What’s On in May 2016

The month of May is here with so many exciting family events you’ll be spoilt for choice. Here’s our initial list of events taking place in Geneva, Vaud and nearby France but remember to keep checking our blog as we will be updating this post with more events each week:

• You can read our previous post to find all the best child-friendly places to enjoy a delicious and stress-free Sunday brunch with your little buttons.
• Stuck for ideas on a Sunday? Find some ideas and suggestions here !
• Spring is a fantastic time to explore Switzerland and its picturesque villages. Read our previous post for suggestions about great days out with the kids.
• When the sun is out, why not take the boat across the lake to visit the medieval village of Yvoire in nearby France?
• A bit further away but definitely worth a visit is the French village of Pérouges, it’s a great family day out!

 

MAY BANK HOLIDAYS 

Spring is in the air, bank holidays abound. What better time to book a short family break or weekend getaway? Here’s some child-friendly destinations we’ve tried out so far on a short weekend break — please do share your own recommendations for a great family holiday!

Papiliorama in Kerzers (CH); Ballenberg Open Air Museum (CH); Bern (CH); Thun (CH); Pérouges (France); Lyon (France); Versailles (France); Dijon (France); Aosta (Italy); LEGOLAND in Windsor (UK) and many more charming places to see in Switzerland.

Sunday 1st of May: Labour Day, bank holiday in France.

Thursday 5th of May: Ascension (jeudi de l’Ascension), bank holiday in Geneva, France and Canton Vaud.

Monday 16th of May: Whit Monday (lundi de Pentecôte), bank holiday in Geneva and Canton Vaud.

 

PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Public libraries in Geneva, Carouge and Lausanne offer many activities for children of all ages, including workshops, story-times (usually in French but many times in other languages too) and puppet shows.  The bibliothèques in Geneva, Lausanne and neighbouring communes hold too many kids events each month to list them all here so here’s some links you can check regularly:

Geneva public libraries events & activities

Carouge public libraries events & activities

Lausanne public libraries events & activities

 

LUDOBUS

The toy library buses called LUDOBUS are back in Geneva! From the 8th of May until the end of summer the red and blue ludobus will be travelling to different parks in Geneva to keep the little ones entertained in the afternoon from 4pm to 6.30pm (from 5.30pm to 7pm during the summer holidays). FREE ENTRY, activities are free for children.

You can click here to download the  exact dates and locations for both ludobus covering Servette; St-Jean; Petit-Saconnex; Plainpalais; Jonction; Acacias; Pâquis; Grottes; St-Gervais; Eaux-Vives; Champel and Cité.

 

MAY 2016 EVENTS LISTINGS:

• 29th-30th April & 1st May 2016: Carnaval de Lausanne, a wonderful family fest with Guggenmusiks, live music, pony-rides and parades where the kids will be able to flaunt their carnival costumes. The carnival takes over Lausanne’s city centre until Sunday 1st of May. Entry is free for all and the events include dance shows, live music, kids activities, the Guggenmusiks concert-apéro and the carnival parade at 2.30pm on Sunday. Click here for the full programme.

 

• 30th April-12th June 2016: the Café des Jardins at the iris Gardens in Vullierens (VD) re-opens for the season and they will be offering their delicious Sunday brunches on Sundays and Bank Holidays, where the menu includes sweet & savoury dishes as well as a selection from their BBQ. The price is 55CHF per person and 28CHF for children aged 4 to 12, drinks and entry to the gardens are not included in the price – bookings must be made well in advance at 079 844 68 60 or cafe@jardindesiris.ch. Find out more about these beautiful iris gardens in our previous post and check their official website for their upcoming spring Sunday brunches.

 

• Sunday 1st May 2016: Free entry to all museums and exhibitions in Geneva, a special initiative organized by the city of Geneva offering free access to permanent and temporary exhibitions on the first Sunday of every month.

 

• Sunday 1st May 2016: Les secrets du serpent, fun family activity and guided tour suitable for all ages for ages at the MEG museum in Geneva (Musée d’ethnographie de la Ville de Genève, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 65-67). The event is open to all and FREE OF CHARGE, meet the group in the museum’s foyer anytime between 2pm and 5pm.

