Places to take the kids in New Zealand

"My favourite part of this place is the yacht racing simulator. There's a huge table where you can tweak the variables for your yacht and pit it against another. The exhibits are extensive and it's right by the picturesque harbour. There are fascinating videos about racing, amazing stories of shipwrecks and sailors, massive boats. It's really worth the trip - you could easily spend a full day there."

"MOTAT is brilliant! There's always something new here. I've zoomed around in the simulator, played free arcade games (during the computer game display), moved the robotic hand all over, tried to generate as much power as a solar panel, walked on stilts, read weird facts about peanut butter, learned about lifestyles during the war, seen how types of engines work - and never even made it to the aircraft display. If you haven't been yet, MOTAT is a must-see and if you have been, it's probably worth another trip. I've been about 6 times now!"

"I don't know where to begin, this is one of my favourite places in Auckland. There's always so much to see - you could spend the day just in a single section. It also changes frequently. I was there for the special photography exhibit and the photos were stunning. There's way more than a war memorial here, there's art, fashion, natural history, geology, the earthquake simulator... even if the kids eventually get tired, the surrounding parks and grounds are beautiful to cap off the day. Entry is FREE for Auckland residents too!"

"Parakai springs is great for a family outing, we plan to make regular visits after the fun we had there. The 40 degree indoor pool is awesome for warming up no matter how cold it is outside - quite often its a bit too hot and then you can take a dip in the cooler (but still heated) outdoor pool or climb the tower for the two heated waterslides. One of those is very high and fast, I loved it! On the whole the place is a bit faded but that doesn't detract from the fun. There's hot chips and ice-cream to be bought there, you can rent a BBQ and there are coin-operated games."

"We love coming here for a special treat on the way home. During strawberry season you can spend some happy hours picking your own or just buy a bunch. You can have strawberry ice-cream or smoothies or (my favourite) massive strawberries dipped in chocolate. So nice in summer!"