The sun sets on another afternoon at the beach in San Juan.
Today’s guest post comes from Elaine N. Schoch, an avid traveler who is busy exploring the world, usually with her two kids in tow (ages 3 and 5). She shares her adventures, travel advice and tips on CarpeTravel.com.
With so many things to do in San Juan with kids, only a week to explore the city and a need to hit the beach every day, we had to narrow down our excursions. We found these were the five best activities to do with kids under five in San Juan.
1. The Beaches in San Juan
The beach was on the “must do list” everyday in San Juan for my girls. Since the weather was amazing it was an easy compromise. It was winter in San Juan during our stay so the mornings were cooler (think 70’s) with the afternoon reaching highs in the mid to high 80’s. The mild morning temperatures made the mornings perfect for excursions, lunch at the beach (a nap under the umbrella for the kids) followed by sandcastle making and swimming.
Lunch at the beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
All beaches in San Juan, even those fronting the top hotels are open to the public. (Caribe Hilton is the only hotel that has a small private beach.) Beach hours are typically 9-5pm. One thing parents need to note, many of the beaches have strong riptides so keep a good eye on your kids. There were a few times I had to grab both my girls and we were in a “calm, swimming area”. In hindsight, I would have outfitted them both with a life jacket.
While the beaches in San Juan are all open to the public, not all are created equal. There are only two beaches in San Juan that have lifeguards - El Escambron (right next to Caribe Hilton) and Isla Verde Public Beach. These two beaches also have changing rooms, bathrooms, showers, picnic areas and onsite restaurants or snack bars. Each are also protected from reefs and rocks, providing a bit calmer water for swimming – and little ones who want to sit and splash. Isla Verde Beach is another popular beachfront lined with resorts, which makes access to it a bit more difficult (Isla Verde Public Beach sits on the same stretch of land but access to it is much easier if you’re not a hotel guest). Isla Verde Beach is a great beach for families given its calm waters and the variety of amenities along the beachfront. There are a number of kiosks lining the beach where you can rent snorkeling gear or participate in a variety of water sports – snuba, parasailing, etc.
2. Explore San Juan’s largest two forts: San Felipe del Morro “El Morro” and Castillo de San Cristobal
At San Juan Cristobal with the kids.
El Morro and San Cristobal were built during the 1500-1600’s to protect San Juan from land-based invasions. Today they are both World Heritage Sites, and National Historic Sites that are administered by the US National Park Service. The forts offer kids a fun and interactive way to explore San Juan’s history, or just put their vivid imaginations into overdrive. Once my girls understood what the forts were and how people used them they could not stop pretending they were Pirate Princesses. Running down the underground tunnel systems and hiding in the towers were a thrill. Walking into a “real dungeon” and seeing the doodling that prisoners made on the walls made my five-year-old turn and ask me in her most serious and concerned voice, “Is this were Maleficent locked up Prince Eric”. (A Sleeping Beauty related question.) She was a bit disappointed to learn he was not in fact imprisoned in this dungeon.
If you are up for exploring both forts, do it. There is a 15-20 minute walking trail along the beach that connects them; it’s stroller friendly. If the walk is too much and you still want to do both jump on the trolley that ferries people back and forth.
If you just have time – or the attention span – for one fort, head to El Morro. It is much larger and has a labyrinth of tunnels, towers and dungeons to explore. The grounds outside of El Morro are also open and always breezy making it an ideal spot for a picnic and some kite flying. You can buy a kite in the gift shop at El Morro or San Cristobal but you may pay less at the Walgreens or Puerto Rico Drug store located across the street from El Morro.
Exploring the maze-like El Morro with the kids
Both forts offer hourly guided tours, but you can take advantage of the information brochure you receive when you pay for admission and do your own guided tour. (You can purchase a $5 admission that allows access to both forts.) I found the self-guided tour was our best option given our little ones like to talk a lot, interrupt whomever else is speaking and have the attention span of a gnat. While we didn’t take our stroller on this outing there are ramps throughout the forts along with elevators. Given that even winter in San Juan is hot, you can escape the heat in the theatre which shows a short introduction of the forts, their history and impact they played in history. The movies are offered at both locations in Spanish (on the ½ hour) or English (on the hour) every hour throughout the day.
