Paris Summer Activities with Children
Walk through a forest, discover a castle, look over the plains from a chateau, go to the beach, take a bike tour, go to a show, see antique carnival rides and play antique carnival games, play pingpong, skateboarding, teenagers … With all the summer activities available for kids in Paris, I don’t know if the parents are going to have time for a romantic Paris dinner at the newly opened Ritz … Well, yes, you can with a babysitter service.
What follows is a list of suggestions for finding some activities this summer. It would take a book or at least a magazine to list everything.
Resources
The magazine: “Vivre Paris” sells a special “Vivre Paris Kids” edition that gives ideas (in French but the links and addresses are bilingual) on family outings (au grand air); shopping (marmots stylés), play time in spite of the rain (on bouge, on joue malgré la pluie), cooking classes (petits gourmets), go to the circus or a show (au spectacle), teenager activities (rien que pour les ados), getting out of the city (on prend le large), etc.
The activities magazine (new edition every Wednesday) and website l’Officiel des spectacles has plenty of links for kids. Plays, animated films (Films pour enfants et dessins animés au cinéma à Paris), puppet/marionettes (Spectacles de marionnettes et guignols à Paris), merry-go-round locations (Manèges à Paris), etc. Under the word “enfants” on their toolbar, look for the green tabs.
For baby sitter services or someone to watch after the kids, AngloInfo provides a baby sitting, nanny and au paire page. AngloInfo/Paris also has a page with ideas for activities for kids of all ages.
Nine Paris parks are open 24 hours this summer: For the current list and other helpful hints visit the Parc et jardins en nocturne page (use translate.google.com). You will find picnic information for the parks on their Pique-niquer dans les jardins parisiens page.
The Paris Tourist Office opened an office at the Mairie de Paris (Mayor’s office) in Hôtel de Ville. The souvenir store, Paris Rendez-vous, is across the department store, BHV/Marais on rue de Rivoli where you can pick up free Paris guide books, biking information and cute souvenirs.
Paris Plages runs from July 20 to August 21 and is open 9 am to midnight. One of the local metro newspapers, Direct Matin and the Paris Tourist Office, said on July 7, that an additional two weeks had been added to the event, ending September 4. Nothing has yet appeared from from the Mairie de Paris (mayor’s office) about this.
Finding Nemo
A special Oceans by Disney event is scheduled for August 17 between 2 pm and 10 pm.
Activities related to the film “Finding Nemo” will take place on the plaza in front of Hôtel de Ville (parvis) between 2 pm and 8 pm.
The film “Finding Nemo” will be shown on a giant screen at 8 pm.
Don’t miss this museum: Musée des Arts Forains. They have regularly scheduled visits in English of this great collection of carnival rides and games.
Paris Tourist Office suggestions for family activities
Castles to visit around Paris
Summer family activity Ideas from the Mayor’s office
What to do in Paris (Que faire à Paris) in English.
Looking for a skatepark for the longboard rider? Check out Skateparks-France
Movie Trails
Ideas to enjoy Paris on a budget for where to eat at a market (rue de Lévis) and thoughts on the Batobus by J. Christina
Exhibits until September 2016
The Art of Blue Sky Studios Art Ludique-Le Musée
(Over eight hundred pieces of artwork from Blue Sky Studios – the animation team behind the beloved Ice Age franchise. This unique collection of drawings, paintings, and sculptures celebrates the origins and evolution of the cherished Ice Age characters Scrat, Sid, Manny, and Diego. The exhibition, highlighting the distinctive artistry of Blue Sky Studios’ films including Robots, Epic, Horton, Rio, The Peanuts Movie and others, showcases the studio’s artists and filmmakers through numerous interviews and video clips… etc.)
Art Ludique-Le Musée is relocating.
James Bond 007 – la Villette
(Aston Martin, suits, gadgets, sketches, photos of shootings and exclusives pieces from the shooting from Spectre including James Bond’s Day of the Dead Costume, the Q Branch Smart Blood Gadget, Oberhauser’s Moroccan Lair costume and gold Spectre ring)
Grande Halle de la Villette, Nef Sud, 211 avenue Jean Jaurès, 75019 Paris, Métro (Line 5) Porte de Pantin
Barbie (Musée des Arts décoratifs)
(Seven hundred Barbie dolls in an area of 1500 m2, next to works from the collections of the Museum collection of fashion next to Barbie’s couture, works by contemporary artists, documents (newspapers, photos, video) paralleling yours and Barbie’s lives.)
Musée des Arts décoratifs, 107, rue de Rivoli 75001 Paris 01 44 55 57 50
Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N.
(Total sensory immersion into the world of Marvel’s Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. Explore the science hidden behind your favorite superhero where you train to integrate into the S.H.I.E.L.D. team and the Avengers.)
Esplanade de la Défense, 84, Esplanade du Général de Gaulle, 92400 Paris La Défense
RER A, Transilien, Bus, Métro Line 1, et Tramway T2 : Grande Arche de la Défense
