You're in maze. It's dark, but the edges are lit in fluro. Music is blaring loud. You and your team are wearing light up body armor and welding lazer guns. You're out to end the other team. They're out to end you. Adrenaline is pumping. You're having fun. Lazerforce. Well well recommended.

Go-Kat racing. Close to deadly (in your mind), high-speed (again in your mind) go-kart racing. It's wild, it's fun, it's action packed, petrol fumes and all. In the other rooms, mini golf and lazer tag. For a two-one, or three-one party combo, this place is a devilishly good time.

If a game of paintball doesn't bring you together as a group of friends, office or community unit, nothing will. Literally some of the wildest fun you can have with pants on. It's scary and immerse, but amazing as well. Pass through Paintball Adventure Challenge, you won't regret it. You will regret the bruises though, damn!

You like climbing up rock walls right? With all the equipment on hand? And versions for all manner/level of participant? Imagine you're in James Bond movie, or just enjoy it for what it is, amazing exercise! Hangdog Climbing Adventures got it going on.

Flying Foxes that fly through the trees, with you attached. Within minutes you’ll feel like you’re in a bush scene in Star Wars or something equally as ridiculous. Rope Bridges and Tarzan Swings as well. I’m using A Lot Of Capitals because it’s all a CAPITAL GOOD TIME. Options for all ages as well.

The beautiful and tranquil Zealandia in Karori is a must-visit for locals and tourists alike, with abundant bird-life in a walled island sanctuary keeping the pesky rodents at bay and protecting our native flora and fauna. Spend a few hours or the whole day and check out the birdies flocking from all sides. There's a lake with boat rides, lots of picnic tables, bushwalks, weta hotels, a huge exhibition at the visitor's centre which introduces you to NZ natural history and the history of the park and on-site Rata Café with delish brunches. Very kiddie-friendly too and you'll probably see tuataras if you keep an eye out, which is a real buzz - majestic, ancient ancestors of NZ, and very slow-moving in the wintertime so they don't stray far on a daily basis. My favourite are the cheeky kaka - brown with bright orange under the wings and they like to come down and check you out and feed at the many bird tables. Not to be missed.

Chill out before your movie and grab a delicious ice-cream - no end of flavours, cool staff in funky hats who like to chat and lots of seating beside the cabinets. Delish!

Kiwiana, books, calendars and art pieces in a beautifully laid out store with friendly, helpful staff. Everything about this store is easy on the eye and you'll walk out with a gift to treasure, for yourself, a guest or a friend.

So Freyberg has a spa, a sauna and a steamroom for $4.80ea but there are deals if you want a swim too, check out the prices board above the counter as you go in. Excellent spa facilities, always clean and they play some chill out pop music so you can relax to some sounds when you're having a soak! My favourite hotpools in town.

A tried and true Wellington treat - hire a crocodile bike and explore the waterfront and Oriental Parade, but be sure not to run over too many unsuspecting pedestrians or crash into other cyclists - this is where the bell comes in handy! Can be rented as 2-seaters or 4-seaters and there's even space on the front for a baby or two to be strapped in tight. Highly recommended - lots of fun.

If you're wanting to entertain your kid and his hundreds of friends, without having to lift too much of a finger - send them to Indoor Grand Prix. Go Karting is the best way to keep kids entertained and laughing while you sit back and watch them smash into eachother. Or to make their days a little bit more exciting, jump into one too and try win the race!!

If rock climbing and being physically active, is what your kid's into, then Hangdog is the place for you. They have birthday activities and many different course options for whichever age group.

Junglerama is perfect for the little ones. With birthday arrangements, including catering, drinks and of course the giant playground - it tires out your little ones without having that normal 'birthday mess' to clean up afterwards!!

If your little girl is having a birthday, what better way to spend it then sending a group of girls on a cupcake class OR getting one of the lovely cupcake team to come to your home and teach them there. It's lots of fun and all the girls leave with a few cupcakes each meaning you have a whole lot of happy campers.

If your wee girls are into fairies, and you have a little group of loco's coming over - then get Fairy Nina around to keep them quiet for a little while. There's also Zappo the Magician if you have a crowd of boisterous boys involved too.

