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Happy Easter vacation! The Geneva private schools and Universities are already on holiday while the rest will be free on Thursday. If you are sticking around, here are some ideas to do with your children.

Geneva Area

Vivarium of Meyrin:  The definition of a vivarium is an enclosure, container, or structure adapted or prepared for keeping animals under semi-natural conditions for observation or study or as pets; an aquarium or terrarium.

I personally have not been but my teenage son has gone twice with his girlfriend so there must be something interesting there. From April 13-23, they are open from 10-17:00. If you want a peek, here’s their video of the exposition.

Accrobranche / Tree Ropes Course : My children have loved this activity since they began at the age of three in Divonne at Forest Land. Nowadays they prefer the Signal de  Bougies in Canton Vaud because not only do they have the red and blue courses; they’ve got the 16 years and older, extremely difficult course. If you prefer something in Geneva the Parc Aventure is also now open. Whatever you choose, I recommend you arrive early because these parks can become busy and the waiting times very long if someone becomes frightened and needs persuading to continue on.

Téléphérique up the Salève : Kids and visitors alike enjoy the adventure and altitude of taking the télépherique up the Salève. When you aren’t mesmerized by view below, you can watch the paragliders prepare their equipment, run off the cliff and hopefully catch air to glide away. There are several restaurants on top (though the delicious Restaurant l’Observitoire must be reserved in advance) and the last time I was there, my kids enjoyed playing on a small playground. Be sure to check the opening times of the télépherique. They are closed on Easter Monday.

OUTSIDE GENEVA (1 hour 15 – 1 hour 30 drive)

Aqua Park : Exhausting for parents and absolutely wonderful for kids, this indoor aquatic fun park has a pirate ship for little ones, a variety of water slides for different ages, a wave pool and a giant toilet bowl. It’s on the far end of the lake at Le Bouveret. We drive through France (via Evian) which can take about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Swiss Vapeur Park: This is a special park without all the bustle, screaming and running around synonymous with most kid’s amusement parks. Actually mine did run around but they would try to be stealth. While one child rode the miniature steam train, the other would try to follow without being seen. So while this park may seem low-key and boring for children, we would go once a summer with friends and they always loved it.

Labyrinthe Aventure: This is a great park and based on the photos here, they’ve added a lot more in the past years. What I remember are wooden games, puzzles and funky bicycles, the super tall slide and the labrynthe where you must collect stamps from all the stops in your booklet. They also seem to have something special lined up for Easter.

Grotte aux Fées : This is a cave I have wanted to visit but still haven’t. Make sure you have solid shoes and a warm coat (the cave is a constant 10 degrees). It takes about an hour to guide yourself through the cave. They also offer a treasure hunt for the children.

If you have a favorite spring activity you enjoy with your children, please share it!

We are a group of international women living in Geneva, Switzerland. If you would like to join the AIWC, please visit our website at: http://www.aiwcgeneva.org/