Back to school: wash your hands experiment with bread

Back to school: wash your hands experiment with bread

Geneva

Clean hands are the best protective weapon against most microbes. With this bread-experiment your kids will understand why! It takes 10 minutes to prepare but 5-7 days to get the best results. In case you don’t want to wait, we prepared a video showing how it all goes.

Soon, shops will open, restaurants will too, and kids will go back to school. Now, more then before the strict hygiene rules will be important.

We had a lot of time to teach kids good habits: cough in your elbow, wash your hands, keep distance when outside etc. But do they really understand why? I’m sure that kids learn better if they know why and what for.

So, here’s a simple yet eye opening experiment you can do with kids now – a week before the school starts. It takes 10 minutes to set up and 5-7 days of observations.

Attention: risk of puking at the end of the experiment.

THINGS YOU’LL NEED:

  1. Sliced loaf of bread (eg. toast bread),
  2. Tweezers (not obligatory),
  3. 5 plastic ziplock bags,
  4. Soap,
  5. Disinfectant,
  6. Laptop/smartphone.

BAG 1

Very carefully, best using tweezers, take the first slice of bread and put it in the bag. The best result will be if you don’t touch it at all. On the bag write: “control”.
Done.

BAG 2

Find a pair of dirty hands (not washed with soap/disinfectant for a few hours). Give those hands a new slice of bread And ask to rub it for 30 secs. Into the bag. Mark “dirty hands”. Done.

Bag 3

Another slice of bread another task – wipe the laptop keyboard or a smartphone with it (for around 30 sec). To the bag. Mark it “laptop” or “phone”. Done.

BAG 4

Ask a pair of hands to have a wash with soap – but not a pandemic detailed wash, just a quick-in-a-hurry-old-school splash. Dry them thoroughly. These hands will rub a new slice of bread for 30 sec. Slice to the bag, and remember to mark it, eg “soap”. Done.

BAG 5

Now, with the same or different set of hands – wash them with a disinfectant and ask to rub a new slice of bread for 30 sec. To the bag, mark “disinfectant “. Done.

You can add more slices and more places to check: a toilet seat, floor by the entry, floor in the bedroom, door handles, elevator button etc.

You are now entering the observation phase of this experiment. For this purpose place the bags in one place. We used tape to hang the on the wall. Every morning check the state of slices, note down which slice grows mold first, then continue.
On day 5 you will see horrible things, yucky things, unimaginable disgust. Explain to kids that mold represents the microbes on each surface the bread touched. Compare the “dirty hands” with “soap” and “disinfectant”.

Just make sure that children understand that the amount of mold represents the amount of dirt and microbes each slice touched. It’s really disgusting, awful, and convincing.


I’m wishing you all a stressless, and healthy last week of quarantine and a safe come back to a more normal life!

Prêt à Parler – expert in online French courses

Prêt à Parler – expert in online French courses

Expat life, Geneva, Mumpreneurs

What do you get when a French-Canadian opera singer lands in Geneva? (No, it’s not one of those jokes!) Quick answer: an expat-oriented, 100% online professional French language school. In other words: Prêt à Parler.

FYI: yes, your feeling is right – this is a sponsored article . But, as always, it is about a company/product I know, tested, and trust.

You know the story: you arrive as an expat in Geneva on a “short contract” only to realise 10 years later that you’re still here and still don’t really speak French well enough, especially when it comes to all those online forms, doing your taxes and even applying for a Swiss Passport. Add to that the stress of finding the time to get out of the house the same time each week to attend a French-language class, and of course getting through the notorious Geneva traffic, hunting for parking or navigating TPG. All while balancing the laundry, groceries, a job and a kid or kids at home. 

This is where Prêt à Parler comes in. My husband, P, has been using it and it has been brilliant. He can go about his day, work, child-care – you name it – and once a week he simply logs in for one-hour of French lessons. On the other side of the screen is one of the ‘Super Profs’ as they call them, waiting to start a lesson that will feel more like a conversation than schoolwork, where grammar finds its way in without you even realising it.

But hey, didn’t you say there was an opera singer? What’s that got to do with teaching French?

Ah, oui! The opera singer in question is Isabelle Nicolas-Johnson, the founder of Prêt à Parler. Her opera background has helped her become an expert in articulation and pronunciation, as she attended many diction classes (French, English, Italian, and German) as part of her studies. 

Over the years, she has developed special French pronunciation tips – and I don’t know about you, but this is where my husband and I struggle the most, especially with that French ‘r’.

About Prêt à Parler

Prêt à Parler brought digital education to Geneva way before COVID-19 forced everyone to move online. Isabelle launched her online programs back in 2017 when the word “corona” was only associated with a bottle of cold beer. (Don’t you miss those days?) Before she knew it, she was training a team of top bilingual teachers as well as her communication and IT support experts. 

Prêt à Parler is a local expert in online French courses. It offers one-on-one classes, webinars, and preparatory courses for the FIDE exam (soon-to-be obligatory for those applying for a Swiss C permit, or a Swiss passport). They also developed their own learning platform called French for Everyday Life and share a ton of tips and mini-lessons on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram (handy for someone like me who spends a lot of time on those sites!), so you can give the idea of an online French class a try. 

Benefit 1: Personalisation

Isabelle always knew that a one-size-fits-all approach would not work in education. We all have different styles of learning, interests, and reasons to learn a new language. Each course is personalised and adapted to your needs (meaning no two classes are the same!) 