 

 

• Sunday 1st May 2016: “Cap sur l’Afrique avec Tohu Wa Bohu” story-time songs and music for children at Geneva’s MEG museum (in French). Suitable for toddlers from age 2, the first session will take place from 4pm to 4.45pm in the museum’s foyer, and the second one from 5pm until 5.45pm. FREE ENTRY, no advance booking required. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

 

• Sunday 1st May 2016: ‘Rendez-vous au jardin’, a fabulous spring event held in the gardens and grounds of Prangins Castle (VD) from 10am until 5pm.  This yearly event is a great family day-out: take part in creative workshops and garden tours or stock up on seeds and veggies. Don’t forget to visit the museum or just relax and take in the breathtaking view from its glorious gardens! Entry is free for everyone as are the guided tours and workshops.

 

• Sunday 1st May 2016: Fête de Printemps de l’Arboretum: “A la découverte “, the annual spring festival at the Arboretum national park is a great day-out for the whole family. From 10am until 5.30pm there will be specialist guided tours for birds lovers, activities for children, games and scrumptious food stalls!

 

• until 1st May 2016: Printemps Carougeois – Carouge’s spring festival will kick off with an impressive line-up of concerts, dance shows, workshops and kids’ shows. There will be two theatre shows for children and three “Ateliers jeune public” (kids’ workshops) in French. Take a look at their online programme for full details.

 

• until 1st May 2016: Festival La Cour des Contes in Plan-les-Ouates has a programme packed with fantastic shows and events for all ages (and many are free!), so take a look at their official programme online to find out more about it and reserve your places. On Wednesday 27th of April there will be 2 creative workshops for kids: Atelier “Marionnettes petits contes” run by Castelet and starting at 9am. Suitable for children aged 2 to 6, accompanied by an adult. “Quand je pense à …” run by La Lucarne, starting at 1.30pm. Suitable for children aged 7+. Workshops are FREE OF CHARGE but places must be booked in advance at 022 884 64 60or by email at culture@plan-les-ouates.ch

 

• until 1st May 2016: 30th Geneva Book & Press Fair at Geneva Palexpo. The Geneva book fair is going to be filled with great activities for children, including yoga for kids, comics workshops, story-times and much more. Take a look at the official programme for full details.

 

• Wednesday 4th May 2016: MEGNomade – La visite au fil des contes, guided tour and story-time for ages 6+ conducted in French by Floriane Facchini at the  MEG museum in Geneva (Musée d’ethnographie de la Ville de Genève, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 65-67). The tour is open to all and FREE OF CHARGE, meet the group at the information desk. Starting at 2pm until 3.30pm.

 

• Wednesday 4th May 2016: Les mercredis à la Villa Freundler, free Wednesday activities for children at the Villa Freundler in Plainpalais (Place de Saint-François 4). Activities include games, creative workshops, sports and they will run from 1.30pm to 6pm. FREE ENTRY, no advance booking necessary, children must be accompanied by an adult/carer.

 

• Wednesday 4th May 2016: “Heureux qui comme Ulysse…”, part of the Mercredis Family at the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva (Rue Charles-Galland 2). Children aged 6 to 10 accompanied by an adult are welcome every Wednesday at 3pm to discover all about the museum collections in a fun, interactive way. FREE ENTRY, no advance booking required.

 

• Wednesday 4th May 2016: Des dinosaures dans mon jardin – Animation du mercredi, Wednesday FREE workshops for children aged 7+ and accompanied by an adult at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Genève (1, route de Malagnou). These free fossils workshops will take place from 2pm until 4.30pm. FREE ENTRY.

 

• Wednesday 4th May 2016: Jours d’ouverture aux familles at the Maison de la Créativité in Conches (7, chemin Calandrini). These family activities will take place in the afternoon from 2.30pm to 5pm. Entry is 3CHF per adult and per child aged 2+.

 

• Thursday 5th May 2016: “Fête du Printemps” organized by the Maison du Quartier de la Jonction at the Parc Gourgas in ‪Geneva‬. From 10am to 8pm there will be live music, DJ sets, activities for children — including bouncy castles, workshops, face painting, ludobus from the toy library. There will be a free puppet show for kids at 2pm and a colourful “Lâcher de ballons” at 4.15pm. FREE ENTRY.

