The winter school holidays are here already, and unlike last year, when everyone had the 2010 FIFA World Cup - and its associated attractions to look forward to, many parents are wondering how to keep their child entertained on a rainy day or while they're at work.

To assist, the City of Cape Town's Sport, Recreation and Amenities Department will once again host a full range of sport and recreation activities at many of its community halls and sports facilities, along with other roleplayers and stakeholders. The department will even hold holiday camps during the holidays.

Gert Bam, Director: Sport, Recreation and Amenities, says there are over 200 holiday programmes planned for the winter holiday, and encourages parents to drop their children off at these facilities, where they will be kept busy and looked after.

"Our goal with these programmes is to encourage children from communities throughout the city to participate in sport, recreation and special events during the holiday period, and in the long term."

These will include youth development and leadership holiday programmes.

Indoor programmes at community centres include board games, gymnastics, rope skipping, poetry and drama, concerts, indigenous games, cultural dances and fitness training, arts and crafts and many more fun activities.

Depending on the weather, outdoor programmes include five-a-side soccer, mini-netball, basketball, cricket, hockey, touch rugby, sport against crime, treasure hunts, train rides, educational outings and various recreational activities.

One of the crucial cornerstones of the winter holiday programme is the use of volunteers across each of the six districts. The department's effective volunteer programme is designed to deliver sport and recreational activities to the communities and equip the volunteers with much needed work experience and personal development, Bam said.

The volunteer programme standardises volunteer recruitment and management procedures across the department, and also aims to make volunteers feel valued in the organisation.

"These holiday programmes aim at teaching the children valuable life and leadership skills whilst having fun and making new friends. We would like to encourage parents to not leave their children alone at home this holiday while they have to go to work, but to rather make use of these opportunities and have their children attend the activities," Bam said.

For more information, visit a Community Centre in your community or view the holiday programme by clicking HERE.

First published by www.capetown.gov.za on the 20 June 2011.