Summer daze: Fun things to do with kids in the Winelands

Looking for something to do with the kids over the holidays? Head to the Cape Winelands and enjoy a wealth of family-friendly activities and action-packed fun.

From outdoor adventure parks and miniature train trips to animal experiences and art classes, here are some of the best things to do with kids in the Cape.

Visit Pigcasso, the World’s Only Painting Pig

Head to Farm Sanctuary SA in Franschhoek to meet the world’s only painting pig, Pigcasso. The animal sanctuary rescues animals from factory farms and places them in a safe environment where they can live their lives out in peace.

The farm is home to a variety of animals that the kids can meet, including Baloo, a cow rescued from an informal settlement on Route 62.

Where: Dirkie Uys Street, Franschhoek

When: Saturdays and Sundays, 11:00 to 15:00

Contact: (061) 499-5006, info@farmsanctuarysa.org

Fun in the Sun at Wiesenhof Adventure Park

Wiesenhof Adventure Park near Stellenbosch is a fun-filled park with a variety of adventure and activities for kids of all ages. The park has 49 trampolines, eight giant water slides in summer, an air mountain, foam pits, a pump track, a kids’ play area and more.

There are shady picnic spots and braai areas, as well as a café that offers takeaways.  

Where: Off the R44, North of Stellenbosch

When: Fridays, 13:00 to 18:00; Saturdays and Sundays, 08:00 to 18:00

Contact: 065-820-2737, bookings@wapark.co.za

Meet a Croc at Le Bonheur Reptile Adventures

Le Bonheur Reptile Adventures is a reptile farm between Paarl and Franschhoek, and a fantastic place to spend the day with kids. The farm is home to a variety of Nile crocodiles, exotic snakes and other reptiles, and offers informative reptile tours every 45 minutes.

There is a lake where kids can enjoy catch-and-release fishing, so take your own gear and spend the day fishing for tilapia and black bass.

Where: Babylonstoren Road, Paarl

When: Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00 to 17:00

Contact: (021) 863-1142, info@lebonheuradventures.co.za

Winelands Light Railway

The Winelands Railway is a miniature train park in Stellenbosch that offers train rides for the little ones. There is lots of space to play, and a selection of food stalls selling delicious grub. There are also plenty of shady spots for picnics on the lawn.

Where: R304, Stellenbosch

When: Friday to Sunday, 09:00 to 17:00 (weather dependent)

Contact: 060-586-5490, info@winelandsrail.co.za

Scratch a Giraffe at the Giraffe House Wildlife Awareness Centre

The Giraffe House Wildlife Awareness Centre in Stellenbosch is a farm that is home to a wonderful array of animals, from antelope and crocodiles to ostriches and giraffes. Visitors can stroll around the farm via pathways and view the animals in their different camps.

You may even be lucky enough to give a friendly giraffe a scratch on the neck!

Where: R101 towards Paarl, via N1, R304

When: Monday to Sunday, 09:00 to 17:00

Contact: (021) 884-4506, giraffehouse@gmail.com

Take Art Classes at the Barn Artist’s Studio

The Barn Artist’s Studio at Fairview Wine Estate offers art classes for children aged seven and older. Run by trained artist Fern Mocke, the studio allows kids to express their imagination through the canvas by providing creative art sessions and other fun, art-based activities.

Booking is essential and should be done 24 hours in advance.

Where: Fairview Wine Estate, Suid-Agter Paarl Road, Paarl

When: Monday to Sunday, 11:30 to 15:30

Contact: (021) 863-2450 or 082-313-0712, barnartists@gmail.com

Rides Bikes at the Bike Park at Bloemendal

Situated on the beautiful Bloemendal Wine Estate in Durbanville, the Tygerberg MTB Club has a network of mountain-biking trails suitable for kids of all ages, as well as professionals. There are also tracks specially tailored for young children.

The bike park has a specially designed scenic pump YBike trail for children on pushbikes, an outdoor playground, and a kiddies’ menu with puzzles and fun games at Bon Amis Restaurant.

Where: Bloemendal Wine Estate, Tygerberg Valley Road, Oude Westhof

When: Monday to Sunday, 08:00 to 17:00

Contact: 060-657-6344, shop@biosport.co.za or (021) 976-2682, Info@bonamis.co.za

Take your pick at Polkadraai Strawberry Farm

Polkadraai Strawberry Farm offers a fantastic day out with the family. The farm has endless fields of strawberries ripe for the picking, as well as an array of entertainment for kids like pony rides, face-painting and tractor rides. There is a lovely farm café that serves homestyle fare and a spacious bar where you can taste fine wines once the revised lockdown restrictions are eased.  

Where: M12, Stellenbosch Arterial Road, Stellenbosch

When: Monday to Sunday, 09:00 to 16:00

Contact: (021) 881-3303, info@polkadraaifarm.co.za

Carnival Area at Weltevreden Estate

The Weltevreden kids’ carnival area offers tons of activities for children of all ages, including two huge, brightly coloured gyms, two bouncy trampolines and a sandpit. This haven of fun also has a large children’s playground with a build-a-pizza area where kids can make their own pizza.

There’s also a restaurant, so parents can relax and enjoy a bite to eat while the little ones play.

Where: Weltevreden Estate, Welgevonden Boulevard, Cloetesville, Stellenbosch

When: Monday to Sunday, 08:00 to 17:00

Contact: (021) 889-6588, carnival@weltevredenestate.com