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Sorry Cheetah, only saw your post after I posted mine.

Our 9 years olds will accompany us to Kruger this winter again. Purely for two reasons. It is cooler and mosquitoes are less frequently encountered. We scale down our personal preferences in Kruger when they are along. As much as they enjoy nature, we cannot expect them to sit in a car all day long and look for birds and animals. They get bored and tired after a while and it is unfair to force something upon them. All it does in the end is make them dislike the experience.

You have to keep them entertained almost all the time.

We always play a game in the car to see who spots the best and most animals/birds. Around the fire at night we have a prize giving ceremony.

They also have games in the car, Nintendo 3DS, a DVD player and other toys to keep them occupied during lean viewing times.

Out of the camp early with a breakfast at a picnic spot and back in camp before midday is the order of the day. Then they can run around and swim or just relax at camp till our late afternoon drive again.

For those who risk taking younger ones to Kruger. I have found that Berg-n-Dal is a nice camp for them. There used to be a little Jungle Gym near the reception. Unfortunately I am not sure if it is still there. The shallow pool is also safe and very popular.

Camps like Skukuza and Letaba are also great because of their museums. Some camps like Skukuza also still shows films at night.

Kids love toys and shopping. Most of the big camps have lovely shops where they can spend some time at.

Satara and Lower Sabie for instance have nice big lawns with lots of shade where you could let your little rascal run off some energy away from others who the lovely noise of child laughter might annoy.

Teach them to be quiet at bird hides. Most of the old farts spend there time in their and I in particular have had a nasty incident at the Sweni hide one year after a lady made a comment about silence after my daughter had asked a bird related question.

Get them their own cameras as well and encourage them to use it. They at times take the most entertaining photos!

And have lots of room in the car and enough pillows and blankies. When they've had enough of each other in the backseat as ours sometime do, split them up. Ours also have their own bird books and animal books. Sharing is caring, but half the time it only works in theory!

Make sure you have enough snacks and cold drinks in the car. And for heaven's sake, make sure you plan your routes is such a way that you can get to a loo quick enough, especially if you have little girls on board!

Also very important, they have their own binoculars. I realized this one soon enough on our first trip with not enough bins in the car. Nothing more irritating than a child hanging around your neck to use your bins!

Our two rascals also enjoy eating out at restaurants. Kruger has some great ones. 1 out of every 3 nights in a restaurant is quite helpful. If you braai, remember the marshmallows... Nothing keeps a child more occupied than roasting a marshmallow in the fire under your close supervision.

Hmmmm.... what else... We get them those glow in the dark mosquito repellent bracelets. They like that too.

And we always look out for baboons and vervet monkeys. They remain one of the best entertainers in the bush and kids love them! We sometimes spend 30mins or more with a troop to watch all their antics.

Bundi, enough said on malaria and its do's and don't's.

I don't care who says what, kids under 5 years of age is a real high risk as far as malaria goes. I am not saying it, far more educated people proved this!

Do you allow your child to sit in the car without a safety belt on? Do you put a baby chair on the front passenger seat of your car where an airbag is present and not deactivated? Do you allow your child to play alongside a road outside the yard? Those are all potential "Just in case" scenarios. Yet I almost see anyone of the above scenarios on a daily basis! It is mind boggling. The worst mistake anyone can make is to think surely that it would never happen to me. Murphy of Murphy's law fame sure loves Africa!

Child free Kruger? That will never be the case as many people take that risk. Waiting for 5 years before you take a child to Kruger is not just a safer and IMHO, wiser, option, but by that time the child will gather far more out of the experience than what would've been the case as a 1, 2, 3 or 4 year old! It simply just makes more sense in any case.

My kids grew up in one of the worst Malarial areas in SA, and they love Kruger, from the age of , well, not even 1 year.

I'm the only one to have contracted Malaria, there are a lot of ways to prevent from being bitten.

I agree, keep lots of goodies to keep them busy.

Always the kids and malaria debate! My friend stayed away from KNP since she got pregnant until now... the kid is 4 years old. We're talking serious withdrawal symptoms here! So I convinced her to call the pediatrician for advice... his words: "The experience is too valuable to the child to not take her!" and "Take the child, take some sensible precautions, and I'll prescribe save prophylaxis". Needless to say, the trip is booked...


Of course, if everyone did what Wildtuinman advises, childfree me could have looked forward to blissfully childfree holidays as well


Now, back to the original question. While I love the northern parts of Kruger, the picnic spots are few and far in between, the vegetation monotonous, and the best part of the wildlife is the bird life! So, I suggest you stay south, where there are more animals, more places for pitstops, and larger, more child-friendly camps. It is probably also a good thing that you are not allowed get out of the car on the southern bridges like on most of the northern bridges... so less chance for the child to get him/herself into trouble.... Allow play and running time at camps and picnic spots, play games with the kids, such as: "first one to spot a ....., gets a .....", and with really young kids (<5 or 6 yrs), I'd say, take a portable DVD player along so that they can watch their favourite cartoons in the evenings (only inside the bungalows! - we don't want the mozzies to get to them or the neighbours to complain...), so that the parents can get some rest too -- board games work well for older kids. (O yes, and close the windows when your at a predator or baboon sighting... young children loose in the back of a car are very attractive prey...)

