Local Fun List – all ages

The weather is getting nicer now and it’s time to get out… peruse this.  It’s an older list, but you may not remember it all.  Check out the Dagstrand park in Oost Maarland just 4 clicks from Maastricht!  So many fun things to do!

Less than an hour away

Niederheid, DE (7 min from GK)

Pee Wee’s — rainy day fun for young kids
Max Plankstrasse 14; Neiderheide DE
Tel: 02451 – 8228
Open: Mon – Fri: 13.30 – 18.30; Sat & Sun: 10.00 – 18.30; Holidays and vacation weeks: 10.00 – 18.30 (Great place in the winter, but do dress warm… and keep in mind that there is no air conditioning, so it does close on extremely hot summer days.)
Website: http://geilenkirchen.peeweeposterholt.nl/Auskunft.html
*Large Indoor Play area with separate toddler area, large slides, huge air bed/bouncy castle, bumper cars, ball pits, food available, large seating area for adults. Pee Wee’s is a favorite among kids and with enough to do for toddler ages as well, I’ve seen plenty of adults enjoy themselves with a book and a cup of all-you-can-drink coffee while the kids run off and play for hours. Like most, it is socks only, but where socks you don’t cherish as they’ll be black by the end of the day. Socks with the no-slide bottoms would be helpful for younger kids. Saying that, the place is not spotless, so don’t white glove test it and the bumper cars are fun though it smells of burning rubber. Still, kids love it and we’ve been to a few thousand (feels like it anyway) parties there now and it always turns out great.

Gangelt, DE (13 min from GK)

Haus Hamacher – Swimming pool and mini-golf
Am Freibad 10
52538 Gangelt
Telefon: (0 24 54) 14 14
Telefax: (0 24 54) 93 93 01
Email: Haus.Hamacher@t-online.de
Web: http://www.haus-hamacher.de/
Open: Monday-Saturday 1100-2200 and Sunday 1000-2200

Wildpark Gangelt
Schinvelder Str.; Mindergangelt
Tel: 02454-2459
Web: http://www.wildpark-gangelt.com/
(The Website has English translations on all its pages)
Open: 0900-1900 every day
Price: Adults — 6 E; Children ages 4-15 — 4 E
Food: 1 Euro/bag to feed the animals. They also like chestnuts and acorns in the fall.

Heinsberg, DE (13 min from GK)

Monkey’s Spielparadies — More rainy day fun for little ones
Humbolt Strasse 5; Heinsburg
Tel: 02452-977655
Open: Mon- Fri 1000-1900; Sat and Sun and holidays 1000-2200
Web: http://www.monkeys-spielparadies.de/
Price: Kids under 2: Free; Kids up to age 12: 4 Euros; Adults: 3 Euros; Grandma and Grandpa are free.

Landgraaf, NL (20 min from GK)

SnowWorld Indoor Ski Fun!
Witte Wereld 1, Landgraaf, NL
Web: www.snowworld.nl (English site available)

Limbricht, NL (24 min from GK)

Limbricht Kasteel – medieval themed vaulted bowling alley and good food
Allee 1; Limbricht Tel: 046-451 44 44
Opens: Thurs – Sun evening.
Web: www.kasteellimbricht.nl
*Look carefully at bowling package pricing… most look expensive, but include food.

Heerlen, NL (26 min from GK)

Kinderstadt — Large indoor playground
Parallelweg 4; Heerlen
Tel: 0031-455-717-252
http://www.kinderstad.nl/
Open: Every day 1000-1800
Price: 9.50 for ages 2-9

Neoliet Heerlen – Indoor Wall Climbing!
Sportpark Kaldeborn
Stadionbaan 52
6416CS Heerlen
31 (0)45 5424358
http://neoliet.climbing.nl/
> 17.5 m height, 1000 m² area
**They teach children from age 7, and do groups, parties, and can teach in English.