 

• 6th-8th May 2016: “Jardins en fête” at the Château de Coppet (VD). Stock up on your spring seedlings at this wonderful garden festival, in the beautiful setting of Coppet Castle. With over 120 exhibitors you’ll find anything you need for your garden: seeds, plants, garden furniture and decorations. Open from 10am to 6pm, entry is 12CHF for adults and free for children under 16.

 

• Saturday 7th May 2016: Marché de Printemps, spring farmers’ market at the Panier Gourmand, Domaine d’Avenex in Nyon (VD). From 9am to 5pm you will be able to stock up on local meat and fish from Lake Leman, season produce, cheese, plant seedlings and much more. Free entry.

 

• 7th-8th May 2016: Geneva Marathon for UNICEF a key event of the city’s spring calendar with its 42,195 km route from Geneva’s most beautiful sights to its countryside. Click here for more info about the races (half marathon, la Genevoise, junior races etc.) and how to register.

 

• Saturday 7th-Sunday 8th May 2016: “Animaux du monde: évolution” – free guided tours for families and children  aged 7+ and accompanied by an adult at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Genève (1, route de Malagnou). These free guided tours will take place on all floors at 2.30pm (on Saturday) and at 10.30am (on Sunday). The guided tours in English “Animals of the world: evolution” will take place at  3.30pm (on Saturday) and at 11.30am (on Sunday).

 

• Saturday 7th & 14th May 2016: CRÉE TON JEU VIDÉO EN 2 JOURS !, video games making workshops for children aged 12+ at the Bibliothèque de la Cité in Geneva (Place des Trois-Perdrix, 5), starting at 10am. FREE ENTRY, but places must be booked in advance at cite-mediation.bmu@ville-ge.ch

 

• Saturday 7th May until end of September 2016: the Musée Départemental des Sapeurs-Pompiers in Gex (France) re-opens this Saturday from 9am to midday and then from 2pm to 6pm in the afternoon. The museum is open every Saturday from 9am to 12pm and from 2pm to 6pm until the 26th of September, as well as every Wednesday and Sunday in July and August from 2pm to 6pm. Entry tickets are 5 € for adults and 3 € for kids. Musée Départemental des Sapeurs-Pompiers – 380 avenue des Alpes – 01170 Gex – FRANCE (Tel : 04 50 20 86 97).

 

• 7th May-2nd October 2016: La ville est à vous returns for its 13th edition, kicking off in Eaux-Vives with street parties, second-hand sales and activities for children. Take a look at the official website for all upcoming weekends and join in, because the city belongs to you! Here’s the list of all the upcoming street parties in Geneva: 7th-8th May: Eaux-Vives; 15th-16th May: Saint-Gervais; 4th-5th June: Sécheron; 11th-12th June: Plainpalais; 25th-26th June: Saint-Jean; 27th-28th August: Vieusseux; 3rd-4th September: Europe; 10th-11th September: Jonction; 17th-18th September: Petit-Sacconex; 23rd, 24th & 25th September: Pâquis; 1st-2nd October: Genêts. 

 

• Sunday 8th May 2016: enjoy a unique tour of the city on the Geneva Historical Trams leaving from the Rive tram stop. A great way to see the city with young children — they will love riding the old city trams! During the summer, on the first Sunday of every month these “Trams touristiques” will be circulating from Carouge to Nations, Gare Cornavin, Eaux-Vives and the city centre. Tickets for a single ride are 8CHF and 12CHF for a day pass, children aged 6 to 16 pay a reduced fee.

 

• Sunday 8th May 2016: Sunday Brunch at Seedspace, open from 11am until 3pm. The first edition of Seedspace and Trinity Kids Sunday brunch will be taking place on Sunday 8th of May in ‪Geneva‬. The location is a beautiful period mansion in Grange-Canal, surrounded by a vast garden. Trinity Kids will be providing plenty of fun for the little ones, including treasure hunts, storytelling and creative workshops, while mum & dad enjoy a much-needed break! The price is 30CHF for adults for the all-you-can-eat buffet and 20CHF for children. These prices are available online only. Seedspace Sunday Brunch, Chemin de la Chevillarde 11, 1224 Chêne-Bougeries.

 

• Sunday 8th May 2016: Brunch de la fête des mères at the golf park restaurant – Signal de Bougy (VD). Open from 10am until 4pm, the price is 35CHF per person and 15CHF per child up to the age of 12. Places must be booked in advance at 058 568 32 00.

