Summer fun with the kids

If you are a parent with kids at home these school holidays, congratulations, you just became a CEO – ‘‘chief entertainment officer’’. We are in the hard part of the summer break, where the excitement of Christmas has passed, and the return of school is still weeks away.

Just like any good CEO, you should have an excellent CFO (chief fun officer) and I have taken the job seriously, hunting down the best experiences that won’t break the bank.

O¯ hope Water Slide

A young entrepreneur has created a new attraction at a popular Bay of Plenty holiday spot.

Sam Oliver, who studied industrial design at university, approached the owners of a steep block of land overlooking O¯ hope Beach, thinking it would make an epic water slide.

With their blessing, he carved up a track, layered it with carpet for padding, then wrapped it in plastic for speed.

The result is a water slide that kids love; they hold on to a mat and rocket down.

The slide is at the faster end of the spectrum, which means heavier adults tend to fly down with considerable pace. But don’t let that put you off; the oldest rider so far has been a 76-year-old grandmother.

The slide will run until Waitangi Weekend, and Oliver hopes it will make a comeback next summer, bigger and better than ever.

Price: $15 for an hour session, with unlimited rides.

Best for: Children who love adrenaline.

See: O¯ hope Water Slide on Facebook for the latest opening days and times.

Children go free

How many wonders of New Zealand have you been lucky to experience since the borders shut?

It’s likely international tourists will start to return this year, meaning the likes of Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, and Queenstown will become busy again.

The border closures have presented us a once-ina-lifetime chance to experience the best spots without the usual crowds, and RealNZ is making the opportunity even more enticing by offering a ‘‘kids go free’’ deal until January 31.

The deal allows one free child per adult on the TSS Earnslaw coal-fired steamer, Queenstown Jet Boat, Te A¯ nau Glowworm Caves, and cruises along Milford and Doubtful sounds.

Price: from $70.

Best for: Kids who love adventure. See: realnz.com.

New Zealand’s slice of Fiji

Auckland’s Goat Island is a must experience for children. It’s an ideal place to increase their confidence in the water, surrounded by fish – and best of all, it’s free.

If your children haven’t quite got the confidence to swim right out to the island, where most of the fish hang out, you can rent a transparent kayak, known as a Clearyak.

The paddle out is easy, and in just a few minutes, you will have giant snapper swimming under the kayak.

Price: From $60.

Best for: Children who don’t have the confidence to swim in deeper water.

See: clearyak.co.nz.

What am I seeing?

Rotorua is home to the country’s only trick art gallery, a great indoor activity for rainy days.

Inside, you will find more than 50 optical illusions, with instructions on how to experience each one, and spots marking where to take photos for the complete illusion to be seen. For example, kids can look like they are being eaten by a giant octopus, ride a dolphin, jump across a crevasse, or cross an enormous waterfall over a log.

Price: $69 for a family pass.

Best for: Children old enough to take photos, but not too old that taking photos with parents is uncool.

3dtrickart.co.nz.

Geothermal wonderland

If your kids love a sense of adventure, a visit to one of the country’s most active geothermal parks is a must. O¯ ra¯ kei Ko¯ rako is found 30 minutes’ drive from Taupo¯ , or 45 from Rotorua, and it’s a little like a geothermal Disneyland.

On arrival at the car park, an enormous smoking geothermal valley is seen across the other side of the Waikato River. You first board a ferry, then jump on a maze of boardwalks to explore geysers, silica terraces, hot springs, and bubbling mud pools. Price: $17 a child, $42 an adult.

Best for: Kids who haven’t been to Rotorua before.

See: orakeikorako.co.nz.

A parallel universe

Rain and the school holidays can be a frustrating

combination, but one of Auckland’s newest attractions can dry out the boredom: We¯ ta¯ Workshop Unleashed.

The tour involves a behind-the-scenes look at three fictitious movies, where kids get to play ‘‘operation’’ on enormous zombies, explore a horror maze (younger kids can skip this), and be confronted by a massive robot. It is like walking through an interactive video game.

This is a world-class experience, which is already winning international awards, and will be one of the top things to do when the borders reopen, so get there before the rest of the world discovers it.

Price: $25 a child, $49 an adult, family passes from $99. Best for: All kids.

See: wetaworkshop.com/unleashed.

Into the jungle: Kiwi-style

Welcome to one of Auckland’s best-kept secrets, Ta¯ wharanui Regional Park.

The 588-hectare reserve is just 20 minutes from Matakana, and the predator-free sanctuary is home to a stunning array of birdlife (about 90 species), and some of the region’s best beaches. We even spotted ka¯ ka¯ , which made their way over from Little Barrier Island.

By night, dozens of people try their chances at

Fact file Carbon footprint:

spotting kiwi, which are common in the park. It’s a bit hit-and-miss if you are wandering around trying to find them yourself, so if you are intent on seeing one, your best bet is a guided walk with Habitat Tours.

The guides use thermal imaging binoculars to pick them up in the bush, positioning you in the perfect place to see them with an almost 100 per cent success rate with sightings.

Price: Entry to the park and self-guided kiwi spotting is free. Habitat Tours from $60 a child, $130 for an adult.

Flying generates carbon emissions. To reduce your impact, consider other ways of travelling, amalgamate your trips, and when you need to fly, consider offsetting emissions. To offset your carbon emissions, head to airnewzealand.co.nz/sustainability-customer-carbon-offset.

Alice in Wonderland

Near Matakana, you will find a real world Alice in Wonderland, with life-size elephants made of driftwood, giant neon pink snails, and a tin version of The Lion King’s Rafiki.

Sculptureum has hundreds of weird and wonderful pieces to view on a 11⁄2-kilometre trail.

On weekends, there is also an animal encounter – where children can get up close to the park’s rare birds, giant rabbits and kunekune pigs.

Price: Children: $14, adults: $29.

Best for: Children with imagination.

See: sculptureum.nz.

The writer was hosted by the various providers mentioned, but any inclusions are on merit.