Würselen, DE (27 min from GK)

Euregio Freizeitbad Würselen – FUN! Indoor Swimming Center
Willy-Brandt-Ring 100; Würselen

http://aquana.de/Freizeitbad/Freizeitbad.htm

Open: M-Th 1300-2000, Fri 1300-2100, Sat-Sun 1000-2100

Kerkrade, NL (28 min from GK)

Gaia Park — zoo
Dentgenbachweg 105
6468 PG Kerkrade
Tel: 045 567 60 70
Web: http://www.gaiapark.nl
Hours: Opens daily at 1000.
Dec – Feb closes at 1600. March – June and Sept – Nov closes at 1700.
July – August closes at 1800.
Prices: Age 13 to 64 years € 17,00
Children 3 – 12 € 12.50
Under 3 is free
65 and over € 12.50

Echt, NL (28 min from GK)

De Ballon – rainy day fun for little people.
Bandertlaan 13; Echt, NL
Tel: 0031-0475-410845
Web: http://www.de-ballon.nl
Open: Wed, Fri-Sun 1000 – 1900
Cost: 3.25E
*This is small, but is open weekday mornings and has a separate toddler area.

Indoor Kartcenter — Bowling and Indoor Go-Carts!
Bandertlaan 9; Echt, NL
tel. 0475-418900
info@pke.nl
Web: www.pke.nl
Hours: Mon-Thurs 1800-2300, Fri 1800-2400, Sat 1300-2400, Sun 1300-2300

Aachen, DE (29 min from GK)

Badminton und Kletterhalle Tivoli Rock Aachen
Strangenhäuschen 11; 52070 Aachen
Tel: +49 (0) 241 / 15 77 60
Open: Mo – Fr: 09.00 bis 24.00 Uhr
Sa, So, Feiertags: 09.30 bis 22.30 Uhr
Web: www.tivoli-rock.de
*More than 1000sqm of indoor climbing space, bistro, camps for kids, and more!

Juelich, DE (30 min from GK)

Bruckenkopf Park
Rurauenstraße 11
52428 Jülich
Tel: 02461 – 9795-0
E-Mail: brueckenkopf-park@t-online.de

Web: http://www.brueckenkopfpark.de/
(Click on the Brueckenkopf park photo in the center, then click on the “fur kids” link above)
Price: Adults 4Euro, Kids above 1 meter 1.80, Kids under 1 Meter free
Open: Nov-Feb 1000-1630, Mar-Oct 0900-1800
*This park has several playgrounds (nice, big ones), minigolf, rafting, a bungee, rock climbing, sand pits, sports fields, a small kid train, a lake for water play, skate board ramps, and a nature park.

Neuss, DE (34 min from GK)

Kinderbauernhof
Nixhütter Weg 141, Neuss-Selikum
Tel: 02131 90 85 21
http://www.kinderbauernhof-neuss.de
Open: daily 0900-1800
Kurse = Course…. check the link online for many classes available.

Maasmechelen, BE (35 min from GK)

Cargo Karting
Heufkensweg 5; Maasmechelen, BE
Tel: 0032-089-77-28-50
Email: info@cargo-karting.be
Web: www.cargo-karting.be
Open: Mon – Fri 1800-2330, Sat 1300-1415 kids and 1415-2400 adults, Sun 1300-1500 kids and 1500-2300 adults.

Vaals, NL (36 min from GK)

Outdoor Go-Carts in Vaals
http://www.kartingvaals.nl/

http://actionfun.goedbegin.nl/

Labyrint Drielandenpunt – Large maze and playground
Viergrenzenweg 97; Vaals, NL
Tel +31 (043) 306 52 00
E-mail info@drielandenpunt.nl
http://www.drielandenpunt.nl/

Gulpen, NL (37 min from GK)

Mosaqua
Landsraderweg 11; Gulpen
tel.: +31 (0)43-4507400
email: info@mosaqua.nl
http://www.mosaqua.nl/
**Amazing subtropical aquatic extravaganza with indoor and outdoor
facilities. The indoor complex has several pools, slides, river rapids, Jacuzzis, Turkish
Bath and a small toddler pool with slides and water canons. For all ages. Hours and prices online in English. Reasonable rates.

