Editorial & Listing Policy
Out With Kidz is a curated directory, not an open marketplace. Venues cannot pay to be listed, pay for a better position, or pay to remove criticism. This page explains where our listings come from, what "kid-friendly" means to us, and how we keep information current.
1. Where listings come from
Listings enter the directory from three sources:
- Our own research. The editorial team identifies candidate venues from public sources — including venue websites, municipal and tourism information, and mapping data such as Google Maps — then reviews each candidate before anything is published.
- Parent suggestions. Visitors suggest venues via our contact page. Suggestions go through the same review as our own research.
- Venue owners. Owners may ask us to list their venue. Being the owner earns no special treatment: the venue must meet the same criteria, and we write the description ourselves.
Every listing starts as an unpublished draft. A human editor decides what gets published — nothing goes live automatically.
2. Our criteria for "kid-friendly"
Before publishing, we ask of every venue:
- Is there something for children to actually do? A restaurant with one high chair doesn't qualify; one with a supervised play area or a garden to run in might.
- Is it reasonably safe and suitable? We look for fencing near water or roads, visibility of play areas from seating, and whether the general environment suits families. This is a judgement about suitability, not a safety certification — see our Terms of Use.
- Are the practicalities workable for parents? Parking, toilets, pram access, shade, and food options all count toward whether a venue earns a listing.
- Is it open and operating? We remove or withhold venues that appear permanently closed.
Venues that don't clear the bar simply aren't published. We'd rather list fewer places than pad the directory.
3. How descriptions are written
Venue descriptions are compiled by our editorial team from venue websites, mapping data, visitor feedback and — where possible — first-hand experience. We use software tools (including AI assistance) to help draft and structure text, but every published description is checked against our quality standard: it must contain specific, practical information a parent can act on (parking, ages, costs, facilities, timing), not generic filler. Pages that don't yet meet that standard are excluded from search-engine indexing until they're improved.
4. Ratings and reviews
Star ratings shown on venue pages come from Google review data at the time the venue was added. Reviews submitted on Out With Kidz by parents are moderated by a human before appearing — we remove spam, abuse and reviews that appear fake, but we do not remove genuine criticism, and venues cannot pay to alter or hide reviews.
5. Keeping information current
Real-world venue details change constantly. We update listings when venues notify us, when parents report changes, and through periodic editorial re-checks of existing listings. Every venue page shows practical details as a guide only — always confirm hours, prices and age rules with the venue before travelling. If you spot something out of date, tell us; corrections are prioritised over new listings.
6. Advertising and independence
The site is funded by display advertising (such as Google AdSense). Ads are clearly distinguishable from editorial content and have no influence on which venues are listed, how they're described, or how they rank. We do not accept payment for listings, placements or reviews. If that ever changes, paid content will be clearly labelled.
7. Corrections and removals
Venue owners and parents can request a correction or removal via hello@outwithkidz.co.za or the contact form. We aim to respond within a few working days. We'll correct factual errors promptly; we won't remove accurate information solely because a venue would prefer it hidden.