What’s On in August 2014

The best season of the year is in full swing, whether you’ll be away or spending more time with your little ones, there is plenty to do in the area for families who wish to enjoy this lovely and (hopefully) sunny time of the year. Remember to keep checking our blog as we will be updating this post with more events each week.

• 1st August 2014: celebrate Swiss National Day with a brunch at the farm, a Swiss tradition by which farmers welcome the public onto their farms for a delicious meal made with local produce. Alternatively, join the Swiss National Day picnic in Lausanne (from11am to 11pm, Esplanade de Montbenon) or join in the celebrations which will be taking place in Geneva, Nyon, Morges and at the Château de Chillon. The celebrations in Geneva will start at 3.30pm at the Parc de la Grange in Eaux-Vives and will include live music and shows, guided tours of the Villa la Grange, fireworks and much much more. Swiss National day is an official national holiday since 1994, and it celebrates the foundation of the Swiss Confederacy so make sure you don’t miss these fab events!

 

• until 3rd August 2014: “Au pays des enfants” kids festival in the Pays-d’Enhaut (communes of Château-d’Oex, Rougemont and Rossinière). The programme includes over 100 shows and plenty of creative workshops for children of all ages, what a great family day-out in the beautiful setting of the Pays-d’Enhaut ! Vist the official website for full programme details in all 3 communes and to buy your tickets. If you have a Coop Hello Family card you can claim a 20% discount.

 

SUMMER IN GENEVA:

• The petits rendez-vous at Geneva’s MAMCO continue every Wednesday afternoon throughout the summer: suitable for children aged 5 to 10 accompanied by an adult they are free of charge and require no advance booking. The upcoming petits rendez-vous (all in French) will be: Sunday 3rd August, 11h15 : Le musée hanté; Wed. 6th August, 15h15 : C’est la catastrophe; Wed. 13th August, 15h15 : Le Petit Rendez-vous dont vous êtes le héros; Wed. 20th August, 15h15 : Entre chien et loup; Wed. 27th August, 15h15 : Assis! Debout! Couché!. If you have very young children, don’t miss the mini rendez-vous for children aged 2 to 4, accompanied by an adult. The next one will be on Wed. 6th of August at 3.15pm “Abracadanoir”. They last approx. 20 minutes and are free of charge (in French, no advance booking required).

 

• 4th-22nd August 2014: Bibliothèque dans la rue, at the Place de la Navigation in Geneva’s Pâquis neighbourhood, Monday to Friday from 2pm until 5pm. Join the library and toy library staff for some summer reading and fun games for the little ones. Organized in collaboration with Créateliers and the ludothèque Pâquis-Sécheron. Suitable for all ages. FREE ENTRY.

 

 

• until 10th August 2014: Fêtes de Genève, the city’s summer festival is on its way with 150 free concerts on three different stages (Club Stage in the heart of the Jardin Anglais; the very popular Funkytown Stage at Baby-Plage and the new Wilson Stage on the Right Bank). There will be plenty of entertainment for little ones too with funfairs, merry-go-rounds and much more all along the Geneva lakeside. Don’t miss the traditional waiters’ race and the amazing firework display on the 9th of August 2014 from 10pm.

 

• 14th-17th August 2014: Bimbadaboum Festival in Chêne-Bougeries, Geneva (Parcs Sismondi et Stagni – Route du Vallon 8). A fantastic family festival offering over 1001 fun & cultural activities. The list of much-loved kids’ performers includes Titoff, Brice Kapel, Sonia Grimm & many more. The programme also offers great shows by famous actors, magicians, clowns, puppetmasters, storytellers, dancers etc as well as a number of great workshops for kids. Visit the official website for full programme and workshops details. Open from 11.30am to 7pm everyday, but on Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th try to be there at 9.30am to enjoy the brunch en musique offered by Swissmilk ! Click here for more details on individual and family ticket prices.