Dusseldorf, DE (42 min from GK)

Duesselstrand
Kettwiger Strasse 50; Dusseldorf
http://www.baeder-duesseldorf.de/duesselstrand.htm

Kessenich, BE (43 min from GK)

Alles Kids
Venlosesteenweg 330; Kessenich, BE
Tel:- (0032) 089 57 22 80
Web: www.alleskids.be
Hours: Wed 1330-1900, Sat-Sun 1000-1900, School vacations 1000-1900, Summer 1000-1800
*Large indoor play area includes trike track, sponge ball guns, a couple of big slides,
separate toddler area, and enclosed mini football pitch with goals. Great for young kids on rainy, cold days.

Genk, BE (44 min from GK)

EuroPlanetarium
Planetariumweg 19; Genk
Tel: 0032-089-65-5555
Web: http://www.europlanetarium.be/

Valkenburg, NL (45 min from GK)

Laser Tag, Chairlift and Toboggan at GoGo Valkenburg
http://www.kabelbaan.nl

Valkenier Family Park
Koningswinkelstraat 53; Valkenburg NL
Tel: 0031-043-601-2289
Email: info@pretpark-de-valkenier.nl
Web: www.pretpark-de-valkenier.nl

Venlo, NL (45 min from GK)

Laser Quest & Bowling

VENLO MEGAZONE
Rijksweg 181
5941 AD Velden
Netherlands
Tel: 0031 77 472 2274

Noervenich, DE (45 min from GK)

Bubenheimer Playground and Maze
Burg-Bubenheim; 52388 Nörvenich
Tel: 02421 – 71194
Infoband: 02421 – 9709969
Web: www.bubenheimer-spieleland.de
Open: Mo. : Sa. 9.00 – 12.00
Mo. : Fr. 15.00 – 18.00

Oost-Maarland, NL (48 min from GK)

Dagstrand – Outdoor Recreation Park
Oosterweg 5, Oost-Maarland
Tel: +31 43 409 44 41
Tel: +31 43 409 36 71
info@dagstrand.nl
www.dagstrand.nl
*beach, paintball, indoor and outdoor playgrounds, restaurant, paintball, quad runners, canoes, boats, rope courses, camping, team buidling events, and more – reasonable prices. See website for details.

Bruehl, DE (48 min from GK)

Phantasialand Amusement Park
Berggeistrasse 31-41; Bruhl, DE
Web: http://www.phantasialand.de
*Ticket prices, hours, and other information is available on the easy-to-use English website.

Duisburg, DE (49 Minutes from GK)

Duisburg Zoo
Mülheimer Strasse 273; Duisburg, DE
Tel.: 0203-305590
E-Mail: Info@Zoo-Duisburg.de
Internet: www.zoo-duisburg.de
Price: Adult 11 Euro, Children 5.50 Euro – Family ticket available with good discount
Hours: Everyday from 0900. Holidays (Christmas and New Years) open at 1000. Closes at 1600 in winter, 1730 in summer.
*zoo with Dolphin exhibit

Tegelen, NL (50 min from GK)

High Ropes Course

Genk, BE (53 min from GK)

Het Domein Bokrijk – Bokrijks Adventure Park
Bokrijklaan 1; Genk
32 011 26 53 00
bokrijk@limburg.be
http://www.bokrijk.be
http://www1.limburg.be/bokrijk/eng/index.html

This entire town is set up to entertain you from March through September with its Open Air Museum which recreates special events in the past with music, costume, and actors. Enjoy the town and the many gardens, forests and walking paths surrounding it and take the kids. There is A LOT for them to do as well.

