Coastal activities for the kids these school holidays

As the school hol­i­days approach, we’re high­light­ing a range of excit­ing coastal activ­i­ties for fam­i­lies in South Aus­tralia. Spring is the per­fect time for fam­i­lies to get out­side and explore the coast. From play­grounds to water sports, the fol­low­ing activ­i­ties will guar­an­tee that kids stay active and enjoy the out­doors along our stun­ning coastline.

With school hol­i­days start­ing on 28 Sep­tem­ber, a vari­ety of activ­i­ties will be offered at sev­er­al pop­u­lar beach spots. These activ­i­ties are not only fun but also edu­ca­tion­al, giv­ing kids the oppor­tu­ni­ty to learn about marine life, beach safe­ty, and the envi­ron­ment while spend­ing qual­i­ty time with fam­i­ly. Par­tic­i­pat­ing in these expe­ri­ences helps increase aware­ness of con­ser­va­tion efforts, boosts tourism, and sup­ports local communities. 

Fore­shore and play­ground activities

We are lucky to have so many great beach­es to choose from. For a laid-back fam­i­ly day, Glenelg, Hen­ley Beach, and Sem­a­phore offer the per­fect spots.

Glenelg fore­shore play­space
This beach­side play­space has fea­tures like in-ground tram­po­lines, water play, and climb­ing struc­tures. With shad­ed seat­ing and near­by cafes, it’s a great spot for the whole fam­i­ly.

Hen­ley Beach
Hen­ley Square’s mod­ern play area includes water fea­tures, climb­ing struc­tures, and a relaxed vibe. Par­ents can enjoy near­by cafes while the kids play.

Sem­a­phore
Enjoy the wide fore­shore com­plete with a jet­ty, per­ma­nent amuse­ments, cafes, a shared bike and walk­ing trail, as well as a beach play­ground and water­slide complex.

Adven­ture activities

For those seek­ing a bit more adven­ture, dive into these excit­ing aquat­ic activities:

Kayak­ing at Ade­laide Dol­phin Sanc­tu­ary
Vis­i­tors can explore the Ade­laide Dol­phin Sanc­tu­ary, a pro­tect­ed area home to a res­i­dent dol­phin pop­u­la­tion. You can hire kayaks or go on a self-guid­ed tour to see dol­phins in their nat­ur­al habitat.

Marine Dis­cov­ery Cen­tre, Hen­ley Beach
The Marine Dis­cov­ery Cen­tre offers a hands-on learn­ing expe­ri­ence focused on South Australia’s marine envi­ron­ments. It’s an excel­lent activ­i­ty for fam­i­lies to learn about marine life and conservation.

Beach comb­ing with Nature Play SA guides
Nature Play SA has an excel­lent resource for coastal activ­i­ties, offer­ing guid­ance on the best coastal walks and beach­es in South Aus­tralia. They also pro­vide a range of fam­i­ly-friend­ly activ­i­ties that pro­mote out­door play and learn­ing about our beau­ti­ful coast­line. Check out their handy guide, ​“25 things to notice in marine parks and along the SA coast­line”.

Explore Encounter Marine Park
For fam­i­ly-friend­ly activ­i­ties in Encounter Marine Park, you can enjoy whale watch­ing on Gran­ite Island, where you might be able to spot a south­ern right whale. At Onka­paringa Wet­lands, fam­i­lies can explore fish nurs­eries and bird habi­tats through bird­watch­ing or kayak­ing. For a more adven­tur­ous expe­ri­ence, snorkelling at Port Noar­lun­ga Reef offers a chance to see schools of fish and vibrant marine life, includ­ing South Aus­trali­a’s icon­ic leafy sea drag­on.

Whether you’re snorkelling, kayak­ing, beach­comb­ing or enjoy­ing a beach­side pic­nic, South Australia’s coast­line offers some­thing for every fam­i­ly this school holiday.