traveldk.com

Near the Atomium (see The Atomium) is an amusement designed to entertain all the family – with a multi-screen cinema, swimming-pool complex, bars and restaurants, and a “Mini-Europe” of scale models (see Bruparck).

Older children will be intrigued by this unusual, somewhat specialist museum; younger children may not be, especially if they speak neither French nor Dutch (see Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée).

This should appeal to children of all ages. A vintage tram strains and squeaks its way along the wooded path from the Musée du Tram Bruxellois to the Musée Royale de l’Afrique Centrale (see Koninklijk Museum voor Midden-Africa (KMMA)) and back.

Toy museums have a habit of boring children stiff, but this one bucks the trend with its welcoming atmosphere and hands-on exhibits (see Musée du Jouet).

You may be lucky to find the Mannekin-Pis (see Manneken-Pis) on one of his dressed-up days. In any case, it’s always fun to see his extraordinary wardrobe in the Maison du Roi (see Maison du Roi), where about 100 of his 650 outfits are on display.

Belgium’s premier amusement park, with everything from scary roller coasters and vertical drops to soak-to-the-skin water rides, plus more gentle, traditional tracked car-rides and roundabouts for younger visitors. There is also a multi-pool swimming complex, called Aqualibi, with a host of shoots and tube-runs.

From a seat in a canal tour boat, the landmarks of Bruges and Ghent show themselves in a new light. Boats leave from various places in the centre of Bruges and from the Graslei and Korenlei in Ghent.

A kind of medieval theme-park experience: the physical challenge of a slightly scary spiral staircase, magnificent views from the top, and the therapeutic shock of colossal noise if the bells ring while you are up there. There may even be a queue to get in (see Belfort).

Bruges’ amusement park, in a suburb to the south of the city centre. Many of the rides and attractions are marine-themed, many designed for younger children. There’s also a covered Dolphinarium, in which dolphins and seals perform impressive routines.

One of the oldest zoos in the world (1843). Special attractions include a sea lion show, elephant bathing, a new hippo pond and a hands-on reptile experience. The zoo is also a Centre for Research and Conservation.