fun things to do with kids in paris france    
  Travel for Kids
  | Paris
     
    Champs Elysees – Louvre
Kids walking along the Seine in Paris
  Walk from the Arc de Triomphe to the Louvre – Kids can race on the wide boulevards or stroll along the Seine, everything in the world is possible. This is a favorite walk in Paris. Start at Etoile (the Arc de Triomphe) and walk all the way down the Champs Elysees.
    At the Place de Concorde, stop to look at that nifty gold-tipped Egyptian obelisk. Continue on through the Jardin des Tuileries. Stop at the Louvre, or keep on going. Cross the Quai du Louvre, go down to the Seine and walk along the river until you reach Ile-de-la-Cite and Notre Dame.
  Climb up the Arc de Triomphe – Climb up to the top of this grand monument for a stunning view of Paris. It’s 284 steps, the French girl behind us counted as we wound up and up the stairs. From the top, the cars circling around Etoile look like bugs and there’s an especially good view of the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Tip: Free with the Paris Museum Pass
girl sailing a boat in the Tuileries
  Jardin de Tuileries – The Jardin de Tuileries is one of the oldest public gardens, open since the 17th century. A favorite spot for Parisian families for generations, stop for a ride on the historic carousel or the ferris wheel, take in a puppet show. On either side of the carousel are two small playgrounds, one with little trampolines. Rent a toy sailboat – kids will have fun sailing their boats on the little pond. In summer, there are pony rides for little ones, as well as a fun fair a large ferris wheel and rides.
      Musee de L'Orangerie – The Orangerie is home to Claude Monet's exquisite Waterlilies paintings. The museum has just reopened, and the L'Orangerie is one museum not to miss! In addition to Monet, there's also works by Renoir, Cezanne, and Picasso.
Louvre
Le Louvre – There are several ways to tackle the Louvre. You can read up in advance and look for things that will appeal to your kids, or approach the Louvre like the darkest continent, where you will discover amazing things. Click here to visit the official Louvre Web site.
   

The Louvre has crowd-pleaser items such as the Mona Lisa (in a beautiful new room in the museum), so stop by so that your kids can brag to their friends that they have seen the real thing. We looked the Egyptian collection which is also popular. Less obvious things are also fun, e.g. look at the Renaissance triptychs to find all the angels and lilies (those painters use the same images over and over again). Kids will also enjoy going down to see foundations of the medieval Louvre fortress and moat (southwest corner of the Sully wing).

Tip: Entrance to the Louvre is free (and no waiting in ticket lines) with the Paris Museum Pass

family tours paris france

The Louvre is just a great and glorious museum, but it has tons to see, and just how do you make the masterpieces come alive for your kids? This is a charming two hour guided tour for parents and kids together, a treasure hunt in the Louvre:

    Paris Muse Clues
kids books paris france
     
Louvre Up Close - kids books Paris  
Louvre Up Close
Claire d'Harcourt

Explore hidden details (it's like playing “I spy”) for 24 different art works in the Louvre, learn about each picture or object, and the artists who created them. Plus, where to find more art of animals and children, tapestries, Renaissance painting, Greek vases, Roman mosaics in the Louvre. Good for older kids, and fun for parents too. (Oversize picture book)

 

     
Treasures of the Louvre
Michel Laclotte

Fat little book, perfect for small hands, full of artworks from the Louvre – Egyptian antiquities, Greek and Roman statues (including the Venus de Milo), medieval golden scepters and chalices, French, Italian, Spanish and Dutch painters.
(Picture book)

 
Treasures of the Louvre
     
The Mona Lisa Caper  
The Mona Lisa Caper
Rick Jacobson, Laura Fernandez

"Hanging on the wall year after year isn't as easy you might think." Totally captivating story of the Mona Lisa theft, told by the painting herself. She understands why Vincenzo Perugia thought the Mona Lisa should go back to Italy, and how he lifted the painting from the Louvre. Based on true events, this story is a gem, beautifully illustrated. (Picture book)

 

     
The Second Mrs. Gioconda
E.L. Konigsburg

An engaging novel of Leonardo da Vinci, his sneaky apprentice, two very different sisters (both duchesses), and the mysterious subject of the Mona Lisa painting, the second Mrs. Gioconda. (Chapter book)

 

 
The Second Mrs. Gioconda
     
The Arc de Triomphe  
The Arc de Triomphe
Margaret Speaker Yuan

Before you climb up the Arc de Triomphe, find out about this Paris landmark – who ordered it built (Napoleon, to honor the army with the world's highest triumphal arch), construction techniques, sculpture and decorations, changes to the Arc over the years. (Chapter book, color photographs)

 

(More children's books on other Paris and France pages)
travel for kids | france | paris | etoile - louvre