What’s On in May 2015

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!

 

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.

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

Thursday 14th of May: Ascension, bank holiday in Geneva, France and Canton Vaud

Monday 25th of May: Whit Monday, 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 2015 EVENTS LISTINGS:

• until May 2016: Exposition de la maquette de la ville de Genève. The architectural model of the city of ‪Geneva‬ looks pretty awesome, it comprises of 145 modules and it took 40 years to complete! It is now on display for the first time and open to the public on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11am until 6pm at the “Exposition de la maquette de la ville de Genève” — 25 rue du Stand — Geneva. The exhibition opens on the 15th of April 2015 and will run until May 2016. You can call +41 22 418 20 63 for more info or to book a guided tour.

 

• 1st-10th May 2015: 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.

 

• Saturday 2nd May 2015: “Dinosaures, fossiles et autres aventures de la Terre Animation Géosciences”, a workshop and conference in French 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 start from the hall on the 3rd floor and take place at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm.

 

• Saturday 2nd May 2015: the Musée Départemental des Sapeurs-Pompiers in Gex (France) re-opens this Saturday 2nd of May from 9am to midday and then from 2pm to 6pm in the afternoon. The museum is open until the 26th of September every Saturday from 9am to 12pm and from 2pm to 6pm, 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).

 

• Saturday 2nd May 2015: 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.

 

• 2nd-3rd May 2015: 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. For the duration of the marathon, make sure you visit the ‘village du Genève Marathon’ at the Jardin Anglais for some great child-friendly activities about water’s importance in sports and physical activities, organized by SIG-Eau de Genève. The Journées Eau de Genève are open to everyone and free of charge.

 

 

• 2nd May-14th June 2015: 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.

 

• 2nd May-27th September 2015: La ville est à vous returns for its 12th edition, kicking off this weekend in Petit-Sacconex 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 upcoming street parties: 2nd-3rd May: Petit-Saconnex; 9th-10th May: Philosophes; 16th-17th May: Eaux-Vives; 24th-25th May: Saint-Gervais; 30th-31st May: Jonction; 6th-7th June: Sécheron; 13th-14th June: Plainpalais; 22nd-23rd August: Vieusseux; 29th-30th August: Saint-Jean; 5th-6th September: Europe; 26th-27th September: Pâquis.

 

• Sunday 3rd May 2015: 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 3rd May 2015: 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 3rd May 2015: Amaranta porqué, story time in French suitable from age 4 in the Auditorium of the the MEG museum in Geneva (Musée d’ethnographie de la Ville de Genève, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 65-67), in collaboration with the Festival La Cour des Contes. From 11.30am until 12.15pm. FREE ENTRY no advance booking required.

 

• Sunday 3rd May 2015: Au service du Seigneur d’Ucupe!, free Grand Bazaar kids workshop suitable from age 5 accompanied by an adult at the new MEG museum in Geneva (Musée d’ethnographie de la Ville de Genève, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 65-67). From 1.30pm until 4.30pm the children will be able to decorate and build their own ancient Peruvian temples, to celebrate the end of the current “Les rois mochica” exhibition. FREE OF CHARGE, no advance booking necessary.

 

• Sunday 3rd May 2015: Rendez-vous au jardin – Fête et marché de printemps at the Château de Prangins (VD) from 10am to 5pm. A fantastic day-out for all in a wonderful setting: 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. Read our previous post to find out all about it.

 

• Sunday 3rd May 2015: Les Dimanches Enchantés at the Vallée de la Jeunesse in Lausanne (Vallée de la Jeunesse 1). A lovely way to spend Sunday with your little buttons: from 10am to 3pm the little theatre of the Vallée de la Jeunesse will open its doors to all families with children aged 2 to 6 for a show and fun workshop – AND there will be delicious petits-pains too! The show at 11.30am on Sunday 3rd of May will be: “”Contes de la panthère”, African tales by the Compagnie Nanaboco, followed by the workshop “Rythmes de l’Afrique”. Tickets are 4CHF for children over 2 years and 5 CHF for adults. No advance booking necessary.

 

• until 3rd May 2015: 29th 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.

 

• until 3rd May 2015: 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 4 “Le coin des enfants” activities for children, take a look at their online programme for full details.

 

• until 3rd May 2015: LE VILAIN PETIT MOUTON, an adorable puppetshow in French suitable from age 6 at the Théâtre des Marionnettes de Genève (Rue Rodo 3), which tells the story of the ugly little…sheep! See the theatre’s official website for prices and to reserve your places.

