Jul 16 2008
Visiting Prague With Children
Visiting Prague with children
If you are staying in Prague with your children and are not sure how to keep them entertained, below are a few activities that may do the trick. Parents with children can find a variety of activities on a trip to Prague.
Prague is a beautifully and well preserved city, rich in legends, mystery, ghosts and that’s why children will be fascinated by legends. While your visit to Prague with children you can explore the city on foot, especially the medieval Old Town. Luckily Prague offers many options for children entertainment, including museums, theaters, cinemas, and many parks with playgrounds. If your kids get tired of walking, take in a tram ride and they will quickly forget about sore legs. Also, the Vltava River offers boat cruises and you can explore the city from yet another angle.
If you wish to keep your kids busy for one entire day, go to Prague ZOO, one of the best in Europe. Actually ZOO does its best to be a pleasant and interesting place not only for children but for adults too and if you take some time and organize your trip it can really be an unforgettable experience. Prague Zoo has many ‘traditional’ zoo animals to see - penguins, lions, sea lions, elephants and tigers - but there are also Ibex and Markhor, housed in mountain enclosures that could scarcely be better designed.
You can show your children Sea World. It is located in Výstaviště (Exhibition Ground) next door to Stromovka. Mořský svět (Sea World) is a recent addition at Výstaviště, and it is welcome in this landlocked country Czech Republic. Visitors can explore and marvel at the marine life, including even sharks. After you can take your kids to Lunapark, a permanent fairground with a Ferris wheel and various rides at the back of the site.
In the Výstaviste fairgrounds nearby Stromovka Park is Krizík’s Fountain (Krizíkova fontána). A considerable system of water spigots spew out tall and delicate streams of color-lit water in a amazing light show set to recorded classical and popular music. The smaller children are particularly fascinated. On the fairgrounds there’s also a small amusement park.
Or you can go pedal boating. If the weather is nice you can spend an hour or two in the Vltava River whish is the perfect place to go pedal boating with kids. You can have a great time, pedaling under each bridge, and exploring the river. It is possible to rent pedal boats at the Charles Bridge, Manesuv Bridge and Zoffin Island (on the Stare Mesto side).
Kids will also enjoy the funicular ride to the top of Petrín Hill, capped by the Petrín Tower, a miniature replica of the Eiffel Tower. Once there, look for the Labyrinth (Bludiste), a mirror maze that can be a fun diversion for children and adults alike thanks to the hall with distorting mirrors. You will probably find Pony rides for small children on Petřín, and the observatory (Štefánikova hvězdárna) is mostly of interest to older kids. Interested in astronomy children can go to planetarium at Stromovka that plays host to an interactive exhibition of astronomical items, as well as a projection show in the observation dome itself (it should not be confused with the observatory on top of Petřín Hill).
Children will love Toy Museum, the second largest museum of this kind in the world. In not less than two floors there are seven exhibition rooms where the collected toys from all over the world, starting from Greek ancient times and ending with most modern Barbie exemplars, are placed. Most of the toys can’t be touched by children but some are allowed to be touched. However there are lots of mysterious mechanical objects like music boxes and steam-powered toys for the kids to contemplate.