Need helping writing a formal letter? They will turn it into a class. Didn’t understand the programme you watched yesterday? They can turn it into a listening exercise. You basically get to turn REAL life into a useful learning exercise.

Benefit 2: The teachers

All Prêt à Parler teachers have been carefully selected for their professional, technological and personal skills. Plus, they know everything there is to know about that (in)famous FIDE exam.

After a trial lesson (super helpful), my husband was certain he had finally found a program matching his needs. He scheduled his lessons at 9 pm. Yes, you read that right, 9 in the evening. What!? How!? Well, it turns out his teacher, Sandra, is a native French-speaker who currently lives in New Zealand. 9 pm here – 9 am there. That is the beauty of online training programs – both the teacher and the student can be anywhere in the world.

Benefit 3: Comfort and flexibility

We are all different, with different lives, and different chaos (aka work-life balance), yet many language schools are set up as such so that you have to adapt to their schedule. Prêt à Parler offers a flexible solution (side note, it’s also great for introverts like me who don’t love the idea of group classes with strangers each week!)

My husband’s lessons each last 1 hour. Not 1 hour plus 40 minutes commute each way. Not 1 hour plus anything. There is no stress about traffic jams, the bus being late, or finding a parking spot. Not only does he have his lessons tailored to his specific needs, but improving his French doesn’t interfere with his work-life or his family life. 

When it comes to scheduling your lessons, it can be late at night, early in the morning, or even on a Sunday. Your private classes can be rescheduled if needed within 24h. It means that no last-minute business trip, your child getting sick or vacation will be an obstacle in boosting your French! That is, as long as you have an Internet connection, of course. 

And this is all possible thanks to an opera singer from Quebec who moved to Geneva. After all, who better to understand and cater to expats than a fellow expat? 

PRACTICAL INFO

* This article is a result of a paid collaboration between Parentville and Prêt à Parler.

Geneva online during Covid-19 crisis

Geneva online during Covid-19 crisis

Covid-19, Geneva

Everything, or almost everything is closed, but is it? Thanks to the internet and human creativity we can still enjoy some of Geneva’s places! Coronavirus has pushed Geneva online and it’s looking good!

Below you’ll find resources of Geneva online places for families, kids, adults, teens, singles, couples, and everyone else!

CINEMAS STREAM WITH CINEFILE

Missing Cine 17, Cinérama Empire, Cinema du Grütli and Cinema Bio? Cinefile is a Swiss streaming service, that has currently partnered up with cinemas all across the country, including some from Geneva. By renting certain movies (provided by the theatres) you can help these local cinemas survive the COVID crisis. You can rent each movie for 48h for 7.50 CHF (sometimes less). You can choose from films from all genres, countries, and age ranges (yes! Films for kids included!). It’s one of the most enjoyable types of support – watch good cinema and support local theatres!
Here’s for example what Cinema Grutli offers: https://en-grutli.cinefile.ch/

Museums

ARIANA
Musee Ariana prepared 3 propositions of activities for kids. There’s origami, bread baking, and a discovery booklet.
MUSEE D’HISTOIRE NATURELLE
Natural History Museum & The History of Science Museum are publishing one video a week on their Youtube channel! You can check them via their website or directly on YT.
MUSEE D’ARTS ET D’HISTOIRE DE GENEVE
Musee d’Art wt d’Histoire de Geneve has an interactive, fun and unique proposition for the public! It’s called „MAH Chez Vous”. It’s a smart way to make us want to browse through their collection. The goal is to choose one (or more) art pieces, take a photo of a place at ours we would like this art to be displayed. We send it all to MAH, and they reply with an edited photo – the art incorporated to the picture! Try it out here! And ask your kids to chose something for their room, too! MAH chez vous – Partagé avec nous vos oeuvres préférées
CERN
CERN made loads of resources available – activity books for different age groups, games, videos, and more! Cern Discover  CERN online | Visit CERN
RED CROSS MUSEUM

Croix rouge has an idea for original colouring. They turned some of the posters from their collection into colouring pages. You can choose whatever colours you wish or follow the original.  Home – International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum.

CENTRE D’ART CONTEMPORAIN

Workshops for families, children and adults no longer take place, but the Centre is convinced that creation must and can continue at home, so every week they post an interesting challenge for the kids. Practise of drawing and writing can nourish us in this period of isolation. Stay safe and draw.

MARTIN BODMER FOUNDATION
Martin Bodmer Foundation proposes text illumination as boredom fighter. It’s an old art dating back from the middle-ages – hand-made decorations around the text. Your kids can write a letter to a family member, or a friend and play with this type of art. Many wonderful examples to look at the Foundation’s website.

GRAND THEATRE DE GENEVE

Many, many shows – ballet, concerts, operas – are available to watch for free on their website. Each week a different program. You can access them here.

OTHERS

Many places we love, organisations we admire, and companies we have fun with have now moved online, where they offer challenges to keep kids occupy or online courses. Here are some of them:

Recrecrea with upcycling inspirations and challenges.

Kidstime Club with online courses for kids (art history, emotional intelligence).

Bricks 4 Kidz Geneva RD with free online classes and fun challenges.

Techlabs with many online courses for kids, including Easter camps (till April 17th).

Spell Languages with its brilliant Facebook group full of ideas!

You can also find many online events, challenges, and classes in Parentville’s calendar. The calendar is now filled ONLY with online fun. Check it out!