 

• Wednesday 6th May 2015: “Météorites, messagères de l’espace” – Animation du mercredi  from age 7 at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Genève (1, route de Malagnou). In connection with the current exhibition “Exoplanètes”, these free Wednesday workshops will take place  from 2pm to 4.30pm (second floor).

 

• Wednesday 6th May 2015: “La forêt des beaux-arts”, part of the Mercredis Family at the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva (Rue Charles-Galland 2). Children aged 6 and older accompanied by an adult are welcome every Wednesday at 3pm to discover all about the museum collections in a fun, interactive way. Reserve your places in advance at adp-mah@ville-ge.ch or by phone at 022 418 25 00.

 

• Wednesday 6th May 2015: La visite au fil des contes, guided tour and story-time for all ages (kids aged 5+) conducted in French by Floriane Facchini at the new 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 at the information desk. Starting at 2pm until 3.30pm.

 

• Wednesday 6th May 2015: “Des fleurs pour les mamans” – 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 2 other workshops this month on Wed. 13th and 27th of May 2015.

 

• 7th-10th May 2015: 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.

 

• 7th-10th May 2015: Salon UNIcréa Château de Morges, a fantastic exhibition for all those who love arts & crafts and unique pieces made by artisans. Register your children on one of the kids workshops or take part yourself in one of their creative ateliers, visit their official website for full details.

 

• 7th-17th May 2015: 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.

 

• 8th-10th May 2015: 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 masks. The carnival takes over Lausanne’s city centre until Sunday 10th 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.

 

• 8th-10th May 2015: “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 9th May 2015: “Dinosaures, fossiles et autres aventures de la Terre Animation Géosciences”, a workshop and conference in French 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 start from the hall on the 3rd floor and take place at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm.

 

• Saturday 9th May 2015: The newly-refurbished Bibliothèque de la Cité in ‪Geneva‬ (Place des Trois-Perdrix 5) reopens on Saturday 9th of May at 10am — here’s what the kids corner will look like, isn’t it just fab?

 

• 9th-10th May 2015:  La ville est à vous celebrations in Geneva’s Philosophe neighbourhood with street parties, second-hand sales and activities for children. Take a look at the official website for more info.

 

• 9th-10th May 2015: Grand opening at the Maison de la Rivière in Tolochenaz – VD (ch. du Boiron, 2). After the renovation that lasted 5 years, the Maison de la Rivière is ready to open its doors to the public again with a great opening party offering workshops for kids, fish & chips, guided tours of the aquariums and much more! FREE ENTRY.

 

• 9th-10th May 2015: “Marco Polo et la Princesse de Chine”, opera for children performed by the 120 young students of the COV – Conservatoire de l’Ouest Vaudois. The opera will be performed at the Théâtre de Beausobre in Morges (VD) on Saturday 9th of May at 7pm; at the Théâtre de Marens in Nyon on Sunday 10th at 5pm; at the Salle du Chêne in Aubonne at 8pm on Tuesday 12th of May. Performed in French.

 

• until 10th May 2015: “Le tour du monde en 80 jours”, the timeless adventures of Phileas Fogg are brought to the stage in French at the Théâtre Töpffer in Geneva (21, Avenue Eugène Pittard). Performances will take place on Wednesdays, Saturdays & Sundays at 3.30pm. Get there in advance to get the best seats when the doors open!

 

• Wednesday 13th May 2015: “Beurk, c’est bon !”, part of the Mercredis Family at the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva (Rue Charles-Galland 2). Children aged 6 and older accompanied by an adult are welcome every Wednesday at 3pm to discover all about the museum collections in a fun, interactive way. Reserve your places in advance at adp-mah@ville-ge.ch or by phone at 022 418 25 00.

 

• Wednesday 13th May 2015: La visite au fil des contes, guided tour and story-time for all ages (kids aged 5+) conducted in French by Floriane Facchini at the new 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 at the information desk. Starting at 2pm until 3.30pm

 

• Wednesday 13th May 2015: “Dans notre assiette: feuille, tige, racine” – 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 another workshop this month on Wed. 27th of May 2015.

 

• Wednesday 13th May 2015: “Météorites, messagères de l’espace” – Animation du mercredi  from age 7 at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Genève (1, route de Malagnou). In connection with the current exhibition “Exoplanètes”, these free Wednesday workshops will take place  from 2pm to 4.30pm (second floor).

 

• Thursday 14th May 2015: “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.

 

• Saturday 16th May 2015: Délices d’insectes, a unique workshop for young gourmets accompanied by an adult & suitable from age 8 in the Auditorium of the the MEG museum in Geneva (Musée d’ethnographie de la Ville de Genève, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 65-67). From 6pm to 6.30pm and from 9pm to 9.30pm visitors will be able to taste…insects!! FREE ENTRY no advance booking required.

