Children's entertainment in Christchurch

“We visited a lot of daycares in the area and chose the YMCA because we loved the community feel. The kids are always out and about, taking part in activities and visiting places like the gym, library and park. Our daughter took some time settling in but the teachers have been wonderful with her and now she has really found her feet and has made some great friends. We love the Y :)”

“This was so much fun! The team were so nice and accomodating with the extra things we needed for my dad to enjoy his time there as well. Thank you for a fun experience!”

“We played Echoes of the Damned on Monday morning and absolutely loved it! The 9/10 scare rating lived up to the hype – pretty intense, especially for my partner – but it made the experience even more thrilling. Great atmosphere, clever puzzles, and plenty of scares. Highly recommend for horror fans!”

“Awesome team bonding activity. Loaded with fun and is quite competitive. Highly recommend this place. Definitely going again”

“We had a fantastic time here! We did the Psycho Motel & Bunker rooms and both were tricky but we all had so much fun and can't wait to come back. Staff were happy, friendly & super welcoming. We highly recommend Escape Rooms! :)”

“We had the best day with Pony Parties! Thank you, Jess and your team for one amazing day. We had so many wee ones who absolutely loved sharing their experience with pony riding and farm friends! It was so smoothly run. You have made our little girls birthday dream came you!”

“Bumblebees is part of our lifestyle now and the baby hasn’t even started yet. It’s an easy and good vibe here. Only have to ask the kids to put their shoes on once when it’s time for Bumblebees.”

“Hats off to an employee, Harper completely!! My friend and I came down for a weekend and basically spent both evenings here purely because Harper made our time there unforgettable!!!!! She made sure our drinks were amazing, food was delicious, our golf games hilarious and the arcade games working! (We had a couple not work on us lol) I really thank Harper for her hospitality towards us and cannot hope and pray enough that she's there next time we're down here. To future patrons of this location, trust Harper there”

“Impressive creation! This huge playground off Manchester Street is amazing. There are dozens of things to swing and climb up. My kids favourite is the double flying fox, because they can race each other. There are food outlets BBQs and toilets too.”

“Fantastic staff who go above and beyond for anyone staying there to make rough times alot less stressful absolutely AMAZING”

“Beautiful cinema with Cafe and bar. Comfy and spacious seating with large arm rests and drinks holder. Good quality sound and image on a medium sized screen.”

“A really wonderful independent cinema, that also have a dvd library with a huuuuge collection! Nice to browse before your film starts too. Definitely worth a visit if you are visiting Christchurch!”

“I absolutely love shopping here. The store has an amazing selection of high-quality children's items at affordable prices. Everything is clean, well-organised, and in excellent condition. The staff is incredibly friendly and always ready to help, making the whole shopping experience so enjoyable. It’s clear they care about their customers and the items they stock. The ability to provide my items to the store to sell on my behalf makes my life a lot easier. Highly recommend this store to any parents looking for great deals without compromising on quality.”

“Gemma is an absolute gem (pun intended). Not many people would be so enthusiastic about hosting a bunch of seven-year-olds but she absolutely nailed it. Thanks for making my son’s birthday super special, us parents were already over it and she stepped up big time. All of your staff deserve a pay rise, bunch of legends”

“Velocity carts is a great little New Zealand company offering land sailing, in their custom designed and made “blocarts”. These carts are fast and extremely manoeuvrable. You can learn to drive a blocart well within one session, although if you have experience in other forms of sailing that is a definite advantage. The controls are simple, a steering wheel and a main sheet (rope) which controls the sail. At the beginning of your first session, the instructors will show a video detailing how to use a blocart and then explain how best to steer through the course. The staff will then be on the course to give advice on how to improve and to ensure your safety. In windy conditions sail sizes can easily be reduced or heavier wheels added to ensure greater stability. The cost of the experience in 2024 was $75NZ per hour per person. Book your experiences through the website.”

“Fantastic experience, fantastic cafe will be returning”

“We hold an acroyoga jam at Evolve Studio and it was amazing. We were lucky to get this space free one day for our jam. It is close to the CBD and it was easy to get in using the code. The space is super clean and offers fully equipped toilets and there is a kitchen with filtered water. What a gorgeous studio! We could fit 14 people easily and still had plenty of space. Loved the mirrors and the plants. Taryn, the owner, super friendly and was super kind! Can't wait to use this space again. Thank you!”

“A Christchurch carol is a must see! Watched last years Christmas show too and they are always such a laugh. 5 stars!”

“Lovely gardens and shop easy walk and very peaceful”

“Rachel took our school through the session with our students and then we did the PLD after school which gave us quick and easy, yet meaningful ideas which link so well to critical thinking skills. As a staff we were engaged and the choice of activities to match different age groups were appreciated, especially that we could implement them straight into our classes the next day. So much fun and a great way to teambuild too. Bring on the creativity!”

“Comfortable seats in the theatre, saw an awesome musical here. Great show.”

“We had coffee/tea and cake in the lounge, and it was superb. A very nice place to sit in the sun and enjoy life and some history. The staff were fantastic and passionate. Thanks!”

“Highly recommended for everyone in the family. A beautiful free (donations are welcome) museum, filled with far more aircrafts than we initially expected. Lots to read and discover, displays were well put together and the pacing through the exhibits is perfect. If you need a break, there is a simple cafe, a lovely little gift shop and peaceful grounds. Wish we had more time to explore this past visit. We will have to set aside more time the next visit!”

“Willowbank Wildlife Reserve is absolutely amazing, a perfect mix of native, farm, and exotic animals. The kiwi enclosure was the highlight for me, peaceful, natural, and the closest I’ve ever been to seeing a kiwi up close! The staff are super friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly care deeply about conservation. The grounds are clean and easy to walk through, with beautiful native bush and photo spots everywhere. Feeding the eels and lemurs was such a fun surprise. Great for all ages, and only a short drive from the city or airport. Definitely one of Christchurch’s must-visit attractions!”

“The most amazing experience at Blood Brothers 4pm Show on Sunday., the show was outstanding. Over and above that, was the extra attention given to me by a lovely usher , having very recently had a foot fracture and I was in a moonboot with crutches. Thank you Maggie for popping my crutches away under my seat for me and getting me a small pillow to put my leg on and also coming back at half time to say you had tried unsuccessfully to find me another seat so that I could put my foot up more comfortably. Your kindness was very much appreciated.”

“Best place to take walks on. Very spacious park and has been a part of Christchurch’s identity as the Garden City. Plenty of spaces to take walks and jogs on. Beautifully carved and is clean every time, so you can see how well it’s been taken care of and how disciplined everyone visiting is. Christchurch truly is beautiful and Hagley Park adds to that!”

“I have learned from Reuben for approximately 15 years. Himself & the teaching team at Salsa Latina have always been kind, welcoming & make you feel at home. Level of teaching is great, always leave class feeling like you have accomplished what was taught & plenty of opportunity is given to practice what is being taught. A great variety of classes/styles are on offer. Can not recommend Salsa Latina enough. You are literally learning from one of the best ☺️”

“Awesome place with awesome people. Preston, who seems to run the show, is cool too; always a good chat.”

“I and my son just strolling around the hagley till we found this stunning place which we decided to have a look inside,been here already for a long time in nz but it was my first time to went inside that place and it was amazing,loves those different sort of plants.please check it out if you have time .☺️cant upload video as it was too long.”