Open the calendar
Over 30 creative ways to keep kids occupied during Covid-19 crisis

Over 30 creative ways to keep kids occupied during Covid-19 crisis

Covid-19, Geneva

How about some fun kids activities without shopping for new toys? How about using what we have to occupy kids and avoid turning the house into a hurricane disaster.

It’s the time to use the balloons from the last birthday party, to get the Christmas lights back from the basement, and use that adhesive tape that we bought in bulks who knows what for.

Let’s do it!

FYI: Prentville’s calendar is now devoted to online events only. It is filled with workshops and sports streaming classes for kids, new mamas, and parents-only support session. Be sure to check it regularly!

Check the calendar

SPORTS

Kids don’t need an endless pile of worksheets and colouring pages. They need to move and it is doable in apartments of all sizes.

Obstacle course

One of the most beloved indoor kids activity of all ages! A forward roll on a bed, hopping on one leg, crwal through the hallway, balance on sofa coushins and a slalom between the shoes. Every item can be used in this indoor obstacle course, let kids help create it – they will come up with the best obstacles. This activity is great also because it can be adapted to every age! You can see how we did it here.

Golf

Well aka mini golf, or kind of mini-golf (if you have a better name, please let know!). Use balls of various sizes, same sizes, any sizes. Then use plastic/papaer cups, or party hats, or boxes as goals. As for the golf clubs, we used small tennis rackets, a friend used a towel rail from the bathroom. I can imagine kitchen utensils also useful.

Balloon tennis

It can be a tennis game if you use anything as rackets or volleyball if you play with your hands. Grab two chairs and a sheet or drape to for a net. Play, keep score. For the tennis you need some adpted rules (for example how many times the balloon can be touched by a player before moving to th other part of the net).

Ice-scating

This one comes with a bonus of clean floors! All you need are two damp cloths per kid. They step with each foot on on cloth and voila – ice skating ready. Turn the music on, make them think about choreography. The can prepare a show (make them busy: a show needs a poster, tickets, maybe snacks). Just keep the cloths damp and enjoy your clean floors. You’re welcome!

Hopscotch

A game so easy to organise outside, even on a balcony, but how to do it inside? Get that adhesive tape and stick to the floor in a shape of the hopscotch plan. Voila! It should keep them busy for a while and can stay on the floor for as long as you want, to be reused any time.

SCREEN TIME

How to turn the screen time into something more valuable? Use games, inspiring Youtube channels, and more!

COSMIC YOGA

This is so far the best yoga for kids YT channel I have ever seen. It’s especially great for all the kids (like mine) who consider yoga boring. Jaime turns stories, and well-known movies, or books into great yoga adventures! She is brilliant, we are hooked. It comes in a form of an app and as a Youtube channel.

NASA

Nasa is one of the institutions that quickly created online resources to help us stay at home in a good mood. NasaAtHome has a whole section devoted to families with games, videos, and propositions of scientific activities to try at home.

ART FOR KIDS HUB

At this hub the most important thing is to have FUN! This amazing family teaches kids (and their parents) how to draw in a fun way. The result is not so important, but every kid will learn some cool drawing tricks! Check them out at artforkidshub.com.

AR Animals by GOOGLE

Open a browser on your smartphone, go to google and type a name of an animal into the search bar. One of the first things to see in the results will be an option to see this animal in 3D/AR. Tap on it and voila! You can have a tiger on your sofa, or a panda in your bed, we opted for a penguin in our bathroom.

A STOP MOTION MOVIE

There are plenty of free apps you can use to create a stop-motion movie with a smartphone or a tablet! The movie can star toys, lego figurines, or drawings and paper cut-outs. The sky is the limit!

MINECRAFT

The creative mode of minecraft can be used even by young kids (5+). Some silly monstery-creatures will still appear but will not attack. The creative mode offers unlimited access to all of the resources and building materials, so kids can make whatever they wish – a farm (with animals of course), a tree house, a skyscraper… It’s like playing with unlimited lego bricks online! Furthermore, for older players they can now play with their friends using a server and minecraft hosting adding a social element to this well-loved game.

Recently, I published a guest post by Techlabs with 5 more ideas of using screens/technology to have fun. You can read it here.

5 FUN ACTIVITIES TO KEEP KIDS BUSY

SCIENCE

Science experiments for kids are a bit like magic tricks. Don’t be surprised if your kids are not interested in the theory and explanations behind. The point is to wow them a bit, to spark an interest in a new field, and most importantly to occupy them. Some ingredients may not be easy to find during COVID-19 epidemic, but there are many you may already have.

An erupting Volcano

An old-time classic. An erupting volcano is very easy and always satisfying. The only danger is that some kids will ask to repeat it over and over again.

You’ll need a bottle (glass or plastic), warm water, few drops of red food colouring (or liquid watercolours), 1 tbsp dish soap, 2 tbsp baking soda (fr. bicarbonate de soude), and vinegar.

Fill the bottle up to 2/4 with warm water. Add food colouring and dish soap. Mix well. Put the baking soda inside. Ready? Pour your vinegar in and watch the volcano erupt! You can make it even more fun by building a volcano with salt dough (and a bottle in the middle).

A FOAM MACHINE

Pure fun! It’s not really a scientific experiment, it’s just fun. Take a plastic bottle, cut off its bottom (be careful). Now, cover this new hole with a sock. Dip the sock-end in a water-dish soap mix and blow through the end you would normally use for drinking. You can see how it works here.

