Working off energy is the most important thing over the long summer holidays so let’s start with:
SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES
IQ Soccer Clinic at 33 Olive Tree in Craighall Park
Guests staying at Liz at Lancaster sent their son to one of these soccer clinics and it was a great success. Held literally within walking distance of Liz at Lancaster at 33 Olive Tree, Abercorn Ave, these sessions are suitable for advanced or beginner players from ages 3-14. Clinics are run until December 19th: Clinic 1: 4-5 Dec; Clinic 2: 8-12 Dec; Clinic 3: 15-19 Dec. Contact Sean 079 607 6101 or sean@iqfootball.co.za
Bounce at Fourways Mall
Bounce in Fourways Mall is a huge indoor trampoline park for all ages. In addition to the daily rate (not cheap – R450 per child) there are also two 3 day holiday camps from 9am to 2 pm: 8-11 December and 5-8 January (R1800 per child). These holiday camps are geared to ages 5 – 8+: Bounce Squad – Ages 5-7 focuses on basic skill development while Flight Squad – Ages 8+ is a trampoline-based skill development program to learn freestyle trampoline skills and tricks.
Acrobranch at James and Ethel Gray Park in Melrose
This is an exciting activity for kids as young as three years old, who can swing through the Acro-Twigs course; while the older teens can use the zipline course or High-flyer course, where they can tackle nets, bridges and rope ladders. It’s loads of fun.
Adventure Golf
There are 2 courses not far from Liz at Lancaster, one at Fourways and one in Ferndale. You have a choice of three different 9-hole courses which take you across “log bridges and ravines, through caves, past waterfalls and estuaries, and ponds with Koi fish”. Forget the golf just enjoy the jungle adventure!
Ten Pin Bowling
Always a hit, there is a bowling alley in nearby Northcliff as well as in the Zone, Fourways Mall, Monte Casino and Gold Reef City
This activity is a little further afield at the Northgate Dome but lots of kids really love this kind of outing (unless you are like me who clung for dear life to the railing around the edge of the rink before venturing knock-kneed and bent double into the treacherous unknown and with one small tentative swish of that awful skater, slid horizontally in a frantic windmill swirl of arms and legs only to land in undignified fashion very firmly on my arse. And as for getting up to continue … I get PTSD even thinking about it).
HOLIDAY PROGRAMMES
Logicool in Craighall Park
Logicool specializes in running 1- 5 day coding and digital camps using STEAM-based learning to develop problem-solving, creativity and algorithmic thinking skills. Courses include 3d design, Minecraft, robotic programming – I’m sure it’s huge fun but it sounds quite terrifying to me. I would love to attend but don’t want to be shown up by a 4 year old. Best of all Logicool is located in the nearby Woods Shopping Centre, a stone’s throw from Liz at Lancaster. Contact craighall@logiscool.com 082 51 5217 or 072 992 7029.
In addition to the soccer and bounce clinics Club Engage runs holiday programmes in many different schools and venues:
At POPArt
Now located at 59 Dorset Road, Parkwood/Greenside East, POPArt is running its holiday programme for the first week of the holidays 4th -11th December. Contact Hayleigh : +27 83 245 1040 email : popartjhb@gmail.com
THEATRE
Pinocchio at the Joburg Theatre until 24th December
No December holiday is the same without a pantomime and this year it is Pinocchio, Janice Honeyman 38th Christmas pantomime. The theme will for sure, include loads of adult political innuendos but, whereas Pinocchio’s nose grew longer with every porky-pie he told, the same does not hold true for many of those in leadership positions today. I love how Janice Honeyman Honeyman thinks of her next pantomime all year long, “checking the news, reading kids’ and teenage magazines, watching what is trending on social media”, to come up with new and topical material. This is how she manages to always produce a cracker of a performance – loved by old and young alike.
Madagascar at the Peoples Theatre until 24th December
Alex the Lion and his best friends Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo escape from New York Central Zoo to explore the world … and for sure lots of adventures follow.
