Great Barrier Island Activities for Kids: Top 5 Activities for Kids on Great Barrier Island
Things To Do on Great Barrier Island
Kids love Great Barrier Island just as much as the adults do. In between exploring the island and beach hopping, there are plenty of things that you can do to break up the day that will keep the kids excited and entertained. After you pick up your Great Barrier Island rental car from Stay High Island Camping Co., the best way to get the kids amped is to get to a campground and have them set up the Roof Top Tent. We've had so much great feedback from families that the kids absolutely love helping with this and have heaps of fun in setting it up. Climbing up and down the ladder to their special room is always an adventure, and they love gazing out from their open windows. Sleeping in the tent is very comfortable and an experience that they won't forget. During the day, there are so many things to do just for them. Here are just a few.
1. Fishing off the Wharf. There's no easier way for kids to get into fishing then throwing a line in the water atop one of the many wharves on Great Barrier Island. With easy access and safe and sheltered locations, it's a great way to let them get into it for hours. Fish for baitfish or snapper, or you may even get the odd kahawai. Try out Shoal Bay Wharf in the South, Okupu Wharf or Whangaparpara Wharf in the West, or Port Fitzroy Wharf in the North.
2. Okiwi Park, Pump Track, and Playground. This is a great place to spend a few hours with the kids. Let them tire themselves while they ride anything with wheels on the epic Okiwi Pump Track. There is also a great concrete path with speed bumps that connects to form a big loop where the little ones can have races and time trials. The playground at Okiwi Park is open for all after 3pm on school days and at all times during the weekend. Complete with slides, monkey bars, bridges, tunnels, and fire poles, this park will keep them occupied. When they start to wind down, make sure to go for a walk through Okiwi Park to listen out for the native kakariki and tui. Follow the paths as they wind through beautiful bits of bush and look for eels in the stream. Finish with a sausage sizzle on the BBQ. Can easily spend 3 hours up here!
3. Pa Beach and Cafe, and Gooseberry Flat. Both Pa Beach and Gooseberry Flat located in Tryphena are idyllic swimming beaches that are very safe for little kids. Pa Beach has plenty of shade, perfect for naps and lazy swims. Gooseberry Flat has plenty of space perfect for flying kites and beach cricket. On low tide, you can walk between the two and go on the hunt for hidden caves! No trip to the beach would be complete without a stop off at Pa Beach Cafe for a Fluffy or Stonewall Store for an ice cream. Summer at its best.
4. Medlands Playground. On the southern end of Medlands beach near Twin Pines, there is a great playground about 1 minute walk up from the beach. This spot is great because you can go from swimming to swinging to sandcastles to sliding and climbing - back and forth you go. The playground also has a BBQ and a basketball court. Medlands beach is stunning and is also one of the safer beaches on the east coast for swimming, especially down at Twin Pines.
5. Aotea Playcentre. On Mondays and Fridays, parents can go with their children to Aotea Playcentre just next to Kaitoke School. You just need to sign in and make sure you look after your child as they explore the playground and sandbox. They are free to play with all the toys that they have there while they mix with other kids and you meet other parents. It's a great way to socialise for all.