 

• until 17 August 2014: CinéTransat is one of the Geneva’s best-loved summer events and it’s easy to understand why: every evening at dusk they show a selection of great movies free of charge in the wonderful setting of the Parc de la Perle du Lac, you can bring your own picnic and enjoy a lovely evening out with family and friends. But this is not all: they also organize a series of theme and karaoke nights, from disco night to Bollywood make sure you dress the part! Find out more about CinéTransat in our 2012 interview with founder and organizer Dan Acher. If you’ve never been, we promise you will love this event – if you’ve been, we bet you can’t wait to go back this year! Movies are shown in their original soundtrack with subtitles, so all British & American movies will be in English. Check their facebook page in case of bad weather or rain as the session might be cancelled.

 

• 18th-23rd August 2014: “F’Estival Genève – Concerts à Croquer”, free concerts at the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève (place Neuve). Enjoy one of these great free themed concerts followed by some amazing delicacies such as madeleines, home-made sorbets and patisserie orientale. Concerts start at 7.30pm, check the official website for full programme details.

 

• Wednesday 20th August 2014: “Lunch & Learn” workshop at Brachard in Geneva (rue de la Corraterie 10). Reserve your place for this free art workshop (suitable for children too) with Adrian WEBER, artistic director of Caran d’Ache. The workshop will be followed by a buffet lunch from 12.15 to 1.15pm. FREE ENTRY but advance reservations a must at 022 817 05 58.

 

• until 20th August: Musiques en été, an impressive series of live concerts covering all possible music genres and taking place in some of the city’s most picturesque spots. From jazz to classical, rock and hip hop you will definitely be spoilt for choice. The best thing about it all? All the Musiques colorées live concerts at the Scène Ella Fitzgerald (parc de La Grange) are free of charge!

 

• until 20th August 2014: Histoires en herbe, summer storytime in Plan-les-Ouates for children aged 4 to 10 every Monday and Wednesday morning from 10am to midday. The Monday session will take place outdoors on the Mail in Plan-les-Ouates (near the Mairie) and in case of rain on the steps of the “salle de gym” of the école du Pré-du-Camp. The Wednesday sessions will take place “sur l’herbe”, near the école du Vélodrome (close to the playarea), and in case of rain under the veranda of the Maison Ravy. Free entry, for more info contact Catherine Hostettler on 079 654 51 06.

 

• until 22nd August 2014: La Terrasse du 99 Espace de Quartier in Geneva (Rue de Lyon 99) will be open from 3pm to 7pm Monday to Friday. Make the most of this lovely space which includes a bar with loungers, a mini pool for kids, a bike rental service as well as many activities organized by the local toy library and Villa Yoyo. From the 30th of June to the 4th of July there will be a week of FREE activities for children ranging from arts & crafts, cookery workshops, games & much more.

 

• until 22nd August 2014: Free Taekwondo classes in French at the Parc des Bastions in Geneva. Try something new this summer & get into shape with these FREE Taekwondo classes at the Parc des Bastions in #Geneva! The course will start on Monday 30th of June 2014 and run until the 22nd of August, classes will take place from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. Open to all, beginners welcome – FREE OF CHARGE. You don’t need to buy a dobok or kimono if you don’t have one, just wear comfy trousers and a t-shirt….and remember to bring plenty of water, of course! In case of rain or bad weather there will be no classes.

 

• until 24th August 2014: Opération chaises longues, a great initiative organized by the city’s public libraries offering mobile book services (livres nomades), free apples, sun loungers and more free activities to allow families, the elders and young people to enjoy Geneva’s beautiful parks to the max. The Opération chaises longues will run everyday from 1pm tp 7pm at the following locations: Parc des Bastions; Parc Trembley; Parc Beaulieu; Parc du Promeneur solitaire; Les Halles de l’Ile; Parc Bertrand (01.07-25.08); Parc Baud-Bovy (16th July-17th August from 11am to 7pm); Bois de la Bâtie; Parc La Grange (28th July-24th August from 1pm to 7pm).

