There's one word I learned to hate back in my work travel days: "layover", now that I no longer travel for work, but for the actual fun of it (because travel for work is not vacation) I still dread the word. In fact there's nothing worse than a long layover when traveling with small ones.
Some airports have understood that in order to limit the amount of screaming, crying, unhappy children (or contain them in one area anyway) a children's play area can be a saving grace to exhausted, sleep deprived parents of overactive, hyper children.
Here are some that almost make you want to travel through their airports:
Both the Sydney and Auckland airports have awesome play area for kids.
SYD - Sydney, Australia:
As part of the T1 redevelopment new children's facilities are being developed both before and after check-in. Landside between check-in counters A & B and at the end of check-in counter J. Airside you will find a kids cinema and play area between Gates 31 & 33 in Pier B and between Gates 58 & 59 in pier C.
 |
| Children's Play Area @ SYD |
AKL - Auckland, New Zealand
Many nursery rooms with cribs and changing tables are available for babies visiting this airport. As for older children, activities include a Lego activity centre, Crayola colouring-in corner, Funstation, flight simulator, Sega Rally and the Lookout Lounge which has play equipment for young children.
 |
| The Family Zone @ AKL |
AMS - Schipol - Amsterdam
seems to be *the* place in Europe.
Beyond passport control on Holland Boulevard, between Piers E and F, The Kids' Forest at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is a great place for children to let off a little steam. Children can play in forest-like surroundings, with actual treehouses, slides and a range of climbing and play equipment. I can already see E. not wanting to leave the airport... imagine that.
 |
| The Kids' Forest @ AMS |
SIN - Singapore
Imagine strolling by the Bamboo garden (T1), on the way to the Cactus garden (T1) before getting to the Playground (T1), or maybe if you prefer going to check out the Koi pond (T2) and the Sunflower garden (T2) before going to the playground? You can in the Singapore airport! And if the older kids are getting impatient, send them for a walk to the Transit Mall to play at the X-box stations. Somehow, I don't think it will take much asking. The Singapore Changi airport really does get top marks for family entertainment, you almost (!) forget you're in an airport.
 |
| The X-Box Arcade @ SIN |
For US bound travelers, the american airports also have their fair share of good bets.
Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Orlando (MCO) and San Francisco (SFO), are amongst the best. And with Atlanta being Delta's largest hub, Chicago being United's largest hub with another in San Francisco, American Airlines having their hub in Boston and well, Orlando being home of theme park heaven, it seems like one of these should seem pretty likely. Here's why you want a stop-over.
ATL - Atlanta, GA
Various displays of artwork created by children in grades kindergarten through 12 are located throughout the Airport. The Youth Art is a component of the City of Atlanta Department of Aviation Airport Art Program. A replica of a 33-foot-long dinosaur greets and entertains visitors to the Airport Atrium. The Yangchuanosaurus skeleton is provided by Atlanta’s Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Play areas near Gate A8 and Gate A23 are an added bonus, especially if the kids have extra energy they need to burn. Oh, and for the anti-social pre-teen, Play Station re-charging units are located throughout the concourses. No kidding.
BOS - Boston, MA
Expending energy is the name of the game at the two Kidport areas located in Terminals A and C. Designed by Playtime and the Boston Children's Museum, each area fosters imaginative play through airplane or control-tower climbing structures, a baggage-claim slide, a magnetic poetry wall as well as baby and toddler play spaces. Also worth a look is the work of local artists from the South End, Fenway, and nearby Winthrop—all spread throughout Terminals A, C, and E. Especially for Babies, Boston Logan has rocking chairs located throughout the airport as well as family restrooms with changing stations and rooms for nursing mothers. Maybe I'll just move to the airport...
 |
| Kidport @ BOS |
 |
| Kidport @ BOS |
ORD - Chicago, IL
Oh, Chicago... Memories of overbooked United flights flood my mind... It seems like just yesterday I was waiting for hours (4 hours actually) for the next flight. Too bad E. wasn't with me seeing as in Terminal 2, kids can explore structures, "fly" planes, "handle" baggage, and "direct" air traffic. A restored World War II fighter plane (also in Terminal 2), as well as the enormous model of a Brachiosaurus—courtesy of the Field Museum—at the center of Terminal 1 (in Concourse B) would have at least made one of us happy.
SFO - San Francisco, CA
Somehow, I have a feeling we will meet again soon. There's something about San Francisco's Bay Area that makes it the location of all these cute towns I want to go visit. Really, it's almost a joke now. If I find an amazing place to go to, not only will it *of course* be in California, but odds are it's in the Bay Area... Regardless, as I probably will be there in the somewhat near future, E. can look forward to the best airport for kids and parents alike. SFO is an accredited museum with an incredible array of rotating exhibits spread throughout all terminals. Highlights include: Buddhist Art, Majolica, and The Golden Age of Aviation Toys. Small scientists will love the SFO Kids Spot (Terminal 3, Boarding Area F), which features weather-related exhibits courtesy of the Exploratorium, as well as imaginative crawling apparatus. There are also three different aquariums designed to teach kids about various kinds of ocean life (pre-Security, Terminal 1, Departures level). E is waiting with baited breath, or maybe it's me.
Okay... now last but not least, I'm slightly embarrassed for my own Canadian airports, as the only one which seems passable, and I guess it makes sense since almost everyone flies there (we took the ferry), is the airport in St-John's Newfoundland.
YYT - St-John's, Newfoundland
Yet another reason for a great family vacation in Newfoundland, their airport also provides places for Mom and Dad to entertain the kids or where they can entertain themselves. Children's play areas are located in a number of areas around the terminal building including outside the arrivals area and in the departures lounge. Both locations allow the children to play with the structures in addition to being equipped with TVs broadcasting children’s programming (Now if only my own city could take the hint instead of showing those horrible, obnoxious Just For Laughs - Gags clips).
 |
| Play area @ YYT |
No comments:
Post a Comment