Something to do in Germany w/kids?

Question

Looking for something to do in Mosel area of Germany that does not contain a visit to a castle/ruin, church or museum! We've been here for 2 years, and we're all castled out! We've been to dozens of museums and churches too. They are all merging into a gray blur. We need something fun the kids will like. We like outdoorsy stuff, but we can go into the city as well. We like Germany, but we're bored. Any thoughts?

Answer 1

As recently seen on German TV: Bol d'Air in La Bresse, France (That is close to Mulhouse). It is an adventure action park. They have a cable where you can fly down the hill like Superman, a bungee-jumping thing with a safety net and a rope climbing park.

http://www.bol-d-air.fr/

Answer 2

how about a kayak tour or a canoe tour? you also can have river tours with ships on the donau, rhein etc.near nuernberg is an area called fraenkische schweiz which has a bunch of caves and is very beautiful to hike

Answer 3

visit Hamburg - the kids will love Hagenbeck Zoo - the biggest private zoo in the world, or http://www.miniatur-wunderland.com/ or a boat trip  or the Hamburg Dungeon http://www.thedungeons.com/en/hamburg-du... ... or  or or  Hamburg is an exciting city!

Answer 4

Hirsch- und Sau Park Daun

The outdoor swimming pool in Wittlich

The indoor swimming pool in Cochem

Why no try to explore an other part of Germany  though?

Answer 5

You did not say boys or girls,  so I will just guess:

Why don't you go to the nearest art supply store and buy some pads of watercolor paper,  some brushes in various widths,  and a nice set of gouache paints in tubes and don't forget to get extra Chinese white,  black,  gold and silver gouache....and maybe some fantasy colors like magenta or turquoise or pearl..... and go outdoor and paint the scenery:  animals,  houses,  nice trees,  etc....oh,  and do you know what is really fun?  Make fancy signs with the children's names to put on their bedroom doors:  make the name in the center (or wherever they wish ) and decorate with pine branches,  or birds,  or leaves they collect in the woods,  anything the children paint / draw well (get a drawing pen with waterproof ink ...even a ball pen will do)...they might make signs for your room also,  and fun signs for the other rooms in the house.....and be sure to get inexpensive frames at the art store for their paintings,  and hang them up !!

** collect pine cones and put them into bowls with whole spices like cloves,  cinnamon sticks,

and little slices of orange peel,  pieces of nutmeg ....leave them by the front door to scent the house,  even put in a couple of pine branches

Or:  you could go to a yarn store and buy some *big* yarn and some *big* knitting needles (as big around as your finger) and make Poorboys .....those are sweaters that are knitted straight up the sides like rectangles,  fastened at the sides leaving room for armholes,  then just at the sides of the shoulder so they come out with a 'bateau' neck straight aross with no shaping,  they take very little skill and are finished before you know it.... ....they are nice over shirts to keep you warm when the castle floor is chilly

and let's see:  

How about for a rainy day,  hold a Murbteig contest:   see who makes the best Murbteig and give the winner something special,  like a beautiful chef's apron or something dear to a child's heart

or:

buy some inexpensive beads and some fishing line and make necklaces

here for a rainy day are three recipes I just found for myself,  and will include here ... the recipes are all very good ones,  old-fashioned and correct

Sugar Zwieback

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sugar-Zwieb...

very nice,  old-fashioned recipe,  delicious

Viennese Crescent Holiday Cookies

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Viennese-Cr...

(these can be made with almonds,  walnuts, or pecans,  too)(good for holdays,  but good for tea also;  you can make the ones for Christmas special by dipping one end in melted chocolate)

Pfeffernusse

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pfeffernuss...

these are very good,  old-fashioned,  make little cookies like acorns / nuts,   just as the name suggests / one of the comments that goes with this recipe is to use white pepper instead of black and to use 1 1/2  or even 2 times the amount specified ....you also might consider omitting the baking soda,  it just tastes awful and the oldest recipes never specify it,  since cookies do not need to be raised....,  one recipe I have for Pfeffernusse indicates a little chopped candied orange peel

which might be delicious,  if not quite traditional

(usually for Christmas)

x

Answer 6

Lots of other things you can do besides castles:

Check out this Germany travel guide:

http://www.live-like-a-german.com/German...