Bokrijk Adventure Park: There is a high and a low rope course, by which most challenges are at an average of about 6 meters. Open: year round
Miniature golf: Open: March – June weekdays 1100-1700 & weekends 1100-1800
July – August every day 1100-1900 & September 1300 – 1800
Playground: The Bokrijk playground is the biggest in the country. Sensational toys, a slide complex, a rope pyramid, and an animal corner are ready for hours of play. A playground specially designed for pre-schoolers offers safe playing pleasure for the smallest. And when the weather’s bad, there’s always Bokland, the indoor playground.
Bokland: Children from 3 to 10 years can play to their heart’s content in this indoor soft-play area. Diving into the vat of balls, scrambling on the toys, the entire area is suitable for children.
Open air Museum — Arboretum and a garden of fragrances and colours — Het Groene Huis — Covered wagons and a fishpond (more information available on the websites above or here)

Sevenum, NL (56 min from GK)

Toverland
Toverlaan 2; Sevenum
T (+31)077 – 467 70 50
info@toverland.nl
http://www.toverland.nl/
Price: € 19,50 per person
Parking: € 5,00
Hours: 1000-1800 every day
** Large indoor and outdoor play place. Great for kids all year round!

Oberhausen, DE (59 min from GK)

CentrOPark Oberhausen
Promenade 10; Oberhausen
http://www.centropark.de

SeaLife Oberhausen
Zum Aquarium 1; Amsterdamer Strasse; Oberhausen DE
Tel: 0208-444-88-444

http://www.sealifeeurope.com/map.php
oberhausen@sealife.de

One to two hours away

Bottrop, DE (62 min from GK)

alpincenter Bottrop — indoor ski center
Prosperstr. 299-301; Bottrop (DE)
http://www.alpincenter.com/
Open: Daily 0930 – 2400

Last entry: 2130 (Su – Thu) or 2230 (Fr – Sa)

Kevelaer, DE (64 min from GK)

Niederrheinpark Plantaria — gardens, playgrounds…
Am Scheidweg 1-5; 47624 Kevelaer
Tel: 02832-93270
plantaria@t-online.de
www.plantaria.de

Gelsenkirchen, DE (65 min from GK)

Zoom Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen
Bleckstr. 47
D – 45889 Gelsenkirchen
Tel. ++49 / (0)209 / 954 50
Fax ++49 / (0)209 / 954 51 21
e-mail: info@zoom-erlebniswelt.de
Internet: www.zoom-erlebniswelt.de
Review: http://livingingk.blogspot.com/2008/04/gelsenkirchen-zoo.html

Bottrop-Kirchhellen, DE ( 67 min from GK)

Movie Park
Warner Allee 1
46244 Bottrop-Kirchhellen
(Germany)
http://www.movieparkgermany.de

Kasterlee, BE (87 min from GK)

Bobbeejaanland

Olensteenweg 45; Kasterlee
Info 0032/ (02) 528 28 28
http://www.bobbejaanland.be
** Rave reviews from families who have been there.

Hilvarenbeek, NL (90 min from GK)

Beekse Bergen Safaripark and Adventure Playground
Beekse Bergen 31; Hilvarenbeek, NL
Tel. 0900-2335732
Web: http://www.safaripark.nl

Wavre, BE (100 min from GK)

WALIBI BELGIUM AQUALIBI
Rue J. Deschamps 9, Wavre, BE
Tel : 32 (0)10 42 15 00
email : info-wbe@cda-parks.com
site : www.walibi.be

Kaatsheuvel, NL (103 min from GK)

De Efteling
Europalaan 1
Postbus 18
5170 AA Kaatsheuvel
Phone: +31 (0)416 – 288 111
http://www.efteling.com

Biddinghuizen, NL (142 min from GK)

Walibi World
Spijkweg 30; Biddinghuizen, NL
Tel : 31(0)321 32 99 99
www.walibiworld.nl
info-wwo@cda-parks.com

Goat Farm – For children’s parties!

Reader Recommendation…

Here’s something fun and unique to do for a children’s party. It’s not close, so it’s a bit of a time commitment by car, but the lady who runs the parties speaks English and is very good with the kids.

Geiten Boerderij

Nieuwe Meerlaan 4

1182 DB Amstelveen

Tel 020 6455034

info@geitenboerderij.nl

http://www.geitenboerderij.nl/

Children’s Parties: For 7.50E/child, each child gets two bottles of milk to feed the baby goats, food for the sheep, poffertjes (delicious small crepe-like desserts), apple juice, and goat-milk ice cream (delicious).