3. Explore Old San Juan
You can make a day of exploring Old San Juan with kids. There are so many different types of activities you can do, be it in doors, outdoors or a combination of the two. One of the first thing I’d suggest doing is taking the free trolley tour the city offers so you can see its rich architecture while also getting a feel for where you are and what you want to do. It’s a fairly short ride around the city and you can jump on and off at each stop. The trolley is also a great place to take a little rest when your kids get tired and need to cool off.
Waiting at a trolley stop in Old San Juan.
If you’re in San Juan on a Sunday, head down to Paso De La Princessa as there is an outdoor market during the day (9-5pm). It’s filled with locals dancing to the live bands, local vendors selling art, woodwork and everything you never knew you needed or wanted. There are countless food carts where you can grab lunch or a shaved ice (Piragua in Spanish) to cool off.
For more shopping head up to Fortaleza St and San Francisco St. where kids will love looking for Carnival Masks. The papier-mâché masks are worn at the big masquerade carnivals on the island in February, July and December. One of the best places to find authentic masks in San Juan is La Calle, located on Fortaleza St.
We happened upon Parque de las Palomas (Pigeon Park) during our day in Old San Juan and it immediately reminded me of the Feed the Birds scene from Mary Poppins. The park is covered with hundreds of pigeons all vying for the crumbs and birdseed visitor’s toss to them. A little café setup in the park makes Parque de las Palomas an ideal spot to grab a coffee or snack while letting the kids run around. (There is usually someone there selling birdseed.)
Feed the birds? You’ll find plenty at Parque de las Palomas (pigeon park).
If you have a stroller and you’re walking around Old San Juan, note that the streets and sidewalks are very narrow. While you can maneuver a double stroller, it may be difficult and will require any passerby’s to step on to the road. For little ones who like to walk, again the streets are narrow and cars are not always looking out for little people.
4. El Museo del Nino (The Children’s Museum)
The Children’s Museum in San Juan is a great place to escape the heat or the rain. For one, it’s air-conditioned, even in the winter San Juan is hot! The museum has three floors filled with interactive exhibits and activities for kids – both little and big kids stop for kids. The information posted in the exhibits is in Spanish but there are employees there who can interpret. If you’re like me and have kids running from one to the other before things can be translated, you may want so download WordLens, which translates pictures of a sign or document written in Spanish into English.
5. El Yunque Rain Forest
The El Yunque Rain Forest is a great option for families with kids who are into nature, bugs and have a lot of energy to burn. It’s a 30-minute drive outside of San Juan making it ideal for little ones who need to take a nap and easily fall to sleep in the car.
Within the park there are dozens of trails that wind past waterfalls where families can walk along and listen to the Coqui frogs and watch parrots fly overhead. The trails are not paved and not stroller friendly (backpack carrier is recommended). Make sure to tell your kids they shouldn’t pick the flowers or plants. (It can very difficult for little Princesses not to pick flowers.) The trails are graded by difficulty so it’s easy to find the more kid friendly hikes. One kid-friendly hike worth checking out is the hike to La Mina Falls. It’s about 45 minutes and you end at a natural pool where you can swim and picnic with the kids. This is popular spot for families so expect company.
While these activities in San Juan were a hit for my girls, they may not fit for all kids so make sure to ask yourself a few questions before you venture out. Questions such as, what do your kids really like to do or not like Do they like to play in the water? Sand? Explore nature and bugs? Are they prone to motion sickness, if so skip the long car ride to the rainforest. San Juan is a great place to get kids outside of their comfort zone and explore new things but if you push too hard – disaster.
As your kids get older there are even more things to do in San Juan with kids – zip lining through the rain forest and rappelling through caves, snuba, snorkeling, diving and horseback riding on the beach, etc. – I can’t wait to go back! The city and Puerto Rico as a whole really have a lot to offer kids of all ages, even if those kids happen to be “adults”.
