6 Things to Do With Your Kids in Ankara on Holiday

CerModern, Ankara’s hub for contemporary art, is also dedicated to offering events for children, befittingly named CerÇocuk (CerKids). Every Saturday and Sunday, the large gallery hosts workshops for kids ages 5–11, which promote imagination while also exploring different art disciplines. Some of the classes include building toy sculptures, creating a 4D book, and an introduction to Turkish painter and poet Bedri Rahmi and recreating his fish paintings.

One of the city’s oldest parks is also one of the most colorful because of its amusement park where the vibrant lights promise a good time for children and their parents. From the giant Ferris wheel to the rollercoasters, there are plenty of fun rides and activities that’ll keep kids occupied and happy for hours.

One of Ankara’s most overlooked museums is actually one of its most important—established in 1930 and located in a stunning building, which temporarily served as Atatürk’s mausoleum during the construction of Anıtkabir. Inside the Ethnography Museum of Ankara, you’ll find traditional clothing, hand embroidery, hand-woven carpets, metal works, weapons, glass and tile works, manuscripts, wooden and stone artifacts, and jewelry for an educational and comprehensive view of Turkey’s rich cultures.

Ankara University’s Toy Museum was established in 1990 to protect antique and traditional toys that have been all but forgotten in Turkey’s rapidly developing culture. Local or international, manufactured or handmade, the museum has 2,000 toys that children will find fascinating.

Perfect for a day out when the sun is shining, Harikalar Diyarı (Wonderland) is a huge park in the Sincan district of Ankara, with a total area of 1,320,000 square meters (14,208,362 square feet). Composed of many little man-made lakes, kids can ride around in kayaks and paddleboats; the giant park also has go-karts, skateboarding ramps, a model boat lake, a model car track, basketball courts, mini golf, ping pong, and even an amphitheater. If your kids get a little tired from walking around, be sure to hop on the small train for a tour of the whole area. Did we mention the giant sculptures?

Located below the Nata Vega Outlet Mall, the Aqua Vega Aquarium is an exciting place for kids who have an interest in marine life. Apart from the tunnel displaying 12,000 kinds of underwater life, kids can also watch the shark-feeding hour or touch the koi in a special pool.