'Travel is the ultimate means of education because it exposes children to things they only learn about through books'
Every travel guide and website we read about Marrakech said it wasn’t a place tailored for young children. But we found plenty to do and most were experiences Zenchai couldn’t possibly have had in Blighty. Here are a few suggestions.
Climb a mountain
Zenchai named the ‘mountain’ near to where stayed ‘Daddy Mountain’ and for days talked about climbing it. The challenge was sterner than he imagined - very rocky and quite steep in parts. But, at the second attempt, he went to the top and back. Because of his new-found fascination for cowboys, we talked about Indian trackers, how they respected the land, searched for tracks etc and he took on the role and didn’t think about the difficulty of the walk, ascent or descent.
Horse and carriage ride
These are everywhere near the Medina and primarily for the tourist. Be sure to negotiate a good price. We paid 200 for 45 minutes. Zenchai loved it so much he wanted to do it again.
Visiting Souks
It took a few visits for Zenchai to get comfortable. Souks are crowded. Watch out for bicycles and motorbikes shooting up and down – and at speed. It’s easy for children not paying attention to get knocked over. We carried Zenchai a lot – either in a sling or on daddy’s shoulders.
Learning French and Arabic
They say children learn languages more easily than adults. We often assigned Zenchai the task of asking for the bill and then paying it. It gave him the confidence to use new words and approach strangers. He felt a great sense of satisfaction and would often ask to learn and try new words.
Playing football
Having a football opens a lot of doors and enables children to play together regardless of nationality. We bought a ball and kicked it around most days. Although Zenchai loved to change the rules, he got a ton of exercise chasing a ball and pretending to be Fernando Torres, Ronaldinho and Pepe Reina.
Boules
Simple game and easy for children to play, even if not properly or rigidly. Zenchai particularly liked using the measuring tape to see which ball was closest.
Swimming outside (naked)
Out of respect we wouldn’t recommend this in a Muslim country. But we were at a private residence. Our pool, however, was freezing – no other way to describe it. Yet Zenchai had no fear getting in – starkers – and having fun, even if he shivered with delight afterwards.
Eating at the famous Medina stalls
There are some wonderfully cheap eats to be had. The food stalls are set up from around 5pm in the main square. We looked for the busiest table, sat down and ordered. We had beans, lentils and bread for around £2.50 (for the entire family). You can’t argue with that. It was great to sit next to strangers and eat. Zenchai didn’t bat an eyelid. Wearing his Brazilian Ronaldinho shirt, he attracted plenty of attention from the locals, who were all friendly and welcoming. (I’d recommend getting a Brazil kit for your child).
Playing snap
Our good friend Christina bought Zenchai a parting gift – playing cards. These proved fantastic, especially as there were many rainy days when we were practically house-bound. Zenchai loved snap.
Building sandcastles and playing in the ocean
We took a short and cheap coach trip – three hours – to Essaouira and played on the beach for hours. Take some cars – if your child likes them – and build roads and buildings and children will remain absorbed for hours. Warning about the beach in Essaouira – it’s full of broken glass. Make sure your child has sandals or crocs and wears them even when in the water.
Playing with Moroccan children
Breaking down barriers was easier in some situations than others. On one occasion in Essaouira, just after my wife and I had observed how Moroccan children often like to fight each other and get aggressive, Zenchai noticed an older girl on a bicycle. He watched intently and the Moroccan children saw him staring. Amazingly, they – three kids – wheeled the bike over, put Zenchai on it and pushed him around the square. Then they helped him lie on a skateboard with another boy and pushed him around for a while. It was a great example to him of how for children to share.
Stroking horses, donkeys and sheep
In Marrakech, especially just out of town, sheep are plentiful. We encountered them often, as we did donkeys and, in town, horses. It was nice for Zenchai to stroke them and see how they feel, react and what they do.
Taking photos
We had Zenchai take some photos. They weren’t always brilliant or worth saving, but he seemed chuffed at the opportunity and learned how to do it. He did take one particularly decent night shot.
Playing outdoors (nearly) every day
All right, the weather in Marrakech wasn’t what we expected for the desert and north Africa. But in spite of seasonally high amounts of rain and ferocious wind, it was still far easier for us to spend a large portion of our day outdoors instead of inside. Kids burn off a lot more energy running around and enjoy the sense of freedom that comes with it.
Drinking/making mint tea
This is the national drink in Morocco. It was hit and miss for us in terms of whether we enjoyed it or not. But one particular restaurant in Essaouira made a great cup with honey instead of sugar (which we avoid). We bought some mint and made some for ourselves. Zenchai liked it, too, and observed how to make it.
Flying a kite
On one of the many stormy days, Zenchai picked up a plastic bag which had blown his way from somewhere, and started running around with it, pretending he was a dragster and the bag was the parachute breaking system. The bag soon became a kite and by adding some string we had fun flying it.
Cyber Park Arsat Moulay Abdeslam
Stuck for somewhere to take your child? Try the Cyber Park outside the Medina. There’s free WiFi (apparently – we didn’t test it) and it’s clean, which is unusual, given that Moroccans, sadly, tend to litter everywhere. But this park is immaculate. Pity we only discovered it on our final days. Note: It closes around 5pm.
Les Jardines De La Menara
Large park near the airport. There’s a lake with some large fish, which become visible when people feed them bread (no wonder they are big!) It’s good for a stroll around, but not particularly clean or well kept.
Dinosaur Park (El Harti park in Gueliz)
We went there on a rainy day. There’s a gazebo in the middle, where we took shelter, but on a dry day it’s somewhere kids can have fun and run around. There’s a play area with some concrete dinosaurs that are fun for children to climb up and down.
Kawkab Jeux - Play area near Royal Tennis Club
Practically the only purpose-built kids centre in Marrakech. Fairly cheap to enter but there are charges for rides etc. There’s an ice cream shop there, too, so it is popular with locals.
Marjane Shopping Centre
Not far (walking distance) is another play area. It's outdoors and somewhere parents offload their kids while they go shopping. It has several levels, bouncy bits and bobs, soft balls for throwing and little machines for propelling the balls.
Racing through the streets
In safe areas and away from traffic, we had races from one landmark to another, like lamppost to lamppost. This kept Zenchai active when we were out and about. Sometimes we’d be walking along and he’d go sprinting past, challenging one of us to catch him. It’s safe so long as he looks in the direction he’s running!
Watching sunsets
Morocco has some spectacular sunsets. We’d often wait up to watch them and in Essaouira, when by the ocean, it’s a beautiful time.
Yeah i totally agree with the author that the childrens a lot from traveling different destinations....The list you posted here represents many things which a child can do on a trip to some place..
Posted by: location villa javea | 14 March 2011 at 11:37 AM