Distance: This place is about 2.5 hours away from the GK area; however, GK families have used it for parties and have loved it. So, if you’re feeling adventurous and like to drive, check it out. Could also be fun in conjunction with a trip to the Amsterdam/North Holland area.

Yolandes Hobbyhok

Reader Recommendation…

Yolande’s Hobbyhok
Dorpsstraat 35a
6456 AA Bingelrade
T: 0031-0464424980
W: www.yolandeshobbyhok.nl

“…it is great and really convenient to the tri-border area.

My daughter celebrated her 10th birthday at Yolande’s Hobbyhok in Binglerade, NL. It was such a great time. And Yolande is awesome and speaks wonderful English (on the phone, in person and via email). You can choose from several different craft activities.. A few weeks ago, my oldest daughter went there with her youth group, and the each hand painted a coffee cup. At Halle’s birthday, the girls did a little scrapbook book. It was a lot of fun, easy to get to and 8.5 euro per person. Our group was very small so it was very reasonable. And the girls loved it!”

Valkenier – Amusement Park for the 4-9 age group!

Pretpark de Valkenier

Koningswinkelstraat 53
NL-6301 WH Valkenburg a/d Geul
The Netherlands

Tel. +31-(0)43-601 22 89
E-mail: mail@pretpark-de-valkenier.nl
Web: http://www.pretpark-de-valkenier.nl

Prices: Over 2 years 7.95E per person (well worth it!) with a special Valkenburg tour train available from the park for only 1 Euro!
Hours: 1000-1700/1800 Seasonally. Check the website for details.

Just went to a rainy day birthday party here and what a great time! This place is great for the younger set especially, but older siblings will have fun too! They have a little roller coaster, fast water slide, swan shaped paddle boats in the lake, a couple other fun rides, an indoor haunted house and play center, a restaurant, and more. My 4-year old loved it. Even the rides with height restrictions would let her go on the rides with me, so that was fun. The lake has ducks and very friendly fish that come to the edge so that you can feed them. Great place and REALLY reasonable prices. Perfect for the 4-9 age groups, but good for kids a little younger or older too.

de Siterhof – a delightful shop in Hillensburg

de Siterhof - creative workshops

Bergstrasse 27
Hillensburg
Tel: 02456-509650
Email: cieshor5@compuserve.de
Web: www.siterhof.com
Hours: Fri-Sat 1000-1700
Speaks: English, Dutch, German

What a cute place! This is a hidden treasure among the quaint village of Hillensburg (an easy jaunt between the gas station in Wehr and Schinnen). Carrie has a beautiful shop tucked inside a 250 year old barn. Some treasures she buys, some she makes. And those she makes, you can make too!

She offers classes for adults and children all year long. Prices include all supplies, a drink, and pie. Adult classes are offered at least 3 times a year and last 2-3 hours long. Stop by or email for more information. Groups can arrange special classes as well.

Children 6 and older can have classes and parties as well. The price for children is 10 Euros/child.

Toverland

Reader Rave!

I learned about this one from a friend who loved it enough to get season passes for her family. With a HUGE amusement park both indoors and outdoors, Toverland is just as fun for kids in the cold, wet winter as it is in the summer. Great for pre-school kids too with a lot for them to do and only one hour away from GK!

Toverland
Seventum, Netherlands
www.toverland.de

The Soap Story – Sittard

Reader Contribution…

UPDATE: The Sittard shop has closed. The current closest shop is in Liege, about 45 minutes from the GK area. A current list of shops in several countries is available on the website. As I mentioned in the notes below, these soap parties are often less expensive and just as fun by ordering the supplies online and doing it yourself.