Microbes on our hands

I recently performed two experiments with Z to show her how the microbes can be widely transmitted by our hands, and how washing our hands thouroughly helps.

The first one is simple and fast: all you need is some glitter, water, and a bowl. Ask your child to dip their palms in the water mixed with glitter, then shake hands, touch door handles etc and observe how glitters stays everywhere. Then, wash hands quickly with just water. Observe. Now, ask them to wash their hands thouroughly with soap. For a better effect dip their hands in glitter again before washing hands with soap. You can see us in action with this experiment here.

The second experiment takes a few days of observation – just until you’re all grossed out. You will need minimum 5 loves of bread, and 5 zip bags. The first slice of bread need to go to a zip bag straight from the packaging without being touched. Use the second slice to wipe the keyboard of your computer and put it in a separate zip bag. The other zip bags are for slices generously touched by dirty hands, hands washed with soap, and hands washed with a sanitizer. Can you guess which one will be the fastest to develop mold? Soon on IGTV.

A cloud in a jar

It’s simple and pretty, and has to do with density, but honestly just let them have fun and watch the rain. You will need: a jar, water, shaving foam, a dropper, and food coloring (or liquid watercolors). Fill the jar 4/5 with water, build a cupcake-like shape with foam on top. Now, drop some drops of food colouring (colour of your choice) on the shaving foam and wait them to drop in the water. As I said, pretty and simple. Z. will show you how to do it here.

EGGS Experiments

Do you know what will happen if you dip an egg in vinegar for 24-48 hours? It’s shell will dissolve, and the egg will become a lot like a rubber ball (but stil be careful). Don’t tell your kids what will happen, let them be wowed. I will be soon showing it on Instagram. You can also take a hard-boiled egg and a raw one, spin them both on the table and then suddenly tap them both with your fingers – gently but as you would like them to stop spinning. Move your finger away quickly. Which egg is still spinning? Do you know why? Also, were they spinning with the same speed?

We will be trying out and showing you more science fun on Instagram and Instagram TV. Follow us on Instagram to stay informed!
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ARTS & CRAFTS

Collect boxes, yoghurt cups, plastic bottles, toilet paper rolls, all the crafts materials you have at home and use your kids’ imagination to create. You can make mini houses, barbie houses, garages, animals, and Easter decorations! There are even prepared kits that you can get like rug hooking for beginners that they can do. Or… use the ideas below.

ANTI-STRESS BALLOON

Z was missing her anti-stress balloon she had made at school, so we made one at home. I had no idea how but she guided me perfectly! You need 2-3 balloons, a funnel, and flour. You can see here how to combine the 3.

A dollhouse

Grab a box adapted to your doll’s size, any accessories that come to your head and create a house. You can even have working lights in there by adding Christmas lights! Smaller boxes can be made into furniture. You can see ours here.

MAGAZINES

Any newspapers and old magazines lying around? Use them to create mosaics, mood boards, or your own books/comic books.

CARDBOARD BOX

Apart from turning it into a dolls house or a garage, what can we do with a box? This list is endless! It could become a:

We will surely create some things ourselves soon, as well as trying everything from the list above. Follow us on Instagram to stay informed!
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GAMES

No need to look for an online shop and quick deliveries. You may already have what is needed to easily make new family games.

Twister

Any white sheet/drape/table cloth will do. We used a disposable tablecloth, on which we painted 24 circles (4 rows of 6 circles), with whatever colours we had. The spinner was a bit of a challenge but a paper plate, a straw, and few lego bricks later we had (an almost) perfect spinner. The internet is full of other ideas for spinners – check them out. We spent around 30 minutes doing the whole game and we play every day. You can see our twister here.

Hide’n’Seek

This is Z’s favourite activity for our days in. Every apartment has got god hiding places, especially for kids. It’s tricky to find adult-sized hideouts but also doable (in the bathtub, behind the shower curtain, behind the doors, in the closets, under the desk, behind the window curtain, under the bed, etc. Kids’ smiles guaranteed!

Lego hunt

You will need 4 pieces of coloured paper (or table cloth, etc.) in 4 different colours. Now, pick 10 lego bricks of each colour and hide them in one room/the whole place and lay out the coloured paper on the table/floor. Kids need to find all the bricks and bring them to the paper of matching colour. To motivate them – add a timer!

Scavenger hunt

Make a list of 10-15 objects kids cn find around the house. You can use pictures for smaller kids, and text for older ones. You can add specific things (« your favorite car ») or general categories like « something beige » or « something that begins with the letter D ».

Spider web darts

Get that sticky tape again and source some old newspapers. Use a door frame to create a spider web – tape’s sticky side facing one way. Roll up pieces of old newspapers into balls and throw at the web. Or use different light objects (socks, balloons, etc.) to check what sticks and what doesn’t (or how long t sticks).

Toilet seat dress up

Using two rolls of toilet paper create the eyes, an old paper roll can be used a tongue sticking out. Now – hats, necklaces, and other accessories are needed to make it fun. You can give this creature a name and dress him up for hours or once a day. Desperate times, desperate measures…

Charades

Make each family member come up with 5-10 different animals, characters, or family members and write their names on small pieces of paper. Fold them all, put them in a hat (or a bowl) and play charades. Most kids love it, most adults have fun playing it, so it’s a perfect game for family time!

ALPHABET PLATE

Now this one may seem easy but it was actually a school assignment for an 11 yo son of a friend of mine in London. But I think that with some adjustments (the size of the plate, that can become a tray or a box), and more help from an adult, it can be a game for everyone 4+.