 

• until 24th August 2014: the Tour de plage at the Fontaine des Tours in Carouge (20-22 boulevard des Promenades), opens up again for the summer season. A fantastic spot right in the heart of Carouge, where you will be able to enjoy live concerts and plenty of activities for the little ones, including face painting, giant outdoor games from Carouge’s toy library, Zumba etc. – and all are free of charge! Open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 2pm to 7pm, Tour de plage has too many activities planned to list them all here, so click on the official website for full details.

 

• until 24th August 2014: Orange Cinema Geneva, open-air cinema at Geneva’s Port Noir. See the official website for full programme details.

 

• 29th August 2014: “Nuit des chauves-souris à Genève”, organized by the Muséum d’histoire naturelle. From 7.30pm to 11.30pm discover all there is to know about these nocturnal creatures. Entry is free but advance booking is strongly recommended at 022 418 64 03 (Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Route de Malagnou 1, Genève).

 

• 29th-31st August 2014: Vogue de Carouge at the Place de Sardaigne with live music, kids activities, face painting, dance and many more fun activities for the whole family.

 

• 29th-31st August 2014: Fête de la BD in Geneva, an unmissable event for all comic books lovers. At various locations throughout the city, including Payot, FNAC and other bookstores, you will be able to meet international authors and get your comic books signed! Click here to download the full programme. Free entry.

 

• 29th August-13th september 2014: La Bâtie – Festival de Genève, an unmissable line-up of fantastic concerts, theatre & dance shows, workshops, exhibitions and much more. Don’t miss the F.M. Concert pour les enfants on the 6th of Sept; the Juliette & Romeo puppet show on the 7th of Sept.; the Popup theatre by Belinda Annaloro on the 11th of Sept. or the Tel Quel dance show for kids on the 13th of Sept. – click here for more details on these kids’ shows. Visit the festival’s official website for full programme details and to book your tickets.

 

• 30th-31st August2014: Festival Chouette Nature in Lacconex (Geneva), this is the second edition of a new family festival focused on nature and sports. For ages 3 to 15, the festival will offer plenty of workshops and activities for all including very young children in the dedicated area “Les Bouts-de-Chou”. Delicious Genevan specialities and local produce will also be available from the festival’s market. Free entry, see the official website for further details.

 

• 30th-31st August 2014: La ville est à vous celebrations return in style and this time they will be in Vieusseux (GE). There will be street parties, bouncy castles, Bambin’Opera concert for kids, live music, circus shows, kids workshops, a ludobus and much, much more. Take a look at the official website for full details and join in!

 

• until 31st August 2014: “Aubes musicales” free live concerts from 6am to 7am every morning at the Bains des Pâquis. Enjoy one of Geneva’s finest cultural traditions (summer isn’t summer without these concerts at the Bains) and start your day inspired by beautiful music…and a free coffee too!

 

• until 31st August 2014: Saint-Jean plage, enjoy the sun loungers and umbrellas placed outside the Bibliothèque de Saint-Jean (Avenue des Tilleuls 19) for a moment of peace, to read or just relax!

 

• until September 2014: Free Ludobus in Geneva. Until the end of September 2014 you will find a red and a blue ludobus at different locations in Geneva including parks, school playgrounds & street festivals. A ludobus is a travelling toy library, guaranteed to keep your little ones entertained during these long, hot summer days. You can download the full list of locations & exact times here.

 

• until September 2014: L’amarr@GE – Bains lacustres sur le Rhône, an amazing floating swimming pool in the shape of the Swiss cross at the Pont de la Machine in Geneva. This great project forms part of the GE200.ch celebrations, read more about it in our previous post “200 Years of Swiss History”. The amarr@GE is open from 10am to 8pm Sunday to Wednesday and from 10am to 9pm from Thursday to Saturday. Entry is 2CHF for adults and 1CHF for children, water temperature is 28 degrees. The pools have different depths: one is 40cm deep, and the others 110cm et 130cm deep.

