Share

Keep your kids entertained this Easter holiday

accreditation

The holidays are always a stressful time for parents. "What am I going to do with them today?" is a question you'll probably ask yourself every day. Well, fret no more. Here are a bunch of Easter events happening across South Africa.

Delicious Easter cupcake fun at Stodels


Cupcakes or fairy cakes are a delicious yummy treat just for one – not least because of the colourful icing and decorations! Stodels Nurseries invites little ones to tap into their creative side and join them for an Easter cupcake decorating workshop.

Each child will receive a kit, packed in a biodegradable box, comprising a pre-baked chocolate or vanilla cupcake, butter icing in a selection of colours and an assortment of decorations including smarties, mini chocolate eggs, flakes and liquorice. 

During the hour-long, hands-on workshop, the team will guide you through a step-by-step process of icing and decorating your cupcake to enjoy straight away, or to take home as a tasty, edible Easter gift.

When, where, how much?

Date: Tuesday, April 4
Venue: Stodels Cafe, Bellville, Eversdal Road
Times: 
10 to 11am
12 to 1pm
2 to 3pm

Date: Thursday, April 6
Venue: Stodels Cafe Kenilworth, Doncaster Road
Times:
10 to 11am
12 to 1pm
2 to 3pm

Date: Wednesday, April 12
Venue:Stodels Constantia, 62 Doordrift Road
Times:
10 to 11am
12 to 1pm
2 to 3pm

The workshop and kit costs R38. Places are limited so booking is essential. Email cupcakes@stodels.com for more information or call Gertina or Maritza on 021 919 1108. For more information go to www.stodels.com.

Daredevil FMX riders take on gravity in new stunt show at the Rand Show 2017

In the world of freestyle motocross, the backflip is a trick so difficult it has only been mastered by a handful of riders across the globe... one of whom will be showing off his moves at the Rand Show this year.

Acknowledged as one of the best FMX riders in the world, Nick de Wit will be tackling this legendary trick in his freestyle motocross show "Gravity Clash" in the Rand Show's new Action Zone.

Nick is a Red Bull motocross rider who placed fourth in the Dubai X Games in 2006. He'll be joined by Jungle Rush and Bounce FMX athletes Dallan Goldman, the first SA rider to flip a 450cc bike over a 23m gap, and Scotty Billett, an up-and-coming Joburg rider with a background in off road and MX racing and the youngest rider in SA to jump freestyle MX.

Nick and his daredevil crew will power their 100kg motorcycles 10 metres into the air in a series of death-defying tricks such as tsunamis, cliff hangers, heart attacks, Superman... and that legendary backflip. They'll also perform motorcycle trains, where they'll see how close they can get to each other while airborne.

The Gravity Clash team joins a great line-up of top-class entertainment at this year's Rand Show. South Africa's biggest consumer expo is the only show to offer attractions covering everything from sport, motoring, military and science and technology, to design, animals, gardening, health and beauty, and variety shows .. there's an entire day out for the whole family packed into each Rand Show ticket.

When, where, how much?

The Rand Show runs from Friday, 14 April to Sunday, 23 April 2017, from 9 am to 7 pm (last entry at 6 pm), at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec (GPS - S26°14.484' E27°58.510). There is ample secure paid parking at the venue, with visible policing.

Rand Show tickets at the gate cost R150 for adults, R50 for pensioners, R50 for 13-16 years, R20 for 6-12 years, and under six enter free. Midweek specials for Tuesday 18, Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 April only are R75 for adults, and R20 for 13-16 year olds. Open-air parking is R20 per car. Tickets are available at the gate or through Computicket.

Tickets give access to a wide variety of entertainment attractions, but exclude rides on the helicopter and monorail, drifting, bagjumping, the fun fair, and refreshments and food.

Visit www.randshow.co.za to find out about all the action.

'Explore the Gardens' Easter Egg Trail at the Durban Botanic Gardens

An exciting new event promises a load of fun for Durban children this holiday. The inaugural Explore The Gardens Easter Egg Trail, to be held at the Durban Botanic Gardens on the 15 and 16 April, will allow children to engage with Africa’s oldest surviving Botanic Garden while having fun with friends and family. 

“The Easter Bunny has been up to his old tricks and left clues at the Durban Botanic Gardens for kids to follow, solve a puzzle and claim their chocolatey reward,” says Durban Botanic Gardens Trust Manager, Kerry Phillips.  “The Trust is very excited to collaborate with The Event Company SA on this event, as we see the importance of providing a safe place for kids to create memories while at the same time learning about nature and our environment.”