 

• until 8th May 2016: Mapping Festival in Geneva. A multi-genre art festival focused on audiovisual arts and digital culture. Free up some time in your diary for their exciting programme of installations, clubbing parties, live performances, architectural mapping, as well as workshops and conferences.

 

• until 8th May 2016: Morges Tulip Festival. Spring wouldn’t be spring without the Morges Tulip Festival with its 120,000 tulips of 300 varieties, blossoming along the lakeside promenade of the Parc de l’Indépendance in Morges. The first varieties start blooming around mid-April (weather permitting) and there are plenty of activities planned for the duration of the festival. Find out more here.

 

• Wednesday 11th May 2016: Des dinosaures dans mon jardin – Animation du mercredi, Wednesday FREE workshops for children aged 7+ and accompanied by an adult at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Genève (1, route de Malagnou). These free fossils workshops will take place from 2pm until 4.30pm. FREE ENTRY.

 

• Wednesday 11th May 2016: “Pirates d’eau douce!”, part of the Mercredis Family at the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva (Rue Charles-Galland 2). Children aged 6 to 10 accompanied by an adult are welcome every Wednesday at 3pm to discover all about the museum collections in a fun, interactive way. FREE ENTRY, no advance booking required.

 

• Wednesday 11th May 2016: Les mercredis à la Villa Freundler, free Wednesday activities for children at the Villa Freundler in Plainpalais (Place de Saint-François 4). Activities include games, creative workshops, sports and they will run from 1.30pm to 6pm. FREE ENTRY, no advance booking necessary, children must be accompanied by an adult/carer.

 

• Wednesday 11th May 2016: Jours d’ouverture aux familles at the Maison de la Créativité in Conches (7, chemin Calandrini). These family activities will take place in the afternoon from 2.30pm to 5pm. Entry is 3CHF per adult and per child aged 2+.

 

• 12th-16th May 2016: La Fête de la danse, a fantastic event for all dance-lovers who’d like to try a workshop, see a show or join a Bollywood spin! With plenty of locations and events in Geneva, Yverdon and Lausanne, this is a great festival for all ages. Click here for full details of the events planned in Geneva, and here for those planned in Lausanne.

 

• Saturday 14th May 2016: Genève-Plage (Quai de Cologny 5, Port-Noir) reopens for the season at 10am. No better place to be with your little swimmers on a hot, sunny day so make the most of the swimming-pools, water slides, sandpit and play area – don’t forget your sun cream! You can find out more about it & other lidos in our previous post.

 

• Saturday 14th May 2016: “Dinosaures, fossils et autres aventures de la Terre – Animation du samedi”, fun workshops for kids aged 6+ at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Genève (1, route de Malagnou). A fun way to discover more about fossils and dinosaurs, these free Saturday workshops in French take place at 2.30pm and 3.30pm.

 

• Saturday 14th May 2016: L’île de Tortuga, the brand new indoor play centre in Vétraz Monthoux (not far from Annemasse in nearby ‪‎France‬) is opening this weekend and will be open on Whit Monday as well! L’Ile de Tortuga | 10 Allée des Chênes 74100 Vétraz Monthoux, France. The indoor play centre is be suitable for children aged 1 to 12. Thank you Barbara for the info!

 

• until 14th May 2016: ‘Vivant pour de vrai’, a fantastic interactive exhibition suitable for children aged 3 to 6 at the CAIRN – Villa du village alpin in Meyrin (7 chemin du village alpin). children will play and learn about all living things: animals, humans, plants. Open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1.30pm until 6pm. Group visits take place on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 1.30pm, 3pm and 4.30pm. FREE ENTRY but places must be booked in advance at 022 989 16 69 culture@meyrin.ch

 

• 14th-15th May 2016: Fort l’Ecluse Plaisir des Enfants, a superb family event in Fort l’Ecluse (Pays de Gex, nearby France). From 10am until 6pm children will be able to take part in photography workshops, magic shows, games, donkey rides, story times, puppet shows et much more! FREE ENTRY.

 

• 14th-15th May 2016: Open Wine Cellars Vaud 2016. Discover the winemaking communes of the Morges and Nyon districts in Canton Vaud, with a tasting programme of their best vineyards, served with local delicacies from La Côte. The tasting ‘passport’ costs 15CHF  and will include a souvenir glass, wine tastings from more than 100 cellars and free shuttle buses to the cellars from the train stations in Morges, Gland and Rolle. The ‘tasting passport’ can be purchased at the « Open Wine Cellars » information desk at the train stations in Rolle, Gland and Morges or at the first winery you visit.

