Smart Tips to keep kids entertained in Europe
My children are now young adults, but I remember what it was like to take them to Europe at different ages. When they were in their single digit, our trips have been consumed with basic survival issues, such as eating and sleeping. When they entered adolescence, the challenge became to make our trips fun and educational.
Europe is full of amazing museums, churches and art. But unlike you, children may not appreciate the magnificence of a statue of Michelangelo or the meaning of an ancient temple. Yet there are ways to liven up the most important places.
At Notre Dame, Quasimodo replay of stunt and climb the tower. Children love to be on a perch, face to face with a gargoyle. The use of computers in ArtStarts National Gallery in London, children can enter their interests (cats, sea battles and so on) and print a customized plan to visit for free.
Audio guides are perfect for older children. My kids loved them because they could choose what they wanted to learn. For young children, hit the first store of memories so they can buy postcards and a treasure hunt to find the photo illustration. When boredom sets in, try "I Spy" games or count how many babies or dogs, they can locate all tables in the room. Whenever possible, go early or book ahead for the most important places to avoid long queues.
Looking for kid-friendly museums. Natural History Museum in London offers wonderful world of dinosaurs, volcanoes, meteors and critters. You will not find "Do not touch" signs of Florence Leonardo Museum, where children can use their energy to power modern reconstructions of Leonardo's inventions.
Get somewhere can be more fun than the destination. Kids love the subway maps, train schedules and routes of tracing. The Paris metro is particularly interesting, since many stations have boards that illuminate the road when you press the button of your destination.
ridesBoat Fun Bus visits and can also be a success. Your son may not care about the Crown Jewels, but it can get crazy in the double-decker bus to get there. Boats are also memorable, as a Venetian vaporetto ride or glide in the Amsterdam canals.
European parks provide an oasis of pleasure. Luxembourg Paris' Gardens is one of my favorite places to combine business with pleasure child. It has cafes and people watching for parents, and a playground full of imagination slides, swings, monkey bars, and chess for children. There is also a carousel, pony rides, toy rental sailboats in the main basin and horns (French puppet).
Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens is like a Hans Christian Andersen tale, with games, bands, shows, rides and classic cars ranging from a Ferris wheel that looks like a clock. The world has recently opened Petzi, based on a popular Danish cartoons Bears, offers a variety of rides and activities hugs.
Of course, costs can add up quickly. There are discounts kiddie – but you should ask yourself. In some places you can find discounts on travel packages to the family. Train travel is free for infants and toddlers (and sometimes children of school age) and museums sometimes offer free admission for children under a certain age.
Go to fasting foodEating in restaurants is a European cultural experience, but it can be stressful, because the service is much slower than at home. Dinner can easily take two hours, so bring something to occupy children while waiting. Hit Self-service cafeterias and bars (children are welcome) from 7 am to miss the crowd of adults. In the fast-food restaurants, children can move around without disturbing others.
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Another fun (and cheap) option is to get takeaway food such as sausages, pancakes or sandwiches, a booth on the street. Or visit a grocery store or market and your children assemble a picnic. You can eat your meal on a place in a park or on the upper deck of a bus tour
When it comes to housing, to avoid the B & B, which usually respond to travelers who want peace and tranquility. Many large hotels have spacious family rooms. London hotels chain budget will allow two children to sleep for free in the rooms already at a reasonable price. Bonus: They sometimes have a pool.
Story: 9 Ways to save on summer flights to Europe
Instead of picking up and moving every day, some families prefer to live in an apartment or a house, using it as home base and side trip to nearby destinations. Vacation rental apartments rented by the week, as the lodgings of France and villas in Italy, giving families a home on the road.
The key for successful European family vacation is to slow and limit expectations. Do not overdo it. Tackle one or two main sites each day, mix a healthy dose of fun activities and take rest breaks when needed. If the right to do, you'll have happy memories of home that you share for a lifetime.
© 2011 Rick Steves … Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc..
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