 

• Saturday 16th May 2015: “Dinosaures, fossiles et autres aventures de la Terre Animation Géosciences”, a workshop and conference in French 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 start from the hall on the 3rd floor and take place at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm.

 

• Saturday 16th May 2015: 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.

 

• 16th-17th May 2015:  La ville est à vous celebrations in Geneva’s Eaux-Vives neighbourhood with street parties, second-hand sales and activities for children. Take a look at the official website for more info.

 

• Saturday 16th-Sunday 17th May 2015: 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 17th will be dedicated to families and young visitors, with a plethora of workshops and events all free of charge (this year’s theme is going to be sweet treats, definitely a crowd pleaser for the little ones!).

 

• Sunday 17th May 2015: “Menu Enfants – Visite en famille” at the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva (Rue Charles-Galland 2) starting at 2.30pm and 3.30pm. A special guided tour for families and children aged 6+ accompanied by an adult, a great way to discover all about the museum collections in a fun, interactive way. FREE ENTRY, no advance booking necessary.

 

• Sunday 17th May 2015: Les Dimanches Enchantés at the Vallée de la Jeunesse in Lausanne (Vallée de la Jeunesse 1). A lovely way to spend Sunday with your little buttons: from 10am to 3pm the little theatre of the Vallée de la Jeunesse will open its doors to all families with children aged 2 to 6 for a show and fun workshop – AND there will be delicious petits-pains too! The show at 11.30am on Sunday 17th of May will be: “A plume, à poil et pirouettes ! “, tales with Aurélie Masson and Magali Steffen, followed by the workshop “Animaux masqués”. Tickets are 4CHF for children over 2 years and 5 CHF for adults. No advance booking necessary.

 

• until 17th May 2015: 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 20th May 2015: “Météorites, messagères de l’espace” – Animation du mercredi  from age 7 at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Genève (1, route de Malagnou). In connection with the current exhibition “Exoplanètes”, these free Wednesday workshops will take place  from 2pm to 4.30pm (second floor).

 

• Wednesday 20th May 2015: La visite au fil des contes, guided tour and story-time for all ages (kids aged 5+) conducted in French by Floriane Facchini at the new 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 at the information desk. Starting at 2pm until 3.30pm.

 

• 22nd-25th May 2015: 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.

 

• Saturday 23rd May 2015: “Dinosaures, fossiles et autres aventures de la Terre Animation Géosciences”, a workshop and conference in French 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 start from the hall on the 3rd floor and take place at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm.

 

• Saturday 23rd May 2015: “La journée autour du conte – Les droits des enfants”, a fantastic event organized in collaboration with Terre des Hommes & Cirque Coquino at the Casino Théâtre de Rolle, rue du Port 15 (VD). Suitable from age 3, this family event will offer workshops, story-times, activities and circus shows for kids from 10am until 4pm. FREE ENTRY  but donations accepted to support different Terre des Hommes children’s charities around the world.

 

• 23rd-24th May 2015: Open Wine Cellars Vaud 2015. 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.

 

• 23rd-25th & 30th-31st May 2015: 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 24th May 2015: 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).

 

• Sunday 24th May 2015: Cyclotour du Léman, an unmissable cycling event covering miles of beautiful coastline along lake Leman – find out more on their official website.

 

• 24th-25th May 2015:  La ville est à vous celebrations in Geneva’s Saint-Gervais neighbourhood with street parties, second-hand sales and activities for children. Take a look at the official website for more info.

 

• 26th-30th May 2015: Festival Livre et Petite Enfance in Geneva. This year’s edition of the book festival for babies and toddlers will be taking place at the Maison de la Créativité (7, chemin Calandrini – 1231 Conches). With indoor reading activities suitable from 3 months, story-times and puppet shows under the yourte Mongolian tent and a family disco in the park, fun is definitely guaranteed for all! Click here to download the full programme, entry is 5CHF per person/child and free for children under 2.

 

• Wednesday 27th May 2015: “Voyage autour du monde avec les plantes symboliques” – 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 another workshop this month on Wed. 27th of May 2015.

 

• Wednesday 27th May 2015: “Météorites, messagères de l’espace” – Animation du mercredi  from age 7 at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Genève (1, route de Malagnou). In connection with the current exhibition “Exoplanètes”, these free Wednesday workshops will take place  from 2pm to 4.30pm (second floor).

