An adventure zone filled with awesome activities for kids of all ages and tastes.
The Tree House at Boschendal is one of those wonderful spaces that gets children into (and excited about) the outdoors. Pure gold in the age of screens and devices. In addition to a free treehouse-themed playground and pump track (both of which require parental supervision), there is a host of paid-for activities that need to be booked and paid for: The Outdoor Experience.
The Tree House Spring Holiday Experience 2022
For the upcoming school holidays, Boschendal has devised a Spring Holiday experience that allows kids to discover the working farm’s living landscapes through a series of exciting and immersive guided nature experiences. Each day focuses on a new theme, and snacks, a light meal and loads of fun are included.
Day 1 Yoga, foraging, clay and mud crafts, and mindfulness activities
Date 3, 10, 17 + 24 October
Day 2 Animal welfare, composting and soil health, and sustainability activities
Date 4, 11, 18 + 25 October
Day 3 Foraging, scavenger hunt, nature crowns, and clay arts and crafts
Date 5, 12, 19 + 26 October
Day 4 Hiking stick craft, Simonsburg contour trail hike, spooring (tracking) and identifying flora and fauna
Date 6, 13, 20 + 27 October
Time 10am – 2pm
Cost R400 (one-day programme)
R1 440 (four-day programme with a 10% discount)
The Outdoor Experience
Available to in-house guests and day visitors, the Outdoor Experiences are fully supervised and need to be pre-booked, as there are 10 spaces available per slot.
Parents can book their child(ren) in for the whole day, or for one of three two-hour activities, which include fruit foraging, learning the art of fire-making (then braaiing marshmallows afterwards) plus other exciting and educational games and tasks.
Not only does this programme offer grown-ups the opportunity to enjoy all the sensory pursuits on offer, but it’s also a wonderfully immersive setup where children learn firsthand about the working farm under the supervision of professional guides.
Cost R610 (day visitors full-day programme)
R490 (in-house guests full-day programme)
From R180 (day visitors individual activities)
From 145 (in-house guests)
Children can choose to enrol for the entire day (three two-hour activities) or may pick one or two. The daily schedule, subject to change, runs as follows:
Times | Activity | Cost |
---|---|---|
Monday; Wednesday; Friday; Sunday, 10am – 12pm | Saving, matching and sorting waste from trash to treasure
Activities include recycling to upcycling, composting skills, crafty skills and waste management |
R145 (in-house guests)
R180 (day visitors) |
Monday; Wednesday; Friday; Sunday, 12.15pm – 2.15pm | An organic experience of a, fun, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system
Activities include foraging, harvest techniques, fire making skills, Tree House Masterchef masterpiece and drumming and movement |
R212 (in-house guests)
R265 (day visitors) |
Monday; Wednesday; Friday; Sunday, 2.30pm – 4.30pm | Exploring Boschendal’s forests, outdoor yoga and a handful of mindful activities
Activities include nature walk, forrest aerobics, yoga and meditation and herb foraging |
R145 (in-house guests)
R180 (day visitors) |
Tuesday; Thursday; Saturday, 10am – 12pm | Learn about a culture of farming sustainably, explore lush forests, learn simplest methods of regenerative agriculture
Activities will include animal welfare, worm farming, gardening, permaculture, sustainability and more |
R145 (in-house guests)
R180 (day visitors) |
Tuesday; Thursday; Saturday, 12.15pm – 2.15pm | Forage for seasonal produce, and turn it into a meal. Through this, kids become more confident and creative chefs
Activities include foraging, harvest techniques, fire making skills, Tree House Masterchef masterpiece and drumming and movement |
R212 (in-house guests)
R265 (day visitors) |
Tuesday; Thursday; Saturday, 2.30pm – 4.30pm | Mindful obstacle course to improve kids motor skills and allows coordination of mind and body
Activities will include a cornhole tournament, random acts of kindness and an bstacle course |
R156 (in-house guests)
R195 (day visitors) |
Important notes
- In-house guests receive one complimentary early morning or late afternoon slot per day.
- Parents need to book their children in at least 24 hours in advance.
- The guides will be at The Tree House five minutes prior to the start of every slot to meet and brief the children.
- Children should wear comfortable clothes they don’t mind getting dirty.
- Children need to bring a backpack with their own water bottle, snacks and a change of clothes.
- The outdoor guides will carry a first aid kit and hand sanitiser.
- The programme is designed for kids’ (parents are not recommended to join).
Free play
Day visitors to the farm can make use of the outdoor Tree House play area, which includes an oversized acorn-shaped hideout, slides, walkways, platforms, mushroom pods and pyramids and a pump track. The Tree House, however, is not supervised by minders, so parents need to keep an eye on their children while they are playing here.
The MTB pump track (within the same enclosure as The Tree House playground) is open to all visitors, and requires parental supervision. Bring your own bike or rent one from Boschendal’s MTB Trail Centre.
Cost Free (The Tree House play area)
Kids’ bike rental: R150 (half day); R300 (full day)
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 10am – 4pm
Contact 021 870 4211, reservations1@boschendal.co.za
Address Helshoogte Road (R310), Pniel, Franschhoek
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