For parents looking for new ways to keep children engaged and entertained this summer, see below for some fun family activities for kids of all ages inspired by destinations all around the world!
Quasar Expeditions: "Florie Finds a Family" Book
To share the wonders of the Galapagos Islands with children across the globe, Quasar Expeditions, a leader in experiential travel throughout the Galapagos and South America, has teamed up with Evelyn Jackson, a previous guest, on a special children’s book titled "Florie Finds a Family" explaining the concept of evolution to kids in a fun and relatable way. A great educational summer read, “Florie Finds a Family” follows a young Galapagos tortoise as she learns about the concept of evolution and how she came to be. Following the story there are additional educational materials on Charles Darwin, and all profits from the purchase of the physical book (available soon) will go to the Charles Darwin Foundation.
Tswlau Kalahari: Junior Ranger Program
Tswalu Kahalari is home to the Junior Ranger Program, which has been carefully designed to meet the enthusiasms of a broad age range. Upon arrival, every child is welcomed with a backpack full of guides and tools and have their own opportunity to chat with the Tswalu hospitality staff about what they would like to do. Activities include archery (beginning by making their own bow and arrow), spoor identification and casting as well as tracking on foot. Children’s bush walks are hugely educational and often end with a fantastic picnic – parents can come too. Younger children are also more than welcome on private game drives.
Singita’s Mini-Rangers
Renowned conservation and ecotourism brand, Singita, offers a variety of activities for young explorers, from board games, arts and crafts to an innovative ‘Mini-game Rangers’ Course. The course, available at loges in South Africa and Zimbabwe, covers animal tracking, bird watching, learning bush survival, frogging, butterfly capture and release, astronomy and a fun guide’s test. Through this program, children and teens are challenged in different ways and have opportunities to connect with nature and different cultures. Kids can also partake in Singita’s Mini-game rangers course from home with a coloring book, and games and puzzles to spot differences in illustrations.
Fregate Island's Little Conservationists
At Fregate Island, children of all ages are invited to become a little conservationist. Because Fregate Island is small and intimate, Fregate Island offers a fantastic range of activities that are tailored to each child so that they can encounter the wonders of pristine nature holds in a three-day program.
The program consists of activities such as monitoring Fregate Island's populations of nesting sea turtles, exploring the historic pirate ruins and going on a treasure hunt, meeting the littlest of the Aldabra giant tortoises and taking care of them in the island’s tortoise nursery, learning about endemic land birds and plants of Fregate Island, how an ecosystem works, meeting Fregate Island's orphaned fruit bat Baloo and taking a little lesson in sustainability. Little conservationists will also snorkel in the warm waters around the island and visit the coral restoration sites, explore the underwater world and learn more about the ecosystem beneath the surface.
Shambala Private Game Reserve: Fun and Surprising Animal Facts
Did you know that a lion roar can be heard as far as 5 miles away and that buffalo are fantastic swimmers? Shambala Private Game Reserve recently put together an educational presentation that consists of cute bush animal photos and corresponding fun facts for kids to learn more about Africa’s beloved creatures. Shambala’s fun facts are an easy and witty tool for parents to share with their kids as a an animal lesson and can be viewed electronically on a computer, laptop, iPad, etc. Nestled below the ancient Waterberg mountains in South Africa lies Shambala Private Game Reserve, spanning almost 10,000 hectares of pristine African bushveld and also home to Zulu Camp and Nelson Mandela Villa. Shambala Private Game Reserve covers almost 10,000 hectares under the watchful guardianship of the picturesque, malaria-free Waterberg mountains in South Africa, and the magnificent African bushveld is home to a wide variety of remarkable flora and fauna, including the Big Five. In addition to the Big Five, Shambala Private Game Reserve is home to the endangered sable antelope, black impala, tsessebe, and black rhino, as well as disease-free buffalo. The love and knowledge Shambala has for Africa’s animals is something they aim to share with all guests and curious explorers around the globe.