10 things to do with a toddler, Paris edition!
As if it should be a surprise (it's not)- we haven seen very few kids around Paris (other than in very touristy areas). And Ralph seems to be the only loud child around- American ;) We haven't seen any kids eating at the famous Parisian outdoor cafes, so we have been skipping those and opting for vendor food and eating at home.
That being said, Paris isn't necessarily an unfriendly kid city- it seems most just ignore us, unless we're disturbing the peace on the metro. Fits happen, and I'm not a Parisian mom- so I do my best and if someone stares (I always feel like nobody has ever seen a toddler cry) we just ignore it and move on.
Paris can be a magical city with kids, Ralph has been a fun age due to his train obsession (lots of choo-choos here). He also has begun to listen and understand things. There have been a lot of "coools" and "awesome" said this trip.
Top spots we have enjoyed while traveling with Ralph (who is currently 21 months):
1. Jardin du Luxembourg: trip advisor here.
We have found this to be a great place for kids to run around (avoid grassy areas, most are for looks only- love you Paris). There is also an incredible playground that cost a couple Euros for children and parents to get in. Seems a little silly, but it's a pretty magical place and was worth every penny for us. There are also little wooden boats for rent to sail around in the fountain, as well as food stands that sell crepes and hot dogs for a quick causal bite. Oh- and a puppet show, check times on this. We felt like Ralph was a little too young to sit through a shower longer than 15 minutes, but I love the idea for a kid a little older.
2. Palais Royal link
Ralph LOOOVED watching the big kids run around here, as well as run around himself. The columns are totally fair game to running, jumping and climbing. Cute fun stop.
3. Carousels, everywhere!
Paris is dotted with carousels. We didn't do all of them, but we enjoyed the views and the rides of each one we did. Magical Paris.
A few to note:
- Jardin du Luxembourg (you could do the playground, carousel, and boats in one day!)
- Hotel de Ville
- Sacre-Coeur Carousel
4. Menagerie du Jardin des Plantes
So going to a zoo in Paris sounds a little lame, am I right? Turns out- it's not. It is one of the oldest zoos in Europe, founded in 1626. Coming from the states, I found the zoo to be less exciting in terms of animals (though Ralph was totally impressed) and more interesting in terms of the beautiful enclosures that looked charmingly old European.
5. Keep 'em out late, and take them to The Eiffel Tower at night. #worthit
We decided that we wanted to show The Eiffel Tower by night to Ralph. It lights up after sunset, which I believe was around 9 PM in the summertime. It sparkles for 5 minutes every hour on the hour. We arrived at the Champ de Mars around 8:30, and spent our time people watching and listening to the musicians playing on the lawn. Ralph's reaction was the best, and it was totally worth him going to bed late. Plus we all indulged in a late-night crepe afterwards which was equally as fun.
6. Jardin des Tuileries
Another good spot for kids. There is a playground here, though it seems to be better suited for bigger kids. It's fun to let the little ones run around here- and there is a carnival in the summertime. Take the kids to the Louvre pyramids and get a photo.
7. Big bus tour
I know a few of you are totally rolling your eyes at this one- but the Robert Family are big fans of Big Bus Tours :) I love orienting the city from above, as well as hearing the fun-facts. We weren't sure how Ralph would do, but he did great and loved sitting on top of the bus while eating snacks.
8. Paris Flower Market or Marché aux Fleurs
Visit the flower market and be sure to stop by and check out the exotic birds. This isn't far from Notre Dame Cathedral so you can swing by that on your way home. Be sure to check out hours and days that the market is open.
9. National Museum of Natural History here
We wanted to do this on a day that it happened to be closed, but we've heard this is a great stop for kids.
10. Versailles (focus on gardens)
The inside of Versailles could be pretty tricky, but the gardens are beautiful and a great place to have a picnic lunch with kids while they run around.
If you find the right spots for kids, and alternate doing what you really want to see and what they will have fun at we have found Paris to be totally worth the trip with toddler tagging along. This won't be our last trip with kids, so if you have any other suggestions please feel free to add them