 

• until September 2014: “Les Créateliers animent le square Monthoux” kids activities & workshops at the square Monthoux in Geneva (32 rue de Monthoux) for children aged 2 to 12 on Monday and Thursday afternoon and on Saturdays. Check the official website for full details.

 

• until September 2014: Fancy trying something new this summer? What about yoga paddle board in Geneva? You can contact the Yoga Shop on 078 626 49 76 or info@yogashop-geneve.ch. Classes will take place at Tropical in Geneva www.trop.ch, beginners welcome!

 

• until 18th September 2014: Cirque Knie at the Plaine de Plainpalais in Geneva. A fantastic family show from one of Switzerland’s most respected circus companies (and also the largest!) – our friends have been raving about it for weeks now so we will be booking our tickets soon. Click here for full details.

 

• until 21st September 2014: “Oiseaux”, a fantastic birds exhibition at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle Genève. Discover the magic world of birds and how we can help to preserve them. Free entry.

 

• Genève-Plage (Quai de Cologny 5, Port-Noir) has re-opened for the summer. There’s 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.

 

SUMMER IN VAUD:

• 30th July-22nd September 2014: “Animations Jeune Public” everyday at 3pm at the amphitheatre at Signal de Bougy (Parc Pré Vert). The shows are free of charge and take place outside so they will be cancelled in case of rain or bad weather. Weather permitting, the line-up will be as follows: until Sun. 3rd August “Clown Olive”; 6th-10th August “Pif le clown”; 13th-17th August “Gilles Parent”; 20th-24th August “Clown Kinou”; 27th-31st August “Jacky Lagger”. In September 2014: 6th-7th Sept. “Mister Dan”; 11th Sept.(Jeûne Genevois) “Mister Dan”; 13th-14th Sept. “Lulu & Chichili”; 20th-21st & Monday 22nd Sept.(lundi du jeûne)”Gilles Thoraval”.

 

• Tuesday 5th, 12th, 19th August 2014: Atelier vacances, holiday workshops in French for children aged 7 to 12 at the Château de Prangins (VD). The workshops will run from 2pm to 4.30pm, the cost is only 10CHF per child (snack included) but places must be reserved in advance at 022 994 88 93.

 

• Saturday 9th August 2014: Marché Folklorique at the Place de l’Eglise in Morges (VD). A stunning little market filled with fab Swiss-made products, delicacies and souvenirs as well as great activities for the whole family. Open from 9am to 2pm, with live Swiss music, the Cor des Alpes choir, face-painting for kids and St. Bernard dogs to cuddle!

 

• 13th-23rd August 2014: “Far° festival des arts vivants” in Nyon (VD). A fantastic festival encompassing visual arts, theatre and dance. See the official website for full programme details and to buy tickets.

 

• Saturday 16th August 2014: Midsummer festival in St-Cergue. Join in the celebrations of this lovely Swiss festival and watch the cow parades and pig races. FREE ENTRY, the festival starts at 9.45am with the cow parade and will end with a traditional dance in the evening. Programme: 9h45: Défilé des vaches; 10h00: Présentation des vaches; 12h00: Remise des prix; 13h30: 1ère cours aux cochons; 14h30: Concours de la bouse au carré; 15h30: 2ème course aux cochons; 19h30: Bal traditionnel.

 

• until 16th August 2014: RiveJazzy Nyon, a great music festival dedicated to traditional jazz music, swing, as well as latino & gipsy music. It takes place in the Quartier de Rive in Nyon during the months of July and August (except during the Paléo Festival), concerts might be cancelled in case of rain or bad weather. Entry is free of charge for all and there are plenty of delish options to combine dinner with some great live music. Visit the official website for full programme details and performance times.