A lovely place for an afternoon picnic, the Botanic Garden between Thorndon and Kelburn are an easy walk from central Wellington. Visit the duck pond, or hike up to the cable car for picturesque views of Wellington Harbor. The gardens are beautiful in spring and summer, and are free year round.

If you're after some serious exercise with a touch of fun, head to Freyberg Pool on Oriental Parade. With a multitude of lanes (in a variety of speeds, to suit your mood), aquajogging, and ample pool accessories (think kick boards and pull buoys) you'll definitely be feeling the burn. After a big workout, treat yourself to the sauna, steam room, or spa pools-- the extra cost is worth how relaxed you'll feel afterward. Open 6 am - 9 pm daily, Freyberg has the flexibility of a gym with a little chlorine added.

I'll admit, most of the times I've ventured out to the aquatic centre in Kilbirnie have been for school programmes; more than a few primary schools in the greater Wellington area bring their charges to Kilbirnie for their excellent swim lessons and an incredibly fun-looking spray pool-- ah, to be 5 again. But look to the right on your way to the programmes pool and you'll see the most divine 50-metre heated indoor pool this side of Sydney. With so many lanes, you'll never find yourself caught in someone else's wake again. And with treats like the cafe, three private spa pools, and private saunas waiting at the end of your exercise routine, your bland days of swimming a few cool down laps and leaving in a haze of chlorine will be a thing of the past.

Take an easy walk up to the Mt. Victoria Lookout or set aside an afternoon for hiking through the major trails. Mt. Vic offers free fun, with gorgeous views of both the city and sea.

The first bit of bush I saw in New Zealand, Central Park is amazingly secluded given its central location within the city. Nestled between Mt. Cook and Brooklyn, find your way through this slice of forest, popping across tiny wooden bridges to admire the natural streams that cross the park. This is not the time to suppress your inner child– no trip to Central Park would be complete without a ride on the flying fox!

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Nothing quite like shooting your mates … great fun running around the bush.

Some unique climbing walls - and the automatic belayers are awesome.

Nothing like embracing your inner Tarzan :)

No day out would be complete without racing around in circles

Regardless of the weather - swimming, wave machine, hydro slides, and a spa - yes please!

Outdoor adventures - skate park, flying fox, swings, slide, free to use BBQ areas, public toilets, and ample seating :)

Indoor activities for a rainy day

Rainy day? Set em loose with books, computers, and activities in one indoor venue

Affordable indoor activity for every age range - check opening hours beforehand!

You can get lost in here for hours, even days. I always find something new every time I go.

This may be my favourite place in Wellington, there is something really amazing about seeing wildlife in its natural habitat.

Swimming is fun no matter what age you are. The Wellington Aquatic centre is great for a family day out whether you want to splash around in the kids pool with your kids or, if they’re a bit older go sit in a private spa while they play.

No matter how old — or young you are — Wellington’s Zoo is a full day of adventure. From the howling gibbons to the Kiwi house there are enough cute critters here to entertain adults and children alike. My favourite animal would be a toss up between the giraffes and the meerkats, although the native birds are pretty cool too. I once did a close encounter with the giraffes and got to feed them. It was ridiculously fun.

Having used the cable car to get to up to uni for many years I am always amazed by the looks of wonder that children get as they ride to the top of Kelburn on this antique. There is something about the experience that kids love and once they get to the top the museum and the botanic gardens await.

Wellington Zoo makes for a solid afternoon’s entertainment for animal lovers. Its new walk-through "Neighbours" exhibit features Australian fauna, including dingoes, wallabies and kangaroos, while "Hero HQ" is home to chameleons, stick insects and a rather horrific bird-eating tarantula. If you’re a local who hasn’t been for a couple of years, don’t cross it off your list – new exhibits open regularly, and you’re bound to be surprised at how much has changed. (And the zoo’s chief executive, Karen Fifield, has gone on the record about her goal of snow leopards by 2020.)

If you’re in the area of Wellington Zoo, but the weather’s looking patchy or you’re in need of a caffeine hit, pop into Mojo Coffee and enjoy a coffee in front of their pygmy marmoset exhibit. Pygmy marmosets are the smallest monkeys in the world, and are found in the wild in the rainforests of South America, where they live in big, familial groups: Wicket and Cuzco, as the pair at Mojo are called, have recently welcomed a tiny addition to their little family.