The Soap Story
web: www.thesoapstory.com

“My 11 year old daughter loves the store The Soap Story in Sittard, and while shopping there discovered that they offer Birthday Parties for children. Of course she just had to have one for her upcoming Birthday! I actually called the store to make the reservation and the woman that helped me was extremely helpful and friendly and understood English very well. Unfortunately, I cannot remember her name! Anyway, I called 4 weeks in advance and reserved a Saturday at 2pm with no problem. The party lasts 2 hours and is at the actual store in Sittard. The very nice lady who took my reservation escorted our group of girls upstairs to a front room overlooking the street. The store supplies drinks (which was some sort of Dutch brand carbonated lemonade) and cake. Now the cake was simple slices of pound cake delivered on plates….no candles…no singing and certainly no frosting but the girls didn’t seem to mind. The birthday girl did get to wear a birthday cake hat, though. Our hostess then asked me to have my daughter open her presents. I thought this was a little strange, but it was a good idea to get it out of the way before the soap making began. That’s right, the party guests get to make their own soap as a take home gift. The girls (and my 7 year old son) got to pick out the colors (blue, brown, yellow, red, green) and the scents (passion fruit, peach, chocolate, orange, strawberry) that they want for their soaps. They put these liquids in a measuring cup and then waited while the hostess microwaved the clear soap to make the liquid. Then the hostess poured a certain amount into each guests measuring cup where they stirred up the color and scent into the soap liquid. Then the hostess provided a large array of molds for the soaps. The girls could pick from shapes like frogs, flowers, seashells, dolphins, horses, bottles, etc.. Oh! And they can also add glitter! The girls had to remember which soaps were theirs too, in the frenzy of choice over the molds! Each girl got about 6 to 8 little soaps out of the measuring cup. Then they got to do it again with different molds! When all the soap were done and cooled off, they got to wrap them in clear cellophane and tie them with paper ribbons. Our hostess showed them several ways to do this. I learned that I will never have the wonderful skill these Europeans have about wrapping gifts! Anyway, our guests were able to take home a full bag of soap goodies! My daughter mailed some off to her Great-Grandma and Nana to show them what she had done. My son had a great time too even though he refused to put glitter in his soap! We had 10 guests including the Birthday girl and I think any more we would not have had room at the table to work. As to the cost…the price is 12.50 Euros per guest when you have the party at the store. They offer a take-home kit for soap making that is 10 Euros per guest but the instructions are in Dutch! Overall, it was a great experience and one my daughter will always remember!”

My notes: If you’d rather do this same thing at home, you can easily obtain the soap base online – they come in a variety of types. I usually get a glycerin soap and a white opaque olive oil/avocado soap. Then you can make different shapes and colors with the opaque soap and embed them in the glycerin soap. You’ll need a soap scent or two (go sparingly… a drop or two is enough) and a few soap dyes. Soap scents and dyes are NOT the same as candle scents and dyes, so do be sure you’re ordering things for soap. Use soap molds, or silicone ice cube trays. IKEA has a good selection of these that are cheap. Melt the soap in the microwave on medium power in a glass bowl. Add your colors and scents. Stir gently. Pour into molds. Let them sit until hardened. Pop them out and wrap in saran or clear baggies. To get fancy, shave a piece of an opaque soap into a mold, or put different colored bits of an opaque soap in half way, then fill the rest with the clear glycerin soap. Experiment. Soap is quick, easy, and relatively “clean.”

Children’s Birthday Party Locations

Indoor Playgrounds:

• Pee Wee’s: Max Plankstrasse 14; Neiderheide DE
• Pee Wee’s is a favorite among kids and with enough to do for toddler ages as well, I’ve seen plenty of adults enjoy themselves with a book and a cup of all-you-can-drink coffee while the kids run off and play for hours. Like most, it is socks only, but where socks you don’t cherish as they’ll be black by the end of the day. Socks with the no-slide bottoms would be helpful for younger kids. Saying that, the place is not spotless, so don’t white glove test it and the bumper cars are fun though it smells of burning rubber. Still, kids love it and we’ve been to a few thousand (feels like it anyway) birthday parties there now and it always turns out great.
• Open: Mon – Fri: 13.30 – 18.30; Sat & Sun: 10.00 – 18.30; Holidays and vacation weeks: 10.00 – 18.30 (Great place in the winter, but do dress warm… and keep in mind that there is no air conditioning, so it does close on extremely hot summer days.)
• Website: http://geilenkirchen.peeweeposterholt.nl/Auskunft.html

