mdtravel

My wife and I are taking daughter, who will just barely be 5 years old, to London and Paris for five days each. We will be going in late May.

I would like to find a few unforgettable or unique things to do with her in each of the two cities. I'm not real sure how to unforgettable and unique. A few years back my wife and I attended the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London; that is something that not a lot of people get to attend. We also took an after hours tour of the Vatican museums; again pretty unforgettable and unique. I think some picnics in Paris with her would be great and unforgettable; walk down Rue Cler and buy the provisions then find a park.

I've been looking online to see if there are any after hours tours of some of the cooler museums for kids: British Museum, Louvre, Le Orangerie but can't come up with much.

So what might Fodordom suggest for unique and unforgettable in Paris and London?

sandralist

I don't doubt for a second that you have a remarkable and fabulous 5 year old -- most 5 year olds I know are, that is for sure! -- but most 5 year olds forget everything in the space of a few days, if not shorter, and many prefer the familiar over the new and unique.

Your five year old is not really old enough to get anything out of touring some place like L'Orangerie or the British Museum. She is more likely to enjoy a black cab ride in London or a double decker bus, or a boat ride down the Seine. Two years from now, when you show her pictures of her fabulous trip to Europe at age 5, what she might remember most about her visit to Europe is the puzzle of a finding a bidet in the hotel room or coming eyeball to eyeball with a goose in St James Park.

Also, I will get slammed for saying this, but it really can be extremely unfair to other people who have scrimped and saved and planned all their lives to visit L'Orangerie, after hours or during normal hours, to see its unique Monet panorama, and when they finally get there, the experience is ruined by a child too young to be in a museum who is either allowed to act up or who is being punished by a parent for acting up. Or is being led through by a parent determined to make "a game" out of art and being in museum, with an on-running stupid commentary about "find the birdie" in a Picasso to distract them from the genitals.

So do age-appropriate things with your child. The parks of Paris are filled with beautiful art. No one will mind if you walk your five year old through a few churches or re-do the Ceremony of the Keys. But she will have time enough when she is older for art museums.

dfourh

I was in Paris with two 16 year-olds, one of whom had been to Paris a few months before - - and she raved about Princess Crepe (it's in the Marais) - - it's the one thing she really wanted to go back to - - she led us straight there when we got off a random Metro stop - - and her friend loved it too (as will your 5-year-old). In terms of color and style, it's like Little Kitty coming alive, with tasty treats. Here's a piccie: https://www.flickr.com/photos/douglashoyt/16304693906/

Other than that, try as hard you can to find anything that fits the spirit of this song (maybe look for merry-go-rounds?): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EECFyOdRYU

Jean

Maybe my family has memory issues...

When I was not quite 6, my mother took me to London to visit her family. The only thing I remember is going to tea at Fortnum & Masons.

When I was 12 and my sister was not quite 6, my family drove around Europe for an entire summer. I remember quite a bit from that trip (but not everything), and my sister remembers nothing except playing with the dog of the family friends with whom we stayed for a week.

I don't know what your daughter's energy level will be (jet lag, time zone change, different food and schedules, etc.), but after-hours tours of museums just don't sound child-friendly to me.

In Jardin des Juileries and Jardin du Luxembourg, you can rent toy boats to sail in ponds. There is also a marionette theater in Luxembourg, and I've seen pony rides in, I think, Tuileries. There are carousels in several parks. I especially like the one in Jardin des Plantes. Giraffes and pandas, etc., rather than horses.

janisj

I wouldn't take a 5 yo to the Ceremony of the Keys. Not that I don't love it (have been nearly 10 times) but it really is (from a 5yo's point of view) simply standing around and having to be totally silent. Just a regular daytime visit to the Tower where she can talk to the Beefeaters, and see the ravens, would be much more appropriate IMO

A nice tea at F&M or at the Orangery next to Kensington Palace; fun in the Princess Diana Playground; a row boat on the Serpentine; a ride in a London taxi - kids usually think the jump seats are neat; <i>Maybe</i> the Lion King (it does scare some really little ones); The natural History Museum - especially if she is into dinosaurs; A 5yo has simple pleasures . . .

