Holidays with children in Moscow

The Russian capital is a recognized world-class tourist center, annually visited by tens of millions of guests from all over the world. Muscovites also love to relax in their hometown, because it provides a huge variety of opportunities for this.

However, all of the most famous Moscow sights and tourist trails are designed, for the most part, for adult tourists, but is there something interesting for children? Of course, kids will also be interested here, they just need to know where to take them.

When is the best time to go?

Moscow is not a beach resort, attractive only in warm weather, nor is it a ski resort, where everyone goes only in winter. The metropolis with 12 million permanent population does not run out of tourists at any time of the year, because there are attractions and all kinds of entertainment for every taste, including those aimed at children.

Of course, there are places in the Russian capital that are best visited during the warm season - these are, mainly, various parks and other outdoor places, and in general, it is better to walk in any city in the summer. Nevertheless, if we talk about New Year's holidays, then nowhere in Russia is this event celebrated on such a scale as in the capital, both in various cultural institutions and right on the street.

All this suggests that it is possible to come here with the whole family, even with small children, at any time of the year.

And local residents have the opportunity to have a good rest and have fun on weekends all year round.

Active family recreation and entertainment centers

Speaking about outdoor activities for the whole family in Moscow, it is usually mentioned that there are so many attractions here that walks along them are no longer the easiest, albeit pleasant, task for everyone. Many local museums will also spark a genuine interest of young visitors. Little lovers of beauty will surely enjoy the exquisite architecture of past centuries. But hardly anyone will argue that the child can be occupied with this for a long time - he needs entertainment, not boring excursions.

Unlike various foreign resorts, hotels in the capital usually do not offer special animation for children, since there is an incredible amount of it around. This is a variety of entertainment that can please everyone, even the most fastidious child.

It is full of zoos and parks, including thematic ones, and if the weather is not conducive to walks in the fresh air, you can visit one of the many theaters or circuses.

The picture of "children's" places in such a huge metropolis would not be complete without water parks and amusement parks, which are truly amazing here.

You can feed a tired little tourist in one of the many local restaurants, many of which even offer a special children's menu. In a word, neither parents nor their children will be able to get bored in this city.

For greater convenience of visitors, there are special entertainment centers that combine several of the above entertainment at once, which allows you to move between them almost instantly.

But it's better to tell about all this in more detail.

Water parks

What could be better for a child than sliding down the slides and swimming in the pool at the same time? For kids, any trip to the water park is a real holiday, especially since in Moscow they are presented in a wide range, and simple banal slides are not enough here. If your child is interested in the maximum variety of water attractions, go with him to "Kva-Kva-Park".

Among Muscovites, this institution is in stable demand precisely due to the fact that entertainment here is for every taste: for adults and children, and for lovers of quiet rest, and for real extreme lovers.

However, even here there is no 5D-cinema, as in "Karibia", famous for the unique purity of the water. In addition, the latter is not just a water park, but a whole recreation complex that allows adults and adolescents to visit the spa center, play billiards or bowling, go to a classic bathhouse, or simply have a snack in one of the cafes. This list of Moscow water parks is not exhausted - slightly less prestigious, but also interesting are at least a few more, for example, "Moreon", "Kimberly Land", "Una-Life" or "Fantasy".

Where to walk and what to see?

It is a real crime to be in Moscow and limit yourself to staying in or near a hotel! This city is literally created for walking, with a visit to numerous interesting places that will stick in your memory for a long time and make you remember with delight the days spent in the capital. To take a walk beyond just wandering the streets, plan your route based on the recommended places to visit. Here are just a few examples of where to go:

Sights

In a city with a long history, there is definitely something to see, and the Kremlin is the world-famous visiting card of Moscow.

If you are fortunate enough to bring your family to Moscow during the warm season and in good weather, most of your vacation will surely be spent walking outdoors. Such a pastime is also very economical!

