10 Child-Friendly Activities to Do in Brussels, Belgium

Many parents like the idea of exposing their children to the art, architecture, and culture of other countries, but let's face it, kids can only spend so much time in a museum before they get bored and want to do something fun. In Brussels, there is always something fun for children and parents to do and enjoy together.

The following list contains just some of the more popular child-friendly attractions that can be found in Brussels.

1. The Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate offers visitors an opportunity to learn about the history and making of chocolate. Also, the museum offers some unique and unexpected uses for chocolate, including a solid chocolate sculpture and chocolate clothes. http://www.mucc.be/EN/indexEN.html

2. The Scientastic Museum is an amazing place where children can interact with over 90 exhibits. Every exhibit is created which children in mind and the interaction will keep them busy for hours. http://www.scientastic.com/

3. The Atomium, built for the World Fair of 1958, represents an atom that has been enlarged 165 billion times its original size. It has nine spheres that are connected through tubes that house escalators to travel from one sphere to the next. Recently renovated, each sphere contains a different attraction, including a restaurant, a museum, and a children's sphere. http://www.atomium.be/

4. Mini-Europe is a fun place for children and adult alike. It contains 300 models and sites from all over Europe that have been reduced to a 1/25 scale of the originals. Each model is fully functional and if you wait, you'll be able to hear Big Ben's chimes. Also, if the kids get hungry, a restaurant is located halfway through the exhibits. http://www.minieurope.com/

5. Comic Strip Art and shops can be found all around Brussels. Home of Herge, the creator of Tintin and his faithful companion snowy, the art of comic strips can be found on building walls and at the Comic Strip Museum. http://www.comicscenter.net/en/home

6. Autoworld Brussels offers a large collection of vehicles from a carriage used by Napoleon to a variety of concept cars. It has 5 different collections that are sure to amuse children of all ages. http://www.autoworld.be/

7. Manneken-Pis is a favorite, and a must, for all visitors to Brussels. This statue of a little boy doing his business freely in public amuses all who see him. Built in 1619, he has accumulated over 700 outfits that he wears on special occasions. He has also gained a sister and a dog that pee on their own corners around Brussels. http://www.manneken-pis.com/intro.html

8. Océade is a year round water park with eleven slides, a wave pool, rafts, saunas, and Jacuzzis offers hours of fun and relaxation for the whole family. Parents can sit back and enjoy a Belgian beer at the restaurant while the children spend their time playing in one of the many indoor and outdoor water attractions available to them. http://www.oceade.be/

9. The Toone Royal Theatre offers puppet shows, a museum of puppets, and a restaurant. Although the word tone is usually translated as puppets, they are exquisite handcrafted marionettes. Children are enchanted by the stories told and they seem to understand them in whatever language they are performed. These marionettes are beautifully crafted and worth a look. http://www.toone.be/

10. Kinnepolis is the place to relax after a long day. It is considered the first megaplex in the world with 25 movie screens and it is located by the Atomium and Mini-Europe. So relax, sit back, and catch a movie. http://www.kinepolis.com