 

• 16th-17th August 2014: Festival of the old port and latin sails in Morges. Meet at the port in Morges at 9am for the arrival of the historical boats “La Vaudoise, La Savoie, La Neptune, La Demoiselle, L’Aurore et La Liberté”, an amazing sight for everyone to remember!

 

• 16th-17th August 2014: La Fête Médiévale – Château de Grandson (VD). The Château de Grandson in Vaud is one of our favourites Swiss castles and on the 16th-17th of August it will come to life with a superb medieval festival, go if you can: the kids will love it and the adults too! The festival will run from 2pm to 11pm on Saturday 16th and from 10am to 5pm on Sunday. Entry is 12CHF for adults and 5CHF for children aged 6 to 16. You can find more info in English on their official website——–>http://bit.ly/1sxeuY8

 

• 17th August 2014: Restaurant Day in Lausanne. Everyone can become chef for a day! Come and enjoy 21 pop up restaurants proposed by local people who just love cooking. Mini-burgers, tapas, Columbian food, urban food…just take your pick of what will be presented in various places across the City of Lausanne, including private homes. See the official website for the complete list of 21 pop-up restaurants, from Cuban cuisine, family brunch at the parc de Mon-Repos to vegan and TexMex cuisine.

 

• until 17th August 2014: “Anatomies”, interactive exhibition at the Musée de la main – Fondation Claude Verdan in Lausanne (Rue du Bugnon 21) looking at different representations of the human body & anatomy throughout the centuries. Book your place in advance for one of their kids workshops: “Voyage dans le corps” (ages 6-9) and “Corps transparent” (ages 10-13), which are also offered as birthday party workshops for 140CHF, max. 12 children.

 

• 22nd-24th August 2014: the Festival des artistes de rue in Vevey’s old town (VD) will welcome international street artists from all over the world exhibiting their acting. musical, juggling, circus and even fire-eating skills. Sunday 24th of August is “Family Day” so don’t miss the extraordinary line-up of family shows taking place from 11am to 5pm. See the official website for further info, entry is free but artists will ask for donations at the end of each performance.

 

• 23rd August 2014: “Féerie d’une Nuit”, a great family event starting at 3pm at Signal de Bougy (VD). Don’t miss the exciting free activities that will include astronomy-inspired story-times, face-painting for kids, talks conducted in collaboration with the Planétarium Itinérant Léo Lagrange, space rocket workshops, a meteorites exhibition and even a space rockets simulator for ages 10+ where the kids will be able to simulate landing the Discovery space rocket at Cape Canaveral! FREE ENTRY, see the official website for full details.

 

• until 23rd August 2014: “La Roulotte Enchantée et ses spectacles”, a great summer initiative in Lausanne offering free shows, workshops and activities for children in various locations throughout the city. Take a look at the official website for details of their daily locations and activities, make the most of their free workshops and theatre shows.

 

• until 25th August 2014: Wednesday morning at the farm, enjoy a trip to the Farm “Aux Saveurs d’Autrefois” in Bussy-Chardonnay with the Little Train every Wednesday morning until the 25th of August 2013. Participants will experience life in an animal farm and try their hand at making a delicious sugar bun. From 09h30 to 12h00, pick-up at the landing stage CGN in Morges, then direction Bussy-Chardonnay and back to Morges. Price: CHF 23.- adult / CHF 18.- pensioner / CHF 15.- 6-16 years old / CHF 8.- 2-5 years old.

 

• Sunday 31st August 2014: “Festival des Sports”, free sports festival suitable for adults and children at the Centre Sportif Colovray in Nyon (VD). From 10am to 5pm at the Colovray centre children and adults will be able to try out new sports like bubble football, urban training, aquabike, fencing, sailing or stand-up paddle. Free entry, click here to download the full programme http://bit.ly/1n4us5a.

