Activities to keep the kids entertained this school holidays

Kieran Gair

Ku-ring-gai council active kids
Don’t let your kids’ eyes get stuck in front of the television this Easter school holidays, get them out and about with the Active Ku-ring-gai Kids sports program.
With different activities every day, children will get to sample a variety of sports and find out what’s best suited to them, whether it’s netball, football, tennis, athletics or basketball. The program encourages primary schoolers to get active, have fun and meet new friends, while developing important skills in team work and leadership.
All sports will be taught and supervised by the professionals from Oz Sport Solutions, respected industry leaders in sports coaching and education. The program will kick off in week one of the school holidays, starting at 8am on April 14 at the West Lindfield Community Hall.
For more information and to book contact Matthew Joyce on 94240802.

Australian National Maritime Museum family torchlight tour
Amaze the kids with the wonderful underwater world of whales. From graceful giants of the sea, to playful dolphins, from dangerous predators such as orcas to the mysterious narwhal and beluga whales the Amazing Whales exhibition has it all.
This international exhibition uncovers the diversity, origins and adaptation of the cetaceans, charting their development from land mammals to aquatic giants. Amazing Whales also looks at the different relationships that humans have had with the cetaceans and the threats that weigh on their future.
Take a special guided torchlight tour through the exhibition on Saturday April 12 at 6pm. The exhibition will be run throughout the entire school holidays.
Tickets are $20 for non-members and bookings are essential so call 9298 3644 to reserve a spot.

Mowbray Park Farm
Whether it’s midweek or the weekend, Mowbray Park is alive with the sights and sounds of the Australian country. Family owned and operated, Mowbray Park is a working farm and farmstay with all the comforts you would expect and only a one hour drive from Sydney Airport.
Supervised activities are offered all day long for the kids while the parents can finally get a chance to relax and unwind. Separated from mobile phones, the internet and a computer the entire family can delight in a leisurely horse ride, take a dip in the pool or spend a lazy afternoon by the creek.
Every meal is included and while you wait to enjoy a hearty breakfast or sizzling barbecue visitors can try their hand at archery, play a game of tennis or just relax under the shade of a tree with a good book.

ARTEXPRESS 2014
This popular exhibition features a selection of outstanding student artworks developed for the artmaking component of the HSC examination in Visual Arts, 2013. The annual exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW celebrates the state’s best young artists.
The exhibition includes a broad range of approaches and expressive forms, including ceramics, collection of works, documented forms, drawing, graphic design, painting, photomedia, printmaking, sculpture, textiles and fibre, and time-based forms.
Ideal for older children undertaking visual arts at school, or for creative younger ones, the 2014 showcase will be gracing the halls of the Art Gallery throughout the April school holidays.

Sea Life Sydney Aquarium’s Behind the Scenes Tour
If you’ve ever wondered what goes on in the inner workings of an aquarium then Sea Life Sydney Aquarium’s new Behind the Scenes Tour is perfect for you.
Prepare to investigate the inner workings of a world-class aquarium during a 45 minute tour that will take you and your family to the most secret corners of Sydney’s underwater world.
You’ll get the opportunity to face your fears of the deep by standing above Shark Valley and feeding the hungry fish below. If your kids fancy themselves as budding scientists they will get the chance to visit the research laboratory to see how the professional staff test the pH and oxygen levels of the aquarium’s water.
One of the highlights of the tour is a trip to see where the staff prepare lunch for the dugongs, Pig and Wuru. You will have a once in a lifetime chance to get up close and personal with the only pair of on-display dugongs in the world!
Sydney Aquarium’s behind the scenes tour is on every day of the school holidays and tickets include general admission to the aquarium and are priced from $58 for adults and $45 for kids.

Walk with Taronga Zoo’s lemurs this Easter
Taronga Zoo is preparing to welcome visitors inside the Zoo’s new Lemur Forest Adventure exhibit this April school holidays. Children of all ages will be delighted to jump beyond the barriers and experience the tropical habitat of Madagascar’s endangered lemurs.

The Lemur Forest Adventure replicates the lemurs’ natural habitat on the island of Madagascar, off the east coast of Africa. This interactive exhibit includes a forest path and a custom-built playground with complex climbing structure, designed to allow young visitors to climb just like lemurs.

It is planned so that groups of visitors will be able to walk through the Lemur exhibit between 11.15am and 4.00pm daily, following the path right beside the trees, rocks and climbing structures where the lemurs are leaping and walking.

As part of your entry to the Zoo during the school holidays, visitors can take advantage of the many keeper talks and shows throughout the day. This includes the Lemur Keeper Talk at 11:00am, as well as the popular Seal Show at 11:00am and 1:00pm, and the free Flight Bird Show at 12 noon and 3:00pm.