 

• 28th-31st May 2015: Fureur de lire, Geneva’s spring literary festival with many exciting activities taking place ta various locations around town, including story time for kids, readings, conferences and more. The full programme will be available online from the 7th of May 2015.

 

• Friday 29th May 2015: 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.

 

• 29th-30th May 2015: Portes Ouvertes Sapeurs-pompiers et ambulanciers, two open days coming up on Friday 29th and Saturday 30th of May that will show the public all the great work done by the Service d’incendie et de secours (SIS) in ‪‎Geneva‬ to keep us safe, every day. FREE ENTRY. The open days will run from 8am until 5pm at the following address: CASERNE 1 – 11, rue du Vieux-Billard – 1205 Geneva. You can watch their awesome video online!

 

• 29th-31st May 2015: “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.

 

• 29th-31st May 2015: 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!

 

• 29th-31st May 2015: Festival LudiMania’K at Estavayer-le-Lac. Entry to this Games Festival suitable from age 3, taking place in the streets of Estavayer’s old town is free of charge so definitely worth a visit!  There will be free circus and theatre shows, fun workshops and much more – visit the official website for full details and exact performance times. Workshops require previous booking online and have a small fee of 6CHF to 9CHF per child, click here to see the complete list and reserve your place.

 

• 29th May-14th June 2015: 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 the kids shows: “Théâtre de marionnettes – Le fameux cirque en ombres”; “Tête de Lune”; “Paco y Maya, deux enfants des Andes”; Théâtre de marionnettes Amarante « Fil d’histoires » and “Marionnettes et musique du Rajasthan”. Tickets are 25CHF for adults and 10CHF for children aged 12 and older, places are limited so advance booking is highly recommended.

 

• Saturday 30th May 2015: “Dinosaures, fossiles et autres aventures de la Terre Animation Géosciences”, a workshop and conference in French 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 start from the hall on the 3rd floor and take place at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm.

 

• Saturday 30th May 2015: 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 30th May 2015: 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 30th May 2015: Spring festival in Nyon (VD). Street market and stalls, live music, Caribbean dances, activities for kids and delish food trucks.

 

 

• Saturday 30th May 2015: 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.

 

• 30th-31st May 2015: La ville est à vous celebrations in Geneva’s Jonction neighbourhood with street parties, second-hand sales and activities for children. Take a look at the official website for more info.

 

• 30th-31st May 2015; 5th-6th & 7th June; 12th-13th & 14th June 2015: “Le Petit Prince – Rock Opera”, a new opera for kids based on the childhood classic by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry performed at the Cantine des fêtes de Gimel in Canton Vaud. Tickets are 30CHF for adults and 20CHF for kids under 16. Check the official website for exact performance times and tickets points of sale.

 

• Sunday 31st May 2015: “Tohu Wa Bohu en voyage – spécial Océanie” story-time songs and music for children at Geneva’s MEG museum (in French). The first session will be for toddlers aged 2 to 4 and will take place from 4pm to 4.45pm in the museum’s foyer. The second session is for children aged 5+ and will run from 5pm until 5.45pm. FREE ENTRY, no advance booking required. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

 

• Sunday 31st May 2015: Les Dimanches Enchantés at the Vallée de la Jeunesse in Lausanne (Vallée de la Jeunesse 1). A lovely way to spend Sunday with your little buttons: from 10am to 3pm the little theatre of the Vallée de la Jeunesse will open its doors to all families with children aged 2 to 6 for a show and fun workshop – AND there will be delicious petits-pains too! The show at 11.30am on Sunday 31st of May will be: “Comme des bêtes”, tales by the Cie Contes Joyeux followed by the workshop “Parcours bestial”. Tickets are 4CHF for children over 2 years and 5 CHF for adults. No advance booking necessary.

 

ONGOING:

• until 25th October 2015: “L’œil nu” a fantastic new exhibition suitable from age 7 at the Espace des Inventions in Lausanne (Vallée de la Jeunesse 1). The exhibition will teach your little ones everything there is to know about sight and vision, through a series of interactive stations. Alongside the exhibition there will also be a series of fun workshops for ages 7 to 12 called “Le Club des petits inventeurs”, from 2pm to 5pm on selected days. Click here to download the list of activities.

 

• 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.

 

• until 4th April 2016: Exoplanète, a great exhibition at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle, Genève (1, route de Malagnou) to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the discovery of the first exoplanète, a planet situated outside our solar system by the Swiss astrophysicists from the Observatoire de Genève, Michel Mayor & Didier Queloz. This exhibition is accompanied by a number of kids workshops, guided tours, astronomical observation and many more events in the months to come.