 

• 14th-16th & 21st-22nd May 2016: Les Grandes Medievales d’Andilly, an absolutely spectacular medieval fest in Andilly (France) perfect if your little ones are going through their “knight” or “princess” phase. The costumes and historical reconstructions are amazing, and the tournament shows will have you mesmerized. Read about a previous edition we attended in our previous post — just a word of warning: if the weather turns rainy you will need your wellies as the fields get quite muddy.

 

• Sunday 15th May 2016: Kachina – Poupées-esprits du Nouveau Monde, workshop in French for children aged 5+ accompanied by an adult at the MEG museum in Geneva (Musée d’ethnographie de la Ville de Genève, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 65-67). Children will learn to make their own wooden dolls. FREE ENTRY, but places must be booked in advance at 022 418 45 55 (from 9am to 11am and only in the 5 days prior to the event). The workshop will run from 2pm until 4.30pm.

 

• Sunday 15th May 2016: “Animaux du monde: évolution” – free guided tours for families and children  aged 7+ and accompanied by an adult at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Genève (1, route de Malagnou). These free guided tours will take place on all floors at 10.30am. The guided tours in English “Animals of the world: evolution” will take place at 11.30am.

 

• Sunday 15th May 2016: Cyclotour du Léman, an unmissable cycling event covering miles of beautiful coastline along lake Leman – find out more on their official website.

 

• Wednesday 18th May 2016: “Qui a peur des plantes carnivores ?” – Ateliers Verts du Jardin Botanique in Geneva for kids aged 8-11 (in French). What better place than Geneva’s beautiful botanical gardens to learn more about nature, micro-organisms and plants ? These fantastic workshops take place on Wednesdays from 2pm to 4.30pm and cost 12 CHF per child. Places must be booked in advance at 022 379 70 68. Click here to download the full programme. There will be another workshops this month on Wed. 25th of May 2016.

 

• Wednesday 18th May 2016: Des dinosaures dans mon jardin – Animation du mercredi, Wednesday FREE workshops for children aged 7+ and accompanied by an adult at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Genève (1, route de Malagnou). These free fossils workshops will take place from 2pm until 4.30pm. FREE ENTRY.

 

• Wednesday 18th May 2016: Les mercredis à la Villa Freundler, free Wednesday activities for children at the Villa Freundler in Plainpalais (Place de Saint-François 4). Activities include games, creative workshops, sports and they will run from 1.30pm to 6pm. FREE ENTRY, no advance booking necessary, children must be accompanied by an adult/carer.

 

• Wednesday 18th May 2016: Jours d’ouverture aux familles at the Maison de la Créativité in Conches (7, chemin Calandrini). These family activities will take place in the afternoon from 2.30pm to 5pm. Entry is 3CHF per adult and per child aged 2+.

 

• Wednesday 18th May 2016: “BARBE À PAPA”, part of the Mercredis Family at the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva (Rue Charles-Galland 2). Children aged 6 to 10 accompanied by an adult are welcome every Wednesday at 3pm to discover all about the museum collections in a fun, interactive way. FREE ENTRY, no advance booking required.

 

• Wednesday 18th May 2016: Le MAH à tout petits pas – Mercredi Family pour les tout-petits free guided tours for children aged 3 to 5 accompanied by an adult at the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva starting at 10.30am and 3.30pm. No previous booking required, FREE OF CHARGE.

 

• 20th-22nd May 2016: Mai au Parc Festival at the Villa Bernasconi in Geneva (Route du Grand-Lancy 8). Don’t miss the kids activities and pony rides – check the official website for full programme details and exact times. Entry is free!

 

• 20th-22nd May 2016: “Fête de la Nature”, a yearly tradition in the Suisse Romande and a perfect way to spend a lovely weekend with your little ones enjoying the beautiful natural setting Switzerland has to offer. Take a look at the programme to decide which of the 200 free events and activities you’d like to register for in Geneva, Vaud or the rest of Suisse Romande. From guided forest walks to bird-watching the choice is yours.

