If you’re a parent like me, you’re busy trying to keep the kids busy and occupied as well as off the screens during holidays and weekends. That is a task that is harder to do every year. As technology advances, more and more kids are inclined to be online playing games than they are to be outside and active.

It’s always a challenge for me to find new and interesting things to grab my boys out of the online world and challenge them to have fun in nature. It’s a challenge for sure but as a parent you keep trying to find ways to make the best memories for your family while still on a budget.

While tricky, it’s not impossible, and over the next few months we at Paradise Pulse will be covering some interesting local locations that are fun for the entire family.

We start off in the southland with two beautiful but cost-effective places to visit:

1. Point-a-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust  

              Pointe-a-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust

What an informative and awesome adventure! This is one well worth carrying the kids to. The trust is a hidden gem located in the Point-a-Pierre refinery and you must make a booking to go, but it is worth the drive for sure. When you get there, you pay the small fee of $20.00 per person and you get an extensive one-hour tour around the entire trust. The tour itself is very educational and interesting for the kids as you get to learn about the history of the trust and about the animals and plants located there. It’s a lovely nature walk and the tour guides are very friendly and engaging: Ask any question and It will be answered. This was certainly a lovely, unusual adventure for my boys and they really enjoyed the experience. The location itself is well maintained and you can even purchase souvenirs and little keepsakes to remember the experience!

2. Samsara Nature Park

                        Kids feeding the macaws at Samsara Nature Park

This is absolutely one of my favorites! Located in Penal, this nature reserve is a wonderful experience for anyone who loves animals. At Samsara, with the help of the friendly guides, you can interact and even feed the animals there, which include dogs, goats, horses, camels, donkeys and many others. It’s $40.00 per person and you have to buy the animal food separately, but it is worth the experience to have the kids be able to touch and interact with these lovely animals. They also offer horseback riding and there is a huge parrot cage housing many red and yellow macaws. If you’re really brave you can purchase the food and go in with the tour guides to feed these beautiful creatures. It is truly an exciting experience for the kids. We have gone twice now, and it is one of their favourite places.

These are just two places that kids can actually be out in nature. Let’s not forget, Trinidad and Tobago are lovely islands and there are many beautiful locations to visit. Let’s get the kids outside to have some adventures so that they can create memories to last a lifetime!

All photographs are courtesy of Nerissa Hosein