Seamus

What sandralist said - with all due respect, she is more likely to remember the cartoon characters she watches on her iPad on the plane than anything in a museum. Rethink this.

di2315

I'd look at what she's interested in doing at home, and build on this.
For instance, if she's into doll's houses, take her to the most spectacular you can find in either city . . . something along her lines of interest will last longer in her memory than something you have deemed to be culturally enhancing, IMHO.

Di

Ackislander

Sandralist and I often clash, but not on this. She is spot on.

I think 9 is a good age to do this but only then if you prepare the child by reading and studying in advance: "Christopher Robin went down with Alice . . .at Buckingham Palace", "In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines . . . ." Give meaning to places.

Certainly a five year old can enjoy the Luxembourg Gardens, and if she has Disney Princess Fever, as most 5 YO girls do, she might like seeing the real clothing of real princesses (at the V&A?). We did a lot of castles for our 9 YO boy, while our daughter was at the horse-mad stage on her first trip, so that was the focus.

There are toy stores in London (Hamley's) and Paris (many small ones plus department stores) that exceed anything in the US except maybe the FAO Schwartz flagship. Enter only if you want to spend a lot, a lot, of money or exit with a screaming child.

Will she remember this? Highlights, probably.

cathies

I agree that the boat pond in the jardin du Luxembourg is something she should enjoy and it will be a fun thing for you to watch and photograph.

And yes, for once I also agree with sandralist!

Natalie2b

The only museum my kids have enjoyed in London is the Natural History Museum. If you check out their website they have some self led activities that you could use, but my kids loved just looking at everything. They found the science museum boring. I think it was because there was so much to see and not a ton of obvious organization - it was overwhelming, not in a good way.

They all love the London Eye every time we go. They were tentative about the height at first, but it is always a hit with everyone who visits us.

Hamley's is great, but it is just a really big toy store. Kids love it, but they don't ask to go back. But since we rarely buy them toys there, that may be why... Three kids x £10 to £20 each for a little something = more than we want to spend... It would be easier to tell one to pick out something small or just preface the visit as a "look only" trip as we do - you know if this will work for your kiddo!

Another fun thing might be buying a waffle (topped with whipped cream & chocolate sauce) from one of the kiosks in Hyde park and eat it on a bench near the Serpentine. A boat ride there would be great too.

We like to buy books for the kids when we travel. We bought a book of Scottish Fairy Tales in Edinburgh, a book of Roman History for Kids in Rome... It is something tangible they can pick up to remember the trip that doesn't take a lot of space...

The only thing my kids remember about Paris is eating crepes & ice cream (at different times) by the Eiffel Tower and the tower when it lit up at night... Take pictures and maybe video - as she will probably enjoy/remember looking back more than if you don't.

mdtravel

Without feeling I need to defend my decision on how to spend the money we have scrimped and saved, or explaining some of the unique circumstances around this trip, or my daughter's intellect, I know my daughter and I'm fairly well-traveled when it comes to Western Europe. I go into this eyes wide open in terms of what my child can handle and, equally important, enjoy.

We did a short trip to London last year when she was barely 4. She loved the British Museum; could not get her out of there. We kept having to go back to the Egyptian section to look at and talk about the statues and Egypt. She still brings it up to this day to us and her friends. She was fairly bored with the London Eye, which I fully expected.

I intend to do parks, picnics, double decker bus rides, Trafalgar Square, the Eye, etc. but was hoping to get some ideas for stuff outside the ordinary. I would not take her to the Ceremony of the Keys; I threw that out just as an example of something that I consider to be unique. I'd love to find some sort of tour that allows for more intimate viewing of the jewels at the Tower, but the rest of it isn't for her.

In Paris, we'll do lots of picnics like I said. We'll have her sit for a portrait up on Montmatre and hit the Lux and Tuiileries parks, ride the carousels, etc.