 

 

• 20th May-5th June 2016: Festival Poussière du Monde, puppet shows, world music and dance under two giant Mongolian yourtes at the Parc Bernasconi in Grand-Lancy. Check their official website for full details of their kids shows. Tickets are 25CHF for adults and 10CHF for children aged 12 and older, places are limited so advance booking is highly recommended.

 

• Saturday 21st May 2016: “Dinosaures, fossils et autres aventures de la Terre – Animation du samedi”, fun workshops for kids aged 6+ at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Genève (1, route de Malagnou). A fun way to discover more about fossils and dinosaurs, these free Saturday workshops in French take place at 2.30pm and 3.30pm.

 

• Saturday 21st May 2016: Nuit des Musées in Canton Vaud, organized by the Association des Musées de la Riviera vaudoise. This is a unique opportunity to visit the museums of the Vaud riviera by night and take part in some exciting free activities. From 5pm to midnight entry and all museums’ activities will be free of charge, take advantage of the free shuttle service that will be made available to connect all participating museums.

 

• Saturday 21st-Sunday 22nd May 2016: La Nuit des musées de Genève & Family Day– a fantastic event for the whole family. Over 30 museums and galleries in Geneva will be opening their doors on Saturday night for a series of very special events whilst Sunday 22nd will be dedicated to families and young visitors, with a plethora of workshops and events all free of charge.

 

• Saturday 21st-Sunday 22nd May 2016: Weekend en fanfare, free music festival in Geneva. Make the most of the free concerts that will take place on Saturday 21st from 11am until 5pm and from 8pm until 10pm on the Place du Molard. On Sunday, the free concerts will be held at the Victoria Hall from 4pm until 6pm. FREE ENTRY.

 

• Sunday 22nd May 2016: “Animaux du monde: évolution” – free guided tours for families and children  aged 7+ and accompanied by an adult at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Genève (1, route de Malagnou). These free guided tours will take place on all floors at 10.30am. The guided tours in English “Animals of the world: evolution” will take place at 11.30am.

 

• Sunday 22nd May 2016: If your children are very sporty, they will enjoy the Fête du sport in Ferney Voltaire on Sunday 22nd of May. This a great family event where everyone will be able to try out a new sport, including badminton, bubble bump, gymnastics, volley-ball, zumba, VTT, self-defense, diving, climbing, fencing, football, handball, aquabike, aquagym, laï muoï, tennis, ping pong, judo and swimming. There will also be workshops, tournaments and more fun activities for all! FREE ENTRY. The event will run from 10am until 6pm at the Centre sportif Henriette-d’Angeville – Avenue des Sports – 01210 Ferney Voltaire – FRANCE.

 

• Sunday 22nd May 2016: Vide-grenier in Collonges Fort L’Ecluse (France). From 9am to 5pm at the Place du Champ de Foire.

 

• Sunday 22nd May 2016: Journée Nature en Ville Nyon-Prangins, a great outdoor event for the whole family – part of the “Fête de la Nature” free activities. From 10am until 5.30pm participants will be taking part in a nature-themed “jeu de piste” running between the Parc de la Morâche in Nyon (behind the station), and the Parc du Château de Prangins. The day’s programme will also include fun activities for all ages, kids workshops and much more. FREE ENTRY.

 

• Sunday 22nd May 2016: Parade navale de la CGN, don’t miss this spectacular parade of 5 CGN steam boats Belle Epoque: Montreux 1904, Vevey 1907, La Suisse 1910, Savoie 1914, Simplon 1920 & Rhône 1927. You’ll be able to board any of the six steam boats at different locations on the lake starting from 10am: Lausanne, St-Sulpice, Morges, St-Prex, Nyon, Rolle, Céligny, Coppet, Versoix & Genève. The day will continue until 7pm with kids activities, live music, amazing naval choreography and 2,000 balloons to be released between 2pm and 3.30pm. The parade will be visible from 2.45 onwards on the lakeside in Rolle (VD).

 

• Wednesday 18th May 2016: “Graines de curieux !” – Ateliers Verts du Jardin Botanique in Geneva for kids aged 8-11 (in French). What better place than Geneva’s beautiful botanical gardens to learn more about nature, micro-organisms and plants ? These fantastic workshops take place on Wednesdays from 2pm to 4.30pm and cost 12 CHF per child. Places must be booked in advance at 022 379 70 68. Click here to download the full programme. There will be another workshops this month on Wed. 25th of May 2016.

