Hi all! I have a friend whose mother is taking her 10-year-old grandson to Europe. They'll be visiting some family in Danemark, but they would like to visit some other places too. They'll be travelling in summer so they would like to avoid very hot destinations. Hence they're thinking of England, Scotland and Ireland. What cities should they visit in those countries? What kind of activities can they do?Which other countries would you suggest they should visit?
Thank you all in advance!
Posted by
Atlanta
800 posts
We took my son to Europe for the first time when he was 9. We went to Denmark, Sweden and Norway and he loved it. Norway was especially interesting and though others may feel differently we all LOVED Oslo - there was so much to see and do there that the kids liked - Viking museums, Thor Heydahl museum, the ski jump, Viggiland park. We also took the Norway in a Nutshell train ride and an overnight car ferry back to Denmark. My kids enjoyed the different kinds of transport as this is something they don't do here.
And of course we love England for kids - London is a fabulous city all on its own. We also enjoyed North Wales with all the cool castles - just right for a boy to climb & run around.
Posted by
Chicago
2876 posts
I'd also recommend heading north. I think Stockholm has a lot to interest kids: boat rides, amusement parks, hands-on kid-friendly museums, the old town, the Vasa. It's very walkable too. Much as I love Scotland & Ireland, I think they might be a little boring for a 10-year-old.
Posted by
Westford, Vermont, USA
33 posts
I definitely think Ireland would be a kick for him - and the weather will be perfect! And Ireland has castles and all sorts of things a boy would enjoy! Dublin has a great zoo, and lots of other great things. You can check out the offerings at this excellent website: http://www.visitdublin.com which has a kid-friendly section of fun things to do AND a free activities section for the budget-conscious.
Posted by
Westford, Vermont, USA
33 posts
Here - just to make things easier for you - is the link to Kids' Dublin from the website I posted above: http://www.visitdublin.com/seeanddo/KidsDublin/dublin.aspx Enjoy! And, if you know what's there, Ireland is an AMAZING place for kids!
Posted by
Atlanta
1357 posts
We took a bunch of kids to Ireland this summer, ages ranging from 3 to 17. They loved the castles, climbing around rocks on the Burren, and playing soccer with the locals in Phoenix Park in Dublin. A 10-year-old would be old enough to appreciate the history over there, too. The natural history museum was closed when we were there, otherwise we would have gone. And it's free. :)
I'll give you two words why England is good for 10-year-old boys -- Harry and Potter.