So thanks for the meaningful answers to the question asked, and my apologies for causing others to waste their time with unnecessary parenting advice. I wish I had had so much time or concern to pop in and condescend. Alas, I'm working too hard to save up for a trip to London and Paris, where I will take my 5 year old to all of the museums we care to visit!

flpab

mdtravel, in this day and age when parents only think about taking their kids to Disney your trip is very refreshing in my mind. My parents always took us to historical places and I remember a lot from being five. My brother and his wife have raised their three this way and they are very creative and well rounded. More power to you. I saw a play at that age and still remember things from it. Paris boat trip, the parks, the views from the tower and bakery shops to pick out something special. Double decker bus trip in London but also museums.I loved the Smithsonian as a child and the first ladies gowns and Grant's horse stuck out in my mind for years so can see she would like museums. Have a great time.

isabel

I don't think people were being condescending at all. Your title said the words "unforgettable" and "five year old". That's what caught my eye. As the mother of three people who were once five years old I can tell you NONE of them remember vacations taken at that age. (And one is currently a PhD student at Berkeley so I don't think it has to do with intellect). You asked for 'parenting' advice re travel and that's what you got.

And while your daughter likely will not remember much about the trip in 10 or 20 years - YOU probably will and that 's worth while. So plan things that YOU want to do that she won't be unhappy about. Also, take tons of photos, my kids love to look at photos of places they were when they were younger, it does help to trigger the memories.

mama_mia

As the parent of (now adult) boys, I was taken aback by the post title too. But my sons do have some memories of vacations at that age. For instance, my one son recalls getting up early to see the sun rise on a misty morning in Bryce canyon and passing by the pens where the men were preparing the animals for trail rides, overhearing them say "Git along, little dogies."

But, you never know which experience will stick.

I would google something like "cooking classes 5 years old Paris" or whatever she enjoys and see what comes up.

Here is one link to start you; the blogger lives in Paris and asked a friend at Context Travel for suggestions for kids. At the bottom of the article, there are additional links.

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/04...-do-with-kids/

hetismij2

What about the Science Museum?
Maybe Kew Gardens or a train ride out to Windsor Castle to see the Queens dollhouse.
Climb the Monument.
The maze at Hampton Court even. Things that are fun for all of you. A bit of history and culture thrown in for good measure, but not stuffy.

As others have said she won't remember most of the trip in years to come, but she will remember some of it, and you will always have the memories, so make them fun ones.

If you doubt what we are saying about her remembering then try to remember what you did as a five year old.

TPAYT

Take her to see "Matilda" in London.

eastave

We travel a lot, and often bring our now eight-year old along. We try to do things she will like mixed in with things we like. We took a trip to Paris and London when she was six. I wrote a trip report that might give you some ideas.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...and-london.cfm

As to remembering. It always surprises me and disappoints me a bit too, how little she remembers of trips we have taken. Maybe more surprising is what she does remember. Her memory of Greece (when she was around five) is the sunset treats we got at our hotel in Santorini, and the towel art that the hotel maid left for her. From the Paris/London trip she remembers the Eifel tower, the tea, and some of the playgrounds. In the end, we don't take her places because we want some grand memory, we take her because we travel and she is part of our family. Coming with us since birth has meant she is really used to being in different places and the expectations that go along with museums and restaurants.

Cathinjoetown

My grandson, not particularly gifted as much as we like to think so, talks about the Eiffel Tower from a visit when just 3. Probably helped by reinforcement of a minature his father bought him.

I can remember things from when I was 5, quite well, in part due to parental reinforcement but they aren't responsible for memories I have of my kindergarten class.

I like your plans for Paris, there's also a Punch and Judy show in the Luxembourg Gardens, kids floating boats.

Not out of the ordinary but at the Horseguards you can get quite close to the mounted guard--at least you used to be able to, who knows with all the craziness going on. The Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green and Museum of the City of London are great for kids.

http://www.vam.ac.uk/moc/

http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/london-wall/

MissPrism

My three grandchildren between 21/2 and six, really love the Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green. There's quite a lot of hands on stuff. The London Eye was a great success with them too.
There's really no accounting for tastes. My granddaughter at five, was fascinated by the Tate Modern. She also loved travelling on the Tube, especially the escalators.

flpab

Matilda would be excellent. We might not retain all those memories at five but it can't hurt experiencing them. We are what we eat. I can remember a lot from five because that put me in first grade at that age.