The goal is simple: bring to the plate objects from around the house starting with each letter of the alphabet. They must all fit into the plate, so be careful with the size of the items. For older kids you can add complexity by asking them to also find, for each item, an adjective starting with the same letter. Good luck!

BOWLING

Plastic bottles can be used as bowling pins and any ball will do. No plastic bottles? Use toilet paper, plush toys, empty boxes. It should come with typical bowling snacks and drinks to feel more real 🙂

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5 Fun Activities To Keep Your Children Busy

5 Fun Activities To Keep Your Children Busy

Covid-19, Geneva

This article is written by TechLabs for Parentville. It is not a paid collaboration, just people helping each other out in exceptional times. I hope you will like what they propose, and I promise to bring you more propositions, soon. In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy, stay home.

Working from home with the kids feeling bored will be a big challenge for the next few weeks. It’s hard balancing the need to be entertained, with the fact that school is no longer in session. Don’t worry; we found some fun activities that will use everything you already have at home! Just make sure to combine them with some « unplugged time » to have a successful « staycation ».

The ultimate art experience

For art lovers and virtual enthusiast alike, here’s an app that’s not only informative but also fun to use at home. There’s a choice for every type of children. There are beautifully illustrated posts and will conquer even the most reluctant of readers, interactive content like « Meet Vermeer » and « The Art of Color », that will bring you inside art exhibition without leaving your living room. Selfie lovers will be able to compare their selfies to millions of selected portrait details with « Art Selfie ». With Museums closed, the Virtual Reality Tours offered on this app will be a good alternative. You can even see how famous works of art would look like in your living rooms with « Art Projector ».

Google Arts & Culture is available for desktop and as a FREE Android and iOS.

Join the TechLabs Virtual Classroom

Let us bring the experience of classroom learning into your home. Next week parents and children can tune-in to our free e-learning seminars featuring the latest in STEM learning, with paid options to continue. We can deliver affordable micro-electronics to your home for the duration of the online course. At the end of the course you can either return the items or purchase them!

As part of the TechLabs Virtual Classroom, families may choose from:

  • 3D Design & Printing
  • Minecraft Education
  • coding with mBlock and HaloCode
  • Robotics with Micro:Bit

To be the first in line, sign-up for our email notifications and follow our Facebook page to join our Live Sessions. Come meet our teachers and see the amazing tools you’ll be using in the next few lessons.

Music in your room

If your child is interested in making music, it’s possible that she already knows about Chrome Music Lab, from school. It’s the perfect tool to use both at school and at home, to learn more not only about music but also how it’s connected to science, math, art. You can use it to make your songs and explore the different pre-set modes on their site.

It’s a free tool, and you can access it on a desktop computer.

Turn your living room into a Dance Studio

If your children love to make and watch dance videos on TikTok, why not introduce them to JustDance? This FREE app is available for desktops, Mobile devices (iOS and Android) and even as a Smart TV /Apple TV app.

Some of you might recognize this from the popular video game series with the same name, from a few years ago when it was a popular Wii game for house parties. Now the concept has been revamped, allowing illimited friends to join the fun from the comfort of their own homes to compete to be the number one dancer. All you need to do is free some space in front of whatever screen you may be using, choose a song of your liking and follow the steps! The better you follow the choreography, the better the score you’ll achieve. It’s a fun activity for all ages, and we’re pretty sure some parents will join their children for the best dance party yet!

Take a virtual vacation

With or without special VR goggles, WITHIN lets you use your mobile devices and game consoles to experience everything from being in Paris, watch the New Year’s fireworks in Hong Kong, to being on a dog sleigh! They have a collection of hundreds of videos for all tastes that will allow you to be « within » your chosen video. The app available for free for iOS, Android and, as they state on their homepage, everywhere fine VR is served!

Baby-friendly Geneva: places, activities, and more!

Baby-friendly Geneva: places, activities, and more!

Geneva

After receiving many messages with questions about baby-friendly places in Geneva, and seeing this topic coming up frequently in Parentville’s Facebook group, I decided to put together a list for you.

Below you will find:

  • baby-friendly places,
  • activities/courses for babies,
  • outdoors pram-friendly places (including forests),
  • breastfeeding friendly spots.

If you know a place I should add, let me know!

Baby-friendly places in Geneva

Herstreet

A mom-friendly cafe with a playful corner, and enough space to parc prams. Herstreet also hosts workshops, courses, yoga, and various pop-ups.
Address: 6, Rue des Pierres-du-Niton, Geneva. More info here.

Maison de la Creativite

The creativity paradise for kids of ages 0-8. Most of the things are best for toddlers and older kids, but there is always something for babies too! They even sometimes host special mornings for kids and their grandparents.
Address: 7 chemin Calandrini, 1231 Conches. Here’s their website.

Ludotheques and Accueil Parents-Enfants

Ludotheques are toy libraries but many also have play areas, and some provide some areas for babies to play too (I would need your help to find out which Ludotheques provide that option currently). Accueil Parents-Enfants are places designed for kids to play and fr parents to meet, exchange experiences and to discuss their questions with the early-childhood professionals. One of the most popular ones is the Cerf-Volant in Plainpalais. There are similar places in the Ville de Vernier. These are really nice places, with kind and warm educators, nice activities, and generally a lovely atmosphere.

