How about a dolphin experience this school holidays?

Inspiring kids to enjoy the great outdoors and care for our environment has become a tough proposition for most parents these days, thanks in part to the introduction of smart phones, iPads and PlayStations.

This is a real shame, particularly in Bunbury where our coastal environment is not only spectacular, but also accessible.

Understanding that more outdoor opportunities are needed, the Dolphin Discovery Centre will again stay open from 8am until 4pm throughout the school holidays to offer people the chance to interact with and learn more about our marine life.

Located on the foreshore of Koombana Bay, impressive numbers of wild dolphins visiting the Interaction Zone beach will surely be a highlight, particularly during those calm mornings when the whole family can stand in the water and watch the dolphins swim close by.

For the more adventurous, the dolphin swim tours and sightseeing trips have been incredible over the past week with dolphin numbers in excess of 100 feeding and socialising in the deeper water just outside Koombana Bay.

This is a once-a-year spectacle that only lasts a few weeks, so take the opportunity to get out there before the end of April when the water temperature drops and most of the dolphins split up and migrate further offshore.

As a bonus there are still plenty of new dolphin babies in the bay, along with a number of male alliance groups trying desperately to impress the girls before both they, and the water, get too cold and the season ends for another year.

Knowing that the dolphins may not visit the Interaction Zone every day, the DDC also offers a range of marine animal interactive experiences such as turtle and shark feeding, starfish tickling and the now famous octopus feeding show.

Australia's only surround sound digital dolphinarium has just been re-opened after a lengthy restoration and the feature film and 3D cinema experience presents the true story of bottlenose dolphins that live locally.

Best of all, entry into the DDC is reasonable and includes two additional visits at no extra charge.

This is an excellent policy promoting the wild nature of dolphins and ensures everyone has the best possible chance of fully experiencing all the DDC has to offer.

And for those parents who want their children to experience even more, why not sign them up for the school holiday program?

With an action-packed program that changes daily, the kids will always have something new to look forward to every time they attend.

Programs cater for kids aged 5-12 years and focus not only on dolphins but will also include marine turtle rehabilitation activities, foreshore trash and treasures, art and craft and visits from real life "mermaids".

The programs have proved very popular in the past so bookings are essential.

For more information on the attractions and the school holiday activity programs available at the DDC, phone 9791 3088, visit www.dolphindiscovery.com.au or head down and take a look.