🐾 Our Family Safari Routine:
A Day in the Life of Kids Growing Up in the Wild
The bush is our backyard, the hippos are our neighbours, and every day is a wild adventure - literally.
When people picture our life in St Lucia, South Africa, they often imagine endless safari sunsets, barefoot kids exploring the bush, and breakfasts with monkeys swinging in the trees.
And they wouldn’t be wrong.
But what they don’t always see is what happens behind the scenes - the ridiculously early mornings, the muddy footprints tramped through the house, the constant insect bites and scrapes, the moments of worry (hello, snakes!), and the bravery it takes to raise children in the wild.
So today, I thought I’d share a little glimpse into what it’s really like - our family safari routine, what a typical day looks like, and why this lifestyle, though untamed and unpredictable, has completely transformed the way our children grow, learn, and live.
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| You can't beat a sunrise over Africa Photo credit: Kate W on Safari |
Our days often begin with the sound of Hadeda ibis screeching at the top of their lungs (the bush’s version of an alarm clock). Honestly it sounds like the birds are being killed some mornings. If we’re lucky, we might spot a bushbuck nibbling near the garden or hear the deep, grunting calls of hippos heading back to the estuary after their night-time wanderings.
Breakfasts are usually a bit chaotic — think quick breakfast time, packed lunches, binoculars, bug spray, and sunscreen flying in all directions — but the birdsong and golden light make even the most rushed mornings feel a little magical.
The school run? It’s not unusual to have to pick up bins after the vervet monkeys, duck from swooping hornbills, or even have the odd warthog family traffic jam en route. And generally include the children sharing random facts like 'Did you know that chickens occur all over the world except in the Artic and Antarctic? (Google it, I had to 🤣)
Sleeping 'piggies' (nickname for warthogs!)
Photo credit: Kate W on Safari
🎒 School, Bush-Style
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| Sleeping 'piggies' (nickname for warthogs!) Photo credit: Kate W on Safari |
We’re lucky to have a small school nearby, but learning doesn’t stop at the classroom door. Our children come home bursting with questions about ecosystems, animal behaviour (include some very adult based themes!!!), and how the tide affects the mangroves. It’s real, raw, immersive education - and it sticks.
In the afternoons, we might:
Head down to the beach to look for ghost crabs and whale's spouting,
Walk a trail through the wetlands, spotting tracks and scat (animal poo!),
Or simply sit in the garden with a field guide, identifying birds and bug.
(Real conversations are along the lines of....
H: Mummy what is that brown bird called?
Me: No idea, it's a colourful bird.......🤨,
H: NO MUMMY IT'S A CROWNED HORNBILL!!!
Me: 🤷🏻♀️of course it is!!!)
Beautiful but noisy crowned hornbill
Photo credit: Kate W on Safari
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| Beautiful but noisy crowned hornbill Photo credit: Kate W on Safari |
🧗♀️ The Challenges of Raising Bush Kids
I won’t sugarcoat it — raising children in nature isn’t all picnics and pretty sunsets.
There are very real fears that come with it:
Snakes slithering through the grass, or worse the children see them and want to Cath them to move them themselves, or the cat brings one in the house.
Ticks and mozzies, enough said. Tick bite fever is no joke.
Wild animals that don’t always keep a respectful distance. Or a husband and children that want to se how close we can get.
The constant vigilance needed when the line between "home" and "habitat" is blurred
As a parent, you learn to walk the line between caution and courage. You say a quick prayer when your child climbs a tree too high or turns over a log in search of insects. You face your fears — because you don’t want them to inherit them.
And you realise that every moment of freedom, wonder, and confidence they gain is worth every bug bite and grey hair.
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| Creepy crawlies - 🫣 Photo credit: Kate W on Safari |
🌿 Why We Wouldn’t Trade It for Anything
Here’s the truth: this way of life has gifted our children something that can’t be bought or taught in a textbook.
🌍 They feel part of nature, not separate from it
🐾 They understand the rhythms of the wild
💚 They care — deeply — about conservation and respect for wildlife
They aren’t afraid of the outdoors. They’re curious, resilient, and grounded in a way that only comes from growing up with dirt under their fingernails and the sounds of the bush as their lullaby.
We call them our "bush babies", and that’s exactly what they are — children raised in the wild, wild world of Zululand. The other less flattering term is that they are truly feral!!!! And yes, they still fight over snacks, whine about chores, and never wear shoes. But they also know how to track an antlion, call a hornbill, and sit quietly long enough to spot a nyala in the forest.
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| You never know what you'll find on a walk in the bush! Like these wildebeest bones. Photo credit Kate W on Safari |
🧭 Final Thoughts: Raising Wild, Brave, Beautiful Humans
Every day on safari — even the ordinary ones — holds moments of wonder. Not because life is perfect, but because it’s real, unfiltered, and deeply connected to the earth. We don't sugar coat the circle of life for our children either. If we see a dead animal we talk about it honestly.
Yes, it’s challenging. Yes, it pushes us as parents.
But honestly? I wouldn’t trade this messy, magical life for anything.
Now ......where did I put that mozzie spray!
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