Carol Stovold Quality Kidz qualitykidz.co.nz

‘Mum, what are we going to do today?' The dreaded catch phrase that all mums hear over the holiday period once Christmas is over and all the visitors have left. Nothing is worse than having a bevy of bored children on your hands and running out of ideas to keep them occupied.

One of the wonderful things about living in the Bay of Plenty though is that there is lots to do and much of it without costing a cent. Try outings to the following places:

Beaches – Mount Maunganui
Pilot Bay on the inner harbour is by far the safest spot to take young children and toddlers with lots to explore, picnic areas and safe swimming. At the base of Mauao on the ocean side is a rocky area that is a shell collector's paradise. The base walk around Mauao caters for pushchairs and strollers and takes anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour depending on the sights you see along the way and how many stops you make. Papamoa Domain beach is another favourite area for young children with toilets and barbecue facilities nearby.

Fisherman's Wharf – Tauranga
A great place to take children to check out fish and crustaceans. A large selection of seafood is for sale here and just a little further down the wharf is a spot where the children can toss a line in the water. Pilot Bay wharf at the Mount is another good place to take children fishing. Again, a wonderful research project can be developed around fish and aquatic life.

Garden centres
A great venue to explore and for introducing children to plants and growing from seeds. Lots to see and explore in their craft sections as well. Grab some pots and some seeds and encourage the children to grow some vegetables or flowers over the holidays.

Airport
All children love going to the airport and can spend hours watching the planes coming and going. Tauranga airport has a fenced outdoor viewing area almost right on the runway. Just down the road is the airport café where you can climb into and explore an aeroplane for real. Again just with the boats, get the children to try building planes, even paper ones will give hours of fun. Get some books out of the library or go online and research flight.

Pet Shops
Wonderful places to visit with small children to discover the world of pets, be they feathered, furred or finned. A visit can be either previewed or followed up by researching online or at the local library information about pets and animals. It is an opportunity for children to discover all about pet care and some shop owners will even allow the children to handle the pets – very gently of course!

Next week – More ideas for holiday activities.