| Bangkok always seemed to me a bit of a | | | | Phrom Pong) and taxi or a bus. Funarium is a giant |
| paradox when it comes to kids. Sure Thai people | | | | indoor soft play centre, with giant climbing frames, |
| are, on the whole, very friendly and love kids. | | | | roller skating area, small football/basketball pitch, |
| Walking around anywhere in Bangkok, on the | | | | soft play for babies and an upstairs arts and |
| street or in a shopping centre your child will | | | | crafts area. Your kids will spend hours here and |
| always attract lots of attention and coo-cooing. | | | | (fingers crossed!) be shattered by the end! |
| However to take a look at Bangkok as a city, it | | | | Khao Kheow Open Zoo - Chonburi Province |
| always struck me as being incredibly child | | | | This is not in Bangkok, but Chonburi province, |
| unfriendly. | | | | about an hour or two from Bangkok depending |
| Poorly maintained, narrow and congested | | | | on traffic. So you'd either need to hire a car or |
| pavements make pushing a pushchair near | | | | book onto a day tour. But if your child likes zoos, |
| impossible. A lack of lifts and a lot of stairs make | | | | this place is streets ahead of Dusit Zoo in |
| life even more difficult. The traffic is always bad | | | | Bangkok. The animals are kept in open enclosures |
| which makes crossing the street at ground level | | | | and seem to be reasonably well cared for. There |
| always a risky task! And I wasn't really aware of | | | | are opportunities to feed some animals and |
| many child friendly activities as they're all fairly | | | | elephant rides are available for an extra fee. |
| well hidden. | | | | Another great day out, if you fancy escaping |
| Before my latest trip to Thailand I found myself | | | | Bangkok for a while! |
| thinking, what will I do with our daughter who is | | | | Safari World - Minburi (North Eastern edge of |
| now at the age where she needs constant | | | | Bangkok) |
| entertaining? So I did some research, asked | | | | This is another drive through zoo, along similar |
| around and came up with the following list. These | | | | lines to Khao Kheow and again you'd really need |
| places are fairly diverse and well spread around | | | | to book on a day tour to access it. See my |
| town, so should give your kids something to do | | | | website for pictures, link at the bottom. |
| wherever you're staying. | | | | Shopping centres around Bangkok |
| Children's Discovery Museum - Rotfai Gardens, | | | | You will find that a lot of shopping centres around |
| Chatuchak Park | | | | Bangkok have some kind of kids play area |
| Located just across the road from the top | | | | (usually on the top floor). They all have a |
| entrance to Chatuchak Weekend Market and | | | | combination of cinema, bowling, ice skating and |
| opposite Chatuchak Park, this place is very easily | | | | child friendly restaurants as well. |
| accessed by Skytrain (Mo Chit) or underground | | | | Siam Paragon shopping centre - Aquarium and |
| (Chatuchak). Ideal for children from the age of | | | | Department Store toy section |
| about 4 upwards, it has lots of interactive exhibits | | | | As much as I personally don't like the place, Siam |
| in various themed zones. There's a science zone, | | | | Paragon has a lot to offer kids! There is a |
| featuring amongst other things a giant bubble | | | | somewhat overpriced aquarium in the basement. |
| maker which your child can stand inside! There's | | | | That said, it does offer a great array of sea life |
| also a Global Warming zone, Nature zone, outdoor | | | | and your kids will love it. |
| play areas and best of all cake decorating! | | | | Also, the toy section of the Paragon department |
| Although older children will definitely get more out | | | | store is great free entertainment for your little |
| of it, there is also plenty to occupy toddlers as | | | | one (if you can handle the nagging to buy things!) |
| well. | | | | They have a lot of toys laid out that your little |
| Yoyoland - Seacon Square | | | | one is welcome to play with, as well as a soft |
| This place is a little bit more out of the way; to | | | | play area and some small sit on rides and |
| travel there you'd need to take a Skytrain to the | | | | computer games. |
| end of the Sukhumvit line at On Nut, then a taxi | | | | There are other activities that we didn't get |
| onto Srinagarindra Road. But if you can make it, | | | | around to this time, such as the Butterfly Garden |
| it's well worth a day or half a day out. This is | | | | (near to the Discovery Museum), hire a pedal |
| basically a small theme park in Seacon Square | | | | boat on the lake in Lumpini Park or even just a |
| shopping centre, open from 11 each day. It gets | | | | ride around on the Skytrain! |
| busy at weekends, but never so bad that you | | | | This is just a small selection of some child friendly |
| shouldn't consider going. We never queued more | | | | activities that are available in Bangkok. Like |
| than 5 minutes for any rides. There are carousels, | | | | everything in Bangkok, there is so much more |
| a train track, ferris wheel, racing cars, ghost train, | | | | available than you might think, you just need to |
| log flume, soft play, computer games and more. | | | | scratch beneath the surface and do a little |
| Your little one will love this place! | | | | research beforehand. Of course you can always |
| Funarium - Rama IV Road | | | | ask a local for some recommendations, they're |
| Located just off Rama IV Road, you can access | | | | always happy to help! |
| this place with a combination of Skytrain (to | | | | |