 

• until 21st September 2014: Superman, Batman & co…mics! A great exhibition at the Maison d’Ailleurs (Place Pestalozzi 14, Yverdon-les-Bains) paying tribute to the “comics culture” through the work of 5 contemporary artists: Adrian Tranquilli, Gilles Barbier, Mathias Schmied, Alexandre Nicolas and Audrey Piguet. A fascinating journey through the icons of this modern mythology. Check the official website for more details on guided tours and kids workshops.

 

• until 21st September 2014: Lausanne Estivale, a great summer festival offering plenty of activities, concerts and more for all ages. The programme will be online at the beginning of June so check their official website for full details.

 

• until October 2014: Les Quais du Dahlia, a wonderful dahlias exhibition along the lakeside in Morges. See over 2,250 gorgeous dahlia flowers bloom in hundreds of varieties all along the Quai Igor Strawinsky in Morges (VD). A truly stunning view along the town’s lakeside. Read all about it in our previous post.

 

SUMMER IN FRANCE:

• 5th-9th August 2014: “Les fondues du Macadam” in Thonon (France), a fabulous festival that will delight the whole family with its varied programme of circus and theatre shows, clowns, acrobats, live music and much more. If you have young children don’t miss  “Grat’moi la puce que j’ai dans l’do” from 18 months on the 6th August. See the official website for full programme details and to book your tickets.

 

• 22nd August 2014: Fabrication de cabanes, workshop in French from 2.30pm to 4.30pm at the Maison du Salève. The price is 12,60 € per child and 6.30€ per adult – children must be accompanied by an adult. Reserve your place at +33 (0)4 50 95 92 16.

 

• 24th-29th August 2014: Festival Au Bonheur des Mômes in Le Grand Bornand (France) is an international festival dedicated to kids’ shows of every kind, from puppet shows to acrobatics, clowns, dance, juggling and a lot more. As well as great shows and workshops for kids, you will also find dedicated play areas for little buttons with story-time, magic roundabouts etc. If you have older children who’d like to try their hand at something new, register for one of the 26 fun workshops available. Visit the official website for full programme details and to buy your tickets.

 

• 25th-29th August 2014: “Pass’sport Montagne” mountain activities for children aged 5 to 15 divided into age groups “Découverte” ages 5 to 7; “Aventure” ages 8 to 11 & “X’Trême” ages 12 to 15. Prices start from 35 euros per half day and activities include mountain treasure hunts, build-your-own hut, games in the river and much more. Visit the official website for full programme details and to reserve your places online.
• Vitam’ (500 route des Envignes, Neydens, France) is a great waterpark for hot summer’s days: there are indoor and outdoor pools, as well as great waterslides for all ages. Children aged 6 to 12 can also enroll for the summer swimming school, which runs from the 7th of July to the 29th of August 2014 (each course is 5 days).

 

• Plage du Lac in Divonne-les-Bains is open from the 1st of June to the 31st of August 2014. A 350m lovely sandy beach on the shore of the Lac de Divonne, it’s a great place for families with young children. They have a buvette, a kids play area, toilets and they offer swimming lessons, canoë, kayak & pedalo rentals. An entry fee is charged, around 3 Euros per person and 2 Euros for children.

 

• The Centre Nautique in Divonne-les-Bains (France) is an outdoor pool open from the 17th of May to the 7th September 2014. A great place to cool off on a hot summer’s day! Contact them on piscine-lac.divonne@comsports.fr for full details and prices. Centre Nautique – 282 avenue des Alpes, Divonne-les-Bains. Tel. +33(0)4 5020 3785 piscine-lac.divonne@comsports.fr

 

SUNDAY BRUNCH, LAKE BEACHES, POOLS, LIDOS & PLACES TO VISIT:

• Take a look at our previous post to find all the best child-friendly places to enjoy a delicious and stress-free Sunday brunch with your little buttons.

• If it’s a scorcher, what about a scrumptious “brunch in the sun” with the family?