I have cancelled one holiday in Kruger and that was due to pregnancy.

I do understand Wildtuinman's concern, but September is a low risk month and the Park is very dry.

I think Pretorius Kop is one of the lowest risk camps, if I remember correctly. It also has a lovely pool with lots of place to run for little people.

When my children were very young, the biggest problem we had was getting them to take the meds. It was bitter, horrible and often came straight back up. Because of the change in maleria sensitivity, other meds are now given. In those days it was Cloroquin.

Doxy tabs, as we call them, do have side effects. Never to be taken on an empty stomach and to be cautious about the sun. They do increase sun sensitivity.

Swimming pools are essential. Breaking for swims was always an important part of the day. Even September can bring sweltering hot days.

Vitamin B, thiamine has been shown to be an effective repellant and it also seems to reduce the intensity of the illness, if infected. It is worth giving some extra.

Sweat attracts mozzies, so again, swims and cool baths will help.

MM, Pretoriuskop might be saved by altitude, but I am always worried about Pretoriuskop and Punda Maria because of their higher rainfall which creates suitable breeding habitats for mosquitoes.

One of the high risk places to get bitten are in communal bathrooms. It is a magnificent hiding place for mosquitoes and it is also the place where you are at your most vulnerable, without clothes and without mosquito repellant.

I have two children, our first went to kruger at 4 months old and has been 3 times since, and our second went last year for the first time at 6 months with our oldest having just turned 2.
When we returned home our oldest had suspected malaria...and although it turned out after tests that it was not, it was a very scary time...however we are returning again in November
Don't be put off. Just make sure you take the correct precautions, stop at picnic spots to let them stretch their legs, get them their own binos, map, books etc, get some snap cards and get them to chhose the card of the animal they can see etc...just make it fun and enjoy the amazing experience with your kids!

Doxycycline IS prescribed as a chemoprophylaxis for malaria prevention.

See here: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2012/chapter-3-infectious-diseases-related-to-travel/malaria.htm
or: http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/tables.htm
or:http://www.malariasite.com/malaria/Prophylaxis.htm

Use of other types of antibiotics not recognised as a preventative measure against malaria is not advised.

Hi to all wildlife lovers..
As I am travelling with my 5 1/2 year old son to Kruger for 3 weeks, I would like to know whether there are some children playgrounds or any interesting activities in any camps to liven up long stay in park for a child?
Thank you and have a nice day WD

Hi!

The shops also have a big selection of books, toys and games for kids. So you could buy your son his own kiddies book about kruger and he can look up the animals you see.
Teaching kids about the bush and wildlife is so much fun!

I found a fun thing to do was to make an album. After a drive we would go and see if we could find any post cards of the animals seen and stick them in with the names of the different animals.

Thanks for good news I have never seen any public children playground anywhere in South Africa, but I was there just many years ago 2003 and 2006

Hi wilddog.prg,
Most of the camps you have booked at have a swimming pool.
At Berg en Dal you will find the pool to be child friendly and certain areas not to deep for them to play him. What I liked about Berg en Dal is the walking trail around the camp tha'ts on the inside of the fence.
There are a lot of interactive display for the kids to look at and you will find a small jungle gym near reception for the children to play on.
Just reminder do not let them walk on their own or after dark.
A leopard have been seen frequently near the fence.

Letaba is also great for kids and during holiday they have treasure hunts and other activities.
The elephant museum is a must to visit.
The school holiday is from 29 Sept - 7 October so you might be at that time at Letaba.

Punda Maria does not have too many activities, but there is a walking trail and swimming plus bird hide.
My child visited the hides from a young age and maybe not always quiet, but often not as loud as some adults.
The camps are not child friendly and a snake might be hiding in a tree or bush, therefore when they want to go for a walk always go along.

My child is again a curio freak and we started off buying a soft animal toy during each visit resulting in a zoo of animals at home.
There is a Kruger Passport you can buy (saw it at Afsaal) where you mark off the camps you have visited and if not wrong you can add other info like sightings.
The five year old might be a bit young for it, but get one for yourself.
We found a lovely activity book for kids in Kgalagadi and I am sure you will find something similar in Kruger.

Also try to planning visits to picnic areas where possible so that you can get out of the car more often and even hides are nice places to stop to show kids whats happening around them well staying in one place and not driving around.

Great stops are Pafuri, Babalala and Kaniedood hide far north, Shipandani and Mooiplaas near Mopani, etc.

Buy a Kruger map when you arrive and you will know where to find all these spots and more.

Hi guys,

Let me state very quickly that this isn't a topic to moan about kids or have a "go" about children in the KNP. This is a topic to help me learn as to when is the best time to take a child, what age is the best age and what camps are the best to stay in the KNP.

I have been going to the Kruger since before I can remember and go religiously 3times a year, but my wife and I are now expecting our first child (which ironically was conceived in the park ) and this now opens a whole new experience for us. We are really excited to see the KNP through her eyes as she will create a whole new world for us. We realize that this wont happen when she is first born but over time.

But since my wife and I are new to this I really would appreciate constructive and informative comments from parents on the forum who have had experience with this and can educate a father-to-be with their wisdom.