Here is a list of all the ways we love to play in nature!

Create a mud kitchen – Grab a few bowls, spoons, jugs, saucepans – anything in the kitchen that you don’t really need and add dirt and water. Instant mud kitchen! Grab some nature items so that your mud pies look amazing! We love to hit up the op shops to find some really cool jugs, tea pots, mixers and pots.

Get creative with clay or playdough – Set up your dough with flowers, herbs, shells, seed pods and pinecones for some amazing playdough or clay play!

Paint with nature – Add your favourite nature odds and ends to the painting table. We love painting on rocks and putting them around our garden. Another alternative to nature painting is giving them a paintbrush and water- they can ‘paint’ with water on the bricks, side of the house or pavers!

Draw with Nature – Same idea as above, but use pastels, crayons, or chalks (less mess too!)

Pinecone Weaving – Collect pinecones and add string or wool, for a fun weaving experience.

Start a Nature Collection – Starting a collection is fun! It gives you something to look out for when you visit parks\beaches and forests, and you can end up finding amazing things! My daughter loves to collect pretty pieces of driftwood.

Make flower potions – Either buy or grow some flowers and add them to your mud kitchen. Give your child some water and containers and they’ll have a blast creating pretty flower mixtures!

Make a muddy puddle – Find a spot in your backyard that you don’t mind getting messed up and add water. If your backyard is not muddy puddle friendly, go to the local park while it’s raining and dress for splashing!

Water Play – Anything to do with water is always a winner. From puddles to play trays and jugs full of water, kids will love dancing in the rain and playing in the water.

Nature Hunt – Make a list of things for your children to find in the back garden, from colours to leaves, clouds or even snails. Who doesn’t love ticking off a list?!

We used the story ‘wombat stew’ to inspire our nature play in the mud kitchen, adding gumnuts, leaves and feathers to make the ‘stew’. You can never get too creative with nature play!

Looking for something fun (and free) to do with the kids? The South Australian Museum is packed with five floors of things to see, touch and discover. It’s the kind of place where curiosity takes over, and every corner has something new to explore.

Start your visit in the popular, World Mammals Gallery on the ground floor where kids can gaze at lions, elephants and tigers standing side by side. From there, make your way up to the Discovery Centre which is open Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10.30am-2.30pm. This interactive area is always a hit. Kids can open drawers full of quirky objects, peer into the buzzing working beehive and get hands-on with fascinating specimens.

The Minerals Gallery will have the whole family in awe with the colourful dazzling displays of gemstones and minerals, or check out the incredible Opalised Fossil Gallery, with links back to the dinosaur ages and Australia’s ancient inland sea.

Can you spot the Museum in a Box sets? They’re tucked away around the Museum and filled with puzzles and games that connect little ones with the real treasures on display. The Museum’s is especially designed for young explorers aged five and under. Sign up to receive special offers and access to activity packs that can be borrowed to make your visit even more fun!

After all the exploring, you’re bound to need a break. Enjoy a relaxed morning tea or lunch at the Museum Café, where locally sourced ingredients inspire a fresh and imaginative menu. The beautiful Museum Shop is also located on the ground floor and worth a browse for unique science and natural history related gifts and mementos.

Open daily from 10am–5pm, the Museum is the perfect place to relax and inspire curious minds. Take a look to see this month!

North Terrace, 91������ý

Walk the wild
Breathe in the fresh air, stretch your legs and explore the open plains of Monarto Safari Park. With 12kms of walking trails between the new Visitor Centre and animal viewing platforms, you can walk the entire trail or combine a walk with the bus. The majority of the walking trails are accessible for robust pushers and wheelchairs and are signposted throughout.

Relax and Play in the wild
Monarto Safari Park also has a number of nature-inspired play areas where kids can run free range. Stop at the cafe for a leisurely coffee taking in the stunning view as the kids let loose in the nearby playground. Take five in the rhino Boma area as kids become safari rangers and cool off in the sprinklers alongside a mob of mischievous meerkats. And after a day exploring and playing don’t be surprised if it’s a very quiet car ride home… sssshhhhh

Get Up Close and Personal
Monarto Safari Park offers a number of incredible for kids of all ages. Feed the giraffes, meet the rhinos, mingle with the meerkats and of course the Lions 360 Experience is a must do. Read more about all the experiences on offer here.

