Traveling to Morocco with kids isn’t the first vacation idea to pop up in parents’ minds. A lot of people deem Morocco an unsuitable place for kids to be. But this is so far from the truth; Moroccans love kids and consider them a blessing. And there are plenty of things for kids to do there. Sure, there may not be indoor playgrounds with pizza readily available but kids get to experience a different lifestyle. Below are some activities that you may enjoy doing with your kids.
01. Traditional Breakfasts
On this last trip with Maggie, I realized that she adored the traditional Moroccan breakfasts. I observed her as she waited with excitement. Hot chocolate and fresh fruit juices are always a green light with kids. Also, the different jams and yogurts. It’s all delicious to kids.
02. Animals
In Marrakech, we hit the souks together and found some animal surprises. The vendors allowed her to pet turtles, iguanas, and baby chicks. It’s not something she gets to do everyday since back in New York you have to go to the zoo and wait a long line to pet anything.
There’s also the option of riding a camel or a pony. Usually on the beaches you can find pony rides. And there is no line to wait.
03. Transportation Methods
Another exciting thing was the rides home that we took. We were staying in an apartment that was after the souks and a little far from Jemaa El-Fnaa. It’s a bit far on foot especially with a child. We had walked it before but when it’s nap time it’s best to take an alternative transportation. Within the souks, you can only take a motorcycle, a truck, or a combo of both. We took the latter.
At first, Maggie was afraid cause we never rode in something other than a car but it was safe. The souks are small and there’s not a lot of traffic besides you. Yes, it was bumpy but overall it was a fun experience. And she got to take her nap.
04. Doing Laundry
Okay, this activity sounds a little weird. What kid wants to go to Morocco to do laundry, right? Well, Maggie had a blast doing laundry with me. Since we stayed in a traditional Moroccan home, we had to do our laundry by hand in a bucket. We kneeled on the terrace and both scrubbed our clothes with a few water fights. At the end, we had tea and sat on the terrace watching the sun set over the snowy mountains of Morocco.
It may not be a usual activity for a kid back at home but it’s a hands-on activity that can be enjoyable and teaches responsibility.
05. Jemaa El-Fnaa
The square has a lot of things that attract kids; the music, the traffic, the balloons, ice cream, etc. We had dinner on a rooftop overlooking Jemaa El-Fnaa and Maggie was absolutely hypnotized by the traffic and music. I was beginning to think the snake charmer hypnotized her. She even fell asleep. But she was amazed by how it looked from up top.
I would say Marrakech is the best place for a kid to be out of all of Morocco. There are other great places but it depends on your child as well. Since Marrakech is very active and there’s always something new around the corner, it fits well with children’s short attention span.
This is the tallest mosque in the medina and the one that helped me get around a lot. If I felt lost, I just tried to get back to La Koutoubia which is right in front of Jemaa El-Fnaa. It’s worth paying a visit. You will not be allowed to go inside the mosque if you’re not Muslim but you can still take pictures of the outside. And you can visit the garden they have in the back. Just ask when you’re there.
Palais El Badi, a palace built by Saadian sultan Ahmed al-Mansur Dhahbi, is a great place to spend a whole day in. You will need to arrive in the morning or split it in two afternoons since the palace is huge. When we went to Palais El Badi, we arrived in the afternoon so we couldn’t see the whole palace within that day. We had to go back the next day to continue. You also get to see the 12th century minbar that was once a part of La Koutoubia.
Morocco, the colorful country that many have fell in love with at first sight. Some have even dreamt of it even before stepping foot on it, myself included. There’s something about the country that draws visitors. But before you visit, you must know that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Below are 15 tips to follow before visiting Morocco. This way you won’t be too surprised when you get there.
The first time I ever tasted freshly squeezed pomegranate juice was in Tangier, Morocco. Call me late but it’s a memory I’m proud of and will remember greatly. The gentleman squeezing the pomegranate was so kind too. He was so interested in knowing my thoughts on the juice.
Let me just say, this was such a mesmerizing garden. The first time I read about Jardin Majorelle was from the book