Ecole des Parents at Espace « 99 »

This wonderful association with a rich offer of various activities for kids (and support for parents), also put in place a completely free playgroup once a week in Charmille (Tuesdays 9h30-11h30). It is destined for all kids under the school age. There is always a « pedagogue » and an educator at the site. It’s a great place to meet with other parents (mostly French speakers, but English speakers drop by as well). There is also coffee, tea, sirop, and occasional snacks.
Address: 99, Rue de Lyon. You can find more details in this program.

Swimming pools

Warm water and some lovely splash time with a baby is always great! All pools are calmer during the week during the day, and it is the best time for a visit with a baby. Bains de Cressy is a nice warm pool (with fun structures for kids on weekends) in Bernex. Another option is Bain Bleu, though it is quite dark and full of waterfall noises, which may annoy some babies. Last option is Vitam Park with only one small warm pool (those for kids are not warm).

Baby-friendly restaurants and cafes

Criteria: enough space for the pram, changing table, breastfeeding-friendly. Please let me know what should be added here.

Un R de Famille

Luigia in Eaux-Vives & Meyrin & Petit Saconnex

Les Granges, Dardagny

Herstreet, Eaux-Vives

Maze Cafe in Eaux-Vives

Just Bloom – Centre Confederation

Courses and activities

Mere et Terre

Mere et Terre is a shop in the Grottes neighborhood (you can find out more about it on Parentville) where you can find great advice and carefuly selected products: natural, bio, organic, planet friendly and promoting attachment parenting. They also have a cute room on the side, where various activities take place: for mums to be, mfresh parents, babies etc. Check them out here.

Ecole des Parents

This place accompanies parents from the birth of their child till adulthood. They host various types of workshops, courses, psychological help and more. It’s one of the best organization in Geneva when it comes to family support. More about them here.

DoulAccueil

Three doulas got together to create a womderful place, where parents can feel safe, listened, find friends, support and advice. They run prenatal courses, courses for parents with babies and other forms of support for women. You can find out more information here.

Moman d’Amour

A unique place in Chene Bourg where parents, and especially mothers can find warm welcoming support and activities for themselves, their babies, and older children. The association also teeaches about positive parenting. Especially babies can benefit from a large range of various activities: massage,yoga, signing, sensory baths, and more! Definitely check it out, click here.

Spell Languages

To my knowledge it is the only language school in Geneva that offers not only language immersion for babies, but also courses for moms where babies are welcome too!
Address: 20, Rue du Conseil General, Geneva. More info here.

Tiny Talk

Baby signing classes by Alenka are so popular because they are so good and enjoyable! 12 weeks-long courses in various locations are a great opportunity to communicate with babies before they can speak, and in general to have fun with them. Find out more about it on TinyTalk website.

Music Together

Singing and dancing in a playful atmosphere is what you can expect at Music Together. They have a special class for babies to up to 8 months old. Classes take place in various locations. You can find more details here.

Balade avec bebe – parents in the parc

Catherine Watt launched this initiative a few years ago. She is a LaLecheLeague consultant and a lovely, understanding person – a perfect companion for a walk with a baby, followed by a chat over tea/coffee. Catherine organises these outings once a month. You can find more details and future dates here.

Espace Musical

This music school offers musical instruments classes for older kids, and a wonderful music discovery program for the little ones (0-3 years). They usually also have week-long courses in summer. I recommend it with all my heart. More info on this website.

Gym Poussette

In Geneva and Onex it is exactly what the name suggets – outdoors gym classes for mums and their babies. You can find the schedule and prices here.

Pram-friendly walks in nature

The best solution for a walk in nature is babywearing, but as it is not an option for everyone, and not always possible for various reasons (carrying a baby and a diaper bag for a few hours…), I tried to find some options for pram-friendly nature.

Of course, there are many beautiful parks in Geneva that already partially fill the need of silence and oxygene, but how about something more?

Bernex – Nant de Borbaz et des Picolattes

This beautiful nature reserve has one of the trails ready for wheelchair users, which means it is also perfect for prams! It is not very long but adorable. You can find the full description, and the map of all trails here (look for the « accessible a tous » route).

Versoix – Les Douves

Another nature reserve, this time located in Collex-Bossy and Versoix. The pram friendly trail is yet again the wheelchair adapted route. It’s quite short but includes a part over a pond a part in the forest. You can always try to start other trails with a pram (and all terrain-pram preferably). Here’s a link to a pdf with a detailed description, and a map.

Mategnin les Crêts (Meyrin)

This nature reserve is entirely accessible with wheelchairs and prams! It is taken care of by ProNatura Geneve. The walk should take around 1 hour. The Mategnin marsh is one of the few wetlands in the canton, located along the Jura chain. For more detailed information including address, click here.

Breastfeeding places/spots/corners

Good news and even more good news! There are more and more places in Geneva that offer privacy and comfort to breastfeeding mothers. They are in shopping malls, in Geneva University buildings, in Arcade Sages-Femmes, and many more. places. You can find them all on the Mamamap website. The content is provided by the Breastfeeding Promotion Switzerland with help of some sponsors. It also exists in a form of an app (available in Apple app store)

There are also many events for babies and their parents: in the libraries, more yoga activities, parenting workshops, and more. You can find them easily in Parentville’s calendar.

Events calendar for families in Geneva

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FAMILY SPORTS CENTER AND A BEAUTY SALON BY TOTUP

FAMILY SPORTS CENTER AND A BEAUTY SALON BY TOTUP

Geneva, Places

The founder of the TotUp Creche shows no signs of stopping developing new ideas for families in the region. She opened creches in canton Vaud, one in Geneva (more will come surely !), and now added a family sports center to the list. Oh ! And the beauty salon with prices that should revolutionise Geneva.

