We were so thrilled to take our boys to Europe for the first time! We planned many family friendly activities for the boys while we were there. It made the trip an absolute dream to have things that our whole family could enjoy! We wanted to share the culture and rich history with Beckham and Chamberlain while also working in age appropriate fun too. Here were some of our favorite “kid friendly” activities we did while in France.
The Paris Aquarium
This was such a special treat for our boys! My dad, Papa Jim, surprised us and the boys by planning this fun event to coincide with taking them to see the Eiffel Tower for the first time!!! It was perfect because the aquarium sits on the hill giving you a perfect view and pictures of the Eiffel Tower! The aquarium was a good size for a half day activity. But my favorite part, is that they have “Real” mermaids that put on a show for the kids at this location…So cool!
Christmas Markets
If you plan to go to Paris during the holiday season you will have some extra seasonal fun built into your trip for the kids! Right by the Vendome, they have a wonderful Christmas Market that is full of tons of games, rides, ice staking, shopping and great food! We went to this Christmas market a couple of times on our trip because the boys LOVED it so much! We did family ice skating and we enjoyed riding the ferris wheel because it gave you beautiful views of the Eiffel Tower!
Dome Des Inalides, Tombeau De Napoléon le Museum
Originally I was worried about visiting any of the Paris museums with our boys (ages 6, 3) because we tend to get loud and wild lol. However, our visit to this museum with the boys was a highlight for us all. We decided to not go on a constructed tour but to walk around at our own pace…which was perfect for our group! Beckham & Chamberlain were in complete awe of the soldier and military history! They stayed so respectful of the location and asked the best questions! Honestly made we wish we had taken them to more museums while we were there. I highly recommend this one with kids because of all the open space which makes it feel not as crowded. It was also very family friendly they even had a special lego event set up!
Disneyland Paris-
We actually surprised our boys with tickets for Christmas!!! In all honesty this gift was totally for David and I too, lol! We are big fans of Disney and we were so excited about getting to experience Disney Paris for the first time ever. I could wait to see the gorgeous Pink Castle in person! We had a wonderful time at the park trying all of the special Parisian treats, and they were all marshmallow inspired! We did walk away with some helpful tips after visiting this location.
Important TIP #1 Don’t Do Will Call Ticket Pickup …DON’T MISS THIS!
We learned at Disneyland Paris within the first 10 mins of arriving at the park. Do NOT preorder your tickets and pick them up at will call. Okay so let me explain…Every time we go to Disney (we try to go once a year the last few years with the boys to LA or FL). We always order our tickets ahead of time and pick them up at will call to avoid huge lines. However, Disneyland Paris does this will call system totally backwards. At this park they merge the will call ticket pick up line with the help line at the gate. We waited for over an hour to try to get in. Meanwhile everyone starts to melt down and the frustration started brewing lol. We knew there would be crazy lines inside but not to get in (Keep in mind we did not get there right at park opening time, we waited to go to early afternoon so the lines were smaller…Joke was on us lol). We finally decided to purchase new tickets just so we could avoid being in the line for a WHOLE other hour waiting.
Tip #2 Always Make at least one Meal Reservation
I know Disney is very expensive and many people think we will just save money grabbing something quick in the park (We have totally done and thought this too). I am telling you right now that the Disney Character meals are a THOUSAND percent worth every penny!!! Save Up and make it happen…And here is why! By the time you get to lunch or dinner EVERYONE is so desperate to sit down and have a little space that is just theirs… that is worth money right there. Also having the privilege to have someone serve you a meal and bring you refills after you have been chasing your children all over the park trying to fulfill all of their Disney dreams is amazing!! You also have the opportunity to have restaurant bathroom access which can not be overlooked as a major plus! And last and most important is you get FULL ACCESS to all of the characters that are part of that meal!!!! This is huge because you can create the BEST memories and organic character experiences all within one meal! What a dream!!! Instead of chasing your favorite chapters around the park the whole day and waiting in long lines for each character while hoping your child gets their treasured character pic before the character goes on break!
Make those reservations friends!
We ate at Auberge De Cendrillon. It was very pricey but if you have little girls, this location is especially worth it!
Tip #3 Make sure you check out Parade Times and get there early to watch
The parade is different at Disneyland Paris and it is so special!!! We got to one of the parade shows early and it was completely worth the wait to be right in the front so our boys could see and experience the whole show! The have a major emphasis on princesses during this show since the Pink Castle at Disneyland Paris belongs to Princess Aurora!
Tip #4 Bring Your Own Stroller
We have done this since our first ever Disney trip with the kids and I highly recommend bringing your own no matter what Disney location you visit. You don’t have to worry about anyone touching your stroller at any of the parks (Your stroller will be safe between rides, as we have never had anything stolen!). I love being able to have your own stroller with all of your own gadgets and storage areas. Also one your kids love and can get comfortable in! We usually always leave the park with one of our kiddos asleep in the stroller which makes it so nice to be able to roll them all the way to your car or resort without having to wake them up to return your rented one!
Our favorite family hobby is traveling and our trip to France was just as magical as we were hoping it would be! I hope these locations and tips are helpful for you. If you have any questions please let me know!
Check out our Guide to Paris here!
