Mmm…what to do this Easter Holiday?
It’s half-term in France now and although some of you may have had the chance to take the family away to some far-flung destination, many of you will be staying or indeed visiting Paris with your offspring. So what do you do with your kids in Paris? Well, it’s a great time of year to be in Pais, the weather, luckily has been kind and the gorgeous blossoms that puncture the skyline with their magnificent blooms are adding a colourful element to the city right now. Plus there is plenty to do to keep you occupied and on track to have a great time in the capital over the next couple of weeks.
Aside from of the all the obvious places to go to in Paris such as the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, The Louvre and such like. Here are a few notable mentions.
Discover the Wild
At Park Zoologique you can always expect something tailored for children during the school vacation period. Throughout this year, the kids will get to meet a range of new species and during the spring holidays, they will be introduced to the Red Coatis of Guyana. On the agenda for this wild rendez-vous will be feeding, meeting with the handlers, a stroll in the Amazon biozone, culinary workshops and a mini-exhibition!
Parc Zoologique, Avenue Daumesnil, 75012 Paris
The Moon Explored at the Grand Palais
Fifty years after man first stepped on the moon, the Grand Palais is taking the opportunity to explore our fascination with the moon and the art it has inspired. The exhibition is in five parts and looks at the moon, both in reality and in the human imagination. This expo runs from 3 April to 22 July. There are guided visits for families on Wednesdays.
The Grand Palais, 3 Avenue du Général Eisenhower, 75008 Paris,
Sounds Awesome
Full disclosure, we do love the Gaite Lyrique. It is such an unusual exhibition space and totally unique, in that its main focus is media. There is an unbelievable tea room upstairs and it is located directly opposite a playground. Anyway, all that aside. The current offering for kids, that caught our attention, is built around the power of sound. Kids will be invited into an immersive game that will get them excited and fascinated with sound creation. There’s a choir, musical instruments and much more. Could be an interesting day out with the kids. It’s on Sunday, April 28th.
La Gaîté Lyrique, 3 bis Papin Street, 75003 Paris
Photography at the Cent Quatre
The Cent Quatre (104), a snap from a young photographer
The Circulation(s) festival of young photographers at the Cent Quatre arts centre is a fantastic annual event. It runs from 22 April to 30 June. This year, in addition to enjoying all the photography from young European photographers, there will also be a photo studio every weekend (except 11-12 May) where you can be photographed individually or with your family by a professional photographer.
Le Cent Quatre, 5 Rue Curial, 75019 Paris
Japanese art for kids
The Musée en Herbe in central Paris calls itself the museum for those aged 3-103. So while the exhibitions are curated with more with children in mind, they are also interesting for the adults accompanying them. The current exhibition ‘Monsters, Mangas and Murakami’ looks fantastic and focuses on contemporary Japanese art. It runs from now until September. As you might expect for a family museum, they have great workshops, for kids as young as 2.5 years up to 12. Check out the ‘Famille’ section of their site for details.
Musée en Herbe, 23, rue de L’Arbre-Sec, 75001 Paris
And…
Do you and the children fancy learning origami, kamishibai, ikebana or manga? Well, these well-known Japanese art disciplines could be mastered this Easter if you take the children to La Maison de la culture du Japon. Definitely fun for the whole family and run throughout the holidays on different days so check the website.
La Maison de la culture du Japon, 101 bis Quai Branly, 75015 Paris
Waterlily family workshop at the Orangerie
The Orangerie museum, right inside the Tuileries gardens, is where many of Monet’s waterlily paintings live. On Sunday 28 April there will be a family workshop, which will include a visit to see the Monet originals followed by a chance to use pastel and collage techniques to create your own waterlilies.
©lifesantiques.blogspot.com
You could do a virtual visit with your kids, before going to the museum so that they get an idea of the waterlily paintings and can then be excited to see them in real life. Maybe follow up with a visit to the trampolines inside the Tuileries or some book shopping at WHSmith?
The Orangerie Museum, Jardin Tuileries, 75001 Paris
Free Nights at the Museum
Okay, so we did have to mention the Louvre! The largest museum in the world has decided to create a new free night once a month! So go during the April holidays for a unique evening. Two visits to choose from: a free visit (without reservation), where you can admire the collections of Italian and French paintings, Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiquities. There is the Mona Lisa, The Victory of Samothrace or The Venus of Milo. Or visit and include an activity (on reservation) that involves music, games, and stories right in front of the relevant works of art. Such as collections of oriental antiquities, art objects and French sculpture.
The Louvre, Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris,
Mine your language
Come play with your family! Having fun with languages … Whispering, articulating, expressing yourself: this fun programme will allow young people to discover, recognize or appropriate words and expressions in European languages. It is a gaming village on the theme of languages and Europe. Kidilangues invites you on the forecourt of the Hotel de Ville to participate in this experience. A fun course with more than a dozen booths offering linguistic games, geographical and cultural challenges awaits. This fun itinerary will allow children and parents to discover the riches of Europe while having fun. (Take note Britain! :/)
Hotel de Ville, Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, 75004 Paris,
A Mythic Tale
If you haven’t been to the Rodin Museum, take this opportunity to go and check it out. Over the Easter holidays, they have tailored family visits around the mysteries of the sculptures that are on display there. The myths and legendary tales that surround these famous characters are explored and uncovered. From Tuesday, April 23 until May 3rd. Might be worth checking out.
The Rodin Museum, 77 Rue de Varenne, 75007 Paris
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