I wrote about TotUp creche before (you can find it here).

THE SPORTS CENTER

The sports center has a great gym with all the equipment one should need, and also a room for kids classes. The great trick here is how the membership works. For an adult-only, it’s 75 CHF per month with unlimited access to the gym and all the classes without the need for prior registration. A child-only membership is 100 CHF/month. But if you’d like it both for a your child and yourself, it would be 150 CHF/month. Each membership means unlimited access to all classes, the equipment, without any need of prior registration.

The cherry on top? Many adults and kids classes are happening at the same time. It means that all of you can have some separate time for physical activities, and you don’t have to worry about childcare anymore!

BEAUTY SALON

TotUp offered me and Z a free hair cut and skin care at the salon. The hairdresser did a fab job with both of us, and we will surely go back there for our next hair cut. Not only the quality of the service was great but also the prices.

The interioir is not luxorious, some of the staff don’t speak French nor English, but there is always a friendly face to do all the translations and it goes smoothly.

Other services available: manicure, pedicure, skin care, epilation, permanent make-up, and more. You can find the list of services and prices here.  

And what to do with your child during your pampering ? On Wednesdy your child can join the class in te sports center (next door) for free. On Saturdays it costs 10 chf/hour and is only available between 10h and 12h. On other days the child needs a gym membership.

PRACTICAL INFO

TotUp Geneva: Avenue des Morgines 12, 1213 Lancy
Parking in front of the building for visitors.
Accessible with wheelchairs (an adapted toile tat the venue).

Website: TotUp.

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No needles with luxopuncture with Geraldine Asseline

No needles with luxopuncture with Geraldine Asseline

Geneva

When I discovered the Instagram account of Geraldine, I was immediately intrigued and asked her for a rendez-vous to understand more about her unique offer – LUXOPUNCTURE. Because, lt’s face it – accupunsture without needles sounds wonderful and attractive – especially for kids ! I’ve also heard about her from some friends, who used her method to quit smoking or lose weight (yesss !).

GERALDINE

We met in her minimalistic yet very warm and comfy office, and now I can finally tell you what’s it all about. Geraldine is a lovely woman, with a voice so soft it may already have a therapeutic impact on many. She is patient, kind, and gentle. At first she asks some questions, and a conversation about problems that brought the person to her door. There is no judgment – understanding, empathy and compassion. This conversation is needed for Geraldine to adapt the therapy to each person. She’s the kind of person that you’ll wish ould become your best friend and get a coffee with you every week.

Beams and photons

I can’t stress that enough – there are no needles involved in luxopuncture but it works like acupuncture. Geraldine uses a special pen that sends out beams of infrared light instead of pricking the skin with needles. It is a pleasant, painless, and stressless experience.

By following a diagram on the screen, she manipulates this special pen by positioning it on different precise points on her client’s body. The pen releases photons that carry the energy and stimulate the reflex points.

For kids and adults

Geraldine is very clear and honest about the applications of this method. She will openly tell you whether it can help with your problems or not. 

In general, this method helps to fight: anxiety, overweight, smoking. It can ease menopause symptoms. It is also used as a facial rejuvenation technic. Of course, for each, a different number of sessions is needed, and various points on the body will be stimulated. How can it make people lose weight? Well, not directly, it does not burn the fat, but it gets rid of the feeling of excessive appetite and compulsive behavior. The weight loss program cannot be used by pregnant women in the first trimester.

During the stress release sessions, it is common for people to cry or laugh. It results in the ability to see our problems from the perspective of a stranger.

Children can also use this method, especially to ease their stress or to help with their weight. There is nothing scary about this session, there are no needles, and the lady who will treat them is as gentle and kind as a person can be.

PRACTICAL INFO

Open on Monday and Thursday from 10h till 20h in Geneva. On other days open in Annecy (Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday) and Lausanne (Friday);

100 CHF/ session (not reimbursed by insurance);

Address: Rue de la Servette 48, Geneva.

Website: Luxopuncture Asseline.

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Ville Fertile in Meyrin – the best indoor play area for kids!

Ville Fertile in Meyrin – the best indoor play area for kids!

Agenda, Geneva

Have you already discovered that when it comes to family-friendly events, a lot of times the free events and those not in the city centre are especially fun? This is surely the case with the new exhibition in the Theatre Forum Meyrin!

It is divided into « Ville Fertille expo » and « Jardiner la Ville » construction paradise.

Part 1

« Ville Fertile » is the exhibition part of this event. It explains the importance of nature within the urban architecture and shows inspiring examples! Spending a bit of time in this area is important. It will help children understand their task in the next room.

Part 2

« Jardiner la Ville » is the construction site and a small exhibition of rocks and different types of soil. There is also a compost-making toilet example (exactly same as in several eco-buildings in the canton).
In this lovely, big room, you’ll need to be strong to not to yell “WOW” (like I did), or to run like a maniac to the bricks (like Z did). It’s a creative paradise with one task: create buildings, cities, whatever you like but don’t forget about nature.

The fun

Wooden panels on the floor mark the borders of the construction site, and many many and more boxes by the walls contain a rich variety of building materials. When we entered, I yelled “WOW”. Z, being more adjusted to cultural places than her mom, stayed calm, controlled her emotions but failed with stopping her legs from running to the bricks! And not only bricks! There are elements mimmicking grass, water, or moss. Bricks come in various shapes, colours. We only left, after 1,5 hours, because we were hungry.

