Winter and Rainy Day Activities for Families
While the northern hemisphere is basking in soaring temperatures, Buenos Aires in June, July and August gets a little relief from those sticky, sultry summer days. Buenos Aires is still a top family destination in winter, and can even be a better time to visit when the mercury isn’t climbing into the 40s. But wet and cold days provide more of a challenge when it comes to entertaining the little ones. Here are six tried and tested ideas for things to do in the winter months in BA.
1. Museo de Niños
Top of the list, to quickly become a family favourite, is Abasto’s Museo de Niños. Located in the Abasto shopping mall, Museo de Niños is chock-full of things to do. Older kids can play at being bank tellers, dentists, doctors, and shop assistants in miniature shops and offices. There’s a newspaper office, a working TV studio where the children’s program is broadcast on screens around the shopping centre, and a post office. For babies there’s a soft playroom with blocks, puppets, crawling spaces and other fun things, as well as a music room. It’s probably best to go on a sunnier day in the week as this place gets super-busy on rainy days at the weekend.
Open Tuesday to Sunday and holidays 1pm–8pm
Admission is around $80 pesos for kids and $30 for adults (children under 2 go free)
Abasto Shopping Center, Level 2, Av. Avenida Corrientes 3247
+54 11 4861 2325
http://www.museoabasto.org.ar/index.asp
2. La Bomba for Kids
A mini version of the adult Bomba Tiempo club night with wild, live drumming on stage to bring a little heat to the winter vacations. La Bomba is in the Konex Centre and is suitable for older children with loud music and lots of surprises.
Tuesday 24 July at 4pm
Entrance is $40 pesos in advance and $45 on the door
Ciudad Cultural Konex, Sarmiento 3131
+54 11 4864 3200
http://www.ciudadculturalkonex.org/?page=inicio&subpage=evento&item=524-la_bomba_atp#
3. ¡Prohibido No Tocar! Museo Participativo de Ciencias
It’s “Prohibited not to Touch” in this children’s museum. The science displays are interesting and active, and encourage youngsters to discover how electricity, gravity, and other phenomena work. The museum is next to Recoleta Cemetery – if it’s not raining, take the kids to this Buenos Aires institution before you head into the museum. Older children will love the Gothic atmosphere of the place (and will enjoy spotting the many cats that hide around the tombs.)
During school time: Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 5pm and Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 3.30pm to 7.30pm
During winter vacation: Tuesday to Friday from 12.30pm to 7.30pm and Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 3.30pm to 7.30pm
Admission is $50 pesos
Centro Cultural Recoleta, Junin 1930
+54 11 4807 3260 / 4806 3456
http://www.mpc.org.ar/index.html
4. Mundo Discovery Kids
If it’s pouring down with rain and the family is climbing the walls, have them let off steam at Mundo Discovery Kids. On the first level is a café with plenty of treats (plus Wi-Fi access) and on the second level is a large play space with toys, games, soft spaces, and arts and crafts tables. Children under two must be accompanied by a parent but older kids are looked after by attendants – adults can stay in the café for a few hours.
Monday to Friday from 4pm to 8pm, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 12pm to 8pm
Prices are around $50 pesos for ½ hour, $80 pesos for 1 hour, and $160 pesos for the whole session.
Federico Lacroze 1648, off Av. Libertador
+54 11 4772 2282
http://mundodiscoverykids.com.ar
5. Family-Friendly Restaurants and Cafes
If all else fails and all you really want to do is sit down in the warm while the little ones destroy a pile of drawing paper and (hopefully) leave you five minutes of coffee-drinking peace, try a family-friendly café or restaurant. You’ll get the measure of a place just by looking through the window to see if there are any other families, and there isn’t as much stigma attached to bringing the kiddies to a restaurant in BA as there often is in the UK or US.
If you’re looking for a place to eat that also has a play area, try Casimiro, a family restaurant with a separate play space for the little ones to let off steam while you relax. For yummy cakes and coffee, Casa Mua is a cute little café with a play space for little ones that attracts a lively expat crowd.
Casimiro Norcenter: Panamá 3707
Casimiro Vicente López: Blas Parera 739
http://www.lawebdecasimiro.com/
Casa Mua: Soler 4202 y en Paraguay 5700
https://www.facebook.com/casa.mua
6. Indoor Crafts
For a relaxed and quiet afternoon discovering crafts, drop into Play. This creative space holds a variety of different events for children and their families. Take a look at the Facebook page to see which seasonal events, activities or workshops are coming up.
Monday to Friday from 9am to 1pm and 4pm to 7pm
Juncal 1432
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Play-Jugando-Crecemos/493843287395582