Any great playgrounds in Madrid?

Question

I'm going to be coming to Madrid for Semana Santa -- April 2-12. This is the first time I'll visit with kids. We are staying near Retiro. I have 6 year old girls. Are there any other great playgrounds that we should visit? (It helps the kids behave better during museum visits!) Any other great kid spots also appreciated!

Answer 1

Parque del Retiro is a great place if not you can go to La Casa de Campo it's a large park

Answer 2

you can go to Casa de Campo, it is a big park, and you can go to the zoo which is near there too. For your kids there is a big amusement park called Parque de atracciones, it has a lot of fun.

El Retiro is very beautiful, it has big river and always have many street performers and artists.

Jardin Botanico (botanical garden) is good too, it is near Prado Museum.

Answer 3

Retiro Park has wonderful, well-maintained playground equipment!  There are several playgrounds within the park, some are aimed at slightly younger or slightly older kids.  There are also sandy areas for pail-and-shovel play.  Also in Retiro, there is a small lake with fish and ducks.  Stop at a grocery store before going into the park and buy a loaf of bread (or something similar) to feed them...you can buy things to eat/feed the animals in the park, but the convenience comes at a price.  Puppet shows, fortune tellers, etc. also available on Sunday afternoons...but you'll need to understand Spanish for them to be worthwhile.

There is also a wonderful, huge park called Parque Juan Carlos on the north side of town, just off the M-40 between the N-II and the N-I.  Or you can take the Metro...the stop is called Campo de las Naciones.  Good playground equipment and a small (free) museum that kids would like within the park.

The Madrid Zoo is definitely worth a visit!  It is expensive, so plan to spend the whole day there.  You can take a picnic, or get a decent and decently-priced lunch there.  It opens at 10.30 am, but do stay late since they feed the animals in the afternoon.  Open every day except Christmas Day.

CosmoCaixa, exit # 14 or 16 off the N-I or metro stop Valdelasfuentes.  An interactive science museum that is specifically geared to kids.  Lots of touchable exibits, even touchable animals.  Cheap and you can eat lunch in their cafeteria.  It opens at 10 am, get there early and make a reservation for the kids to attend "Toca-Toca" and the other activity whose name I forget at the moment.



The Atocha Train Station has a botanical garden with a small pond...with turtles.  Not a bad choice if the weather isn't cooperating...adults can have coffee and the kids can watch the turtles.  

The Warner Brothers Park is very expensive and is not exactly geared for 6 year olds.

For kids, I would highly recommend the Museo Arqueológico, Museo de Ciencias Naturales, a visit to the Royal Palace, and a ride on the Metro.  The Thyssen-Bornemisza is so HUGE, it overwhelms even adults.  The Prado, again, is so HUGE, unless you are going there to see specific works, it can really overwhelm kids.  Many museums are free on Sundays...and ALL of them close on Mondays.