Best child-friendly activities and restaurants

Canal Walk is renowned for being a child haven from winter through to summer. It’s one of the many reasons kids can't wait to visit the mall. Not only does it have the best child-friendly restaurants, but it is also filled with a plethora of activities to keep your bundles of joy busy and happy. 

We’ve created a full guide of family restaurants in Cape Town, and fun activities for kids to try out. 

Famous for their deliciously messy Smashburgers, cheesy fries and juicy ribs, RocoMamas is a must-visit foodie destination for burger lovers. Although Rocomamas doesn’t have a huge play area or a set kid’s menu, they definitely can keep the little ones happy with their wide variety of non-halaal and halaal meals. From salads and burgers to ribs, wings, chicken strips, fries and milkshakes, there’s everything for every taste bud. And if your child likes breakfast for lunch or dinner, they’re well catered for with the selection of all-day breakfast and yummy waffles.

This Italian restaurant in Cape Town is big on family; they let you enjoy your meals with other adults while they take care of your little ones. When you order a meal, your kids get a surprise packet full of free goodies. In their kid’s menu, you’ll find pizza, pasta, combo meals, and ‘moreish’ meals which include chicken nuggets, fish fingers, pork ribs and cheese griller poppers. To top off the experience, Panarottis allows kids to make pizzas by adding toppings of their choosing. All you have to do is visit the restaurant and tell them you’ll dough it yourself.

What do kids love more than food? Games, of course! Virtual Realms arcade is a premium digital game destination for everyone, especially kids. That’s not the only enticing factor; all the games at Virtual Realms arcade come in the latest virtual reality (VR) technology which kids are wild about.

It’s an adventurous way to entertain your kids after a very long school year. They’ll find a wide selection of their favourite games such as Batman: Arkham VR, Audioshield, ABC Paint, Fruit Ninja and more other fun games. This top game shop in Cape Town accommodates large groups, minors under 13 years of age, as well as differently-abled kids. All beginners are given an introduction and tutorials on how to use the VR and the controls. So, why not take a page out of your kids' venturesome ways and grab yourself a booth and enjoy this groundbreaking VR experience. 

Your search for family-friendly movies quickly concludes Canal Walk’s Nu Metro cinema; it’s the ultimate one-stop-cinema where all the latest movies are available. From Abominable to The Angry Birds 2, Dora and The Lost Gold, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Marnie’s World, and yes, you guessed it, the number one favourite for all kids all over the globe, Frozen II. If your kids are StarWars super fans, they’ll be thrilled to watch the latest installment, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. 

Canal Walk always has something special planned for kids of all ages. Your children can slide into summer at Canal Walk's Frozen Fun Slide Park. This Cape Town based event is to celebrate the release of the world’s biggest kids movie, Frozen II. 

Canal Walk partnered with Ackermans to design an entertainment set-up filled with lots of frozen slides. Mini-riders from two to five and full riders from five years plus can come to enjoy the slides as well as the Olaf Play area that will accommodate those who choose not to use the slides. 

Take your kids’ arts and crafts capabilities to the next level at Build a Bear toy store, where they have the freedom to create and personalize their fluffy friend. You can choose a package that matches your budget, but what’s guaranteed is that your little ones will walk away with a beautiful and personalised bear dressed in an outfit picked by them. What’s more, is that you can book a birthday party or any type of party to celebrate with your kids at Build a Bear. All you have to do is pay and invite your guests, Build A Bear will handle the rest. 

Your kids can also enjoy a ride on the Canal Walk Express train that’s always available for adventures around the centre. Wonderland also awaits with more magic and fun to explore through 4D effects.

Summer is about spreading love, being happy and doing all the fun things you don’t get to do with your family during the year. And Canal Walk offers a world full of fun activities to enjoy. From movies to games and everything in between, families can enjoy a day out at the mall. When hunger hits, your family can head over to any of our child-friendly restaurants to treat the entire family to a nice meal.