Have you visited San Juan with kids? What other activities have you done that we should include?
—
Thanks so much, Elaine, for sharing your Puerto Rico with Kids travel tips with us! Follow more of her family’s adventures at CarpeTravel.com.
Previous Post: Shark Tunnel at Maui Ocean Center
More Tips for Vacation Destinations with Young Children: Destinations at TravelswithBaby.com
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning Travels with Baby and Take-Along Travels with Baby
Curious about this content? See my editorial content disclosure.
When is the right age to take your child to Walt Disney World?
Today’s guest post comes from Jeffrey Merola, author of three Disney World guidebooks, including his newest: The Busy Family’s Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2013, available in paperback and Kindle ebook editions.
It seems nearly every parent wants to take their child to the family vacation capital of the world, but the question that many ponder over is, “At what age do I take my child to Walt Disney World?” My daughter visited for her first magical experience at sixteen months and my son’s rite of passage was at the ripe age of eight months. So, when do you take your child to Walt Disney World for the first time? I believe you can bring a baby or a toddler to visit the “Mouse” at any age! My tips for bringing a child under the age of five will offer you a helping hand.
1) Don’t underestimate the importance of a stroller.
The Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom are large and can be overwhelming for little ones. Their small legs will only be able to handle walking for a short time. You can rent a single or a double stroller at a Walt Disney World theme park for $15 or $31 for the day. You do have the option of bringing a stroller from home and that will save you up to $105 (which would be the cost of renting a single stroller for seven days). My wife and I brought our personal stroller year after year. It may have been a hassle at times, folding it up to get on the Disney bus, but it was with us everywhere, whether it was in the theme parks or the resort when the kids were exhausted. They had a place to crash! My kids even took naps in the stroller while in the theme parks.
2) Take advantage of the Baby Care Center in the theme park you are visiting.
The TriceraTop Spin at Walt Disney World
The Baby Care Centers will accommodate all of your needs if you have a baby. The centers are quaint and have highchairs, rocking chairs, microwaves, televisions, bathrooms, washcloths, and a private area for breastfeeding. My wife enjoyed the privacy of the one in the Magic Kingdom that is next to Crystal Palace. A tip to go along with the baby topic is to pack your diaper bag for the next day before you go to sleep. Make sure to include enough diapers, wipes, baby food, formula, breast milk, an extra outfit (just in case of any accidents), and an ice bag. The wife and I would pack 7 to 10 diapers for the day.
3) Take advantage of character dining.
You can begin to make reservations in one of the Walt Disney World’s restaurants 180 days in advance of your trip. I recommend booking at one or more of the following: Chef Mickey’s in the Contemporary Resort, Crystal Palace and Cinderella’s Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood and Vine in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Donald’s Safari Breakfast at the Tusker House in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, 1900 Park Fare in the Grand Floridian Resort, and breakfast at Cape May in the Beach Club.
One tip my wife and I learned is that a young child will either love getting close to the characters or try to dive out of their highchair when the characters are around! You know your kids best, so go with what you think will keep everyone sane.
4) Know the best attractions for toddlers and young kids in each theme park before you arrive.
Walt Disney World has incredible attractions throughout every theme park. The following are just a few that your child under 5 will enjoy.
Magic Kingdom’s best attractions for toddlers and preschoolers:
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Enchanted Tales with Belle
- Fantasyland area
- Storybook Circus area
Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ best attractions for toddlers and preschoolers:
- Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage
- Disney Junior – Live on Stage
- Toy Story Midway Mania!
- Voyage of the Little Mermaid
Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s best attractions for toddlers and preschoolers:
- Festival of the Lion King
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- TriceraTop Spin
Epcot’s best attractions for toddlers and preschoolers:
- The Living Seas
- Turtle Talk with Crush
5) Enjoy the big rides by using a “child swap pass.”
