What to do with Children in Tow
Geneva is a city for the young and the old alike, and it offers unlimited hours of fun for children aged 1 to 101, or a little underage or a little overage. Some of the major attractions for children of all ages include:
Natural History Museum:
This museum gives an educational and informative overview of the natural world. There is a special focus on the ecological and environmental history of Switzerland.The primary interest for children here is the section which contains life size menagerie of all kinds of wild animals from around the world, like alligators, bears, foxes, and lions.For kids who are not really attracted to the beauty of the natural world, there is an artificial world – known more commonly as the play land – to satisfy them.
Location: Route de Malagnou 1
Telephone: 022 418 63 00
Timings: Tuesdays to Sundays – 09:30-17:00
Closed on Mondays.
Contact: www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/mhng/
Tickets: Absolutely Free!
Les Marionettes de Geneve:
Since it was inaugurated in 1929, the Theater of the Marionettes has been an all time favorite hotspot for the children. It is sure to make any kid laugh out with joy with its intricately detailed puppets and its impressively conducted shows.
Location: Rue Rodo 7
Telephone: 022 329 6767
Contact: www.marionnettes.ch
Marionette Museum:
This amazing marionette museum contains more than 200 marionette samples on display, which have come from around 25 different nations. It also hosts weekly performances for children in its Theatre du Reve. These lively plays are usually in French, but there is simply no need to pay attention to the language, as the visual presentation itself is enough to keep you entertained. For the not-so-young children, the museum also hosts regular workshops on marionette construction.
Location: Rue Merle d’Aubigne 22
Telephone: 022 736 4122
Timings: Saturdays only – 1400-1700
Contact: www.atelier-marionnettes.com
Tickets: CHF 1.50
Geneva Plage:
Geneva Plage is a fascinating water park on the eastern bank of Lake Geneva. It contains an Olympic sized pool, water skiing activities, wading pools, waterslides, and a beach. Children can indulge in any of these activities, while their elders usually prefer watching people sunbathe in the open park.
Location: Port Noir
Telephone: 022 736 2482
Timings: May to September – 10:00-20:00
Contact: www.geneve-plage.ch
Tickets: CHF 7.00 for adults, CHF 3.50 for children.
Rafting Loisirs:
Loisirs offers rafting and kayaking expeditions on the Rhone River. There are two main trips. One starts from Jonction and goes on to Passerelle de Chevre. The other leads from Chancy to the Carnot Bridge. Both these routes are about two hours long, and pretty convenient for amateur sailors. There are also rafting camps for children during summers.
Location: Chemin des Marais 52, Veyrier
Telephone: 022 784 0205
Contact: www.rafting-loisirs.ch
Tickets: CHF 70 per person.
Gotcha:
A truly amazing amusement/adventure park, Gotcha offers unlimited fun for all kinds of children. Its selection of ultra-modern games, though a bit expensive, is very popular, and very addictive. The games are:
Level 5: Try to break into a safe by penetrating five levels of laser-based security. The requirements- An agile, flexible body, common sense, and quick reflexes.
Paintball: Think virtual Counter-Strike! A romantic forest arena, two teams, professional paintball equipment, and lots of paintballs!
Laser Game: A 500 sq meter labyrinth. Haze and smoke, obstacles and bonuses, laser guns, protective gear and sensors. Sounds like a science fiction movie? This is actually the essence of the Laser Game at Gotcha.
YatouLand: A play land for kids from 0 to 10 years. Contains inflatable bouncy castles, playground areas, mazes, a miniature Noah’s Ark, slides, swings, and obstacle courses.
Location: GOTCHA entertainment
Chemin des Batailles 22
1214 Vernier
Geneve -Suisse
