If you are looking for some low cost holiday activities to keep the kids moving, here are some ideas. I know there are loads more things to do out there, so please add any of your own ideas to the list.
Watch some aeroplanes. The street to park in to watch the planes is KYEEMAGH Ave in Mascot. It is offGeneral Holmes Dr heading towards Brighton Le Sands.
Thanks to Merrin Dhond’t for this one.
Treetop Adventure Park
http://www.treetopadventurepark.com.au/home.php Highly recommended. I went with kids aged from 3 to 9 and they all loved it. A bit challenging for the younger ones in parts, and aLOT of patience required as a parent, but well worth it. Just checked the website again for pricing and the price has recently increased from $20 to $25 for 2 hrs for kids under 10, but if you go with a group of 10 or more you’ll received a 5% discount.
Take a train to Woy Woy , then a short walk down to the wharf and picnic with the pelicans. Someone in the wednesday morning group suggested this one.
Jump on the Palm Beach Ferry and go to Ettalong markets-apparently pretty good if you like markets. Not the cheapest day out as a return adult fair is $20, kids $10. Markets operate each weekend. See the Palm Beach ferries and Ettalong Markets websites. http://www.palmbeachferry.com.au/ http://www.ettalongmarkets.com.au/index.php?section=1
Go to the beach!! The water is really warm at the moment – I spent over 2 hours in the surf the other day-both with and without kids.
Make the most of local walking tracks. So many of us live near bushland. We took the kids through the bush down to Davidson park the other day (underneathRoseville bridge) and cooked bacon and eggs for breakfast. Got to say Saxon (nearly 5) was over it by the time we starting making our way back up the hill, but it was worth the complaints to see wallabies, blue wrens and a massive goanna in the wild, not to mention numerous wildlife species (at least 10- we had to count them for entertainment on the way back home) Take your running shoes with you and do a 3 km time trial along the road. Start at the parking metre at the boat ramp and stick to the river side of the road. You’ll find we’ve marked out 250m, 500m, 750m, 1km and 1.5km (all in yellow on the left side of the road).
Walk up to Barrenjoey Lighthouse, accessed from the northern end of Palm Beach. Tours are conducted every Sunday at a very low price, but it’s probably better to go during the week when there are not so many people on the path. If you feel like a challenge, take your running shoes with you. The track is very easy now that it has been paved. It used to be one of my favourite runs from the southern end of Palmy up to the lighthouse and back, and the views never cease to take my breath away. Alternatively, walk around the headland, but make sure it is low tide and someone knows where you are and when you should be back –just in case.
http://www.lighthouse.net.au/lights/nsw/barrenjoey/barrenjoey.htm#Access
Boogie boarding in the sand dunes at North Palmy. Will cost you absolutely nothing. Go back after dark without the kids! A favourite haunt of Kerry Furrer (during the daytime that is)
Walk across the harbour bridge. It’s free!
Ride a bike. It’s free!
Fairfield CityFarm – a bit more pricey. $20 for adults, $12 for kids, under 3’s free. Vouchers available on website for one free child entry per transaction per day. Quite good for the under 7’s. It’ll be hot out that way though!
http://calmsleyhill.com.au/city-farm/colouring-in-competition
Amazement. Found in the Yarramalong Valley. Mazes, animal farm and a few other bits and pieces. Haven’t been there myself, but have heard good reports. $16 adults, $12.50 kids, under 3’s free. http://www.amazement.com.au/index.php
Add your cool school holiday suggestions in the comments box now.