(Cortesy of Young Chef'€™s Academy)

With the school holidays fast approaching, from June 23 to July 12, many working parents are perhaps scratching their heads over how to keep their children amused throughout the break. But, not to worry, Jakarta has plenty of fun activities for children. Here are some of them:

Get healthy

Channel your children'€™s energy through sports.

Horse riding is not only a fun activity, but it offers riders the opportunity to get some fresh air. Arthayasa Stables & Country Clubs in Blok Tengki, Depok, West Java, provides lessons for adults and children, family membership only costs Rp 7,12 million (US$600) a year. Children over 6-year-old are allowed to ride full-grown horses under the supervision of a guide, while those under 6 can ride ponies.

Or, if the weather is not so clement, why not try bowling at Spincity in eX Plaza, Central Jakarta, a great activity for a competitive family. It costs Rp 40,000 ($3.38) per game per person or Rp 200,000 per lane per hour.

Get your groove on

There is nothing quite like belting out a few songs in a karaoke lounge, envisaging your self, even if only until the end of the song, as an Idol-worthy performer.

Karaoke joints in Jakarta are plentiful.

For a more exciting activity, families can also take dance or theater classes at JK Broadway Theatre and Dance School at Jl. Gedung Hijau Raya No. 74 in Pondok Indah, South Jakarta. Among others, the school offers Broadway theater classes in the style of popular TV series Glee for $110 per person for eight 75-minute sessions. The Gigi Art of Dance at Jl. Radio Dalam Raya No. 191-17 in South Jakarta offers 24 dance classes from ballet to hip hop, for the able and disabled. Monthly fees range from Rp 350,000 to Rp 450,000.

Get your spatulas

Get your kids off the sofa and into the frying pan, under supervision of course.

US-franchised the Young Chefs Academy in Kemang 15 at Jl. Kemang Raya No. 15 offers classes for children as young as 3. During the school holidays, there will be several programs to introduce kids to global cuisine. For more information, go to youngchefsacademy.com/id.

Chez Lely'€™s Culinary School at Jl. Kavling Lestari I No. 100 in Komplek Lebak Lestari Indah, Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, also offers classes for the young ones called Le Petit Chef. It has regular classes and short courses for school holiday.

Koki Kecilku (kokikecilku.com) and Dapur Anak (dapuranak.com) are also great cooking schools for children.

Get smart

Jakarta has several museums and observatories, such as the National Museum at Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat No. 12 in Gambir, Central Jakarta, and the Jakarta Planetarium and Observatory in Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) on Jl. Cikini Raya, Menteng, Central Jakarta.

Your children can immerse themselves in history and culture and get lost in their imaginations.

For lessons that are out of this world, make sure you stop off at the Planetarium'€™s Star Theater.

Get creative

Art classes are the perfect opportunity for kids to hone their creative skills and to be expressive.

Jakflo Creative Center, on the second floor of Plaza Kemang 88 in Kemang, South Jakarta, offers classes for kids and adults. Activities include scrapbooking, photography and jewelry making. You can book a two-hour class or a series of classes over several days. Prices start from Rp 325,000 ($27.50) up to Rp 3.9 million.

Kutakatik Art & Craft, besides providing classes at its Pondok Indah studio, offers classes in the comfort of your own home. Kutakatik will send tutors trained in various activities, such as drawing, baking, painting or sewing. For more information on their holiday program, visit their Facebook page, Kutakatik Art & Craft Class.

Marvellous Little Maestro is another choice, located at Gedung Kemang Point at Jl. Kemang Raya No. 3 in South Jakarta.

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