It is worth starting, of course, from Red Square, because it is a photograph from here that is the most common proof of being in Moscow, and at the same time - a souvenir for yourself, as a keepsake.

You should also take a walk along the Arbat and the surrounding streets. In contrast, it is recommended to move from the historic Arbat to the ultramodern Moscow City, where the tallest skyscrapers in Europe are located - both adults will gasp and children will be delighted with this. From one of the local towers, you can look around the whole of Moscow at one glance (there are observation platforms). An alternative landscape can be contemplated from the height of the Ostankino TV tower.

Of course, it is impossible to list all the noteworthy attractions of this ancient city with a long history!

Parks and zoos

Despite its dense population, Moscow is a fairly green city, and there are more than enough parks here. The most famous is the famous Gorky Park. It has all the park infrastructure in the best sense of the word - lawns, attractions, sports transport rental, and even contests.

Similar services are provided in other parks - Sokolniki, Fili, Bauman. For lovers of wildlife among the parks, of particular interest are Losiny Ostrov (moose), Ornitarium (birds), Moskvarium (indoor aquarium with dolphins) and Aptekarskiy Ogorod (plants).

Little sports enthusiasts will definitely like the Luzhniki Park, and in winter skiing and sledging can be found in Krylatskiye Hills.

Connoisseurs of gorgeous views from a great height will not be able to pass by Ostankino Park and its famous 340-meter-high TV tower.

Kids will be able to try themselves in the place of adults in the "Land of Professions" - the children's entertainment center "KidBurg", although there is something similar in many parks. With babies, it is recommended to go to the quiet and cozy park of the Trubetskoy estate. As for the zoos, there are several of them in the capital, but the largest and most interesting one is of course the Moscow one.

Theme parks

The Dinosauria Center, which is often called a park, is widely known, despite its non-park essence. Kids love this place for its distinctive "prehistoric" décor for everything toddler needs, including a café, arcade machines and a nursery.

Museums

If you think that museums are not interesting for most children, then you were taken to the wrong museums as a child. Moscow offers the widest selection of museum-type institutions, many of which will make your child gasp with delight. First of all, we are talking about the Armory - everything is obvious with the interest of future men, and young ladies will surely like the local collection of old dresses and carriages.

The Izmailovsky Kremlin Museum will also provoke curiosity - there is a huge collection of traditional Russian toys, as well as an excellent exposition on the history of Russian shipbuilding. And here they will teach how to bake bagels or teach the craft of a bell ringer!

Teenagers will also like "adult" museums with a worldwide reputation - the same Tretyakov Gallery.

The Historical Museum is also working on attracting children - which is worth only its collection of slot machines from the Soviet period, on which young visitors are even allowed to play!

In general, many metropolitan museums are engaged in the popularization of science among children - the same Experimentanium (science and technology), Lunarium (planetarium-museum) and Living Systems (visual biology).

It seems that VDNKh does not need any introduction at all.

Circus and theater

Most children are madly in love with the circus, but here there are an incredible number of them, and they are all different. There are even those that differ in a certain narrow profile: the Circus of Big Animals, the Moscow Circus on Ice or the Kuklachev Cat Theater. But we must not forget about multidisciplinary ones, including the main giant - the Great Moscow Circus.

The choice of theaters with a "children's" repertoire is even wider - there are at least five puppet theaters in the Russian capital alone. There are theaters aimed at a children's audience (young audience), and even with a completely children's troupe (young actor). There was also a place for a real shadow theater.

The creative team of the First Theater claims that even babies of the first year of life will be interested here.

In some of their productions, "adult" theaters, including the Bolshoi Theater and the Sovremennik, also appeal to the young audience.

The most striking thing is that all of the above does not cover even a tenth of all those interesting places and entertainment that are in Moscow. The above is only the minimum mandatory program for those who are in this city for the first time. In fact, something new and no less interesting appears in the Russian capital all the time, so you won't get discouraged in this city!