 

• Wednesday 25th May 2016: Des dinosaures dans mon jardin – Animation du mercredi, Wednesday FREE workshops for children aged 7+ and accompanied by an adult at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Genève (1, route de Malagnou). These free fossils workshops will take place from 2pm until 4.30pm. FREE ENTRY.

 

• Wednesday 25th May 2016: Les mercredis à la Villa Freundler, free Wednesday activities for children at the Villa Freundler in Plainpalais (Place de Saint-François 4). Activities include games, creative workshops, sports and they will run from 1.30pm to 6pm. FREE ENTRY, no advance booking necessary, children must be accompanied by an adult/carer.

 

• Wednesday 25th May 2016: Jours d’ouverture aux familles at the Maison de la Créativité in Conches (7, chemin Calandrini). These family activities will take place in the afternoon from 2.30pm to 5pm. Entry is 3CHF per adult and per child aged 2+.

 

• 25th-29th May 2016: Animai Festival at the Jardin du Rivage in Vevey (VD). A fantastic (and what’s more free-of-charge!) kids festival filled with creative workshops, fun activities, live concerts for your little ones. Visit the official website for full details of what’s on each day.

 

• Friday 27th May 2016: Art Jamming, organized by Life of Art at La Fabrique bistrot in Geneva. But what is Art Jamming exactly? It’s a new way to get creative whilst socializing and making new friends! Art jamming is all about creating art in a fun environment, with great music to inspire you and drinks at hand. In a group of about 10 people, our in house artist/teacher will create a painting in front of you, guiding you step by step through the different stages and techniques so that you can follow at the same time on your own canvas. So even if you are a beginner you can still join in the fun. It’s a 2 hour workshop where all materials are supplied and you get to take home your canvas. Meet and greet at the Bistrot La Fabrique, just opposite the Life of Art studio, at 18:00. For more information and to reserve a place contact Lisa Anderson at Life of Art on +41 22 525 5232 or by email at info@life-of-art.ch

 

• Friday 27th May 2016: La Fête des Voisins in France & Switzerland is a great opportunity to organize a street party and get to know your neighbours better! Check the official website for more details on your local area.

 

• 27th-29th May 2016: Geneva Street Food Festival. After the resounding success of their first edition, the Geneva Street Food festival is back this weekend in Geneva’s old town! Kicking off on Friday 27th of May at 5pm and running until Sunday 29th of May at 5pm, this foodie festival is definitely worth a visit. FREE ENTRY.Where?
  Promenade de Saint-Antoine et Rue Charles Galland
  1204 GenèveWhen?
  Friday 27th May: 17:00 – 00:00
  Saturday 28th May: 11:00 – 00:00
  Sunday 29th May: 11:00 – 17:00Accès
  Bus : 3 ,7 Arrêt: Musée d’Art et d’Histoire
  Bus : 1, 5, 8 Arrêt: Florissant
  Bus : 36 Arrêts: Saint-Antoine ou Franz-Liszt ou Petit-Palais ou Eglise Russe
  Tram: 12, Bus: 2, 6, 10, 33, A, E, G Arrêt: Rive (+5 min à pied)

 

• 27th-30th May 2016: Fête de l’oiseau in Gex (France), a fantastic medieval festival the whole family will enjoy. FREE ENTRY. From Friday 27th until Monday 30th of May in the late afternoon, there will be medieval parades with beautiful costumes, archery tournaments, live music and fireworks. Click here for more info and to download the full programme.

 

 

• Saturday 28th May 2016: Fête de l’Espoir at Geneva’s Stade du Bout-du-Monde (Route de Vessy 12). This is one of the city’s best music events, filled with child-friendly activities, great live music, football tournaments and more. The event is free of charge and open to all, so visit their official website for full details of the day’s programme.

 

• Saturday 28th May 2016: Caves Ouvertes Genève, a wine-lovers dream: board one of the free shuttles and let yourself be driven to the best vineyards of the Geneva region to sample their exquisite wines. Discover Geneva’s best wine cellars from 10am to 7pm — bottoms up!

