Five of Sydney’s best outdoor activities these school holidays!

School holidays are a great time to get your children connecting with nature and the great outdoors.  

Outdoor play is not only great for healthy bodies, but also healthy minds. When children are engaged in dynamic outdoor play they encounter the chance to solve problems, think creatively, and practice sharing and teamwork.

Here are our top picks from the Botanic Gardens and our other favourite outdoor spots this October:

1. Dig in at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan

For those in Sydney’s south-west, and families looking for a new space to explore, The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan is a great day out. Visit the excellent Melaleuca House Café and the playground, and check out the fun and educational programs on offer each holidays.

This spring Kids’ Dig – Travel into the Past is an extraordinary chance to be an archaeologist for the day! Giant fossil remains have been uncovered at the Garden’s and the experts need helpers to excavate, recover, identify and even assemble their find.

A real find for caregivers, also book in for Eco Art on Thursday afternoon and your child can stay for the day with a supervised lunch break.

Kids’ Dig – Travel into the Past: 4 & 5 Oct 2018, 9.30 - 11.30 am, find out more and book here or see everything that's coming up for kids at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan. 

2. Celebrate, create and connect at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney offers unique opportunities for local and visiting families to learn more about Sydney’s Aboriginal heritage here in the heart of the city.
Encourage your children to get hands on, creative, and connect with natural materials at Celebrate, Create, Corroboree at the Sydney Garden.

A morning incorporating the mind, body, and soul, kids will create their very own headpiece or arm band to wear while learning about the purpose and movements of traditional and contemporary Aboriginal dance. They will finish the day with their own Corroboree in our beautiful Garden!

If you’d like to learn more about Sydney’s Aboriginal culture and history as a family, why not all come along to the Garden’s regular Aboriginal Heritage Tour. An engaging and interactive experience, you will learn about plant uses, culture, artefacts and even try seasonal bush tucker. 

Celebrate, Create, Corroboree: 2,3, & 12 Oct 2018, 10.00 – 11.30 am & 12.30 – 2.00 pm, find out more and book here.
Aboriginal Heritage Tour: Every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 – 11.30 am, find out more and book here.

See everything that's coming up for kids at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney here. 
 

3. Get WILD with tracks, trails and treasure hunts at Centennial Park

Because we love outdoor play AND gardens, the Ian Potter Children’s WILD PLAY Garden located in the newly heritage listed, Centennial Park, is one of our favourite spots to visit. This award-winning outdoor play space encourages kids of all ages and abilities to discover the wild side of life.

Families can visit and explore Garden with its bamboo forest, dry creek beds, water play area, and tree house from 10.00 am – 5.00 pm daily these spring holidays (check the Centennial Park website for more information). Plus, there’s a coffee van and amenities block close at hand so you can play to your heart’s content.

This October, WILD PLAY Kids vs Wild - Tracks, Trails and Treasure Hunts has caught our eye. Your kids can spend the afternoon with the Parklands’ education rangers taking part in exciting activities like shelter building, animal tracking and trail making – how’s that for problem solving, teamwork, and connecting with nature?

The Ian Potter Children’s WILD PLAY Garden: Daily 10.00 am – 5:00 pm, find out more here.
WILD PLAY Kids vs Wild - Tracks, Trails and Treasure Hunts: 2 & 11 Oct 2018, 1.00 – 3.00 pm, find out more and book here or see everything that's coming up for kids at the Parklands.

4. Explorers wanted at the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah

Less than 90 minutes from Sydney CBD and even closer for many Sydney families, the Blue Mountain Botanic Garden Mount Tomah is a fantastic day trip. Spring sees many seasonal flowers bloom – perfect for inquisitive birds and children.

The Garden Safari – Kids’ Self-Guided Quest is available to adventurous explorers throughout the school holidays. The safari map leads kids through the garden – encouraging them to explore the Garden while learning about weird and amazing plants along the way!

Stop in at the family-friendly Potager café Restaurant or Ugly Mug kiosk to refuel during your visit.

Garden Safari – Kids’ Self-Guided Quest: Daily, find out more here and plan your visit to the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Annan.

5. Get into the swing of spring with Moore Park Golf

Did you know that October is golf month? This year's theme is 'share the game you love with the people you love', a great idea for families.

An inclusive and accessible Club, Moore Park Golf is keen to get as many players as possible out on the green. Golf gets kids (and adults) active and out in the fresh air, encourages quality time spent together, and is also great maths practice!

In a stroke of luck, golf month coincides with the school holidays – so kids can play free with a paying adult at Moore Park Golf.

Moore Park Golf: Booking required, see terms and conditions and find out more here.

There you have it – five fantastic alternatives to screen time these school holidays!

Encourage the kids to take part in outdoor play to work their minds and bodies. Every school holidays our fantastic outdoor educators have unique, fun, and educational outdoor activities ready to go, so check out the latest What’s On for the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan, and Blue Mountain Botanic Garden Mount Tomah.