Keep The Kids Entertained this Easter on the KZN Coast
It’s the end of the first school term and parents all over South Africa are looking for ways to keep their kids entertained over the next two weeks. From encounters with the dangerous creatures of Crocodile Creek and paintball showdowns in Hillcrest to admiring the natural wonders of Kwa-Zulu Natal, here’s our list of interesting activities for kids (and adults).
uShaka Sea World
uShaka Sea World is the largest Aquarium in Africa and the seventh largest in the entire world. This is the perfect kind of bait to lure your kid out of the house and to keep them well entertained this holiday. From the dolphin show to the playful seals and penguins in action, it’s a magical marine world with so much to discover. Their shark exhibit is quite something to experience, while their two million litre snorkel lagoon immerses you in a far more colourful, far less intimidating experience.
Location: 1 King Shaka Avenue Point
Contact: Call 031 328 8000 or visit their website here.
Hours: 09:00 – 17:00, daily
uShaka Wet 'n Wild
Wet ‘n Wild is an extension of uShaka Marine World, offering a completely different experience. Basically, it’s an incredibly fun fresh-water world of slides and pools. Whether your kids are adrenaline junkies interested in the fastest slides possible, or the thrill of Drop Zone, Africa’s highest slide’s 18m plummet, it’s the perfect way to keep them entertained all day long.
Location: 1 King Shaka Avenue Point
Contact: Call 031 328 8000 or visit their website here.
Hours: Wed – Sun, 09:00 – 17:00
Crocodile Creek
A family-owned croc farm located along the tropical coastal bush on the North Coast near Ballito, Crocodile Creek offers a day of outdoor fun suitable for the whole family. They have over 7000 crocodiles, including the Nile crocodile, West African dwarf crocodiles, American alligators and slender-snouted species. Additionally, Crocodile Creek houses a wide range of snakes, rabbits, wild monkeys, mongooses and other wildlife to keep your kids intrigued and well-occupied. Time it right and you just might just catch these prehistoric beasts during their feeding time.
Location: 77 Greylands Road, Greylands,
Contact: 032 940 4444 or visit their website here.
Hours: Tue – Sun, 09:30 – 16:30
Hillcrest Paintball
Located in Botha’s Hill, Hillcrest Paintball offers a variety of paintball fields, making it the finest venue for paintball in Durban. Pick your activity according to your thrill – from classic paintball for the brave, to splatmaster – a more gentle version of paintball – and lasertag. It’s perfect for kiddies’ birthday parties or just a classic paintball showdown with friends.
Location: 15 Wootton Avenue, Bothas Hill
Contact: Call 074 172 1309 or visit their website here.
Hours: Mon – Sun, 08:00 – 16:00
Durban Beaches
The South Coast specifically boasts the highest number of Blue Flag beaches, as well as the highest number of tidal pools in the province. With the Easter holiday usually introducing winter to South Africans, it always seems to reach the South Coast last, which gives families a chance to bask in the sun a little longer.
For those who opt for a day on the beach, here are a couple of tips to help you keep safe and respectful of the powerful ocean, courtesy of South Coast Tourism:
Look for Beaches with Lifeguards
Only swim at beaches where lifeguards are on duty. While there are 58 golden beaches on the Kwazulu-Natal South Coast, lifeguards are only on duty at selected beaches with times varying from beach to beach.
Only swim between the designated flags. These are the safest areas for swimming.
Never Swim Alone
It’s best to have someone with you for if you need help or if you’re unable to wave down the lifeguards yourself.
Adult supervision is a must for children. Children need to be watched on the beach at all times and adults are advised to avoid looking at their phones or checking social media as it might distract them. Remember: Drowning is silent.
Know the Number to Call
Call for help if you see someone in distress. Call a lifeguard, dial the nearest NSRI station or dial 112 from your phone. The NSRI launched its Pink Rescue Buoy initiative in 2017. These lifesaving devices are placed strategically at rivers, dams and beaches. If you attempt a bystander rescue, only do so if you can swim and have a floatation device with you. Tell someone on the beach to call 112 before you go in.
Beware of these things
Beware of inflatable toys. Don’t use inflatable boats or lilos at beaches or dams where currents and winds can blow them (and you) offshore. Only use these in swimming pools with adult supervision.
Beware of rip currents. These currents can move at speeds of up to 2m per second – that’s faster than any of us can swim. The best way to avoid these, is to swim only where lifeguards are on duty. If you do get caught in a rip current, remember not to panic. Stay calm and force yourself to relax. Swim slowly and conservatively out of the current or relax and let it carry you out past the breakers until it slacks.
Beware of spring tides. At every full moon and every new moon, spring tides occur. These cause the two-daily high tides to be higher than normal and two-daily low tides to be lower than normal. This could cause stronger than normal rip currents and risks may be increased at the tide change.