The concept is a novel one. Let’s say, for example, you are in Disney Hollywood Studios and you want to ride the Tower of Terror. However, you know that your child is too little to go on so what do you do? You will ask a Disney cast member for a child swap pass when you get to the front of the line at the Tower of Terror. One adult will stay with the child that is not riding while everyone else rides the elevator. When they have dropped over and over, the adult who waited with the child can now ride with little wait and take up to 3 family members along.
—
Jeffrey, thanks so much for sharing your Walt Disney World insider tips with us! Mr. Merola has spent around 165 days on property at Disney World, researching and enjoying the theme park with his wife and young children. For more help planning your busy family’s visit to Walt Disney World, use the The Busy Family’s Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2013.
You might also like:
- Best lightweight travel strollers
- Baby gear rental agencies in Orlando and Florida
- Hotel babysitters and vacation nannies in Orlando and Florida
Do you have another helpful tip for families heading to Disney World with a baby, toddler or preschooler in tow? Please share a comment below! Know someone else who could use these tips? Please forward or share with the buttons above (or below if you’re reading this in email).
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning Travels with Baby and Take-Along Travels with Baby
www.travelswithbaby.com facebook twitter about the author
Walt Disney World photos for this post provided by DNPR Sites. Curious about this content? See my editorial content disclosure.
“If you enjoy being able to slip into your skinny jeans when you get home from a week vacationing with the kiddos, then read on.” – The Tini Yogini
Today’s guest post comes from Sarah Stevenson, a.k.a. “The Tini Yogini.” I thought these tips were very timely with Thanksgiving travel (and general holiday gluttony) around the corner, though they can certainly help anyone planning an upcoming family vacation where they don’t want to lose their post-baby pound-shedding momentum. Sarah is mom to a 12-year-old son and is a Certified Yoga Instructor in Southern California, where she teaches not only yoga classes but also life-affirming workshops. She also writes for Beachbody, which provides effective and popular workout videos, including the Insanity Workout, a high-intensity cardio workout for total body conditioning you may have seen featured on TV.
Getting out of your family’s normal routine for a vacation can be so freeing and exciting, but you don’t have to throw your healthy lifestyle out the door while doing it. If you enjoy being able to slip into your skinny jeans when you get home from a week vacationing with the kiddos, then read on. These hints should keep you on the road to good health during travel, so plan ahead and make this your healthiest most creative family vacation so far.
- Build exercise into your family’s itinerary. I don’t mean tying your kid to your waist while running on a treadmill. You may have to abandon your usual exercise regime for a while, but doing physical activities with your children during vacations can burn serious calories too. Plan a hike for your family, take the kids to a local park and swing with them, or run around the perimeter of the playground while they play with new friends.
- Pick the right hotel. Spend time researching the most kid-friendly hotels. For starters, you’re going to want a swimming pool. Swimming with your children is a great, full-body form of exercise. It improves your cardiovascular system, strengthens your muscles, promotes flexibility, and improves your posture. Also keep in mind that finding hotels with a kitchenette equipped will be a huge plus for those who like to eat right — and economically. Cooking some of your meals will also keep your wallet and your waist healthy.
- Take turns with your partner. If you are traveling with a partner, you’re in luck. Two are definitely better than one when trying to stay fit while taking care of children. The two of you can take turns visiting the hotel gym or going for a jog. It’s important that you give yourself “Me time” each day. Being caged up in a hotel room with people who typically have their own space can be challenging.
- Bring exercise DVDs. If you’re already bringing videos for the kids, why not bring your favorite yoga DVD as well? You could squeeze in a workout while your partner gives the nightly bath, or even entertain the kids with their favorite movie while you are working it in front of your laptop.
- Research healthy, kid-friendly restaurants before you go. When vacationing, a healthy balanced diet is usually the first to go, especially when you have kids around. Research healthy, kid-friendly restaurants before you go so you can all enjoy eating right and dining together at your destination. Planning ahead will save your waistline and your mind.
Thanks for the tips, Sarah–I won’t pretend I didn’t just eat a leftover piece of German Chocolate birthday cake while re-reading this, but I have some good ideas of what I’ll do next to make up for it! 
