. We have our own version in Margaret River with the Margaret River Chocolate Company. Watch chocolate being made, discover a new favourite with the free tastings, or share a decadent chocolate fondue.
- Catch a movie
The perfect choice for those rainy days. Watch blockbusters at the new cinema in the Margaret River cultural centre or Orana Cinemas in Busselton and Albany.
Whatever you choose to do with your family this winter school break, you’re bound to have a holiday you’ll never forget. Browse our portfolio of beautiful, unique properties in the region for your stay.
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