 

• Saturday 28th May 2016: Parent & child art workshop at Life of Art in Geneva. The workshop will run from 1pm until 3pm. Feel free to contact the school’s founder Lisa Anderson for more information and to reserve a place: tel. +41 22 525 5232 or by email at info@life-of-art.ch

 

• Saturday 28th May 2016: “Dinosaures, fossils et autres aventures de la Terre – Animation du samedi”, fun workshops for kids aged 6+ at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Genève (1, route de Malagnou). A fun way to discover more about fossils and dinosaurs, these free Saturday workshops in French take place at 2.30pm and 3.30pm.

 

• Saturday 28th May 2016: Jours d’ouverture aux familles at the Maison de la Créativité in Conches (7, chemin Calandrini). These family activities will take place in the morning and afternoon: 9.30am to 12pm and 2.30pm to 5pm. Entry is 3CHF per adult and child aged 2+.

 

• Sunday 29th May 2016: Save the date for the Journée des Familles 2016 – CANCELLED DUE TO BAD WEATHER REPORTS.

 

• Sunday 29th May 2016: Open Day at the Domaine du Château de Penthes in Pregny-Chambésy (GE) on Sunday 29th of May 2016. From 10am until 5pm there will be free sports activities for all (running & Taiji-qigonq), a bouncy castle, pony rides for children, free entry to the museum and collections, wine tastings as well as a vide-grenier and book sale! FREE ENTRY.

 

• Sunday 29th May 2016: MEGnomade – Sur les traces du lapin…, fun, interactive guided tour and workshop for ages 6+ at the MEG museum in Geneva (Musée d’ethnographie de la Ville de Genève, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 65-67). The tour is open to all and FREE OF CHARGE, meet the group at the information desk. Starting at 2pm until 3.30pm.

 

• Sunday 29th May 2016: “Animaux du monde: évolution” – free guided tours for families and children  aged 7+ and accompanied by an adult at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Genève (1, route de Malagnou). These free guided tours will take place on all floors at 10.30am. The guided tours in English “Animals of the world: evolution” will take place at 11.30am.

 

• Sunday 29th May 2016: Les Puces de Nyon, very scenic flea market in the pretty lakeside town of Nyon (VD). Grab a fab bargain or a delicious Italian ice-cream!

 

• until Sunday 29th May 2016: The Wind in the Willows at the Simply Theatre Studios in Versoix (Centre de Choiseul, Avenue de Choiseul 23A). Based on the Kenneth Grahame children’s book, this is a great family show! Join Mole, Ratty, Badger and the boisterous, bumptious, loud and lovable Toad as the adventure of a lifetime unravels on the riverbank. Mole is fed up with spring cleaning and wants to see the world. He meets the water-loving Rat and the pair immediately strike up one of English literature’s most enduring friendships. Meanwhile, Toad’s latest fancy has landed him in hot water with the law, and Badger just wants to be left alone. Battle the nefarious weasels, mess about in boats, and charm the washerwoman’s daughter as you make your way into the English countryside. Book your tickets now on Simplytheatre.com

 

• 31st May-19th July 2016: Chinese Painting classes at Life of Art in Geneva. The classes will run every Tuesday from 10am until midday. The course costs CHF 499 per person (includes 8 classes – each class 2 hours – all your equipment is supplied). To book your Chinese Painting Workshop, please email Life of Art at info@life-of-art.ch or call 022 525 5232.

 

ONGOING:

• until 25th September 2016: Destination Rio at the Olympic Museum in Ouchy (Lausanne). The Olympic Museum celebrates Rio 2016 with a programme dedicated to the culture of Brazil and Rio, host of the upcoming Olympic Games. This exhibition-adventure takes you on a lyrical tour of the city, which will give you the irresistible urge to dance. The photos, the choice of music and the artwork will convey the incredible energy of the Brazilian people. The programme will kick off during the Carnival in Rio and culminate with the two weeks of the Games in the summer. FREE ENTRY.

 

• until 30th December 2016: Medieval Factory, interactive exhibition suitable from age 7 at the Espace des Inventions in Lausanne. Discover all the great medieval inventions still in use today! Free entry on the 1st Saturday of each month. Open Monday to Saturday from 2pm to 6pm; Sunday and Bank Holidays from 10am to 6pm. Tickets are 7CHF for adults and 3CHF for children.

 

• The permanent exhibition “Noblesse Oblige” at Prangins Castle is a great day-out for the whole family, take a step back in time with your children to see how a noble Swiss family lived in the 18th century! Find out more about this fantastic family exhibition in our previous post.