How about you? Do you have a clever way you keep in shape during family travel? Do you have a secret weapon for fending off french fries and fatty foods when traveling with your kids?
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli,
Author of the award-winning Travels with Baby and Take-Along Travels with Baby www.travelswithbaby.com facebook twitter about the author
Curious about this content? See my editorial content disclosure.
Above: Forget the summer when it sizzles. I like Paris in the fall…
Paris is known as one of Europe’s “greenest” cities, having more than 400 parks and gardens scattered throughout its urbanscape. If you are lucky enough to visit Paris with your children in the fall, when tourist crowds thin while the weather still welcomes one and all for strolls through the falling leaves, you won’t want to miss your chance to explore a few of these garden treasures. In today’s guest post, Parisian mother Karen Bras, owner of 2 Kids 1 Bag baby gear rentals serving Paris and the Ile de France, shares with us her three favorite autumn outings in Paris with little kids.
In between the many monuments you no doubt plan to visit in Paris, plan time to explore some Parisian gardens. During fall, it will give you the opportunity to share with your family the light and the color of the trees, the fun of walking or jumping in crisp leaves–and don’t forget to bring a bag for collecting chestnuts with your kids! Here are 3 gardens that I personally like for their locations and family-friendly highlights.
1. Near the Champ de Mars garden (located between the Eiffel Tower and the Ecole Militaire), after a pleasant 15 minute walk, you will find a typical Parisian street (with almost no cars) called “rue Cler”. All food shops are here : cheese, delicatessen, pastries, bread, hot chocolate … which you can share with your children and take away…. After all this walking in the leaves, pamper yourself with a delicious crêpe at the Ulysse shop (I admit I like the Nutella one) or icecream in the Martine Lambert shop (my favourite flavours : melon and bitter orange).
Details on http://en.parisinfo.com/museum-monuments/1263/parc-du-champ-de-mars?1
sailboats at Jardin Luxembourg
2. Inside the Luxembourg Garden (Saint-Germain-des-Prés area), you will find a place where everything is made for parents and kids. The choice of activities is very large: puppets (in French, and for children aged 2 and older), a recreational park for 7 and older … You will also see some petanque and tennis players.
What I specially appreciate (and my kids too , 2 and 5 year old) is the model yacht you can hire to make it sail in the large artificial pond. The model yatch must be pushed thanks to a wooden stick and then have fun racing around the pond to get back it. A real entertaining time for the whole family!
Details on http://en.parisinfo.com/museum-monuments/1241/jardin-du-luxembourg-?1
Above: Pink flamingos at the Jardin de Plantes, Paris
3. Inside the Jardin des Plantes (Quartier Latin district), you’ll find the principal botanical garden of France, with much to explore outdoors and also indoors. While there, you can visit the Menagerie (equivalent to a zoo) with around 1,000 animals and among the most impressive: orangutans, crocodiles, panthers, huge tortoises,and pink flamingos. Created in 1794 as part of the royal gardens, this menagerie is one of the oldest zoos in the world!
Thanks, Karen; what I wouldn’t give to be back on Rue Cler right now!
How about YOU? What is your favorite outing in Paris with little ones? Share with a comment below!
For any of you planning travel to Paris with your baby, toddler, or little kids, be sure to check out these related features, too.
Related posts and pages:
- France – Car seat advice for Paris airport shuttle with baby
- France – Paris: 5 Best with Children Under 5
- France – Best baby-friendly cafe in Paris
- France – Finding diapers in France
- France – Tips for juggling toddler naps while visiting Paris
- France – The captivating carousels of Paris (with some free in December)
More Travels with Baby Europe tips in Destinations.
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli, Author of the award-winning Travels with Baby and Take-Along Travels with Baby www.travelswithbaby.com facebook twitter about the author
Subscribe to Travels with Baby Tips
Curious about this content? See my editorial content disclosure.