The trail hunt will cater for the one to three-year-old and four to 14-year-old age groups. A demarcated, picket fenced area within the main arena will accommodate the little ones, while the older children head off on the Easter egg hunt with a map and clues in hand. They will visit key areas within the gardens to learn about the various attractions and place corresponding stickers on their specially themed Explore the Gardens map. Once all the stickers have been collected, they can collect their surprise from one of the redemption locations situated around the gardens.

In addition to the hunt, there will be various other activities promising a full day of family fun - a Baby & Kids Market showcasing unique local products, arts and crafts stations, face painting and family games. Handlers from That Bunny Farm will be on site to educate visitors about rabbit care and South Africa’s different breeds.  Proceeds from the Sticky Fingers Cupcake-making stand will go towards the Feeding the Furballs scheme; a non-profit organisation that strives to rescue stray animals.

A portion of the event proceeds will go towards the Durban Botanic Gardens Trust, to fund vital conservation work and protect this special place for locals and visitors to enjoy. It turns out eating chocolate really is good for us all.

Tickets are R95 for the trail hunt; R35 per child aged 1-3 / R40 per adult / Babies U12 months FREE for this full day event. Visit www.quicket.co.za

When, where, how much?

Venue: Durban Botanic Gardens, 9a John Zikhali [Sydenham] Road, Durban
Date: Saturday 15 & Sunday 16 April
Gates Open: 08h30
Gates Close: 15h00

For more information, contact the event organisers on info@theeventcompanysa.co.za.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit at the Artscape

The Beatrix Potter’s delightful story for children, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, will be at Artscape Theatre Foyer during the April Easter school holiday, presented by Stagecraft Drama Studio.

Mrs Rabbit lived in her cosy burrow underneath the roots of a very big fir-tree. She had four little children, Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-Tail who were good little bunnies and Peter, who was sometimes a bit naughty!

Their neighbour, Mr McGregor, grew carrots, radishes and lettuce in his garden. The rabbit family would love to have gone into Mr McGregor’s garden to eat the yummy vegetables but Mrs Rabbit had forbidden her family to go into the garden as their father had had an ‘accident’ there.

One day naughty Peter decided to explore, but instead of going to school, went to Mr McGregor’s garden …

The Tale of Peter Rabbit is adapted by Dudley Glass, directed by Cheryl Abromowitz and assisted by Caryn Reznik. Come and join in the fun and help the flopsy bunnies to help Peter Rabbit escape from Mr McGregor’s clutches.

When, where, how much?

Date: 1–13 April 2017 
Venue:
 Artscape Theatre Foyer
Cost:
 R70
The season opens on Saturday, April 1 at 10:30 at Artscape Theatre Foyer and runs until April 13.

Dress Up Parade – Mondays, 3 & 8 April at 10:30: Dress up as your favourite Peter Rabbit character and join the parade at the end of the performance.

Book at Computicket or Artscape Dial-a-Seat 021 421 7695.

Tracker and Jacaranda FM present Off the Beat ‘n Track

Bringing the love of cycling, music and family together.

Off the Beat ‘n Track is the first ever event of its kind; offering mountain biking routes which will range from 2 kms to 50 kms where family members of all ages (from toddlers to experienced bikers) can ride together in a safe and secure environment. Families will be able to picnic on the lawns post their races while enjoying more music they love, live in concert. The star-studded line-up will include Beatenberg, Majozi and Rubber Duc.

Date: Saturday, 08 April 2017

Venue: The Big Red Barn (Irene – Pretoria)

Time: 07h00

To purchase tickets: Visit www.jacarandafm.com

Mad Hatters unite at GrandWest’s Easter Wonderland 

The Easter weekend is a festive celebration of togetherness and family styled fun at GrandWest. The Atrium will be a hive of activity from 13h00 to 16h00 on Sunday, 16 April 2017, with an Easter Wonderland for children aged 5 to 12.

Children will be treated to a Tea Party with Mad Hatter, an Easter Egg Hunt, Arts and Crafts and a Magic Show. To get into the spirit of the frivolous occasion, guests are encouraged to dress up for the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.

Willy Wonka will surprise the young guests at the tea party by handing out treats while they decorate cupcakes. There are hampers to be won by children who find a golden egg at the egg hunt, and a host of other surprises to enjoy.

The cost is R100 per child. Tickets are available at Doughnut Hive until 12 April 2017. 

The Gruffalo Live on Stage

Creative, educational delights at the V&A Waterfront these Easter holidays

While chocolate cheer and bouncing bunnies abound all around Cape Town this month, the V&A Waterfront has put together a creative, educational school holiday programme to keep young ones occupied over the next few weeks.

 

Kids Theatre: The Mysterious Two Oceans Treasure

 

The V&A Waterfront’s school holidays begin with the new Kids Theatre programme at the Amphitheatre, which will show performances of the V&A Waterfront’s first ever children’s play, The Mysterious Two Oceans Treasure, three times a day from Monday, 3 April to Monday , 10 April.

