Activities for families with children ….. or without!

Certainly you will find so many things to do in Athens. With or without kids, either way.

Did you chose to spend quality time with your kids? Then basically, I will list you few activities for families to do inside and outside Athens with them. (Or else ask your hotel about their babysitting service.) Hopefully that will give you an idea what to expect in Athens. In that way you will plan your trip more efficiently with appropriate activities depending on your kids’ age.

Museums

I know …. I know. Most of the kids are bored the museums. Firstly,you could take a tour especially for kids, in order to avoid their boredom. Therefore, you can lead them at fun museums, like the below ones.

1) Acropolis museum has interactive tours for kids. Most importantly, they are learning through activities about myths and Greece’s ancient gods like Zeus, goddess Athena and Aphrodite. For instance, they are playing in touch screens digital games. And also they can built a model of lego Acropolis. Likewise, they are cooking an old recipe of a Greek fruit salad. Similarly, they can create horse riders with DIY and crafty materials. And in general, they will learn through videos about the kids in ancient Greece.

2) museum of illusions. You will stimulate their brain to see, hear, smell, taste or feel things that do not exist.

3) museum of Greek children’s art, where Greek children’s paintings and constructions are exhibited.

4) Hellenic Children’s museum to play and cook greek biscuits and bread.

5) museum of school life and education. The kids can see our books and what we were using many years ago for writing in Greece.

6) natural history museum, where they will connect to nature. 

7) planetarium which has movies for kids about dinosaurs or planet Mars.

Indoor activities for families

Fun activities in safe environment, where you can watch or participate with your kids.

1) escape rooms, where you can test your physical and mental abilities in interactive escape rooms.

2) limba range rooms. The kids can express their mobility and energy by smashing things. Choose from an old tv, empty beer bottles or old cell phones. However, you are always wearing an appropriate protective uniform and in a safe environment too.

Sweet shops

There are many thematical sweet-candy shops inside Athens for grownups. But, there are two, which children will love them.

1) The most popular is Little Kook at Psirri neighborhood. Not only is decorated from fairytales with a big dragon in the roof, but also you can taste a cupcake at Cinderella’s room or a hot chocolate-ice cream-cake-bubble tea (& alcohol for parents) at Nutcracker’s room or ….. many others. As a result, this will drive both the kids and you crazy. In a word, the waiting line at this one, it most definitely worth it.

2) The second one is inside Monastiraki’s flea market and the theme comes from the fairytale of Hans&Gretel. You can have an ice cream-chimney cake-marshmallows-candies-popsicle taking a picture next to the oven of the evil witch.

Outdoor activities for families

There are two main amusement parks inside Athens and many playgrounds. Of course below I will refer to my !favoriiite! outdoor activities like walking at Parko Flisvos.

• Allou fun park has a special department for kids’ activities called kiddom.
• Aidonakia is only for kids-toddlers and has special edition for summer time.
• Parko Flisvos playground, where there are many restaurants and coffee places for you to hang. Whilst the kids can be at the playground in a safe fenced area. Otherwise, you can walk-cycling by the sea with them.
• Outside Parko Flisvos you can visit the George Averrof battleship, a historic armored cruise ship preserved in the world to this day.
• Argo wooden ship is anchored outside Parko Flisvos. Briefly, is the ship of Jason and the Argonauts in Greek mythology. In fact, they sailed from Iolcos to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece with this. I recommend you shall pay a visit.
• By the Syntagma square inside the national gardens of Zappeion there is also a playground, near the ducks’ lake.
• At the SNFCC (Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center), depends on the day and the season, you could take a canoe kayak ride at the canal with the dancing fountains, bicycles in safe environment, treasure hunt to the Labyrinth and many other kid’s friendly activities. (At the beginning of Ermou street near Syntagma square departs the free shuttle bus to SNFCC. Over there you will find the new Opera House, the National Library etc).
• The zoo attica park is always a good solution to banish the boredom of children. (PS: It’s near the airport.)
• A stroll to the dinosaurs park with a farm. In other words the kids can feed the animals or plant a tree, for example. I want to believe that -in this way- they will love Athens. (PS: This is also near the airport.)

Continuing in the same vein

Equally important, at the outdoor activities for families we can classify the followings. Some of them are common enough like cycling. Only, the others …not so much. You should try a gym session inside the Panathenaic Stadium.

• Arrange for your kids to go for gym session at the Panathenaic Stadium, where the first Olympic Games took place.
• A walking tour in Plaka and Anafiotika inspired by Harry Potter.
• Food tour tasting Greek delicacies around the city and then cooking traditional Greek foods.
• Walking at Antonis Tritsis metropolitan park with lakes, canal and horse riding.
• Trekking.
• Athens treasure hunt to explore the city.
• Cycling all around Athens.
• Hiking at the mountains nearby.
• Picnic at Filopappou hill.
• Sailing at the Athenian Riviera.
• Swimming at the Athenian Riviera and at Lake Vouliagmeni.

Outside Athens:

• A minivan half-day tour at the temple of Poseidon in Sounio with Perseus “Percy” Jackson and the Olympians.
• Picnic at the remains of the old palace of Tatoi.
• A one-day cruise to the small islands near Athens like Aegina, Hydra and Poros.

Parents’ do you want to keep the daily fitness program of your children? In fact, you can book kids fitness with your hotel. Most of the hotels are offering that service on each hotel’s yard or gym. This helps your kids to develop a lifelong love of fitness delivered in a fun and enjoyable way. And always under the warm Athenian sun. Besides, parents can participate and enjoy a family memorable together experience, also. 

I hope that I helped you with the above information to enjoy your vacations even more. And to stop worrying so much about daily things or planning activities for your family. 

If you are a couple, maybe you should give a try to the article about city break.