Winter weekends are made for slowing down. Here are four fun, affordable family activities to please all ages.
Treat your family to a hot chocolate tasting
Warm things up with a family hot chocolate tasting – strictly in the name of ‘research’, of course! Be sure to book ahead as these tastings are popular in winter.
Visit the Wild Café in Pretoria, Nouvelle Bistro in Durban, and Revved Up Café in Cape Town.
@blondiandginger This is your sign to try hot chocolate tasting in Pretoria 🍫🤎 This is the perfect winter activity with friends, family or your loved ones 🤎 Cosy, delicious and a fun new unique experience to try Only R120 per person 📍The Wild Cafe Pretoria Glen Village @The Wild Café Not big on hot chocolate? No stress, they also have delicious food and other tastings available 👀 #hotchocolate #chocolate #foodie #winter #pretoria ♬ Little Things – Adrián Berenguer
Plan a library visit
Libraries are underrated winter gold. Let kids pick books, join a story corner or just explore shelves like tiny literary detectives. It’s quiet, free and will, of course, help to improve your child’s literacy skills. (Grown-ups get to peruse the latest whodunits and romance novels, too).
@aboshmacingwane This is your sign to visit your local library📚its absolutely free and theres so many books to choose from #thingstodowithkids#durbankidsfun#freeactivitiesforkids#librarydatewithmykids#kidsfun#reading ♬ higher by tems cover – jendo
Go pottery painting
Pottery painting is perfect for expressing your creativity on winter weekend afternoons: most venues have indoor heaters or fireplaces, playgrounds for little ones, as well as breakfast and lunch menus. This activity helps kids focus, sparks creativity and gives families a chance to slow down together without screens.
Visit the Clay Café in Cape Town, Lanseria, Pretoria and Johannesburg; Ceramic Café in Somerset West; Create Lonehill in Midrand; or The Creative Studio at Fig Tree Farm in Durban.
@hanibooboo_za Wholesome weekend creating memories! 🎨🖌 #pottery #clay #paint #create #art #mommy #minis #kidsoftiktok #babiesoftiktok #momtok #creativity #memories #activities #fun #idea #part1 #prisonbreak #johannesburg #southafrica @Janita ♬ เสียงต้นฉบับ – kittikmr – veesun95
Indulge in some (educational) nostalgia
Gold Reef City in Johannesburg and Soetmelksvlei at Babylonstoren in Franschhoek both feel like stepping into a time capsule. The former mixes old mining history with theme-park energy (with rides galore), while the latter slows everything right down with a beautifully preserved working farm experience straight out of the voortrekker era.
Both are ideal for families because they turn learning into something you can actually walk through. Kids get to explore, touch and ask questions, while parents get the rare win of an outing that is both entertaining and educational.
@elmaridevos Auntie outings part 2… took my nephew to #Soetmelksvlei and the grown-ups ended up having just as much fun! This family experience by @Babylonstoren lets you travel back in time to a working farm in the late 1800s. From visiting the kraal and a milling demonstration to watching a cream separation demonstrations and blacksmiths at work, this is a fun yet educational experience for grown-ups as well as kids. Plus your ticket includes entry at Babylonstoren, giving you a great excuse to visit the gardens, restaurants, and stores. Again. Because we can never have enough of Babylonstoren! #westerncape #capewinelands #familytime ♬ original sound – RWEeditz
Have a pajama party
This is an enormously fun idea for a chilly Saturday or Sunday evening. Parents and kids put on their comfiest PJs or onesies (extra points if they match), make a snuggle pit in the lounge with plenty of blankets and cushions – and maybe a few hot water bottles for good measure – and lay out a selection of snacks and hot drinks. From here, you can decide if you want to have a movie night, a karaoke night, or a board game evening. Enjoy!
Photography: Freepik
