The (Suzanne Mubarak) Children's Museum

The formerly known Suzanne Mubarak Children's Museum in Heliopolis is a hidden gem for all parents and visitors to Egypt. Tucked away on a busy residential stretch in Heliopolis, you can never imagine the amazing gardens that lay beyond the colorful entrance gates.

The fees are very reasonable, for 40 LE you get to have a "tour of the Nile" (a walk through a fake safari along the length of a model Nile, a visit to the museum (one floor only per visit -- don't bother asking why), an activity for your kid (painting Nefertiti on papyrus), and an enjoyable stay in the gardens which have one of the best and safest children's playgrounds I've seen in Cairo and even feature a butterfly museum (seasonal).

It is clean, highly under crowded (one of the few places - truly undiscovered so far by the masses), and I'd rate the interactivity and exhibits of the museum itself as better than the ROM in Toronto.

The first floor has Ancient Egypt and this is just awesome. It includes large rubber Sphinxes that kids can assemble like a puzzle, wall drawings, an X-ray scanner of a mummy and a replica of King Tut's tomb. Next floor up is agriculture, then the desert and the sea, and the top astronomy (top two floors are reserved for schools but with a bit of convincing we got to see the desert/sea floor minus use of some of the electrical gadgets).

Awesome, not to be missed by any family coming to Cairo.

Planet Africa

Just like the North American Rainforest Cafe chain, but with amazing grilled food. (Located in Heliopolis)

Amazing Street Festivals

Street festivals in Egypt are really incredible. The below pictures were both taken from the Korba district in Heliopolis. The street gets super-packed with youth, music-makers, face-painters, food n' drink vendors, book-sellers, craftspeople, parents with kids, sidewalk artists, drummers and booty shakers. As the day progresses and the sun wanes, the crowds spill in overflowing in a jittery chattery loud but peace-loving rabble, standing room only.

The Swiss Club

Nestled in the busy streets and towering buildings of Mohandessin, the Swiss club is a surprisingly calm sanctuary of lush greenery, quaint but attractive old-ish buildings (in Egypt, "old" goes pretty deep), a nice play area for children, a German bookstore (also featuring some books in English, Arabic, and French) and a nice restaurant and sitting area. A great retreat for those wishing an escape from the urban landscape, a feeling of being withdrawn into the countryside as you are surrounded by centuries old trees, open green spaces, and quiet.

Art tables for kids

A nice feature at a lot of cafe and restaurant areas are art tables set up for your kids to do nice activities and paint pictures they can take home with them (sometimes on stickers, sometimes on large posters, sometimes on clay sculptures, etc etc) with bright colors and sparkles.

This table is set up during Ramadan in the cafe area in Al Rehab
The company running it is called Artoon and is based in Heliopolis.
where they provide art classes and music lessons.

Tangled

Birthday, fish and Jasmine

Children's Fanoos (Lantern)

Each year during Ramadan, kids get given toy lanterns. They have loud music and bright alternating lights. Fabulous fun.

Bakar

Bakar is an adorable cartoon series that airs every Ramadan after the breakfast (i.e., break fast, when the sun sets). Each episode carries another moral lesson about virtue and the series displays fantastic scenes from the local rural life in Egypt.

Moloheya

Moloheya is one of those things that looks gross because of it can be slimy (trust me, if eating it cold is NOT good), BUT, if you have a GOOD dish of moloheya, then it is the most truly delicious and healthy greeness possible, bursting full of essential minerals and vitamins and packed with garlicky taste. It is cooked with meat and is a bit thicker than a soup, eaten with Egyptian bread and/or white rice. It's easy to prepare delicious vegan and vegetarian versions too. YUM!

My daughter's bowl.

Amazingly, ALL of the children I know in Egypt LOVE to eat moloheya. Even my daughter, who is about the pickiest eater on the planet. So its a great food for parents to prepare for their children to ensure they get enough of the daily vitamins and minerals they require.

Outdoor Lawn Movies

I have never seen a drive-in here in Egypt, but what there are tons of all over the place, at nearly every club, are large movie screens and plastic lawn chairs where everyone sits out at tables or in chairs and watches movies together - outdoors in evenings - year round, in Egypt's fabulous weather.

Geroland

Geroland is one of those fabulous locations in Egypt that does not receive the attention it really deserves. Tucked away behind the GolfCity mall in El Obour City just outside of Cairo, Geroland makes for a great afternoon with little kids. For anyone who has ever been to Toronto - it sort of reminds me of Toronto's Centerville Island. The rides are classics: the requisite carousel, along with bumper cars and a haunted house (which was too spooky for my little one to enter yet). There are flying dinosaurs, whirring boots, gentle rocket rides, and small spinning teacups, and a nice swan ride too. Lots of ice cream stands, fresh juice, cotton candy - typical amusement park fare with some Egyptian specialties thrown in like hummus (chick peas).

Makes for a great day, and another very welcoming place with small kids.

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