Fun Outdoor Activities to do with the Kids this Easter Holiday in Australia
The Easter holidays in Australia are right around the corner so it’s time to prepare the family for some time off. As the kids too will be on term break during Easter, it’s also a time to consider where the whole family can venture to. Think the Easter horse races, picnicking in the local park or botanical gardens, or even consider time away camping.
With a few more extra days around Easter, you as a family can really make the most of the holiday break if you’re to plan ahead. If you are going to be travelling around Australia with other families, make sure to bring along some personalised name stickers or child care labels for your kids too. If they have food allergies, these labels will help to distinguish who eats what for the little ones.
Read on to find out some of the best outdoor places to visit with the kids this Easter holiday in Australia. There are also hints and tips about being safe when travelling with the kids this Easter.
The Botanical Gardens
A great outdoor excursion this Easter is a trip to the Botanical Gardens. Many of Australia’s botanical gardens lie in very close proximity to capital cities, so let the kids explore the city afterwards too. For example, take them to a special chocolate store to celebrate the Easter holidays.
In many Australian states, there are also local botanic gardens that, if you are lucky enough to live near, provide a great play space and relaxation area for the whole family. Some major parks and botanical gardens also have many great playgrounds the kids can explore this Easter holiday. If you’re really lucky, some botanical gardens even hold community Easter egg hunts such as The Great Garden Egg Hunt at The Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney.
Your local park
If the botanical gardens are a little too far away to travel to, simply try the local park around your area. There are many large national parks in Australia that can double as a place of adventure and fun for the whole family. Here are a few great parks to check out this Easter in Australia:
- Belair National Park – Belair – SA
- Putney Park – Putney – NSW
- The Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden – Melbourne – VIC
- Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park – Kings Park – WA
Again, parents, if you are planning a picnic and day out, don’t forget to bring with you containers that have child care labels and personalised name stickers already stuck on. This will help separate allergy foods from non-allergy foods and give you great peace of mind.
Go camping for the weekend
Camping with the family has always been a popular choice during the Easter holidays. With a few extra days up your sleeve during the Easter break, there is definitely time for a weekend-length getaway. Many parks and camping grounds are situated only a few hours’ drive away from many capital cities around Australia. You can expect lesser grumbling in the form of the “are we there yet” question.
Of course, when going camping, you will want to bring enough food and drink to last the trip. If you are travelling with other families, a good idea is to bring along marked food and drink containers with personalised name stickers. These will help separate your food from other families. This is especially important if your kids have allergies to certain foods and drinks.
Community Easter egg hunt
Another great excuse to head outdoors with the kids this Easter is to organise a community Easter egg hunt. What better excuse to visit the local park and watch your kids’ faces light up when they find chocolate in the bushes and trees.
To ensure the kids’ safety, a good idea is to pre-organise the hunt with a few other families and set up early in the morning. This way, there are enough parents around to watch all the kids. You will also avoid bumping into families having lunchtime BBQs later in the day. A well-gated park would also be ideal to prevent the kids from running to the road.
Now not all kids can eat chocolate so make sure you cater to allergies during your hunt. For example, you could use child care labels or personalised name stickers on the eggs that are not dairy-free and tell the allergic kids to avoid these on their hunt.
Easter horse racing
During the Easter holiday break in Australia, there are typically many Easter racing carnivals and events to attend. These are often very family friendly and are arranged like a big picnic that even the kids can enjoy too. So, get the kids out of the house and away from the TV and iPad screens. They will relish the chance to kick the footy around before and after the horse racing begins or just run amuck and let some excess energy out.
Families can even try and get to the races as early as possible and enjoy a whole day out from breakfast to late lunch. Just make sure you arrange iron on labels or personalised name stickers for clothes and food that you’ll bring for the kids, especially if they have particular food allergies. The last thing you’d want is a trip to the first aid tent on a great day out! It’s also a good idea to have pre-applied iron on labels to the kids’ clothes to locate those lost jumpers later.
Some popular Easter race meets for the whole family are:
- Oakbank Easter Races – Oakbank - SA
- Sydney Carnival – Randwick - NSW
- Easter Cup Races – Caulfield – VIC
- Gold Coast Easter Races – Bundall - QLD
Visit a farm in the country
Another great idea to pull the kids away from the screens this Easter holiday is to take them to a farm. Most kids living in the inner metro areas of Australia will never really experience farm life if you don’t take them. So what better opportunity than to arrange an Easter visit to a farm in the country area. The kids will love to meet all the farm animals and try some local produce depending on which farm you go to. Maybe they’ll even see a real-life Easter bunny!
Just remember to mention to the farmers when sampling their produce about any allergies your child may have一whether it’s dairy, nuts or anything else. You could even think about iron on labels for clothing that you can pop onto your kid’s shirt or jacket. These labels are readily available in many online stores in Australia.