I count myself so lucky to have celebrated two Chinese New Years in Taipei, Taiwan, where the celebrations go strong and last long–and I’ll never forget, as a teenager surviving on traveler’s checks, when someone explained to me the banks would be closed eleven days! As you can imagine Chinese New Year is a “really big deal” in Taiwan, as it is in many cities celebrating Lunar New Year around the world. I was thrilled when Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett – a native of Taiwan and creator of the “Let’s Learn Mandarin Chinese with Miss Panda!” audio CD for young children – agreed to share all about the Chinese New Year traditions in Taiwan in this special guest post.
Chinese New Year – the Biggest of the Chinese Holidays
In addition to marking the beginning of each lunar (moon) year, Chinese New Year represents the most important holiday of the year in traditional Chinese culture. You can find it being celebrated in Chinatowns all over the world. It’s naturally a huge event in my native Taiwan, but even here in my current home of Honolulu, Hawaii, Chinese New Year celebrations are a big event and not to be missed.
Origins of Chinese New Year – The Story of “Nian” Beast
Some people say that Chinese New Year celebrations got their start with the story of the “Nian” beast (“nian” being the Chinese word for “year”). As the legend goes, back in ancient times the “Nian” beast came out on the evening of each New Year to destroy crops and ravage villages. One wise old man came to a village and found its people fleeing to hide from the beast. He told the people to instead post red papers on their front doors, hang up bright red lanterns and set off firecrackers to make loud noises to scare away the beast. The villagers followed his directions and the “Nian” beast went away. People were thrilled to once again have a safe and peaceful village and they began to follow these earlier practices with a feast to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. This legend passed on and in its own way explains many of the traditions we follow today in our celebration of the Chinese New Year.
Chinese New Year’s Eve – the Reunion Feast, Red Envelopes and Firecrackers
Starting off Chinese New Year one hundred percent positively is all-important. In order to begin things properly people begin with a major cleaning of the house. “Out with the old and in with the new” is the idea behind this practice. To bring good luck and prosperity families place so-called “spring scrolls”, red papers with lucky words or phrases, on their front doors. Now is the time for the whole family to reunite – from the oldest great grandparent to the youngest newborn baby. The tradition is to go back to your hometown to join the family reunion feast on Chinese New Year’s eve. Because of its great importance families usually take days to prepare for this abundant dinner. Must-have dishes for the meal include fish (which signifies surplus wealth), sticky rice cake (for promotions at work and good grades in school), noodles (for longevity and long life), and dumplings (for wealth and prosperity). After the main courses pineapple is a favorite dessert fruit in Taiwan because the name for pineapple in Taiwanese sounds like “prosperity arrives!”
After dinner, red envelopes with “lucky money” (cash) in them are given to the children – always in an even number amount like 100, 200, 600, 800 or more to signify good luck. In order to receive their envelopes children are expected to say lucky phrases to their elders such as “gong xi, gong xi” (congratulations), “xin nian kuai le” (Happy New Year), “gong xi fa cai” (congratulations on your prosperity) and “wan shi ru yi” (may everything go as you wish). Parents may also receive red envelopes from their adult children. By doing so, the adult children are showing the parents that they are doing well in their own jobs or businesses.
The excitement keeps climbing through the night. After the red envelopes are distributed, some families play Mahjong, a popular Chinese tile game with four adult players per table. Some families also play card games, Chinese chess, or Chinese checkers. The children go with their parents to set off all kinds of firecrackers. The popping sounds of the firecrackers build all night to the climax at twelve o’clock midnight. Families and business owners set off long strings of red firecrackers at midnight for luck and prosperity in the coming year. You can feel the excitement of the arrival of Chinese New Year by listening to the non-stop crackle of firecrackers throughout the entire city.
Not Just a One-Night Affair – the Fifteen Days of Chinese New Year
Due to its importance, the Chinese New Year celebration lasts not one day, but fifteen. With Chinese New Year allowing people to have five days or more off from work and school, families have time to catch up with each other. Some days of the celebration are associated with special practices. The first day of Chinese New Year finds people enjoying the day savoring New Year’s delicacies, shopping in the special New Year’s marketplaces and having guests over. The second day of the Chinese New Year is the traditional day for married daughters to return to visit their own parents. The fifth day of the Chinese New Year is typically the day for businesses to reopen and for some people to go back to work (but typically not back to school). In any case the Chinese New Year celebration continues for fifteen days with people saying lucky phrases to greet each other during this time and making efforts to avoid any negative thoughts, words and actions. The tradition is to be happy and joyful during this time so that happiness and good luck will follow you for the whole year.
