spinesrgn

We're going to be with our two kids (11 and 7) from Christmas to New Years in Brussels. Any suggestions for fun activities for us ?

hanl

The newly renovated dinosaur gallery at the Natural History Museum is fabulous for adults and kids alike. I was very impressed indeed when we went there a few weeks ago.

The museum of Musical Instruments is a lot of fun too - when you go in, you get a radio headset which allows you to listen to different snippets of music being played on each of the instruments displayed. There's a great rooftop terrace restaurant with nice views of the city, too.

There's also a Christmas market (the "Winter wonders" fair - see www.plaisirsdhiver.be/) with various stalls and an ice rink set up on and around the Place du Marché aux Poissons and Place Ste Catherine, plus a Nativity and evening light shows on the Grand'Place.

You could also take the kids to Océade, an indoor (and outdoor, though not in winter, I imagine) water park - http://www.oceade.be/en/index.php

BTilke

Mini-Europe and the Atomium aren't a bad combo (but don't have anything to do with that obnoxious mini-Europe "mascot" who tries to force you into posing for pictures you have to pay for).
The tram museum is interesting, too, (although a few of the older regular trams running around Brussels aren't that far from being museum pieces themselves). If you're kids aren't used to mass transit, make sure they try the metro, trams, buses and regular train (when our 7 yo nephew visited us, the historic sites didn't impress him much, but he really liked the trams).

What day trips have you planned? Bruges? Antwerp? Aachen? Paris? lots of possibilities.

And what part of town are you staying in? There are some places I'd recommend if you're close by, even if they're not worth making a special trip.

spinesrgn

Thanks for the input. We are staying off the Grand Place.

Sallygirl42

I live in Brussels and 2nd the ideas of the Natural History museum and Christmas market (there is also a ferris wheel & small carousel in addition to the ice rink). I haven't been to the musical instruments museum but hear it is wonderful.

The comic museum gift shop might be good to check out (there is a little restaurant cafe too), but since the museum exhibits are almost entirely in French and Flemish Dutch it might be hard to keep the kids interested in it. There is however a walking tour of the city that includes stops at many of the comics murals painted on the sides of buildings, that might be fun to do. With lots of stops for chocolat chaud (hot chocolate) in between!

Flying_Mom

We spent last Christmas in Bruges which is only about an hour train ride from Brussels. You could easily do this as a day trip. Burges is a neat little town. Last year there was an international ice sculptures event right outside the train station. It was an incredible show and my kids loved it. They rode down an ice slide, went inside an igloo.. lots of family fun! Bruges also had a Christmas market in the city center with an ice skating rink.