Your Exclusive First Look at Wild Africa!
Have you been dreaming of exploring the African wilderness in an open-sided safari vehicle, surrounded by herds of animals?
Now you can, right here in South Australia!
Be among the first to get a glimpse of Etosha, one of the new Wild Africa habitats at Monarto Safari Park. These tours are running for a limited time before the resort opens! In an experience straight out of an African wildlife reserve brochure, explore 63 hectares with herds of rhino, antelopes, giraffe and Scimitar-horned Oryx roaming together in vistas as far as the eye can see. There are two experiences currently running, both including morning tea.

70% of the species at Monarto are threatened or vulnerable to extinction in the wild and each time you visit, you are helping to continue their vital work to save animals from extinction and connect people with nature.

As a not-for-profit organisation, your support helps both Monarto Safari Park and their conservation partners on the ground around Australia and the world.

Make sure you also pay a visit to The Outpost which is located in the former Visitor Centre – you’ll find educational displays that will ignite a passion for conservation in your child – you’ll also find a Cafe, Gift Shop & bathrooms here!

Things to know:

• Lots of clean, new baby-change and toilet facilities
• Great air-conditioned buses
• Wearing shoes is recommended as the ground can be quite dusty and rocky in parts
• Take a hat and sunscreen
• Giraffe feeding is awesome and a great activity for little ones.
• The new entrance is located on Monarto Road, Monarto, the Rural City of Murray Bridge contributed to the project through the construction of a new slip lane entry. 

Opening Hours: 9:30am – 5pm with the last bus leaving the Visitor Centre at approximately 3pm.

Cost:
Members – Free
Cub (0-3 years) Free
Child (4-14 years) $25
Adult (15+ years) $45
Concession (15+ years) $33.50
Family (2 adult + 2-3 children) $115

A Zoos SA membership pays for itself in just 3 visits!
Get a 365-day adventure with unlimited visits to 91������ý Zoo AND Monarto Safari Park plus discount at the Zoo Shop and café.

There’s also a great range of family combination passes you can buy,  for more information on prices.

Find it at  Old Princes Hwy, Monarto

Meet 91������ý Zoo’s New Panda Duo: Xing Qiu & Yi Lan

Xing Qiu (shing chee-yull) and Yi Lan (ee-lun) are settling into their new home at 91������ý Zoo’s Bamboo Forest, since arriving on 21 January 2025!

Xing Qiu, a three-year-old male, is a handsome guy with a chill yet playful vibe. His name means “Star Autumn,” a nod to the twinkling sky on the night he was born. Yi Lan, also three, is a little ball of energy with a name that means “idly blissful”—fitting for such a fun-loving panda!

Handpicked in collaboration with the Zoos Chinese conservation partners, these two are not just here to steal hearts—they’re also a future breeding pair, bringing fresh hope for panda conservation.

Go and say hi to Xing Qiu and Yi Lan—you’ll find that this duo are much more lively and active in the cooler weather, early in the morning and late in the afternoon.

If you haven’t been to 91������ý Zoo in a while, you might be surprised by how much has changed. From the new Penguin Bay to the Red Panda Runway and Tamarins on the Run tunnels, the primate boardwalk where you can sit for hours watching the siamang and gibbons swing and play above your head to the cheeky meerkats and of course our two famous Pandas – you won’t know where tolook first!

The zoo is home to over 250 different species of native and exotic animals including their famous Giant Pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni and newest arrivals – three adorable Sumatran Tiger cubs! Sisters Marni and Susu and brother Ketambe have been prowling, pouncing and playing together since their debut in April 2023!

Set aside a few hours or a whole day of exploring, discovery and fun with plenty of opportunities to get up close to the animals. It can be a long day of walking and sightseeing so make sure you pack extra snacks, water and sunscreen as you make your way around the jungle-like gardens.

The lovely botanic setting means lots of shady areas and perfect for laying out a blanket for a picnic. Bring your own lunch, or grab a range of tasty treats, snacks, drinks and hot meals at the onsite cafes. 

If you want to get closer to some of your favourite animals, there are some incredible experiences available for loved ones of all ages. Hand feed a giraffe, go behind the scenes to feed the adorable Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies, mingle with meerkats and even inspect an insect (a great one for the under 6s). Check out the range of experiences online here.

Run wild at Nature’s Playground

This is an absolute highlight for the kids! Part of the Variety Children’s Zoo, it’s a wonderful environment where little ones of all ages and abilities can let their imaginations run wild exploring the natural world. It’s always one of the highlights of our day at the 91������ý Zoo. Click here for all the 91������ý Zoo Nature Playground info.

