Children’s Day Celebration in Mexico City, Mexico

Today is April 30th, and in Mexico City it is also Día del Niño, or Children’s Day.  Mexico City prepares for one its largest festivities of the year. For the entire month, the nation’s capital celebrates the young with a line-up of activities and offerings taking place at different venues throughout the city. The Centro Cultural José Martí, an expansive cultural center located right off the Paseo de la Reforma, will feature numerous festivities including outdoor music performances, colorful puppeteers, story tellers and traditional games. Nearby shopping malls will also celebrate with clowns, magicians, music, shows and balloons.  Amusement parks, zoos and children museums will also partake by offering special packages and discounts for children.

Here are a couple of not-to-miss experiences that take place in Mexico City during April:

– On Saturday, April 20th at 12:00 p.m. – the venue will participate in the International Children Festival with a special play entitled the story about the clown who was fired from the circus followed by a concert by Los Musiqueros (Argentina) at 4:00 p.m. The play October Child will be performed on Sunday, April 21st at 12:00 p.m.

– On Saturday, April 27th at 12:00 p.m., the FARO de Oriente will have a Children’s Festival with compelling storytelling, followed by a comedy performance that combines dance, music, clowns and acrobats at 1:00 p.m., as well as a live music performance by the Sensacional Orquesta Lavadero, who use unusual instruments, at 2:00 p.m.

– On April 20th & 27th at 10:00 a.m. el FARO Tláhuac will present a special workshop for children by the Circo Xocotzin to learn about radio production and editing. Additionally, every Sunday at noon a children’s movie will be played including March of the Penguins, Rango, The Triplets of Belleville and Princess Mononoke.

– The Centro Cultural José Martí will showcase several plays throughout the month including A la una a las dos y a las tres!!! Como nuevo otra vez on Saturday April 27th at 1:30 p.m. and two plays on Sunday, April 28th – Payasadas de payasos on at 12:00 p.m. and Lágrimas de agüita at 4:00 p.m.

– The National Museum of the Revolution also partakes in the festivities with a series of lectures on Saturdays and Sundays, beginning at noon.

– At the Teatro de la Ciudad Esperanza Iris, located in the historic center, singer Luis Pescetti will perform on May 4th at 6:00 p.m.

Beyond the Día del Niño, Mexico City presents an excellent opportunity for families searching for a different, fun and educational vacation that will allow them to learn about a different culture by visiting historic sites, art museums, cultural institutions, as well as meeting locals.

Below is a sampling of family-friendly activities in Mexico City that are available year-round:

– The Anthropology Museum contains the world’s largest collection of ancient Mexican art, as well as interesting ethnographic exhibits about Mexico’s present-day indigenous groups.

– The Interactive Museum of Economics showcases hands-on exhibits that present engaging and fun ways for children to learn about money. It is first museum in the world dedicated exclusively to economics.

– In the Papalote Museum, kids can learn through play with more than 300 different exhibitions grouped in five themes including “Communicate,” “I am,” “I belong,” “Express,” and “Understand.” They can also watch movies in the IMAX ADO mega-screen, the largest in Latin America.

– The Chapultepec Zoo has more than 2,000 types of animals, birds and reptiles as well as several Giant Pandas.

– An afternoon can be spent in the neighborhood of Xochimilco,where families can site see while enjoying a boat ride on atrajineras (gondola-like boats) through the area’s lake and canals, also known as floating gardens.

– Alameda Park, the oldest park in Mexico City, is ideal for a relaxing stroll through the verdant gardens with numerous fountains and statutes. On the weekends, families can enjoy live music by local salsa bands.

– Mexico City’s main street, Paseo de la Reforma, also known as the “Champs Elysees” of Mexico City, is an all-day excursion with important monuments such as a statue of Christopher Columbus, watch the Mexican Army at the Zocalo – a large plaza in the heart of the historic center of Mexico City – raise the flag, or visit the Templo Mayor to explore the ruins of a great Aztec pyramid.

– The Saturday Bazar is another great option for families that allows them to explore traditional Mexican-made crafts as well as try delectable local cuisine.

ABOUT MEXICO CITY

Established nearly 700 years ago, Mexico City is a sophisticated metropolis set amid a beautiful, ancient city. More than 12 million people flock to the destination each year to enjoy its countless offerings including striking archeological and historical sites, story-telling museums and art galleries, lively cultural events, celebrated gastronomy, bustling street markets, and much more.

I received no compensation for this post. All opinions expressed in this post are 100% mine.