The question might seem familiar to you if you are traveling with children: what are we going to do with the kids?! Well, first of all don`t forget them home. Pack up the gang and enjoy your next vacation to family-friendly Budapest. Let the weather be good or bad, there is always something to do in this buzzing city with the fam. Here is a well-selected montage for you to help you navigate in the labyrinth of the most child-friendly and amusing activities.
If you have a toddler who takes his precious train engines with him everywhere or an older child who is obsessed with the mechanics and designs of trains and railroads, this is the place for you. No wonder it took a long time for modeling experts to build this miniature universe. Once you step in to Miniversum a new little world comes to life in front of your eyes. To be exact everything is 1:100 of its original size and the scenes are featuring Hungary`s greatest sights and landmarks, and also parts of Germany and Austria. The greatest model railroad in Europe includes miniature figures, long meters of rail tracks, towns, buildings and countless trains. The models look realistic and meticulously detailed. The exhibition is interactive, you can control the action, manipulate the traffic, and choose sound and light effects. Is is a great family activity for all ages. The youngest ones can be active in the playhouse, and older ones can digest the experience in the cafe. Experience the miniature exhibition, and see it with your own eyes.
Disney and Pixar movies are great but what about live, magical tales played by beautifully crafted puppets? The Budapest Puppet Theater is the largest puppet theatre of central Europe where preschoolers to adults can spend and enjoy two intellectual hours. The good news is that one does not need fluency in Hungarian to understand these amusing performances. The well-loved children stories are innovative and a visual delight for all ages. And guess what? If you, parents had fun, you can grab your partner for a date night and go back since they have `adult only` shows as well.
Mesemúzeum (pronounced Mesheh Museum) is an indoor adventure gallery and a fairytale playground where even non-readers get hooked on traditional and modern children literature. There are stories everywhere in this building. Just like in fairytales children complete different tasks and overcome many challenges as they walk along the story path of the permanent exhibition. Along the permanent exhibition there are seasonal displays.
In the afternoon there are drama classes and creative art workshops where kids learn more about the visuals of the tales like painting or puppet-and costume making.
The museum also has space for shadow and puppet shows. They also do camps with different themes if you are staying long enough in the city.
A brilliant indoor activity for all ages. There are many museums in Budapest but not like this one where you will be able touch the works of art and even you can become a part of the paintings.You will be the master of your own masterpiece. It might take a little time from you to warm up to this kind of setting but once you did, you will have a blast. Get your creativity on and let your imagination roam wild and free. There is a wide variety of art work and you decide how to position your family in the paintings. Bring your smart phone or your camera to create the funniest optical illusions with the 3D paintings. Oh, and don`t forget to practice your acting skills, there is no room for camera shyness here.
Just off the Margaret Bridge, in the middle of the Danube lays Margaret Island where instead of palm trees you can hug century-old oak trees and instead of heavy coconuts you can collect acorns and chestnuts. It is a recreational area and a popular place for locals for jogging and take walks in the park. The options are wide. There’s Palatinus Strand, the island`s very own water park, which has a dozen of pools, including kid pools and wave pools. If you visit during the colder season Palatinus also offers thermal baths. Kids will also enjoy the little in the middle of the island with its few birds and animals. You can climb up the water tower for a nice lookout. If you are tired of walking there are plenty of options to rent bicycle, bringo carts or golf carts. Children can play hide-and-seek around themedieval ruins, or walk to the attractive Japanese garden where they can spot the fish in the pond. At the end of the day your family will be mesmerized by the tune of the spectacular Musical Fountain.
Another outside adventure with the best panoramic views over the city is a hike up to the Gellért Hill. This gem of Budapest is a world heritage site and has the three best playgrounds in town: the Vuk Playground named after the popular Hungarian children cartoon character, Cerka-Firka Playground where the castle is made of many colorful pencils, and last but not least the extraordinary, giant slide park with slides of different length, straight, twisted or tunnel slides.
A fun way to explore the Buda Hills may it be sun or snow is the Children`s Railway. It is exactly what the name implies: kids run the railway (with the exception of the drivers) and they take their duties very seriously. Schoolchildren between the ages of 10 and 14 are the conductors and they undertake all aspects of running the railway. It has 7 stops and runs 11 kilometers long. During the 40 minutes ride to the top you can enjoy magnificent views of the surrounding countryside.
Budapest is a fantastic place to discover with family. If you enjoy heights with fantastic views take a ride on the Budapest Eye Ferris Wheel . If your family prefer less adrenalin cruise along the Danube River. The possibilities are endless; visit the if it rains and open fountains when it`s sunny and warm. Challenge land, playhouses and wall climbing clubs can all be easily found and reached within the city. But at the end of the day children don`t need much to have fun, maybe a delicious artisan ice cream will just do.