9 Fun Toddler Activities in Hamilton

Looking for fun toddler activities in Hamilton? Here are some great ideas that will provide educational experiences, teach them about nature and the importance of all living creatures, help them understand their immediate environment and relationships with others, and enable them to build memories to cherish forever.

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Fun activities with your toddlers provide educational experiences, teach them about the beauty of nature and the importance of all living creatures, help them understand their immediate environment and relationships with others, and enable them to build memories to cherish forever. Here is our pick of fun toddler activities in Hamilton that you can enjoy anytime or in selected seasons.

List of Fun Toddler Activities in Hamilton

Meet the friends at Hamilton Zoo

Hamilton Zoo, a more than 25 hectares of open or specially-designed closed spaces, must be your first stop as your child will love meeting the residents here.
From exotic giraffes, “smart” chimpanzees, “serious” tigers, and “smiling” meerkats to cuddly red pandas, phenomenal birds, and impressive rhinos, the Zoo becomes the favourite pass time of many toddlers, curious to explore, learn and have fun as they study various animals. More than 500 animals, including tamarins, spider monkeys, geckos, and lemurs, await their visitors, children and adults alike.

Take a train ride at the Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology

Also known as the “Steam Museum,” this museum provides guided tours that help the little ones learn more about trains, field trips, STE(a)M workshops, and other activities that will keep them “busy” for a while.

The venue organises events like Train Days with the Golden Horseshoe Live Steamers, held on selected summer days, and The Electric City Festival, hosted in September. If your child loves boats, the location organises the Boats in the Park event in partnership with the Confederation Marine Modellers in May.

Have fun on water (and around it) at Lake Rotoroa

Lake Rotoroa, also known as Hamilton Lake domain, provides a beautiful outdoor experience for toddlers. Here they can feed the free-roaming ducklings, explore the treetop playground, ride their bikes in the designated areas, or enjoy a healthy snack at your family picnic. The venue offers dragon boating on the lake for active children, while the older, science-prone children can engage in radio-controlled boat racing.
You can also enjoy a long, healthy walk or play with your family dog in the off-leash location.

More Fun Toddler Activities in Hamilton

Play in the Dominion Park

The Dominion Park, located close to Nawton, West Hamilton, will make your toddlers crawl, jump, run, play, and have so much fun that they will want to return soon.
The climbing towers, slides, swings, and sand and water play will keep the little ones happy for hours while the older children can practice their cricket skills or engage in other sports at the two sports fields nearby.

To conclude a fun day, you can have a BBQ or watch the sunset on the park benches spread around the location.

Enjoy a day in the sun at Waterworld

Splashing in the water is one of the most beloved activities of children, and Waterworld is the perfect place to enjoy a day in the sun with your little one.
With a pool specially designed for toddlers and five others for everybody, this venue has everything a child could want, from hydro-slides to splash pads.
Here you can have a barbeque or a picnic, take swimming lessons and go to the gym.
The venue has showers, changing areas, and lockers so you can spend a carefree day in the hot summer.

Delight your senses at the Hamilton Gardens

The Hamilton Gardens is a rare sight, smell, and touch treat. The collections here, like the greenhouses in the Victorian Flower Garden, the Chinese Scholars’ Gardens, and the Indian Char Bah, offer a spectacle of colours and vivacity and show toddlers a glimpse of nature’s loveliness.

For more active children, the Gardens provide a playground with swings, slides, and a climbing tower to explore while enjoying outdoor playing.
There is a garden discovery activity available that your children can get engaged in if you print the Children’s Discovery Trail before coming to visit, and the centre has a place where you can rest and have something to eat.

But Wait There's More Toddler Activities in Hamilton

Experience the hot air balloons festival

“Balloons over Waikato” is one of the finest toddler activities in Hamilton and a preferred destination for many residents for five days during the autumn season.

Voted six times as the “Best Waikato Event” by the people of Hamilton, this festival will make your toddlers keep their eyes on the sky, scouting the flight of the balloons flown here from around the world.

The event hosts fun activities like carnival rides, live stage entertainment, and spectacular fireworks.
Book the dates into your agenda; your toddler will be delighted you did!
Meet the farm residents at the Taitua Arboretum

Located just outside Hamilton, Taitua Arboretum offers a delightful escape from the city rush.
Here, your toddler can meet the chickens, feed the cows and ducks, play barefoot in the grass, spot birds, discover lakes, or stroll on different trails. The family dog is welcome as long as you keep him on a lead, and you can even have a healthy picnic on location while admiring the landscape.

Have fun picking strawberries

The Strawberry Farm offers children the chance to see how strawberries are grown and how they reach their plates as delicious snacks after being planted in the ground. Moreover, the little ones will be able to pick strawberries by themselves and take them home to prepare a few healthy snacks.

When the children are tired of picking, they can take an active break in the playground, where they can play with wooden helicopters and aeroplanes.
This experience will teach the little ones to appreciate better what the earth provides and discover the many ways strawberries are found in our meals.

Another highlight of this visit is the strawberry ice cream tasting offered at the end of the tour, a culinary treat for children and parents!
Punnet café, part of the farm, waits for guests with coffee, tea, cake, and delicious meals, while the Country Providore has gifts for your dear ones and foods provided by local producers.

Spending time with your child by engaging in fun toddler activities in Hamilton is an excellent opportunity to strengthen the bond you share, learn new things, explore new places, and have a few laughs together!

If you are visiting Auckland, check out our suggestions for toddler activities in Auckland.

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