Take Your Kids to Venice, Italy for Carnevale! 7 Fun Activities They Will Love

The yearly celebration of Carnival is enjoyed in many cities around the world. Although Rio de Janeiro and New Orleans are the most well-known for their elaborate carnival escapades, the elegant, traditional and exciting Carnevale in Venice, Italy is a great way to celebrate with the whole family. The Venetians have made their age-old Carnevale celebration into a 17-day fun fest for all ages and offer many interesting and creative activities for kids. Here are 7 fun, historic and educational activities for kids during Venice Carnevale:

1. Dressing Up in Costume

All kids will enjoy dressing up like it’s Halloween and not just for one day – but for over 2 weeks! Venetian kids love the chance to dress up every afternoon and on the weekends and parade around the city throwing confetti and spraying silly string on friends and all who pass by. Don’t be shocked when random kids run up and throw confetti on you – it’s all part of the traditional carnival fun.

2. People Watching

The costumes that the locals and tourists wear are so elaborate, creative, and beautiful that you can spend hours just wandering the city taking photos of them – with medieval Venice as the perfect backdrop.

3. International Kids Festival

Every Carnevale at the large art exhibition area called the Biennale di Venezia, dozens of free activities are available for kids of all ages. Many countries from around the world offer creative workshops at different hours throughout the day. This indoor play space is also convenient in case of rain or cold weather. This year some of the fun activities available were costume making, music and dance, magic shows, fun with clay, and many others. Click here to learn more.

4. Le Giostre – Carnival Rides

Set up along the beautiful Venice lagoon and one of the most famous viewpoints in the world, kids can enjoy several fun (if not a bit dated) carnival rides and games while their parents enjoy the view. There are a few stands selling traditional Venetian carnival treats and a great place to watch the Venetian teens enjoy the innocent fun of this classic Venice tradition.

5. Ice Skating and Carnival Shows

Several of the campi (squares) throughout Venice offer fun events for kids on the weekends – like puppet shows, movies, and ice skating. One of my favorite memories of my kids during Carnevale is watching them ice skate with their friends in the historic and majestic Campo San Polo.

6. Piazza San Marco

All day and everyday during Carnevale, there is something fun happening in the most famous place in all of Venice, Piazza San Marco. There below the towering Campanile (Bell Tower), an elaborate stage is set up and features endless shows, costume contests, and processions. Kids can even enter the daily costume contests where they get to go up on stage and introduce themselves – an incredible memory and photo op for any child and parent!

7. The Traditional Venetian Events!

There are several amazing Carnevale events that transport you back in time and bring this ancient city to life! First there is the spectacular opening ceremony with a costumed water parade down the Grand Canal. Later, there is the medieval procession/parade called the Feste delle Marie that winds through the streets with hundreds of locals taking part in this 1,000 year old Venetian tradition. Next, there is the Flight of the Angel where a young woman “flies” by cable from the top of the Campanile down to the San Marco stage. The last night of Carnevale offers a musical celebration and a fireworks show!

There are also dozens of other incredible events and parties going on throughout Carnevale each year. To see what will be happening during Venice Carnevale 2017, click here.

So as you can see, Venice is a great place to enjoy the season of Carnival with the whole family while stepping back in time to learn the history and culture of this ancient and wonderful city.

Have you ever taken your kids to Venice for Carnevale? Share you photos with us!