Best open spaces

In good weather, it would be nice to get as close to nature as the metropolis will allow. Hot summer days are best spent on the beach, on the shore of the reservoir. For this purpose, the recreation area "Serebryany Bor" on the banks of the Moskva River, as well as the shores of Meshchersky and Beloye lakes, are perfect.

The very peak of the heat, by the way, can be spent profitably nearby, having explored Moscow from the water thanks to a boat excursion along the river of the same name. Local parks will be an excellent alternative, first of all - Gorky Park.

Children's indoor attractions for teens and toddlers

Of course, children's rest will not be complete if parents in a city full of various attractions did not provide the child with the opportunity to experience at least some of them. In fact, attractions can be found in almost any entertainment center for children, of which there are dozens of them in this metropolis, but there are also generally recognized leaders in terms of the number of visitors.

If we talk specifically about indoor attractions that accept young visitors in any weather, then it is worth mentioning, first of all, the Happylon Magic Park and Happylon Pirates Park complexes.

As the names suggest, the theme of the first is magic and sorcery, and the second is a typical pirate adventure. Without exception, all the rides in these complexes are made in an entourage that corresponds to the name, therefore, in addition to the light adrenaline caused by speed and rotation, children will also experience the effect of a full-fledged falling into a real fairy tale.

In addition to all that has been said, there are many open areas with attractions in the city. The playgrounds in some parks are large enough so that a child, if the parents have sufficient finances, could spend the whole day there, practically not repeating themselves in the selected carousels. The largest in terms of assortment are amusement parks "Carousel" in Tushino, "Wheel at VVTs", "AV-Park", as well as Sokolniki and Izmailovsky Park.

Rest houses and boarding houses

In a city accustomed to receiving tens of millions of tourists every year, there are too many places to settle to give specific advice. In addition to ordinary hotels and hotels, there are also rest houses and boarding houses, which allow not only to relax, but also to carefully monitor their own health during the holidays.

So that the precious vacation time is not wasted, and the whole family, including children, is satisfied with the rest and the cultural program, when choosing a place for temporary residence, be guided by the following criteria:

Proximity to public transport. Moscow is not a small city, even its central part is quite difficult to get around on foot, especially if you have a child with you. By settling near the metro, you will successfully solve this problem.
The proximity of interesting sights. Even the presence of a metro nearby does not guarantee that you will easily and quickly reach the planned places - again, the metropolis is too large to cross it from end to end on a daily basis. It is unlikely that you went to Moscow without a list of places that you would definitely like to visit - stop near them, especially since the child is unlikely to like the long road along the underground branches, where you can't even look out the window.
Convenient location of the place of residence. Avoid proximity to industrial zones and other noisy places - believe me, with all the hustle and bustle, even in the very center of the capital, you can find a secluded quiet corner. If you plan to stay here long enough, make sure that there is a green area nearby for daily easy walks with children.
The institution is focused on family recreation. The children's menu offered in some establishments is not only a beautiful PR stunt, but also a real concern for the health and gastronomic needs of the baby, and the presence of a crib, bath or highchair can be decisive for families vacationing with a baby.

In addition, there are areas that, due to a number of circumstances, are recognized as ideal for families with children - for example, Khamovniki, Ramenki, VDNKh and Sokolniki. Such parts of the Russian capital as Biryulevo, Chertanovo, Pechatniki and Golyanovo have quite the opposite fame.

Where to go with a one-year-old child?

If your baby is one year old or even less than that, this is still not a reason to sit at home with him - Moscow offers special entertainment even for its youngest residents and guests.

The most popular recommendation for this category of vacationers is live music for kids and their parents - mostly classical and jazz, which allows you to develop taste from an early age.

Many children's theaters offer interesting performances for babies, and the First Theater is literally completely focused on this age category.

Finally, in good weather, you can visit any good park, as well as open exhibitions, which are often held in the main city parks - this will allow the child to just walk and breathe in the fresh air, and parents - to keep up with or get acquainted with the capital's cultural life.