Visiting Paris with kids

Run over to Trip Advisor and they have a sidebar in the Paris forum that is about things to do with kids in Paris -- so a start..

If you are there in good weather the old fashion amusement park Jardin Acclimatation which is adjacent to the Louis Vutton Fondation museum is fun for younger kids. If you go to the museum (we have been to three exhibit there and each one has been outstanding) then admission into the gardens is free. You can buy ride tickets on machines throughout the park.

The Chateau Vincennes is in Paris on the edge of the Bois de Vincennes and it is a classic old fortress castle - the sort of thing little kids imagine when you say castle. I bought my then 7 year old grandson a model castle of cardboard there that was very high quality and fun to put together.

Again in good weather, you can rent model sailboats in the Luxembourg Gardens and the Tuilleries to sail on the fountain pools -- out kids enjoyed doing it.

Time of year is important. spring summer and fall, there are lots of outdoor things to do as well as nearby day trips to interesting places. In winter, I'd be thinking about museums and how to make that experience fun for the kids.

Linda,
When we first took our kids to Paris they were 10 and 8. At the Invalides (Army Museum) there were lots of suits of armor (and for horses too) which impressed them. They also liked riding the Vedettes de Pont Neuf. If you do that, get in line a bit early to sit on the top deck for the best views. Go when the lights go on in the city. And 8 and 11 year olds will be impressed with the windows of Ste. Chapelle. Don't be afraid of exposing them to art. A long tour of an art museum may be a bit boring for them, but Paris has art all around. Ours loved the large statues in the garden of the Rodin Museum, plus the open areas there will give time for loosening the wiggles. Have a picnic lunch on the Champs de Mars while looking at the Eiffel Tower. (From there it is not a long walk to the Invalides.)
Oh yes, be sure to buy some crepes from those sellers who make them right on the streets. A fun treat to eat and watch as they are made....a small thing but very Parisian. Also very Parisian are the bouquinistes with their wares along the Seine's left bank. The children may find a quirky souvenier. Our oldest found a poster she treasured. Visit some patisseries or bakeries for an afternoon snack.

Hello,
My kids were 12 and 8 for our trip last year. Our family favourite activity was the Museum of Fairground Arts (vintage carousels, old carnival games to play, old animatronics..very interactive and fun). Second favourite for my kids was being on top of the Arc de Triomphe during sunset...much better view that the Eiffel Tower (and includes the Eiffel Tower!), and room to spread out and relax as the sun went down and lights started coming on. They also really enjoyed the iPad virtual tasks assigned to them at the Conciergerie which was a fun place to visit.

And at the end of the day, just exploring with them was great. One day we just went on a self guided food tour, and tried to randomly find the best chocolate, bakeries, and ice cream.

Have a great time.

traveling with kids in Italy we let them get Gelato when they saw it (this was decades ago when a gelato cone was small - and great natural ingredients -- these days they tend to be supermarket quality ice cream and huge). In Paris we made a ritual of letting them go to the nearest bakery and choose a pastry in the afternoon -- we would eat them in a nearby park. It is a 'luxury' that costs little and they still remember it.

This past June we brought our 7 year-old to Paris. The visit coincided with a heatwave, and so to get relief many children were playing in the fountains of the Place de Vosges. I think this is my daughter's greatest memory. There is also a sandpit in the square, and a somewhat meager playground that benefits (during the heat) from being in the shade of the trees that grow at that end. The square is very popular for picnicking. Plus, there must be a school nearby, because at roughly after school time great hordes of Parisian youngsters came and livened the place with their energy.
In June there is a carnival that takes over a portion of the Tuileries, which is great fun for the kids (though a bit pricey). There is also a decent playground in the Tuileries. Our strategy was to pick a playground per day that she could enjoy, but that happened to be convenient for what we wanted to do in terms of sightseeing/wandering around. Central Paris does not have great playgrounds but they do exist.
We likewise indulged our daughter in a greater quantity of pain au chocolat than we would at home.
Another great memory was walking along the Seine as the lights began to come on. We came across a large group of musicians having a jam underneath one of the bridges, which was hugely entertaining.
Oh, and the Trocadero was pleasant for viewing the Eiffel Tower. The large plaza was a great opportunity for her to vamp in front of the camera.
I think Paris is a great entertainment of itself.

We were in Paris with 3 children ages 10, 12, and 15 in July. They enjoyed renting the toy sailboats at the Luxembourg gardens and sailing them on the pond.

They also liked seeing the Eiffel Tower from Trocadero and going up the Eiffel Tower. A Seine river cruise gave a nice overview of Paris. Climbing to the top of the Arc d'Triomphe was another fun thing for them.

Chocolate shakes at the George V Cafe and pastries from Gosselin patisserie were great treats.

We took a day trip to Versailles and they loved renting bikes to ride through the gardens.
Wishing you a great trip!