Paris offers plenty of activities for children, but mostly in French. On Wednesday afternoons and Saturdays, the schools turn into leisure centers for children. Check your local mairie for more information. Most of the information here is for classes in French, but check the two sites at the bottom for activities in English.
Swimming
for babies (three months and over)
The Fédération des activités
aquatiques d'éveil et de loisir is, among other things, a "control"
service for public pools. It guarantees the temperature of the pool water is
32 degrees C, the hygiene of the water, and the safety of the pool site. A municipal
class for "Bébés dans l'eau", one hour per week, will cost approx.
200 euros annually, at the Centre d'animation Grange-aux-belles, 17 rue Boy-Zelenski,
10e, Metro Colonel-Fabien, tel: 01.4203.4078.
Horses and kids - From 15 September to 28 November 2004, two equestrian centres in Paris (in the 13th and the 19th arrondissements) offer weekend introductions to riding, plus other horse-related activites. Open to the public during the week from 17h-19h h00 à 19h00 and on weekends from 14h-19h. Information on the city's website.
Fitness classes for
children
This is only a sampling of what's out there. For more information,
check your local arrondissement.
Atoll de danse,
35-37 rue Galande, 5e, Metro Maubert-Mutualité, tel: 01.4326.2492.
Music and movement for children
2 1/2 years and up
Vitamome, 14 blvd
Raspail, 7e, Metro Sevres-babylone, tel: 01.4023.9366.
Fun and sports, including playing on a trampoline, with colors
and rhythm. 100 euros per trimester.
Bébé Gym,
tel: 01.4697.9357 or 06.6076.4657.
Three outlets in central Paris, "recreation sportive", for children
2-5. Games, walks, exercises, sliding, jumping, balancing, climbing. Approx.
100 euros annually.
Gymborée,
at Aquaboulevard, 4 rue Louis-Armand, 15e, Metro Balard, tel:
01.4071.6160.
Imported from the US, motor skills fun divided into groups of babies 0-6 months;
6-12 months; 10-18 months. Approx. 111 euros for 8 weeks.
0-15 website
This has lots of resources to get children moving, including
soccer, volleyball, gymnastics.
http://www.0-15.com/sport.html
Message
This is the English-language mothers' support group, for expectant
mothers and moms with young children living in the Paris area. It organises
meetings, activities and playgroups, provides information on hospitals and doctors,
classes and help with many child-related issues, plus publishes the guide, The
ABC's of Motherhood in Paris.
http://www.messageparis.org
or email: messageparis@wfi.fr
L' Académie Américaine
de Danse
American Brooke Desnoues offers classical and jazz dance
classes, plus professional training, competitions and performances. Bilingual
classes, divided into trimesters, cost ranges from 142 to 98 euros per trimester.
L’ Académie Américaine
de Danse à Paris, 5 rue Rousselet, 75007, tel: 01.47.34.36.22, M°Vaneau,
Duroc