“Teaching children about the natural world should be seen as one of the most important events of their lives” – Thomas Berry

I am a firm believer in not keeping a child physically occupied but rather mentally occupied on safari. Every guest that takes a seat on my vehicle is there to experience the phenomena of the bush, be it at the tender age of seven or seventy seven.

With a mind like a sponge and the ability to talk a hind leg off a donkey, my newly found friend, Heloisa and I had plenty to chat about. This was of course because we both agreed that the light was absolutely fantastic for ‘selfies’ and as one knows, the best pictures for your social media profile are those taken on safari.

Just kidding, it was playing in rhino dung that got the conversation going. Sometimes we get so swept away in having the perfect explanation for the phenomena the happenings around us, that we forget to simplify the matter and enjoy the moment and having children on my vehicle has always reminded me to do exactly that.

Out the window went the fancy terminology and the teacher in me was able to get down to a level where Heloisa was able to fully understand what was going on.

Oh, but our night was fantastic!! Viewing a leopard who had just made a kill.

One would think that a seven year old would be relatively squeamish, all things considered. However little Heloisa had the binoculars attached to her face and was intent on watching the leopard devour a portion of its kill.

Questions were asked, gag noises were made and laughs were had. All in all, let me tell you that this little girl understands exactly how hierarchy in the bush operates. “Ally, the leopard wins every-time because this impala is clearly dead.”

As a guide, I appreciate a seven year old with a stomach of steel as it allows children to understand from a young age that there is a system of rank in the bush. In order for individual species to thrive and succeed, others must perish. A fully functional ecosystem, a chain of events if you wish, was unfolding before her very eyes and she was learning.

When one learns from the experiences here at Sabi Sabi, it means that we have succeeded in our goal.

In my opinion, nature experiences are an important educational tool. We teach the value of our land, that there is no Plan-et B. This is what we have been blessed with and in order to continue to enjoy it, we need to look after it. There is no better time than now, when your little one has all the interest in the world when they climb onto our vehicles.

And enjoy it we did.

The next day started slightly later. Due to not yet having a cup of steaming hot chocolate, Heloisa was still sleep walking through to the main lodge area. Our morning consisted of tracking a crash of rhinos, an animal that they had not yet had the opportunity to see up close.

Off we went, with our eyes glued to the passing bushes. We followed the tracks off into an open are and came across, what we all thought, was the sweetest crash of rhinos! Helosia was extremely pleased as there was a baby.

Like all girls, we “coo’ed” and “aahh’ed” at the cuteness overload jam packed into a tank-like form.

Folks, don’t be fooled into thinking that children will not enjoy the time out in the bush if there aren’t any big animals to see. There will be quiet days and there will be days jammed packed with activity. Often, I would look over my shoulder to find Heloisa sitting, contently, behind me just watching the birds and taking in her surroundings.

Children can enjoy these simple pleasures too.

With our evening drive came much excitement as we got to spend time with quite an exquisite animal. The African Elephant.

With eyes as wide as saucers, not because she was shocked to see such a big animal, but because she had a quick “cat nap” whilst we travelled down south... (Parents, you will know how the jiggle of a car ride puts a child to sleep, works like a charm.)

She woke to watch him feeding next to our vehicle.

We spent quite some time with this male before stopping along our private airstrip for a mandatory hot chocolate and chips. Here, I really got to just watch this little girl, full of life running around in circles playing games and it was here that, as the night sounds serenaded us, I pondered to myself; what a beautiful place to experience life as a child. The open savanna is her playground.

Our last day on safari involved waiting, patiently... well sort of, near a dwarf mongoose hole to see if they would grace us with their presence. A small part of me didn’t have the heart to tell her that her very colourful disco lights, flashing away on the bottom of her shoes, is most likely part of the reason we wouldn’t have seen them anyway. Not to mention that neither of us stopped chatting.

She wanted to know when we were having more hot chocolate.

Conclusion.

Safari is for everyone. For the eyes that have not yet seen their first rhino. For the little legs that haven’t yet run freely in the wild. You can most certainly believe that this experience will teach your child how to love and care for our land. Our Africa deserves the love that their little tender hearts have to offer.