Expat Children Guide
With its relatively high crime rates, Cape Town is hardly the kind of place where children wander the streets on their own. Then again, the same can be said of most urban centers. In spite of this, Cape Town remains, in many ways, one of the best cities in the world to raise a family. It provides the perfect balance between beautiful natural surroundings and the benefits of a modern, fully-developed city.
Living in Cape Town, children have the chance to hike through beautiful, unspoilt mountain terrain, snorkel and surf in two oceans, and attend the best university on the continent – all within a few minutes of their homes. Also at their doorsteps, within the city, are cultural opportunities in the forms of museums, theater and many other children-oriented activities.
The city is remarkably child-friendly in many other ways, too, with excellent babysitting and au pairing agencies competing to offer the best rates and pre-schools and daycare centers in just about every area. There are also a wide variety of good educational clubs and extra-curricular activities for children before and during their school years. Cape town has excellent public, private and international primary and high schools so that students have the opportunity to find the best fit for their needs.
Many of the big shopping centers also have great facilities where children can enjoy themselves while take time for themselves. Boogaloos Skate Park at Canal Walk and the Ice Rink at Grand West Casino are the two examples of which are described in greater detail in the After-school Activities section. During school holidays, Canal Walk also reopens Ratanga Junction, Century City’s massive amusement park with its dozens of roller coasters and fun rides.
