Planckendael - the closest zoo

If you live in Brussels, having a year pass for Planckendael is highly recommended.

A quick 15 minute drive and you are in a zoo with lots of animals (and often a great offering of baby animals), a number of nice and fun playgrounds and play areas such as hanging bridges, climbing structures, petting zoo and much more.

It is open on every day of the year, and even if the weather is a bit wet - well you can play around in the birdhouse.

There are a number of restaurants and cafes with typical Belgian fare (such as meatballs, hamburgers) and many many picnic areas.

Moreover, you'll get also free entry to the Antwerp zoo...

Frankly, it has been one of our best investments with young kids who always find something new and interesting in this place.

Centerparks - Erperheide - long weekend in a holiday park

It took us a long time to try out one of the Center Parks holiday villages, located around Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and France.

We finally decided to try Erperheide barely two hours from Brussels. The park was better than expected. The huge tropical swimming area had many different play and slide areas for all sizes of children: baby pool, toddler pool with slide and sand area, fast slides for bigger kids.

There were also different types of pool inside and outside, so even though the park was full, it did not feel crowded. There are quick eating options inside the pool area, so if your kids are like ours - not wanting to leave the pool area, it is possible to be there almost the whole day. The water is nice and warm.

So, while we spent most time in the pool, there are some other nice features of the park: a small animal farm, an indoor playground for the rainy days. There are also paying activities: you can rent bikes, paddle boat and there are a few small playgrounds around.

The cottages were nice, with a small, but well-equipped kitchenette and BBQ equipment if you want to cook. We opted for the half-board, which was a buffet breakfast and dinner (though in the evening not including drinks...). It was OK, but considering the number of restaurants, and the constant promotions, it is probably possible to pick and choose on spot for the same budget.

In the pools the kids have to wear floating vests, which are provided there for free. Other equipment that can be useful: sand toys, buckets, scuba diving equipment for the scuba pool.

It was in the end a very pleasant long weekend, and definitely a nice destination for long weekends, especially if you can find a good last-minute promotion.

Technopolis

I cannot believe that it took us so many years to go and visit Technopolis in Mechelen.

It is a good-sized museum / science playground with age-appropriate parts for children of all sizes: from toddlers to young teens. It is also fun for the adults! Our preschoolers thoroughly enjoyed the different places and activities on offer.

We decided for a year pass, as it seems like a better destination on a rainy day than the indoor playgrounds. In the morning hours it tends to be more quiet, while by the afternoon on a weekend, the crowd can get pretty overwhelming.

Kraainem, playground around the sportshall / Parc du Château Jourdain

In the North of Kraainem, near the communal sporthall, there is a little sandy playground, with a skateboarding practice area, a couple of basketball halls.

The play area has also easy access to the little pond of the Parc du Château Jourdain, with geese, ducks, swans and other water birds. With a little stroll around the pond and into the woods, there is another small playground.


Map

Adventure with the Dinosaurs - Natural Science Museum, Brussels

If you are new in town, chances are, you have not heard of it. But the Natural Science Museum in Brussels, close to the European Parliament boasts one of the best dinosaur collections in the world.

It is truly amazing and has neat hands on parts making it very suitable for a young crowd. The museum has other collections too: rocks, bugs, butterflies, temporary exhibits. The prices are budget friendly, and it is easy to get lost for a good part of the day.

Playground Dames Blanches - Woluwe

The newly renovated playgound at close to the Tir aux Pigeons stop of bus 36 in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre is a new gem. 

While it is a small place, it offers activities for a wide range of ages from the very small to the adventurer 8-12 year old crowd. 

Cloitre Rouge - playgrounds, nature walks - all inside the city

The Cloitre Rouge in Auderghem is one of those places that you will keep going back to if you are in Brussels.

It is a multi-functional area, with the big old cloister building with its open spaces, two playgrounds (one entirely in the form of a pirate ship) and a little forest-gym / obstacle course part connecting the two. There is lake to walk around, some horses and donkeys to see and a big sport fields nearby.