New Zealand with an 18 month old
 

Hi,
I am planning a three week trip to New Zealand with a toddler in tow for December. We are renting a motorhome so that we have maximum flexibility. We are planning to spend 1 week on the North Island and 2 on the South Island.
Does anyone have recommendations for activities to do with a small child. So far we are planning to do a lot of hiking (we have a backpack for him - so we plan on easier hikes), visit a farm, and take a boat trip to do some penguin viewing. I would love other suggestions.

Some kid-friendly activities:

Auckland Zoo (a nice one!)
Kelly Tarleton?s Undersea World ? great exhibits, wonderful aquarium with Perspex (we call it plexiglass) tunnels.
'Cream Trip' Boat Tour in Bay of Islands - the full-day trip includes a side-trip on a glass-bottom semi-submersible boat to look at fish.
Hike in the ancient Kauri forest
Take a boat to one or two of the islands off Auckland, then walk around (Rangitoto Island is a volcano that is easily climbed ? Tiritiri Matangi is a great wildlife reserve)
Miranda Wildlife Sanctuary, on the Coromandel Peninsula ? great coastal bird-watching
The Kiwi House in Otorahanga ? a house where you can see Kiwis and other nocturnal animals, as well as daytime birds
Whakarewarewa geothermal area in Rotorua. Interesting geothermal hot springs, and some fun kids? exhibits
Agrodome ? a monument to the sheep industry, but kids love the shows of dogs herding sheep, and the shearing demo.
Whakapapa Skifield chairlift ? a great way to get to fairly high altitude on Mt. Ruapehu, even with a little one.

Te Papa national Museum in Wellington ? tons of exhibits, many hands-on ones for kids
Abel Tasman beach hiking ? take a water taxi out, then walk back along a few beaches
Queen Elizabeth II Park swimming pool complex in Christchurch. Lots of fun activities for kids in a gigantic pool. Usually huge inflatables are available for playing on
International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch ? great exhibits, some of which are kid-centered
Orana Wildlife Reserve in Christchurch ? wild animals in huge paddocks makes it feel like they are really in the wild
Heli-hiking above Fox or Franz Josef glaciers ? another way to get high with a little one!
Blue Penguin Colony in Oamaru ? each evening blue penguins come ashore. You can sit in bleachers and lights illuminate the beach
Moeraki Beach boulders ? gigantic septarian nodules (geodes) lying on the beach. You need to take a photo of the kid sitting inside one that has broken open!
Moana public pool complex in Dunedin ? another giant pool complex, again with huge inflatables to play on
Penguin Place on the Otago Peninsual ? they take you to several blinds, where you can view yellow-eyed penguins close-up.
Fiordland Boat tour (Doubtful or Milford Sounds) ? a fun day, and great views if the weather is good
Skyline Gondola in Queenstown ? great views from the top
Kaikoura whale-watching trip ? great birds and dolphins too

Have fun!
Al

Well shoot! I wrote that message in Word, then pasted it into Fodors - all those question marks used to be dashes. Sorry!

Wow! Thanks. That is a great list.

Puzzling World in Wanaka is great for kids (and adults!)