The Mantis and The Moon and Stubby The Caterpillar! at the Children’s Theatre, Junction Ave until 14 December
Based on 2 short stories from Marguerite Poland‘s marvellous 1979 book, these two short plays are directed by Ivor Jones, with sets by Sarah Roberts and music by Christine Ludwig. Whereas The People’s Theatre often draws on Disney’s more stylized cutsey-cartoon accessibility, Poland’s life lessons are often more subtle and nuanced as well as locally relevant: “The Mantis came to understand that some things in the world are meant to remain where they are. The moon was one such thing, meant to be admired from afar, not possessed. And as for the Caterpillar, she learnt that you can change – you don’t have to rely on others -you can make yourself into something special, as she did.” There are shows daily from Tues to Friday at 9 and 11 am; and Sat and Sun 10.30am and 2.30 pm.
And for all those budding ballerinas with their beloved tutus there is of course the annul favourite ballet The Nutcracker at Monte Casino until 28th December
CHRISTMAS EVENTS
Christmas lights tour
Take a three-hour Sunset and Christmas Lights Tour to Melrose Arch on the open-top Red Bus. The bus will depart from the Zone at 5.30 pm and include a a scenic stop at Munro Drive before moving on to Melrose Arch leaving at 8.30. These tours will run on Dec 13, 15, 17-27. Cost: Adults – R240; Children 4-17 – R150.
Destination Christmas at Melrose Arch until 9th January includes other activites as well as the Christmas Light. There is a Fun Zone from 5–31 December on Upper High Street and in the basement below Moove Motion Fitness Gym, with a pop-up roller-skating rink as well as Glow Rides.
Joburg Festival of Lights at the Joburg Zoo until 4 January
Enjoy an evening stroll on a designated lit route, some music, a night market and festive lights at the Johannesburg Zoo. Thurs to Sun: 7pm-10pm. Adults: R175; Children 3-12: R75; Pensioners: R100
Most of the large Christmas Markets take place in November but one nignt market at the Bryanston Organic Christmas Market takes place every Tuesday evening from 5-9pm until 16 December. From 6-7 pm there is children’s story time with complimentary mini hot chocolate & kettle corn. and there is also the opportunity for the littlies to make their very own Advent Calendar. There is always a particularly special feel about this market. 40 Culross Road Bryanston
FAMILY FRIENDLY RESTAURANTS
We are spoilt in the Parks area with restaurants catering for kids both in terms of menus, supervised playgrounds with wonderful childminders and space to run arounf. These are but a few:
33 Olive Tree at St Albans Ave Craighall Park
Bambanani in Melville
JoyJozi at 51 Eastwood Road cnr Oxford Rd. Parking is available underground in Oxford Parks, Joy Jozi usually opens Friday and weekends only but during the December holidays they will be open daily. You can guess the prices and demographic as it is usually open daily during private school holidays only. 
Delta Café is located in the Delta Centre just down the road from Liz at Lancaster. Delta Centre is a fun area to explore with vege gardens and the stables where kids can have a horse ride after 2 when the horses have returned from the fields.
FREE ACTIVITIES
All the above will cost parents, family and carers hard earned money. But there are lots of things that will cost little or nothing.
Take a walk in a park
Take a walk in one of our green lung park areas where kids can use the playground areas or feed water birds where there are dams and streams.
Highly recommended is A Walk in the Wilds. Find the 67 owls, the monkeys and duikers; take a picnic to have on Giraffe Lawn; and walk up the stoney paths past splashing waterfalls and ponds to see the view from the sunset dial. What used to be a no-go area is now a truly remarkable little oasis in the middle of a densely populated urban space. Read about the transformation through one man’s vision and energy and his mobilizing of the community.
Post a letter to Santa Each year a community-minded Craighall Park resident has a postbox on his pavement where kids can send their Christmas requests to the North Pole. Be sure to give your email address so that Santa knows that the parents know to expect his arrival – whether squeezing down a chimney or through a window.
Visit the amazing Mrs Claus in Moray Drive Bryanston … Read The Good News Guy’s article about Mrs Claus. Brent Lindique writes about Danielle Goff’s extraordinary private initiative: “In the heart of Johannesburg’s Bryanston suburb, “Mrs Claus” transforms Moray Drive into a radiant wonderland every Christmas, spreading joy, unity, and magic throughout the community with her dazzling 18-year tradition of creating a festive spectacle for all to enjoy”. Keep an eye out on her Facebook Page for the annual Christmas Car Carnival. Really heart-warming.
And these are but only a few suggestions for some outings, adventures and making-memory-times for this coming December holidays. Wishing you lots of fun, laughter, happiness as well as sharing with those less fortunate.