Head’s up! Free Flight Bird Show

Swoop in for a flying sensation at 11:30am daily on the Central Lawn to see some of the feathered 91������ý Zoo residents and hear about their incredible features. It’s a great time to sit and eat your lunch.

Relaxed Zoo Mornings For Inclusive Experiences

During a Relaxed Zoo Morning experience, the zoo’s gates open earlier with reduced human noises on site to ensure a quieter and calmer environment for the autism and autistic community.

The experience is held quarterly on the third Saturday morning of month, and allows guests one and half hours to explore the zoo at their own pace before opening to the general public.

The Relaxed Zoo Mornings program is part of Zoos SA’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) charter, which aims to create an environment of diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusiveness.

Kids in 91������ý Top Tips for visiting 91������ý Zoo

• Bring lots of snacks and water. Water bottles can be refilled at stations around the Zoo!
• Hats and sunscreen are a must.
• 91������ý Zoo is very pram friendly and they also have Zoobarus (available for hire for $15.)
• Check the daily schedule for the day you visit to make sure you don’t miss any of the animal presentations or meet the keeper experiences > 
• If you’re interested in an animal experience , they often sell out.

Open 9:30am – 5pm every day of the year (including Christmas and Boxing Day!)

A Zoos SA membership pays for itself in just 3 visits!
Get a 365-day adventure with unlimited visits to 91������ý Zoo AND Monarto Safari Park plus discount at the Zoo Shop and café.

Cost:
Members – Free
Cub (0-3 years) Free
Child (4-14 years) $22.50
Adult (15+ years) $42.50
Concession (15+ years) $31
Family (2 adult + 2-3 children) $107

There’s also a great range of family combination passes you can buy,  for more information.

If your littlies can’t get enough of the 91������ý Zoo, you could also enrol them in the A to Zoo sessions for pre-schoolers! Find out more here.

For more information and to book tickets online visit

91������ý’s Hahndorf Farm Barn is a unique blend of a children’s farmyard and wildlife park. You can hold, touch and feed most of the animals in complete safety and at your own comfort level. Find out how animals are born, grow and live on a farm. A visit to 91������ý’s Hahndorf Farm Barn is not just about family fun activities or keeping the kids entertained – it’s educational as well!

prides themselves on providing the best school holiday activities in 91������ý! There are many activities for kids at the farm and you can easily spend hours here enjoying quality time with your family.

• Play in the playground and sand pit!
• Milk a cow
• Bottle feed baby lambs
• Cuddle baby rabbits and guinea pigs
• Hold baby chicks
• Try out the electric diggers in the huge sand pit

Open 10am-4pm daily with a reptile show at 12.30 Sat and Sun and Farm Shows daily at 11am and 2.30pm.
Let the kids be kids; bring a picnic or enjoy a BBQ in our undercover picnic and BBQ area, and wander through the farm together.
It’s a great way for children to learn about farm animals and farm life. They hold birthday parties too, which kids adore!

Nanna Review:

I walked into the farm barn holding my two grand children , ( Blake – 12yrs ) and (Winnie 18 mth ) firmly by the hands. Within a few minutes they were totally on their own , my job for the rest if the day was just to walk behind them and watch as they were totally absorbed by the animals , big and small. I never heard or had to say , ” don’t touch ” ” be careful ” the kids were encouraged to hold, pet, and feed the animals. My grand daughter like lots of other children there was to small to reach over the pens to feed the baby animals ( perfect solution ) they put the little ones in the pens with the animals. It was a full house the day we went but I noticed probably 70/cent of the people were tourists , shame to think the locals don’t seem to be aware of the farm barn and it’s on our door step, we don’t have to fly half way around the world to enjoy it. It was a fabulous day and I would recommend it , a place where kids can be kids and animals can be animals together.

Where?
2282 Mount Barker Road,  Hahndorf
Phone: 08 8388 7289
Opening Hours: 10am-4pm, 7 days a week

Home to the only planetarium in 91������ý that is open to the public all year round, the 91������ý Planetarium is based at the University of South Australia’s Mawson Lakes campus, and offers a unique, interactive experience to explore the universe, galaxy and solar system.

Marvel as you journey across space and time from the comfort of your seat, with realistic projections of the constellations, showcasing the position of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars on the Planetarium’s iconic domed ceiling.

