Lexma 90....thanks for the tip about the ceiling of San Ignazio! Sounds fun.

We will definitely be trying lots of gelato :) That's a given.

Ooooh lots of good ideas for me in the future....

In Norway right now with a 7 yo, 9yo, and 10yo - having a great time. I will jump back when we get home and have generic suggestions -

Thanks surfmom! Hope you are having a great time and look forward to suggestions!

Wayfinder45...I also meant to mention that I too am a soccer/futbol enthusiast. However, only one of my children is and my husband is not. What kind of italian doesn't like soccer?! I am lobbying to try and get to a game though!

Don't forget to make the reservation for the tour of the chocolate factory in Broc. They will not let you in unless you have made a reservation. The village of Gruyere is fun. Near the train station is a cheese factory that you can tour. My son met the cows up close and personal on our walk to the village.

While Schilthorn is great for views, our son had more fun at the Jungfraujoch. At the top there is an ice palace (ice caves), dog sled rides, viewing platform, scientific research center and the glacier that you can hike on. While expensive, it is totally worth every penny...but only if it is clear at the top.

We took the toboggan ride that is a five minute ride downhill via cable car from Mt. Pilatus at Frakmuntegg. The toboggan ride was down hill through tunnels, past cows in the fields on a stainless steel track. At the bottom, they hook you to a ski lift type apparatus and you went up the mountain backwards past, cows, sheep and flowers. It was so fun.

Hi Jennifer,

I have some general advice for you (and I am a parent), and I am taking my 21 and soon-to-be 9 year olds to Paris, Rome, Venice and Wengen Switzerland this June. In my opinion, you can never quite tell what might suddenly interest kids and get them excited. You may know some good specific sure fire things and if so you should start with these (hiking in the Swiss alps, whatever). Then you should do what you can best cook up for them (that will hopefully also make you happy) and encourage them to keep an open mind. If they don't like and are completely turned off, listen to them about why. You might really be surprised to find out what they say makes perfect sense, and gives you an idea on where to go from there. Just listening to them may also help make them part of the process of having a fun vacation that they can contribute to.

Anyways, just a 2c input for what it's worth.

Also, since we are going as well, thanks for the question, I plan to check into some of the recommendations I find here as well.

Best,

John
Livermore, CA

John, you are right. I have learned that listening and having your children understand they are being heard goes a LONG way in making them less resistant. So far, they are excited and we continue to look at websites together to choose things to do.

When I mentioned to them that they will have to wear pants into the Vatican museum and Sistine Chapel, I was pleasantly surprised my 13 yr old said, "That's okay. I really want to see the ceiling Michaelangelo painted and all the gory artwork in the Museum." The 11 yr old was not so happy, but willing. So I think we are making progress.

I think they are much better with having a daily agenda then getting up and deciding what to do that day. If weather changes our plans that's okay, but the unknown of what to expect for 10 days and finding out at the last minute doesn't work for them.

BarbAnn...thanks for the reminder for the reservations. I will have my father do that a week before we arrive so we can make sure to get in.

Hi Jennifer,

I was going to reiterate that unless you are wealthy and travel to Europe a lot (unlike us), that you plan your trip to make both your kids as well as their parents happy. But, it sounds like you have things well in hand.

Here's hoping we both have great trips with our kids.

John

Hi there,
I didn't get all the way through- but we were given the advice of trying to get our children make a travel video they could upload to facebook (or just have for home). Their school has a creative day - so they can submit it for that as well.

Maybe try to get them in a video class before you go or something like that might be fun.

Or maybe developing a webpage for kids visiting Italy? They could maybe program at night, upload pictures, etc?

good luck