Things To Do with Kids in the Waikato

Beaches, gardens, museums and, uh, stalactites? It's got to be the beautiful Waikato, home to endless things to do with the family.

Planning a trip to the Waikato? Got kids? Get ready to become their number one person (yes, we know you already were, but now they'll tell you so more often). This gorgeous part of New Zealand has just as much to delight little visitors as it does full-grown ones. The outdoor activities in the Waikato could keep you and your gang busy for years, and that's before you've even started getting to know the local museums and making friends with the animals lucky enough to call this irresistible corner of the country home.

Looking at the long, long list of child-friendly activities in the Waikato and wondering which ones deserve a coveted spot on your itinerary? Well, wonder no more; we've rounded up our choice of the essential family things to do here.

Image: The Mighty Waikato

Outdoor Adventures

  • Digging up your own thermal spa? Yes, it's a thing, and it's way more relaxing than it sounds! Kawhia Ocean Beach is the place to dig in (and bliss out).
  • Hamilton Lake (or Lake Rotoroa) is a beautiful spot with pushchair-friendly paths, picnic-worthy meadows and plenty of kid-satisfying space to run wild and free.
  • The manicured areas within Hamilton Gardens are inspired by influences of Maori, Italian Renaissance and Japanese styles. Soak up the beauty while your kids make a beeline for the playground.
Image: The Mighty Waikato

Indoor Fun

  • Waikato Museum's interactive exhibits offer educational fun with kids in mind. And the best part? They won't even realise they're learning.
  • Hamilton's CBD is packed with ways to get your family smiling. Bowling and arcade games bring the fun; the many nearby restaurants bring the food.
  • In Ruakuri, Aranui, the Troll Cave and others, the stalactites, stalagmites and glow-worms are magical.
Image: The Mighty Waikato

Animal Encounters

  • Birds are everywhere you turn in Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari. And it's not just feathered friends here; look for scaly tuatara too.
  • You can probably guess what lives in the Otorohanga Kiwi House. These flightless cuties really are adorable. Reptiles and other birds abound, too.
  • Hamilton Zoo is home to an array of unique beasts. You don't even need kids to be charmed by this attraction.

Created in partnership with The Mighty Waikato