I am going to be in Paris with my 12 year old daughter in May. I want to balance the trip so she isn't bored by too many museums, buildings, gardens, etc. Can anyone recommend activities that she would enjoy? We are taking day trips to Giverny and Versailles, any other day trips that would be fun? She keeps talking about shopping - does anyone have info on Parisian Flea markets? Thanks!

When my daughter was 12 her favorite Paris pastimes were taking a ride on the b&acirc;teaux-mouches and using the BatoBus to get around, shopping at the Monoprix, having lunch at the caf&eacute; on the top of La Samaritaine department store with tout Paris spread out below, having hot chocolate at Angelina on the rue de Rivoli and ice cream at Berthillon on the Ile St-Louis, the exhibits at the Cit&eacute; de Science, and going to FNAC stores to find interesting European CDs.<BR><BR>Another great day trip is to Auvers-sur-Oise to see Van Gogh's grave and visit the incomparable exhibit on the life of the Impressionists at the ch&acirc;teau there.

To the e-mail copy of this message I am attaching a note I keep on disc on places in Paris that Fodors forum readers have found pleasant for children. Some of the ideas are for younger children.<BR><BR>Welcome to Europe.<BR><BR>Ben Haines, London<BR>

I just sent to the top my own query on this very subject, which yielded lots of great ideas. We're leaving two weeks from today. Two things we did that were suggested: lots of reading (we read a kids book about the Revolution together, now she can't wait to see Versailles). Another good one she read was called Postcards from France about a high school exchange student's experience. I bought the Eyewitness Guide, and she put post-its on the pages of things she wanted to see, but reading hte book helped get her really engaged in planning the trip.<BR><BR>Bon Voyage.

Oh, and don't forget to take her to see the Paristoric show right after you arrive. It's a wonderful hour-long presentation (with headphones in your language) that will give you an excellent overview of the city andhelp you figure out your priorities for visiting things.<BR><BR>And a journal for her to write in and paste in ticket stubs and postcards and photos and stuff is good. You might take her to one of Paris's fabulous stationery stores to pick one up.<BR><BR>

I went to Paris when I was 10 and loved Versailles, the Louvre, eating at cafes, exploring the streets - seeing everyday French life was so different! We (me and my 6 year old sister) were taken to the Zoo (not sure where it is) and we loved the gardens that have the giant fountain where people bring their mini sailboats - I think it is called Tuilleries.

I don't know if your daughter is studying French in school, but even if she isn't, she could write a paper on her trip for extra credit. My daughter is doing this. She has a journal (although I kind of wish now we'd waited till we got there to buy it, per the poster above). She is going to select a few topics (food, how kids dress, street life, etc., whatever strikes her fancy) and write each topic at the top of page. While we're there, she will write her impressions of each subject on that page, and voila, when she gets home, the paper pretty much writes itself. Her French teacher also suggested we buy little candies for everyone in the class (and a colleague of mine suggested old postcards from the bookstalls).

She should have her own camera to take some pictures of anything that catches her fancy. My 8 year-old took pictures of the street artists around the Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay. (My favorite is to take pictures of the different shops - the florist, the pharmacy, the boulangerie etc.) She also bought candy for her friends - she liked the chocolate balls with toys inside. And kids of all ages like the Luxembourg Gardens.

Hi,<BR><BR>We just returned from a trip to Paris with our 13-year-old. Her favorite spots: The Marais, which has a few streets full of wonderful boutiques, cool jewelry and t-shirt stores, etc; Champs Elysees, the Virgin Megastore and the four-floor Paris flagship store of The Gap; Ile de La Cite on the weekends because it is full of jazz groups, jugglers, and other entertainers; watching the rollerbladers along the Seine on Sundays; an area called "Les Halles", on Rue Rivoli which is directly behind the Louvre, full of cool stores, etc; Bateau Mouches, the boats which light up the buildings along the Seine at night. There's also an an amazing cafe with magic show in the Marais. If I can find the listing, I will post it. I heard about it through a book which I highly recommend, called, "Paris with Kids", which is put out by Fodors. Almost forgot! The Latin Quarter, in the 5th, and the area around Rue dauphine in the 6th, makes for some great wandering. If you go down Rue Dauphine from St. Germain and take your first right, walk a few steps and go through the passageway directly on your right. It is full of jewelry shops, a great tea and dessert place, and other things to look at. Really fun. Have a great time!