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The Reykjavík Grapevine

@rvkgrapevine

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The Reykjavík Grapevine Archives

You’ve had your five a day (veggies/beers/panic attacks), now you gotta stay active. Whether it’s to get a dose of culture, hopping on a day tour or splashing around in your municipal pool, you can’t go wrong with our picks for Best Activities.

Best Place to Take the Kids

Árbær Open Air Museum

Kistuhylur 4, 110 Reykjavík

This open air museum sprouted out of a farm that was located on that slope, which has long since been encased by suburban neighbourhoods on all sides. It now consists of more than 20 buildings that have been preserved and relocated to form an adorable, miniature town, where your toddlers are free to roam and touch everything as they please (ok, maybe not the sheep). Árbær is a unique journey into Iceland’s past, with lively exhibits, interactive activities and oodles of charm for young and old. And it gets bonus points as you can count the whole visit as an attempt to enrich those kids with culture and history like so much uranium. Who doesn’t need to learn about Icelandic old-timey farms! No one, that’s who.

Runner-Up:

Skopp

Dalvegi 10-14, 201 Kópavogur

Photo by Art Bicnick

Árbær Museum has taken care of the cultural upbringing and Skopp is the place to go unleash all of the kids’ remaining energy. Formerly named Rush, this trampoline park may be a smidge outside the city centre but makes up for it with a variety of physical goofballery. Inflatable football field, climbing wall and a whole bunch of tramam-pa-lines for kids of all ages. Their slogan is “if they can walk, they can bounce.”

Runner-Up:

The Nordic House

Sæmundargata 11

photo by Art Bicnick

If it’s a hygge family weekend you’re hankering for, look no further than the quiet charm and vibrant family programming of the Nordic House. Located in an Alvar Aalto-designed building on the cusp of the Vatnsmýri Nature Reserve, the Nordic House is a relaxing place to take the kids for story time in a range of Nordic languages — it’s never too soon to get them started on Finnish — or the regular craft happenings on site. The Nordic House has also had a stellar lineup of installations of late, so it’ll be a trip that everyone can benefit from.