Stodels Garden Centre in Bellville is one of my favourite places to take the kids. Outside near to the back of the nursery is a restaurant with two lovely big play areas either side. To the right is a wooden playground with swings, bridges and jungle gyms, as well as a large trampoline set into the ground. On the left is a train shaped jungle gym, a few rocking horses and cute tree triangular tree houses which the kids adore. Prior to the national lock down there was also a jumping castle, but for now this has been removed.
The food at the restaurant is fair but not spectacular, and when it gets busy the service can come to a screeching halt, so coming here with hungry kids is a risky move! We like stopping here for a coffee and a basic snack, and only when the restaurant is quiet.
Behind the restaurant is an Animal Park which you do not pay to walk through, although for a small fee you can purchase feed for the animals. There are llamas, goats, sheep, ducks, pigs and monkeys. Last year they had a sweet little pony named Bonsai, as well as some rabbits and guinea pigs - which may have permanently left, or just temporarily relocated during the winder months (I'm hoping for the latter).
Prior to the national lock-down there was also a little train, a merry-go-round and a few other child friendly activities the kids could enjoy for a small fee. I am hopeful that once the lock-down subsides the rides will return.
In the inside section of the nursery, over in the far corner, is a Snake Park, which we would have missed if it weren't for a friendly staff member who pointed it out to us. For a small entrance fee, you can walk through the park, and the staff make it into a fun and educational experience for the kids...and if you brave enough, you can also pay to have your photo taken while holding a snake!
The nursery itself has a nice variety of plants and flowers, and we can never resist taking home a small garden decor item (as per the pictures below) on or way out.
Bug and Goose love helping me water, plant and prune plants, and in a world where so much that our children are exposed to centers around instant gratification, I am very happy that they have developed a keen love for the slow, deliberate and rewarding process of gardening.