• We’ve discovered some great lake beaches in Préverenges and Saint-Prex: they are free and great for kids! For more great pools & lidos in the area, take a look at our previous post.

• Now that summer is here, discover the best lidos and swimming pools in Geneva and Vaud, for a selection of our favourite ones take a look at our previous articles: “Make a splash” and “Beat the Heat”.

• Want to know how to survive a rainy 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.

 

AUGUST 2014 LISTINGS CALENDAR:

• until 17th August 2014: “Anatomies”, interactive exhibition at the Musée de la main – Fondation Claude Verdan in Lausanne (Rue du Bugnon 21) looking at different representations of the human body & anatomy throughout the centuries. Book your place in advance for one of their kids workshops: “Voyage dans le corps” (ages 6-9) and “Corps transparent” (ages 10-13), which are also offered as birthday party workshops for 140CHF, max. 12 children.

• 28th June-20th August: Musiques en été, an impressive series of live concerts covering all possible music genres and taking place in some of the city’s most picturesque spots. From jazz to classical, rock and hip hop you will definitely be spoilt for choice. The best thing about it all? All the Musiques colorées live concerts at the Scène Ella Fitzgerald (parc de La Grange) are free of charge!

 

ONGOING:

• until 21st September 2014: Superman, Batman & co…mics! A great exhibition at the Maison d’Ailleurs (Place Pestalozzi 14, Yverdon-les-Bains) paying tribute to the “comics culture” through the work of 5 contemporary artists: Adrian Tranquilli, Gilles Barbier, Mathias Schmied, Alexandre Nicolas and Audrey Piguet. A fascinating journey through the icons of this modern mythology. Check the official website for more details on guided tours and kids workshops.

 

• until 28th September 2014: Papiers découpés. Scherenschnitte. Silhouette. Paper cuts, a new exhibition at the Château de Prangins (VD) focusing on contemporary and historical paper-cuts. As their website explains: “Ranging from the abstract to the figurative and the dazzlingly colourful to the austerely black and white, these works are a testament to the expressive richness of a medium that enables artists to suggest the beauty of a landscape and also cast a critical eye over contemporary society. Also featured are paper cuts made by children from the Pestalozzianum Foundation in Zurich between 1930 and 1960, and films by the celebrated German director and pioneer of silhouette animation Lotte Reiniger. At the end of the tour, visitors can take a seat on a silhouette chair and recreate themselves in profile.”

 

 

• until 31st October 2014: Veni, Vidi, Ludique, a fascinating exhibition about toys and childhood games in ancient Rome held at 3 locations: the Musée romain de Nyon, Musée Suisse du Jeu and the Musée romain de Vallon. Discover what kept children entertained in ancient Rome and hw their toys were made, from rattles for babies to dolls and dice games made out of animal bones. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to pm at the Musée romain de Nyon.

 

• until 30th November 2014: La Maison des Jouets, a great exhibition of vintage toys at the Musée Alexis Forel in Morges (Grand-Rue 54). From mechanical toys to dolls, play kitchens and teddy bears this fab exhibition will take you on a fascinating journey through the history of toys & childhood play. Open Wednesday to Sunday from 2pm to 6pm.

 

• until 11th April 2015: “Dompter la lumière”, a fun interactive exhibition at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle in Geneva about the nature of light and how it can be tamed by reflection, refraction and other phenomena. The children will love the periscopes, kaleidoscopes and mirrors that will repeat images in a never-ending line. Free entry, click here to download the full brochure of the exhibition in English.

 

• The exhibition “Universe of Particles” at the iconic Globe of Science and Innovation will plunge the little visitors into the fascinating world of the tiniest and biggest particles which make up our universe.From walking through luminous spheres to exploring CERN’s legendary accelerators physics has never been more engaging !Admission to “Universe of Particles” is free, from Monday to Saturday 10am-5pm at the Globe of Science and Innovation in Meyrin. Click here for the exhibition brochure.

 

• 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.