 

Set entirely in the picturesque V&A Waterfront, The Mysterious Two Oceans Treasure will follow Amy, a brave, adventure-seeking girl, who sets out to find an unknown treasure hidden somewhere in the Waterfront. Along the way she encountering many strange characters along the way, including an odd tour guide, talking seagulls, a gambling cave troll, prankster clownfish, and a loveable shark, making for a very interesting treasure hunt.

 

The half-hour performances will begin on the hour each day, from 12 to 2pm.

 

Incredible Illusions: Jaw-dropping 3D illusions

 

Incredible Illusions, the largest collection of 3D illusions created by master artist Kurt Wenner, comes to the V&A Waterfront this autumn from Tuesday, 4 April to Sunday, 23 July, to enthral both young and old alike. Comprising a jaw-dropping Grand Gallery of 360° 3D illustrations supported by a collection of humorous and adventurous images, this will be the exhibition’s first stopover on the African continent.

 

Incredible Illusions is the antithesis of the traditional exhibition experience: with no hallowed halls, soft chamber music, and certainly no photography bans, the travelling exhibition instead encourages interactivity and even the use of cellphones and personal interaction, to make each visit a customised experience. Visitors can share their visit with the world on social media and let their illusionary experience live a little longer.

 

Fun from beginning to end, the Incredible Illusions exhibition includes an “art jamming” zone where children and adults alike can learn the basics of 3D artwork to express themselves creatively. An educational zone tells the brief story of ‘Pavement Art’ and how the mathematical field of geometry plays a pivotal role in compiling a 3D design.

 

Tickets are available for pre-purchasing at www.webtickets.co.za or www.incredibleillusions.co.za

 

Cradle of Creativity: Jungle Theatre, Butterfly Dreams

 

Hot on the heels of The Mysterious Two Oceans Treasure is the Cradle of Creativity’s Jungle Theatre, Butterfly Dreams, a series of preview performances at the V&A Amphitheatre these Easter holidays, from Tuesday, 11 to Wednesday 12 March, returning to the stage again on Saturday, 22 April.

 

Being held ahead of the 19th ASSITEJ World Congress and International Theatre Festival for Children and Young People, set to be held at the V&A Waterfront later this year, Jungle Theatre, Butterfly Dreams will give young spectators a taste of the some of the most exciting international and local theatre for young audiences that will be on show at the ASSITEJ World Congress. Performances will be held between 11am and 5pm and are free to attend.

 

The LEGO Play Experience

 

Little ones will have the chance to become a LEGO Master Builder at the V&A Waterfront these holidays, with the LEGO Play Experience in the Centre Court of the Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre from Tuesday, 11 to Sunday, 16 April.

 

With exciting prizes up for grabs to the most creative, determined and innovative LEGO Builders, children can let their imaginations run wild with one of the largest LEGO collections they’ve likely ever seen! Free to attend, the LEGO Play Experience will be open at the Centre Court from 9am to 7pm daily.

 

Musical showcase over Easter Weekend

 

Easter festivities abound at the V&A Waterfront this year, with a line-up of impressive musical performances at the V&A Amphitheatre, to keep visitors’ feet tapping and spirits soaring during the long weekend.

 

Held every day from 6 to 7pm during the long weekend, V&A Waterfront visitors can look forward to free performances by some of South Africa’s most revered local talent, including Manouche, Southern Wild, The Nomadic Orchestra, and Hot Water.

 

A group of four talented Capetonian musicians, Manouche is known for their modern take on traditional Gypsy jazz, blending this sound together with a little tango, waltz, folk, R&B, hip hop and electro swing, which they have performed at well-known local music festivals such as Rocking the Daisies and Up the Creek. They will perform on Friday, 14 April.

 

Following Manouche the next day, Saturday 15 April, is local rock band Southern Wild, who are taking time out from recording their debut EP to share a little Easter cheer.

 

Hot Water takes the stage at the V&A Amphitheatre on Easter Sunday, 16 April, will bring their ‘South African folk rock’ to the V&A Amphitheatre. Known for their lively stage presence, Hot Water’s utterly danceable rhythms will help you shake off the feast from earlier in the day.

 

The Easter weekend performances close with a show from The Nomadic Orchestra on Monday, 17 April, who will end the weekend on an energetic note with their unique take on South Eastern European music. Citing Macedonian, Romanian, Serbian, gypsy and circus music as an influence, Nomadic Orchestra is known for its fantastical sound, and only performs original songs, written by the band itself.

Do you know of other exciting child-friendly fun during the April holidays? Send your event information to editor@parent24.com.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE