Nature calls: our top free picks for kids this October

We’ve picked out some high­lights hap­pen­ing in our parks as part of Nature Fes­ti­val to help you plan your hol­i­days – and there are plen­ty more in the full pro­gram to explore too.

Near Ade­laide…

1. It’s a Bird it’s a Plane: Mori­al­ta Resource Centre 

What: Join Green Ade­laide ecol­o­gist Dr Julie Schofield for a hands-on work­shop explor­ing the birds of Ade­laide and how they take flight. Learn how dif­fer­ent birds fly, then test your knowl­edge by cre­at­ing paper planes inspired by their flight styles. Will your plane soar like a rap­tor or glide like a gull? Per­fect for curi­ous kids, bud­ding nat­u­ral­ists and any­one who loves the won­der of flight.

When: Sat­ur­day 27 September

Ages: Designed for chil­dren aged 6+

Tick­et: For more info and to secure your tick­et click here. 

2. Mind­ful, Sen­so­ry-Friend­ly Nature Pho­to Hunt for Kids & Fam­i­lies: Glen­thorne Nation­al Park – Itya­mai­it­pin­na Yarta

What: Enjoy a relaxed, sen­so­ry-friend­ly pho­to trea­sure hunt in nature. With gen­tle prompts and plen­ty of time to explore, kids can slow down, notice the lit­tle details, and cap­ture their dis­cov­er­ies with a cam­era or phone (with par­ent help). Cre­at­ed by a neu­ro­di­ver­gent mum for neu­ro­di­ver­gent kids and fam­i­lies, this expe­ri­ence is inclu­sive, calm­ing and fun for all.

When: Mon­day 6 October

Ages: Designed for chil­dren aged 3 – 8 years old (but any age is welcomed)

Tick­et: For more info and to secure your tick­et click here. 

3. Winged Won­ders of Ade­laide: Cle­land Wildlife Park

What: Winged Won­ders is a play­ful and inter­ac­tive live show for chil­dren and their fam­i­lies. Step into the flow of nature with Lucy and her pup­pet pals Bid­di Blue and Flic­ka Fire­tail on a fun, music-filled jour­ney through the world of native but­ter­flies and wood­land birds. With catchy songs, dance-alongs, and hands-on cre­ativ­i­ty, kids learn how these winged won­ders help our envi­ron­ment, and how you can help too!

When: Sat­ur­day 11 October

Ages: Designed for chil­dren aged 3 – 8, and their families

Please note this is a free event, but tick­ets to the show do not pro­vide entry into Cle­land Wildlife Park. 

Tick­et: For more info and to secure your tick­et click here. 

Region­al picks…

4. Ranger-guid­ed Kayak­ing Tour of Yang­ie Bay Sanc­tu­ary Zone: Cof­fin Bay Nation­al Park 

What: Enjoy a leisure­ly kayak through the beau­ti­ful Yang­ie Bay Sanc­tu­ary Zone in Cof­fin Bay Nation­al Park, learn­ing about the secret life of the crit­ters who call this place home. Every­thing will be sup­plied for the day, includ­ing kayaks, thanks to Xtreme Kites and Paddle!

When: Mon­day 29 September

Ages: Rec­om­mend­ed for chil­dren aged 6+ (chil­dren can ride in the kayak with their parents)

Tick­et: For more info and to secure your tick­et click here. 

5. Car­ing for Wit­tel­bee Com­mu­ni­ty Day: Wit­tel­bee Con­ser­va­tion Park 

What: Join us for a feel-good day of giv­ing back to nature and con­nect­ing with com­mu­ni­ty with a free BBQ and fresh damper, tree plant­i­ng, and beach clean-up. With fun activ­i­ties for all ages, this is a day to come togeth­er, make a dif­fer­ence, and cel­e­brate every­thing we love about Wit­tel­bee. Bring your friends, fam­i­ly, and com­mu­ni­ty spir­it – let’s care for Coun­try, together!

When: Sat­ur­day 11 October

Ages: Rec­om­mend­ed for chil­dren 5+ 

Tick­et: For more info and to secure your tick­et click here. 

Park of the Month

Through­out Octo­ber, the Nature Fes­ti­val is being cel­e­brat­ed as the Nation­al Parks and Wildlife Ser­vice’s Park of the Month. There are lots of events and activ­i­ties to get involved in, find them here!

Stay in the know: Sign up to get updates from Nation­al Parks and Wildlife Ser­vice straight to your inbox!