—–
Thanks so much to Amanda “Miss Panda” Hsiung-Blodgett (whose Chinese last name literally means “bear”) for this great guest post on one of the biggest family holiday celebrations in the world. Amanda is the mother of two young bilingual children and the creator of the “Let’s Learn Mandarin Chinese with Miss Panda!” audio CD – the first installment of her Chinese learning series for young children. A native of Taipei, Taiwan with parents from Mainland China, she currently lives in Honolulu, Hawaii. She has travelled to Turkmenistan, England, Thailand, Taiwan, and Bahrain with her two children. For more information about “Miss Panda” visit her at MissPandaChinese.com or on Facebook and Twitter.
Watch here for more about the traditions of Chinese New Year!
And learn more about fun and fascinating family traditions around the world in Travels with Baby Traditions.
 |
| Careful, kids… the Befana may fly overhead any moment and see what you’re up to! |
 |
| Even a “coal” from the Befana can be a treat. |
On the morning of the 6th, it is a special day in which kids get excited and parents become children again. The little ones wake early and cagily run in the kitchen to check if the stockings they left close to the hood have been filled (in Rome fireplaces are not common!).
History of the Befana
 |
| Tomie DePaola’s children’s book |
“Befana” we now know as the name of the ugly old lady that, according to the legend, was asked by the Magi to show them the right way to get to the Infant Jesus. Since it was very cold, she refused to join them, but later, feeling remorse, she decided to go around taking a gift to every child, hoping to meet Jesus.
 |
| A broom from the market of Befana |
Final note:
Make a Clean Sweep for the New Year
 |
| Placing their shoes by the door reminds the Kings how many children live there. |
—
Thanks so much to Alejandra for sharing this fun South American tradition with us! And for any of you planning travel to Buenos Aires with your young child, check out her gear rentals and remember you don’t have to lug it all with you! Next week we’ll globe trot to another famed city where the children are also looking forward to (hopefully) treats from a very different visitor!
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli 2007 – 2011
 |
| Paris has lovely carousels year round, with an extra 20 carousels offering free rides the final 2 weeks of December. |
Today, the Travels with Baby Traditions series takes us to Paris, where resident mom Camille Spanjaard whisks us past the loveliest carousels in all the city – a definite highlight of Paris in December. Camille is the founder of Baby’Tems baby equipment rental agency in Paris, and she recently partnered with Babychou, a long-term and short-term babysitting specialist.
Actually there’s a multiplication of carousels in Paris at this time of year. And besides those present all year round, kids will discover various other merry-go-rounds appearing in addition to those from December 17th till January 1st of 2012, during which time Paris is making 20 of its carousels free for everyone (note: the carousels listed here are not among those free).Since I (or more precisely, my kids) have repeated experience with a lot of them in Paris, here are my children’s top 3 favorite carousels, chosen because they are special… and with one on each side of Paris…
2nd Place is for the oldest one in Paris: after visiting the Eiffel Tower, have a walk in the Champ de Mars … with the Eiffel Tower in your back, go to the right of the park, you’ll find a tiny (but so cute !) merry-go-round with wooden horses only…and no electric engine. 2 guys are needed to start it…pushing it manually. Once launched, one turns the handle while the other one is installing the game (rings that kids need to catch with their stick).
3rd Place (but certainly not the last place…it’s so hard to make a selection among all Paris carousels tested) is the traditional one at bottom of Sacré-Coeur (place Saint Pierre)… for its view on the basilica and its proximity to great baby friendly places. ok, this one is rather my favorite rather than my kids’ one…
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli 2007 – 2011
Bronze Award Winner in Travel Blogs from the North American Travel Journalists Association