• Monkey’s Spielparadies: Humbolt Strasse 5Heinsburg

• Although I have not been here yet personally, I have heard from many that it is comparable or even better than Pee Wee’s in Neiderheid. Some say it’s cleaner.
• Open: Mon- Fri 1000-1900; Sat and Sun and holidays 1000-2200
• Tel: 02452-977655
• Web: http://www.monkeys-spielparadies.de/
• Price: Kids under 2: Free; Kids up to age 12: 4 Euros; Adults: 3 Euros; Grandma and Grandpa are free.
• Special Activities:
• On Thursdays from 1500-1900, for 8 Euros, kids have entrance and a meal with a drink.
• Every 1st and 3rd Friday of each month, there is kids disco from 1800-2200
• Every Friday and Saturday in the summer months, there is a Biergarten with a grill from 1800-2200
• Birthday parties: There are several different party options that include different amounts of food and toys for the kids. There is even a disco party available for older kids, and a picnic party. Go to the website. Click on Deutche Version on the left, then click on Partyangebote for the list of parties. You’ll be able to figure out what is included and the price for each.

Castle’s:

• Kasteel Hoensbroek: What could be better than a dress up party at a castle where each guest dresses as a princess or prince? Or… play old traditional games at the castle, or better yet… go on a mystery hunt through the castle. All the information is online and in English with pricing too. We’ve gone to kid parties here and they are always a lot of fun. http://www.kasteelhoensbroek.nl/html/?me=2&su=1&si=3

• Tea Parties at Kasteel Doenrade: Though the website makes no mention of it, the great people at the Doenrade castle near Schinnen will put together a beautiful High Tea for your group. A group of Americans here had High Tea for a group of mothers and daughters for only 10Euros a person and said that it was wonderful. Definitely worth looking into… http://www.kasteeldoenrade.nl/

Other:

• Snowworld: Though the English part of the website doesn’t give any party information, the Dutch site does. Just go to the Dutch homepage, roll your mouse over “kids” in the orange band near the top, then scroll down and click on “kidsparty.” Prices for parties range from 12.50-20 Euros depending on if you include lessons or not. Snow parties are appropriate for ages 6 to 12. A minimum of 6 children is required. Call: +31(0)45-5470700 for more information and reservations.

• Brunssum Swimming Pool (at the base): For fun with almost no clean-up, the Brunssum swimming pool is a great place for a party. Call — 0031-45-526-3172
• Parties are booked for 2 hours. Times are: Friday 1900-2100, Saturday and Sundays 1000-1200 and 1600-1800.
• Traditional party food is allowed just to the side of the pool office, but it does get pretty sticky with the combination of a wet floor and the food that kids drop. If the weather is nice, I suggest having the food/cake portion of the party outside. Just outside the pool area doors is a very nice green space and a play structure just down the little hill. I’ve done this twice now. The only glitch is that it works best for the 1000-1200 time slot as the pool closes after other party times and they need to lock up. We have borrowed their chairs and tables, hauled them out to the playground area, and continued the party there with kids running and playing. If you choose a later time, just keep in mind that you’ll need to bring your own table and lawn chairs and there won’t be a bathroom available.
• Prices are 50Euros for 15 kids though talk to the pool manager. Some are flexible and allow more children in the pool for the same price if there are adults/parents in the pool with them.
• Parties include the lifeguard, the use of both the big pool and the small wading pool (gated for safety), and the large inflatable crocodile, octopus, or trampoline. All are a lot of fun.

• Hay hotel:
• For something truly different, try sleeping in the hay. The hay hotel also has parties that include the hay ride, games on the playground, cake, and drinks. Stay the night and enjoy a nice breakfast the next morning. German skills will help to book this one although the nice couple that runs it do speak a little bit of English. Find this place just 10 minutes south of the base in Beeck.
• Familie Cremer: Am Mühlenhof 29, 52511 Geilenkirchen (Beeck)
• Tel.: 02453 699
• Web: http://www.cremerhof.de

Neanderthal Museum in Dusseldorf

Just sent in!

