Don't know what to do with your little ones this weekend in the capital? Tired of going every Sunday to Parque del Retiro to throw breadcrumbs to the fish and watch the magic tricks of street illusionists? Or maybe the problem is that your kid spends too much time on the tablet without realizing there's more out there beyond home and school? Maybe you both need that extra dose of fresh air and vitamin D the Madrid sun gives us. To make it easier for you, the Wake Up Tour team has put together this clever list of 5 places you can discover and explore as a family — and live new experiences…
1. Ratoncito Pérez Museum.
Wait! You didn't know there was a museum dedicated to the Ratoncito Pérez (Spain's "Tooth Mouse")? It's not your average museum — it's the actual "house" where the world's most famous family of rodents lives. According to tradition, the Ratoncito Pérez lived, together with his wife and children, inside a Huntley biscuit tin in the basements of the Confitería Prast, located at number 8 of Calle Arenal. If we walk by today, we'll find the very house of the Ratoncito Pérez turned into a museum. A museum displaying — alongside countless baby teeth — paintings, photographs, toys and various curious objects designed to stimulate the youngest ones' imagination. It's a very special place where you'll discover not only the true story of this famous Mouse, but also how he did — and still does — his work methodically, just as his creator Luis Coloma tells us in the wonderful tale he wrote for King Alfonso XIII when he was just a child. To make the visit more rewarding, the museum also runs children's arts and crafts workshops and, of course, workshops on the importance of oral hygiene and dental care.If you want to know more: www.casamuseoratonperez.es
2. National Museum of Natural Sciences.
It's one of Madrid's museums that interests children most — without a doubt thanks to the spectacular collection of taxidermy animals, some so realistic they look like they're about to come to life and jump on top of you. Far from being a boring place where only scientific research matters, here they'll be able to explore the entire world and discover dinosaur skeletons of gigantic dimensions, real fossils from millions of years ago, minerals and even meteorites. Thanks to all these specimens you'll be able to take a journey through time to understand up close the history of our planet from the Big Bang and the evolution of the different ecosystems where millions of species have lived, many of them extinct today. If your little ones love nature and biology… this is their museum! In addition, the education department runs lots of children's activities scheduled throughout the year, as well as augmented reality devices that let them interact with the dinosaurs themselves. However, what will undoubtedly leave them speechless is the 7-meter-long giant squid preserved in a display case with alcohol.If you want to know more: www.mncn.csic.es
3. The Planetarium.
Are your kids more drawn to astronomy? Maybe they're the ones who beg you to go out at night to the countryside on the city outskirts to see the famous meteor shower every August 10 and make a few wishes. Or maybe they're the ones whose bedroom walls and ceiling are decorated with countless star, planet, sun and comet stickers that glow in the dark. If that's the case, it's a clear sign you should take them one day to the Madrid Planetarium. There they'll be able to discover how the bodies of our solar system work, what the most famous constellations of our night sky are, and the most incredible secrets the Universe hides. It's an ideal opportunity to learn and become an astronaut for a day, thanks to the illusion generated by the building's giant white dome where a series of multimedia videos are projected, making us inevitably feel like tiny beings floating in the middle of the cosmos. In addition to running periodic themed exhibitions, the Planetarium runs all kinds of activities and workshops created for the youngest, in some of which they'll even be able to operate and observe through a huge professional telescope.If you want to know more: www.planetmad.es
4. Parque de Europa.
If you'd rather stay outdoors but without giving up seeing equally beautiful and surprising things, your alternative is the spectacular Parque de Europa, located in Torrejón de Ardoz. It's worth the trip out here to see in person the replicas of famous monuments scattered throughout many of Europe's capitals. Some you'll see are the Trevi Fountain (Rome), the Brandenburg Gate (Berlin), the Little Mermaid (Copenhagen), London Bridge (London), the Eiffel Tower (Paris), and so on. Mind you — if you think the Eiffel Tower here is too small… your kids will think it's gigantic and barely notice the difference with the original. If they're curious and make it to the end of the park, they'll also discover a replica of the typical Dutch Windmills, a Viking Ship half-sunk in the lake and… nothing less than the famous Puerta de Alcalá! Who said an Interrail trip can't be done in one afternoon?If you want to know more: www.parqueeuropa.es
5. Micropolix.
There's a city designed by and for children where every space and every task is designed for them. Located in San Sebastián de los Reyes, Micropolix is a city built to your kids' size, with more than 30 different spaces where children learn by playing at being grown-ups. They'll be adults for a day. Here the only citizens are them, and each one has to perform a job to keep things running. They have their own city hall, hospital, supermarket, fire station, etc., where they have to work to earn Eurix, the Micropolix currency. They even get the chance to take their driving test and attend a driving school for the exam. It's an educational leisure option where the little ones learn to be responsible and live everyday adult-life situations, getting closer to the rules of coexistence without forgetting the management of their own financial resources to spend on leisure activities.If you want to know more: https://micropolix.com/