PRACTICAL TIPS

The Theater is easily accessible by trams/buses, there is big parking just in front of it, a commercial centre and a good Italian next door. It’s accessible with prams and for wheelchairs. I haven’t found an official recommended age range, but I would suggest it for kids 3+.

You can find out more about the event here and here.

 

ADRESS:
Galeries du Forum Meyrin
Place des Cinq-Continents 5, 1217 Meyrin, Suisse

OPENING HOURS
Till April 4th.
From Wednesday till Saturday
14h00 – 18h00

 

FREE ENTRY

FIND MORE EXHIBITIONS AND OTHER EVENTS CURRENTLY GOING ON IN GENEVA IN PARENTVILLE’S CALENDAR.

PARENTVILLE'S CALENDAR
March 2020 for families in Geneva – What’s on?

March 2020 for families in Geneva – What’s on?

Geneva

We had spring in February, maybe we’ll have winter in March. Let’s see. March will also be the month of coronavirus panic-mode for many. This, on top of climate change, makes planning ahead more and more difficult. But let’s try and stay positive, let’s find the good vibes. Below you’ll find fun events going on in Geneva in March 2020 for the whole family to enjoy, I hope it will help us all feel more joy! Ready?

Many more events, exhibitions, theater shows are going on! For all ages and all tastes. You can find them all in Parentville’s calendar.

EVENTS CALENDAR BY PARENTVILLE

Jardiner la Ville & Ville Fertile
till April 4th, Meyrin

Open to the public from Wednesday till Sunday (14h-18h), Ville Fertile is the best exhibition currently on display in Geneva. The expo itself is small, interesting and inspiring. It’s accompanied by « Jardiner la Ville » – a fun space with tons of building materials to create whatever sits in kids’ imaginations. I wrote about it here.

Les comptines
March 10, Plan-les-Ouates

A fun and creative way to develop language, relationships and socialization. Toddlers aged 1 to 4 meet at La julienne’s library for « Nursery Rhymes and Finger Games », an animation by La Bulle d’Air. Accompanied by an adult, the little ones share the pleasure of singing and playing with their body, accompanied by small instruments. More info here.

Annecy Venetian Carnival
March 8, Annecy

Annecy is known as the Venice of Alps, and so like Venice the city organises a carnival! You can admire the costumed and masked characters strolling and walking freely in the emblematic places of the city of Annecy! More info here. /the event may be cancelled due to Coronavirus outbreak/.

Storytime at Payot
March 14, 10h30-11h30, Payot Rive Gauche

Every month, Payot offers a free storytime in English. Books are read by Lisa from the English Department, and a theme is different every month. This time it’s « Earth Day: Save the Climate ». Before or after you can enjoy a snack at the Cafe at Payot. You can find out more about this event here.

Theater: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
March 13-15, Geneva

Our favorite theater in the area, Simply Theater, will have their big annual show in Geneva in March! Here’s how Simply Theater describes the show: « With sensational sets, stunning special effects and brimming with unforgettable songs, watch as Chitty magically soars above the Casino Theatre stage in this high-flying, Fantasmagorical, fun-filled adventure for the entire family ». More info here.

Open day: Academie de l’Opera
March 18, 14h-16h

During an open day children will try out the joy of singing, dancing, theater, improvisation and stage fencing. Also: solfeggio and sight reading, models and drawings, opera history and stories, languages in opera, show workshop. You can register now for a trial class. More info here.

Open day: Éco-crèche en forêt
March 20, Plan-les-Ouates

Eco-creche invites all the families already enrolled and those who would like to discover the concept, to a little party. It will also be an opportunity to celebrate EQUINOX together in our forest sofa around a Canadian meal. Read more about the event here.

RAMDAMJAM
21-22 March, MEG Geneve

Numerous shows, initiations, stories, guided tours, cartoons, creative workshops and a breakfast with music are offered for two days to children from 2 to 10 years old and their companions. A rich and festive 4th edition, with the participation of more than 30 artists! Find out more and boko here.

Disco for Kids: La boum des enfants
March 28, 17h-22h; Bypass Club

The long-awaited Boom des Enfants is finally back in Geneva! For all ages, DJs, dance floors, incredible entertainment, shows, cocktails for young and old, catering, major competitions. Always under the care of an adult. Read more about it here.

Storytime: Les samedis des p’tits lecteurs
March 28, 10h30-11h30; Payot Rive Gauche

Every month, find Laetitia in the youth section (French) for Les samedis des p’tits readers! From 10:30 am, children will be able to attend a storytime (in French) themed around seasonal subjects. This month: « La planète et moi ». ENtry is free, no registration needed. More info here.

Dance: Stage Danse Senegalaise enfants-parents
March 28; 15h-16h

Special Senegalese dance course for parents and children with Ndongo Beye and Mbar Ndiaye. For all the children who like to dance, move to the rhythms of percussion, Ndongo and Mbar will take you to the village where the false lion dance is practiced. Each child and each parent will warm up to the rhythms of the sabar drum then learn the steps of the sabar while making sure to coordinate their arms and legs to finish all together on a beautiful choreography. More details here.

Many more events, exhibitions, theater shows are going on! For all ages and all tastes. You can find them all in Parentville’s calendar.

EVENTS CALENDAR BY PARENTVILLE