Neanderthal Museum near Dusseldorf
Talstrasse 300
40822 Mettmann
Germany

Tel: (0049) 02104-979797
Email: museum@neanderthal.de
Web: www.neanderthal.de

Admission: Adults — 9 Euro, Children ages 6-16 — 5.50E, group and student rates available
Hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1800; Closed on Mondays except Easter and Whit Monday. Closed also 24, 25, and 31 December.

Review:
“Really interesting. It traces humanity from the Neanderthal (several wax figures on display) through the twenty-first century. Really gives you a sense of the damage we’re doing to the planet, but also helps you realize how far we’ve come from such a sparse civilization – there’s a great display that shows “modern man” as nothing more than prosthetic limbs, false teeth, pace maker and pills! The headphones are free and interactive audio stations are in English and German. There is a small gift shop also. Across the street are a couple of cafes and there’s also a walking trail. Kids can have their birthdays there (6 and older) and the museum also offers workshops – check the website for info. Staff speaks English. A great way to spend an afternoon.”

Indoor/Outdoor Swim Center in Würselen

Recommended by a friend…

Euregio Freizeitbad Würselen
Willy-Brandt-Ring 100
52146 Würselen
http://aquana.de/Freizeitbad/Freizeitbad.htm

Open for Public Swimming: M-Th 1300-2000, Fri 1300-2100, Sat-Sun 1000-2100
Prices: http://aquana.de/Freizeitbad/preise-englisch.htm

This place is an excellent place for families no matter what the weather outside. There are outdoor pools available as the weather allows, but there is plenty to do indoors to keep kids busy. For small children, they can enjoy the huge pirate ship with small slides to the shallow pool below, lots of large squirt guns, and a fast water slide for kids under age 10 that kept my 6 and 7 year olds very happy. A sectioned off shallower area is a quiet (and safe) place for smaller children like toddlers and babies with their mommies.

There’s a wave pool, a lazy river, and two large water slides for older kids, and another larger pool on the other end of the place. My 7 year old did ok with the lazy river, but I recommend an adult with children that age or younger even if they are competent swimmers. That area is a lot of fun, but there are a lot of young people getting silly and it is good for an adult to keep an eye out. You can bring floaties and inflatable tubes for the kids. There are large blue inner tubes provided there but they go fast, so it isn’t guaranteed that you’ll get your hands on one.

Admission includes a spacious locker. If you get there early (or are lucky), you can put your things on a table and “stake your claim” on it for the day. There are a lot of tables and chairs to use as a home base. There is food – both healthy and not. The fries were decent and the spaghetti looked good. We loved the ice cream bars – one with coffee ice cream and thick dark chocolate.

When you arrive and pay (a three hour or all day ticket – family passes are available for significant savings), you’ll get a ticket per person with a bar code on it. This is what you will use to get your locker. Insert one ticket in the slot on the inside part of the door and the key will release. You will need your tickets to leave, so keep track of them. There is some time built into the 3 hour pass for “getting dressed” time, but I’m not sure how long. We paid for three hours, but with changing, ended up leaving almost 4 hours later and were not charged extra for it.

There are Aquana employees wandering around watching, but they don’t seem to be very strict or to supervise well – so, parents, you will need to watch your younger children.

Food and shoes: I’d heard that you couldn’t wear shoes at all and couldn’t bring in your own food. I wore my water shoes and saw several other people wearing crocs and other water shoes. That wasn’t a problem. As for food, I did see several people with food that obviously wasn’t purchased there. They will probably discourage a cooler and it might depend on who’s working, but a few food items in your bag probably won’t be a problem.

Aquana has more than the pool area. They do have a sauna and a full spa with regular spa services.

Gift certificates (gutschein) available, sauna, baby-changing station, and swim diapers sold on site. Check the website for more information. Some of it is in English.