Following a celestial tour of the night sky, you will experience a full-dome movie including titles such as Tycho to the Moon, Starlight, Cosmic Collisions, Wildest Weather in the Solar System, and Astronaut, just to name a few.

The 91������ý Planetarium is open on select Saturdays of every month all year round and offers an extensive school holiday program.

Whether you are a school group, a family or an astronomy buff, the Planetarium’s astronomers will make your visit out of this world!

Night Sky Experience
Journey into outer space with a highly experienced astronomer. Discover the solar system, stars and constellations, including indigenous and traditional star lore and mythology.

Movies
There are a  to choose from, following the Planetarium’s Night Sky experience.

Short Courses
Check out the range of  for those with an interest in astronomy. Courses range from beginner to advanced levels.

Events
Keep an eye out for specialised one-night  throughout the year, including during school holidays and the festival season.

Location: University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, Level 2, P Building.

Opening Hours:

The Planetarium is open during advertised public sessions and online bookings are essential. For group bookings and special occasions, please email: adelaide.planetarium@unisa.edu.au.

The Planetarium holds sessions every first and third Saturday of the month. During school holidays, there are additional activities that run throughout the week. Bookings are essential for all activities.

Parking Information:
Parking is available at the UniSA ML6 carpark for 20 cents per hour. Please use the UniSA Parki App (available for download on the and ) or alternatively, pay stations are adjacent to the carpark.

Cost:
Starting from $10, different activities and events are subject to variation in pricing. Please refer to the website for more information.

For more information, timetables, and to book, visit:

Here are some great ideas for creating an inexpensive and fun playroom.

Choose fabrics and rugs that are durable and easy to wash. A playroom looks much cosier and more comfortable with a range of different textures, fabrics, and rugs. Just be aware that they will get dirty easily, so make them easy to quickly throw in the wash.

Use rugs to “define spaces”, this encourages children to keep toys in one area. An example of this would be to have a special “Lego area” and the Lego gets played with only on that rug, making it easier for clean-up and avoiding the old stepping on Lego issue that we have all experienced at some point!

Storage! Having clever storage ideas are a must! We like to use low storage shelves with baskets, so that each item is easily accessible and easy to pack up. Children can see what they have to play with at a glance which can prevent them tipping EVERYTHING out on the floor.

Create little “pockets of play,” Children love cosy little spaces to curl up and play in. Create a little book corner, or a soft space for cuddling up with soft toys. We used to drape a sheet over chairs so my daughter could play tea parties in peace away from her noisy car-mad brother.

Think outside the box! Have you ever noticed how children love playing with things that are not traditional toys? Well, visit your local op shop, get down to Kmart, visit your local park for nature items or check garage sales for real items for children to play with! A stainless-steel tea set (or a real one, if your child is gentle with breakables) add a whisk and saucepan to a play kitchen. Full up baskets with pinecones and seed pods and watch their imagination take flight!

Declutter. Regularly go through your child’s toys and pass on anything that they do not play with. Or alternatively, store it away and rotate the toys every few months to keep children interested. Having an uncluttered playroom can make the difference between chaos and calm.

MathsOnline works using the Australian curriculum using online video tutorials to teach maths to primary and secondary aged kids K-12, including Year 11 and 12 general, advanced and extension maths.

We gave it a try with my 7 year old and the first thing we liked is that the tutorials are short (4-9 minutes) and very clear and easy to understand and follow. There’s not too many fancy animations, sound effects and other distractions, they’re short, sharp and shiny. Learning online this way also means you can pause, rewind and reply where you need to. You can go over and over until you get it and work at your own pace. So great for kids who have trouble keeping up in class or are too shy to ask lots of questions or ask for help.

Following each tutorial there is a test or printable worksheet to make sure kids have understood properly what they have just learned. The results are saved to your profile to keep a record of their progress and help to identify areas that might need a bit more work.

The program works on all devices, we used a laptop and also the iPad and both worked well.

Not only is this program a great one to have for our current home schooling situation it would also be a great extra to have for kids who are struggling with maths and need some extra help, kids who are great at maths and need some extension or want to jump ahead a bit and I imagine it would also be a very handy tool for parents who have older kids doing Maths they can’t help with. (coming from the Mum who had to google “non standard partition” today – I feel this will be me!)

There’s lots of further information, testimonials and examples on the MathsOnline website. I’d suggest just signing up for their FREE trial and giving it a go for yourself.

Take a look at