Creative activities, events and leisure areas suitable for children: in Geneva, you will certainly find plenty of things to do with the entire family! Discover the different childcare options, extra-curricular activities and parenting support structures which can help you in your role as a parent or relative and enable you to reconcile your professional life and family life.
Hobbies
There are innumerable recreational areas around the city designed to stimulate your children’s development outside their school activities. In addition to the community centres and games libraries, cultural activities provided by theatres, cinemas, museums, libraries and other cultural institutions, there are numerous specialised centres providing dedicated areas for parents and children, such as the Maison de la Créativité, which focuses on the artistic development of children under the age of 6, or the Cerf Volant, welcoming children up to the age of 4. To allow children to enjoy playing while learning the notions of team spirit and perseverance, the sports schools provide courses designed specifically for children aged 4 to 18. You can choose from fifty different disciplines throughout the school year or during the summer holidays.
Outdoor activities for children
It is a well-known fact that children need to run about and take their curious minds outside. The numerous parks and green areas with play areas scattered around the different districts offer children the chance to play outdoors in total safety. In these lush settings, children can explore nature, by visiting the animals in the Parc du Bois-de-la-Bâtie or in the Conservatory and Botanical gardens, by unearthing the many nesting boxes scattered around the city or in discovering trees through a series of fun games. On sunny days, many paddling pools allow the little ones to cool off.
Childcare, schooling and education of children
To satisfy the specific needs of early childcare, several solutions are available to families living in the City of Geneva with he wide-ranging childcare structures. For school children, to facilitate organisation within the family, the school system in force in Geneva also provides for an extracurricular service which deals with children outside lesson time one or more times a week.
Parenting support
To support parents in their educational duties, there are also centres which provide free assistance through the advice of parenting specialists. These meeting centres and discussion forums are designed to appease family relations which may be strained or become a source of anxiety. Platforms such as familles-geneve.ch provide information specific to the different stages and aspects of family life.
Protection of minors
The Canton of Geneva intervenes with regard to the protection of minors through the Protection of Minors Department (SPMi), depending on the seriousness of the problem and in accordance with the law, if children find or put themselves in a dangerous situation.