Paris Family Things to Do
Family fun may not be the first thing that comes to mind when imagining a trip to Paris but trust us, there are plenty of great activities to do with the kids. After all, don’t Parisian children need something to do for fun? The great thing about kids’ activities in Paris is that usually they are very inexpensive, so the family can explore the city and get educated and entertained on any budget.
Cheap Fun: Paris is a proponent of wide-open spaces, so there’s lots of space for kids to run around, get exercise and have fun for free. Running alongside the Louvre, these beautifully manicured gardens have large spaces for running and jumping, and is completely free. During the summer months, a fair arrives at the gardens, and for a small price, kids can get on a Ferris Wheel ride for amazing views of the city. Also available in the gardens are pony and donkey rides.
Similarly beautiful is the Jardin du Luxembourg, which features a huge central fountain where kids can rent sailboats and push them around with long sticks. There’s also a fenced-in playground and merry-go-round on the ground, as well as regular puppet shows performed in the garden’s gazebo. If you bring your equipment along, the whole family can enjoy a game of tennis in the garden’s courts.
Mid-Priced Adventures: Animal adventures are a hit with kids in any country, and Paris’ zoos are no exception. The Ménagerie at the Jardin des Plantes is a vintage zoo, dating from 1794, and it’s still chock full of animals. The gardens also hold an aquarium and paleontology museum to satisfy all of your kids’ animal curiosities.
For a creepy thrill, take the kids to the Catacombs in Montparnasse. They will be amazed to find out that the bones stored here are categorized by parts, and the thought of stacks of skulls and rows of hands will surely bring a shiver to their own bones. Admission is five euro. The guided tours are only available in French, but just a walk down to browse the bones will be enough to enthrall the whole family.
For a good healthy hike for the whole family, trek the steps of the Eiffel Tower. A normally tedious walk becomes exhilarating when confronted with the breathtaking views that the tower provides. Each floor also provides entertaining interactive stations explaining how the tower was built and providing fun facts about the city below. There’s even a theater in the center, where kids can watch educational films about the tower.
Fun Splurges: For a truly hands-on treat, the Cirque de Paris offers a kid’s dream with its “A Day at the Circus” program. Kids can see the animals, learn tricks like tightrope walking and meet the performers. After lunch with the stars of the circus, the kids can watch their new friends perform.
For the doll collectors of the family, The Musée de a Poupée is a must-visit. The doll museum features antique dolls, doll furnishings and accessories in intricately arranged displays, with temporary rotating exhibits adding to the extensive permanent collection. The museum also offers a doll hospital, which repairs broken antique dolls, as well as workshops, educational tours and storytelling time. Adult admission is 7 euros, kids get in for 3 to 5 euros, and tours run between 7 and 11 euros.