While many Joburgers head straight to the beach, bush, or berg these school holidays, you’ll find plenty of exciting things to do with the kids in the city.

Africa’s First Nile Crocodile FlyOver

As if holding a baby crocodile or bristly tarantula isn’t hair-raising enough, Croc City Crocodile & Reptile Park near Fourways has opened Africa’s first Nile Crocodile FlyOver. The 150m zip line tour consists of 2 slides where you’ll get the chance to glide over 3 enclosures with 100 toothy reptiles! Moms and dads, rest assured that your little ones will be perfectly safe as highly trained guides first take each rider through a safety and orientation session. Once the course is completed, every rider is rewarded with a photograph and certificate to show off to their friends.

Entrance: R60 for adults, R40 for children under 12 years, and R55 for pensioners

FlyOver cost: R95 for adults and R75 for children under 12 years.

Animals of the Amazon at Joburg Zoo

You may have already lobbed the Johannesburg Zoo into the “been there done that” pile, but the new Animals of the Amazon exhibit in the Temple of the Ancients is worth heading back for. The imposing Mesoamerican pyramid houses a collection of beautiful creepy crawlies that have never been seen before at the zoo. Experience the sights and sounds of the jungle as you amble past enclosures of bats, frogs, and some of the biggest snakes and spiders known to man. If these critters don’t do it for you, walking through the underwater tube of the aquarium surely will!

Zoo entrance cost: R61 for adults and R38 for children (3 – 12 years), students, and pensioners.

Days of the Dinosaur Exhibition

See more than 45 dinosaurs come to life before your eyes at the Days of the Dinosaur exhibition, from 20 June – 20 July 2014 at the Sandton International Convention Centre. The roaring, moving, life-sized dinosaurs are distributed throughout 12 scenes, and you’ll also find 2 skeletons and 7 dinosaurs in the interactive area. Activities included in the ticket price are the 3D Cinema, Dino Drawing, Dino Sandbox, Excavation Zone, and Interactive Dinos. Activities at an extra cost are the Dino photos (R50 each), Dino face paint (R40), and Dino shop.

Cost: R140 for adults, R95 for children aged 1 – 18 years, or R395 for a family of 4. Children under one year (or shorter than the 83cm Deinonychus) enter for free.

Days of the Dinosaur will be in Cape Town from 31 July – 20 August 2014.

Da Vinci – The Genius Exhibition

If you don’t think your kids can appreciate art, the Da Vinci – The Genius exhibition offers so much more than perusing through a static gallery. In fact, the exhibition has proved so popular it is open daily at The Amazing Place in Woodmead and has been extended for a further 5 weeks, until 27 July 2014. Da Vinci – The Genius brings to life the ingenuity and imagination of Leonardo da Vinci as an inventor, artist, scientist, anatomist, engineer, architect, and philosopher. Discover the secrets of Mona Lisa and explore the interactive machines that have been crafted from Leonardo’s notebooks – including the first concepts of a car, bicycle, helicopter, submarine, military tank, and more.

Cost: R140 for adults, R110 for students and pensioners (valid cards required), R90 for children aged 6 – 17, free entry for children under 5, and R400 for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children). Audio guides cost R40 each.

Disney On Ice

To celebrate 100 years of magic, Disney on Ice brings together 65 Disney characters from 18 of the most beloved stories. Taking place at the Coca-Cola Dome from 11 – 20 July 2014, this heart-warming Academy Award® winning tale will magically whisk the whole family into the wintery wonderland of Irendalle. Before you know it, you’ll be singing and even dancing along to popular songs as you are dazzled by the special effects and talented skating.

Cost: R175 – R500 per person

Disney on Ice will be in Cape Town from 23 – 27 July 2014.

Which outings will you be taking these holidays?