If you're staying close to home or visiting the Illawarra over the April school holidays, you might be racking your brain for ideas to keep the kids entertained.
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Luckily, there are plenty of family-friendly attractions in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven.
Whether you want to see how a farm works or get the adrenaline going with a trip to Treetops Adventure or Jamberoo Action Park, we have you covered.
Read more: What to do in the Illawarra
Hangdog Climbing Gym
If the kids usually have you climbing up the walls during the school holidays, we have the place for you.
Hangdog Climbing Gym at Wollongong offers casual entry for children under 12 for $14. (An adult must be present to hold the rope).
A casual visit is a great precursor to the kids' learn to climb program. It runs over 10 weeks and you can do the whole program or go along on a casual basis.
Details: here.
Green Connect Farm
Green Connect Farm at Warrawong will be holding its School Holiday Farm Play Days during the April school holidays.
The 11-acre award-winning urban farm follows organic farming and permaculture principles and is a special place for children to connect with nature, play and burn some energy in the fresh air.
Start with a mini-tour to explore the gardens and creek, and learn about growing fair food before feeding the pigs, goats, sheep and alpacas.
You can pat the chooks and help collect eggs before heading to the children's garden where to try out the mud kitchen or get creative in the sustainable craft space.
Afterwards, go wild in the giant loose-parts play space courtesy Junkyard Rascals.
Details: here.
Treetops Adventure
Treetops Adventure Nowra will be open every day of the Easter school holidays, including public holidays, from 9am-5pm.
Australia's first cliff-edge adventure park offers two junior courses, five tree ropes courses, more than 90 challenges and 15 ziplines, including one that is 80 metres long.
There are children's courses and tree ropes courses designed for various skill levels and ages, while a KidZip course is for children aged 8-12.
Prices vary.
Details: here.
Holey Moley Golf Club
Nothing says fun like a round or two of mini golf at Wollongong's Holey Moley Golf Club.
Each of the 18 holes reflects a different pop culture theme, including the Simpsons-themed sensation of 742 Evergreen Terrace, the iconic Iron Throne from Game of Thrones and a Teevel Knievel hole for putters willing to try and recreate a famous Evil Knievel stunt.
The course is split over two nine-hole courses, so you can play nine or 18 holes. Nine-hole private event bookings are also available.
Details: here.
Jamberoo Action Park
The largest family-owned and operated water theme park in NSW, Jamberoo Action Park will be open from Good Friday, April 7, then every day of the school holidays from 10am-5pm, so you can enjoy the world-class rides and attractions.
Young children will love Billabong Beach, Kiddies Cove, Banjo's Billabong and the Mushroom Pool, while the older kids will enjoy the thrill of the Funnel Web, The Taipan and The Perfect Storm.
Other attractions include Rapid River, The Rock, Surf Hill, Outback Bay wave pool and the new Velocity Falls ride. There are also land-based attractions such as a chairlift, bobsled, train ride and mini golf.
Details: here.
Illawarra Fly
Whether you want to take part in the original tree top walk, or sail through the air on a zipline tour, or do both, kids will love Illawarra Fly.
The Treetop Walk is a 1.5 kilometre walk through a beautiful warm temperate rainforest along a 500-metre steel walkway 20 to 30 metres off the ground.
The walk culminates at Knights Tower, a spiral tower that rises 45 metres above the forest floor.
You then traverse two swaying springboard cantilevers suspended 25 metres above ground, which takes you to the edge of the escarpment.
The Zipline tour offers eco-wilderness adventurers a unique way to view the magnificent Illawarra rainforest - by soaring through the trees.
During the tour you will tackle three flights and two suspension bridges, and visit four cloud stations.
Details: here.
HARS Aviation Museum, at Shellharbour Airport, is home to more than 40 aircraft covering Australia's civil and military aviation heritage.
Guided tours run daily. You can also book a tour on a 747, go inside a plane cockpit and even walk on the wing of a plane.
There is also a cafe and gift shop.
Open seven days.
Details: here.
Symbio Wildlife Park
School holidays are not complete without a visit to Symbio Wildlife Park at Helensburgh.
This family-friendly zoo is home to Australia's favourite native fauna as well as exotic animals, including cheetahs, ring-tailed lemurs, red pandas, meerkats, monkeys and more.
Visitors can also get up close and personal to animals during a close encounter or behind-the-scenes experience.
An adventure playground, splash water park, kiosk and gift shop are onsite.
Symbio is open every day of the April school holidays from 9.30am to 5pm.
Details: here.
Science Space offers a school holiday program which includes a jam-packed schedule of live science shows and planetarium screenings for the whole family.
There will also be a number of special pop-up activities in the special school holiday zone.
Science ambassadors will roam the exhibition floors with fun pop-up science experiments and demos.
You can also make your own personalised button badge or visit the construction zone and try your hand at building towers and structures from a variety of materials.
Science space is also running its Science Camps these school holidays.
Details: here.
Darkes Forest Riding Ranch
Darkes Forest Riding Ranch and Boarding Stables will be open during the school holidays for trail rides and riding lessons.
Two special school holidays camp options are also available.
Children aged 5-7 can join the half-day Pony Play Camps while children aged seven and over can take part in full-day camps.
Details: here.
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Merryn Porter
Journalist with more than 25 years' experience in print and digital media who has covered most news rounds, including health, education, politics (local, state and federal), police and courts, with a special interest in women's and family matters. Highly-skilled interviewer and storyteller.
Journalist with more than 25 years' experience in print and digital media who has covered most news rounds, including health, education, politics (local, state and federal), police and courts, with a special interest in women's and family matters. Highly-skilled interviewer and storyteller.