In particular for younger kids this is fun:

Theme Park Lochmuehle

http://www.live-like-a-german.com/Travel...

This is not that far away from where you live. Of course now in winter time not that great. However, starting in April/May this is definitely worth going.

There are other theme parks mentioned here, so I don't repeat these.

In late winter / early spring this is also fun for the family:

Taunus Therme in Bad Homburg (also not that far away.)

http://www.live-like-a-german.com/German...

Kids like to play in the warm indoor pools. The nearby "Seedammbad" has also lots to offer for the whole family.

There is a good hotel "Steigenberger" near by. You can basically stay there, walk through the park, go to Taunus Therme on one day, next day go to Seedammbad. Enjoy the good food and entertainment in Bad Homburg's Kurpark area, and then head back home on Sunday afternoon.

Definitely good alternatives to castles... ;-)

Answer 7

Europa park in karlsruhe is good and the zoo in Berlin with Knut is great also Babelsberg where the films are being made is great.

Answer 8

This is a great amusement park for kids it's called Europa Park. Good Luck!!

Answer 9

Lüneburger Heath – Sitting between the Elbe and Aller rivers, the Wilseder Berg Nature Park is the oldest nature reserve in Germany; protected wetlands. You'll find purple heather and juniper bushes along the way if you take a ride in a horse drawn carriage.  Vogelpark Walsrode (Walsrode) – Calling itself the largest bird zoo in the world, you'll find birds and plants from every continent here: storks, penguins, owls, flamingoes, cranes, parrots... With lots of walk-through aviaries, open air exhibits, and a bird cage museum you'd think that would be enough (after all, they suggest scheduling 4 hours to take it in) – but there's also an "Adventure Playground" with separate sections for over and under 10 year olds, including sailing in wooden boats in Congo Land, inflatable trampolines, a ball pool...whew!

Answer 10

Being a German myself, I understand your feelings pretty well. The Mosel area is not actually fit for kids. I don't know how old they are, but maybe you'd consider joining them with a club, I mean: soccer is the all-time favorite in Germany, and they'll like it, I'm sure. And you'll be a "soccer mom" (or dad). I know some, and they just enjoy it. You really should send your kids to some sports activities before the boring gets too tough.

On the other hand, not all kids like sports. Again, the question is how old your kids are. My parents bought me an "interrail" ticket when I was 14, and I travelled to France then. Learned a lot, and we didn't have mobile phones then. I think my mom was about to die until I called her from Normandy and said I'm alright. If your children are of that age, I think you should givethem the chance to travel Europe on their own. That's once in a lifetime. A chance like this will never come back.

Answer 11

What about the Holidaypark in Haßloch/Pfalz or the Zoo in Heidelberg? Frankfurt Zoo is also nice.

There are other theme parcs and zoos too:

SEA LIFE Speyer

Zoo Kaiserslautern in Kaiserslautern

Zoo Landau in der Pfalz in Landau

Zoo Neuwied in Neuwied

Eifelpark in Gondorf

Holiday Park in Haßloch

Kurpfalz-Park in Wachenheim

Wild- und Freizeitpark Klotten in Klotten

Wild- und Wanderpark Südliche Weinstraße in Silz

Hochwildschutzpark Hunsrück in Rheinböllen

Wildpark Wildenburg bei Kempfeld

Answer 12

I don't know where Mosel is, but I would recommend Tripsdrill (a small theme park north of Stuttgart) and Holiday Park (in Frankfurt a.M.) and Europa Park in Basel. They are all really fun amusement parks.

Answer 13

In summer, try to go swimming in one of the "Mare", the lakes that developed in old vulcano-craters. There are lots of other kids there, and it's that much more fun than an indoor or outdoor swimming pool.