Wellington SPCA cares for over 6000 animals a year at its centres based in Newtown and Waikanae. You don’t have to be in the market for a pet of your own to be able to help out. Pop in with a donation pet food, blankets or newspaper, or to register to be a volunteer – they’re always on the look-out for fosterers, dog walkers or street collectors. See http://www.wellingtonspca.org.nz/ for more information.

Window shopping for animal lovers. Enjoy a coffee and a pastry at La Cloche, the French bakery on Hutt Rd, and then pop into Animates Kaiwharawhara to have a look at the puppies and kittens you wish you could take home. The charitable trust Greyhounds As Pets regularly has street collectors there, too.

On a sunny Sunday afternoon, Wellington waterfront is packed with dog walkers, many of whom are happy to accommodate requests for pats (but do remember to ask before patting strangers’ pets!). Bernie the Bernese mountain dog, often found outside Freyberg Pool on Oriental Bay, has even become a bit of a local celebrity.

If your kids are talented dancers or singers (or just think they are) then they should get involved in the Kidz Stuff Theatre productions. Every school holidays they produce spectacular shows to entertain you. And don't worry, if you aren't the best actor or actress then you are welcome to just show up to watch the production anyway!

For something a little different these school holidays why not introduce your kids to the underwater world? Kids as young as 10 can learn to dive in a safe environment (and heated pool) with the PADI dive experts at NZ Sea Adventures. They will learn all the necessary skills including first aid and learning to swim properly. It only takes 3 days to become qualified and best of all, you only need to bring togs and a towel and they provide the rest.

We are surrounded by water every day of our lives in NZ but there are still so many that cannot swim. This school holidays help your kids be safe in the water by giving them swimming lessons in Wellington. The intensive learn to swim holiday program at Little Makos will give them, and you, the confidence to be around water over the summer months.

If you're sick of the kids pulling the pots and pans out of the cupboards at 7am on a Sunday morning while you're trying to have a sleep in then it might be time to invest in some school holiday music lessons. Jonny and the talented team at Goodtime Music Academy will teach you kids to attack the axe, pound the piano and crash the cymbals, all in the peace of their studios and not your house.

If your little Princess was inspired by Kate last week then it's time to send her to the Twinklepink school holiday programme. For these April school holidays in Wellington the team are putting on their fun "Fantasy Food" classes. The girls will get to spend time with their friends learning how to make edible jewellery, fantastic cupcake decorations and other fanciful food fit for a Queen.

Zealandia is an awesome place for kids to learn all about our little country’s precious biodiversity. The night tours are super cool, and are a chance to see some rare species (like spotted kiwi and tuatara) in their prime.

There are heaps of events on offer for your little ones at the Wellington Library. From ukeleles to live illustration demonstrations. Pop down for one of the events, or just go explore the book collection! There is no better way to escape the cold than rugged up with a good book!

The day camps at the mind lab are an awesome opportunity for kids to learn about all aspects of technology, innovation and creativity. From 3D printing, to robots, to film making, kids will be sure to be blown away!

Touring a real life chocolate factory sounds like something right out of a story book. Undoubtedly a memorable holiday activity, and very educational too. Book-in only tours are operating every Saturday during these school holidays at WCF. Get in quick!

The Wellington Zoo’s school holiday problems are never amiss. These holidays they have several day programs available, all of which have different themes, such as ‘Animal ambulance’ and ‘Fantastic Felines’. These will no doubt be very special experiences for kids of all ages. Book quickly though, spots are limited.

The premier place for nature-interac- y perambulation in this city. Work out your legs with a walk that also expands your heart with the beauty of nature.

Dude, do you have any idea the amount of things that seem perfectly evolved to kill us? There’s loads of them at the Zoo.

Flowers, trees, hills! Oscar Wilde said that Americans were angry because their buildings are so ugly. We make the world ugly by implanting our harsh geometries in the unbeatable, innate beauty of nature. We should treasure it! Not destroy it!

There is a flying fox, your argument is invalid.