When it comes to sheer variety of options, the Silom area has some great activities for kids and families.
Ever wondered what it’s like to sit behind the controls of a passenger jet? Find out here. Recommended for kids aged 10 and over, this virtual reality simulator lets you get as close to piloting an aircraft as humanly possible. The range of packages includes a 60 minute flight that gives you the option of flying between some of the world’s most iconic cities, or handling your nerve as you practice a series of testing take-offs and landings. Up to three people can sit inside the simulator alongside the instructor – a thrilling (but pricey) experience for adults and children alike.
Opened in 1922, The Neilson Hays Library is a beautiful neo-classical building that boasts Bangkok’s premier collection of English language books. It’s ideal for families thanks to the range of child-friendly activities that take place here. The Saturday storytelling session is particularly popular. Aimed at 3 to 7 year olds, it runs each week from 10:30am. There’s also a dedicated reading section for young adults featuring a variety of fiction and non-fiction titles. Throughout the year, the library also hosts special family events, school visits and huge book sales.
Run by the Thai Red Cross, Bangkok Snake Farm offers a fascinating insight into the lives of these often feared and misunderstood creatures. Kids will love peeking in on the snoozing snakes housed within the farm’s outdoor serpentarium. But the best part of a visit is arguably the daily reptile show. Handlers bring out a variety of snakes, including a cobra, a radiated rat snake and the extremely venomous banded krait, and demonstrate how the venom is extracted (it is then used to make snakebite antidotes). Members of the audience are also invited to handle the farm’s albino boa constrictor. Many adults shudder at the prospect and it’s often the kids that are first in line.
Okay, so visiting a seashell museum might not exactly sound like the most riveting of ways to spend your time. But reserve judgment if you can. The collection of over 3,000 seashell specimens is really quite beautiful. The museum’s giant 300kg clam is well worth a look. And you’ll learn some intriguing and unexpected facts as you wander between the exhibits – including how certain seashells are counted among the planet’s deadliest creatures. Being a virtually tourist-free zone, you can also enjoy a rare hour or so of Bangkok solitude.
5. Science Museum at Chamchuri Square
With a fantastic range of interactive exhibits and play areas, there’s plenty to keep families entertained at this branch of the National Science Museum. The hands-on exhibits provide an informative and entertaining way to help explain a range of scientific principles. There’s also a skeleton and fossil exhibit, a range of toys designed to help children learn while they play, and an interactive exhibition titled “Dialogue in the Dark”, designed to help older kids and adults understand blindness.
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