kidsinparis

Skate Park Sevines Gennevilliers

Parc des Sévines IN THE NORTHEAST SUBURB

If you find yourself in the northeast suburbs of Paris, you might want to find out more about Parc des Sèvines in Gennevilliers. Is it good for kids? Is there a playground? What’s there to do?  Well, I’m happy to report my young ones and I spent a happy afternoon here recently and enjoyed the parks’ offerings. The park itself is huge, occupying twelve hectares of green space, including gardens, playgrounds, soccer pitches, and even an equestrian space. Yet the part we explored was the south side, with an entrance at the Rue des Cabouefs and Avenue Laurent Cely intersection. Here one can find two play structures surrounded by green space. These are appropriate for kids up to twelve, and while not designed for younger climbers, they might still enjoy them with help. There is no specific toddler space. To the south of this is a newer area comprised of a small rock wall area, outdoor exercise equipment, a skate park, and a climbing area my son refers to as the “monkey area” as it contains a mini ropes course. The kids adored climbing a bit in this space and even the 4-year-old could get from one end to the other. The crown jewel of this area was the new skate park that contained mini ramps, a spine, a very big pool, a fun box, a flat rail, and a variety of ramps and edges for different ages and experience levels. As we visited on a Saturday afternoon, I was surprised at the number of kids who showed up with helmets and knee pads on their scooters and skateboards (mostly scooters). A crew of elementary-aged kids enjoyed the smaller ramps while some older kids showed off their skills, including a lot of spins, in the big bowl. It was definitely fun to watch and I was glad my kids brought their scooters and could join in. Note: Skate park terms found here. Besides the playgrounds and awesome skatepark, we also enjoyed simply a lot of green space as we scooted along the path and watched the many soccer matches that were going on. This park offers a variety of spaces for families and is definitely worth a visit if you live in the neighborhood.  A negative, however, was the lack of bathrooms in the immediate area. There may have been some farther afield, but there were no bathrooms or water fountains to meet those essential urges. Prepare accordingly if you visit.

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Cite des sciences et de l'industrie

All You Need to Know to Visit the Cité des Enfants at the Paris Science Center

Le Cité des Sciences et de L’industrie is a gigantic science center located in La Villette. The center is comprised of several areas, each with their own science-related theme. And one wing is dedicated to an interactive area for children to discover scientific concepts through play and hands-on activities. There are two children exhibitions, one aimed at children 2 to 7 years old, and the other for ages 5 to 12. The “Cité des Enfants 2/7” section has five areas for kids to explore, with a message encouraging you to change areas every 15 minutes. Activities are appropriate for the age range of students and often include activities specifically for toddlers. The five senses are explored, children will play with water, and air, and a small maze keeps children entertained. My children were definitely entertained and want to go back as they did not have enough time to engage with every activity during the hour-and-a-half time slot. The five themes are pictured below. The “Cité des Enfants 5/12” section is comprised of six different areas in the same way as the 2 to 7 year old section. Yet in this exhibition, the areas focus more on scientific concepts centered around themes: There are signs in both French, English, and Spanish that give instructions and information. Children on the younger end of the age range can participate without a problem but there is definitely more cranking, more instructions, and some activities that are too tall for wee ones. Some of my children’s favorite activities were discovering different ways to pump water, using a giant fan to spin a variety of windmills, the TV studio in which they used a green screen to appear that they were flying, and the butterfly house in which they saw a variety of butterflies and learned about the metamorphosis process. Unlike on the 2/7 side, there is no announcement to change areas so participants must pace themselves to get through all spaces. My kiddos definitely ran out of time in the hour and a half and would like to go back for more fun! The gigantic Science Center also contains other exhibitions, some permanent and others on a rotating basis, as well as a planetarium. Many of these are accessible for older children, making the annual pass a great idea if you plan on coming back for multiple visits. Other Useful Info: For food, there is a restaurant on site and there are several restaurants in the park where the center is located, including Mcdonald’s right outside the entrance. Once you have entered, it is not a problem to enter again. So feel free to go in and out during the day. There are also plenty of bathrooms, with baby changing stations. The kid’s area also has small toilets made for little people. In addition, there are vending machines for quick snacks and drinks, and a gift shop to pick up games and toys. Finally, people all around the Science Center speak English so if you are not proficient in French, this is not a problem. Website: For more info, visit the Science Center website in either English or French. Getting there: One may choose to arrive on public transportation. There is both a metro and tram stop near the museum entrance. If you decide to drive, there is a parking garage under the Cité de Science at a rate of about 3 euros an hour. Parking on nearby roads is limited.

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Asnieres-Sur-Seine Mairie Park

Marcel Leclerc Park in Asnières-sur-Seine

A fun family park in the Asnières-sur-Seine neighborhood, Le Square de Marcel Leclerc offers everything a family might need for a nice afternoon or morning in the park.  With ample green space, many families decide to picnic here under the trees or taking in a little sun. While others play on the playground with the kids. There’s a rather large play area with a climbing hill and some ropes to balance on as well as two playgrounds for smaller and bigger kids, as well as a dedicated toddler playground. For the adventurous, there’s a small carousel that will cost you a few euros a ride. There’s also a small refreshment station, with drinks, Cotton candy, and a variety of sweet snacks. Situated right next to Townhall (La Mairie), there are a variety of restaurants and shops nearby, including a Japanese restaurant right across the street. The Townhall often has events on its plaza as well, and the early afternoon I last visited, there were a variety of food trucks with a wide range of offerings. One of the favorite features of my kids is the small pond that has a beautiful white swan, ducks, and turtles. There’s also an area to play pétanque, but you’ll have to bring your own balls. Like many Paris parks, there’s also a built-in ping-pong table for which you should also bring your own rackets. Public toilets are available, though a bit stinky. Bikes and scooters are allowed in the park and there’s also a space to kick the ball around.

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Fondation Louis Vuitton et jardin d’acclimatation

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Castle Park Suresnes Green space

A Gorgeous Day at the Castle Park in Suresnes – Northwest Suburb

The Castle Park at Suresnes is perfect for an afternoon out. Though my kids and I do not live in the neighbourhood, they love going here, mostly to enjoy the awesome playground itself. There is an extensive castle theme with slides and climbing for all ages. Bigger kids may enjoy climbing to the top of the tower (via a small inside climbing wall) and descending down the huge metal tube slide. They also love the swings, which not every Paris park has, and make me push them endlessly.  Beyond the playground, there is a nice paved loop that can be walked or ridden by bike or scooter. Along the way, there are exercise areas, including 8 different Parcours activities, scattered through the park along the loop. And a small duck pond and bird area are on the west end, including a gorgeous peacock and some other interesting birds. There is also a ton of green space that visitors are invited to picnic on or to play on, thus this time we enjoyed a bit of baseball in the park.  In the summer, there is a fountain that is on and bathers can be spotted playing in the water and an ice cream truck has been seen at times outside the gate. If you don’t bring your own food for a picnic, don’t worry as there is a Franprix just a few blocks north of the main park entrance and the downtown area of Suresnes is only a few blocks to the east.

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