Things to do with kids when there’s nothing to do

Summer vacation is looming ahead of us…

At Jeremy’s Circle, we’ve been throwing family fun days and teen events for kids coping with cancer or cancer loss in their young families since 2008. Here is our proven list of favorite family activities. 

Bouncing around

• Outdoor activity parks offer healthy outdoor fun for nearly anyone under 12. Our favorites include Shvil Hatapuzim near Hadera, Kefzuba near Jerusalem, and Balagan at Yagur. Pack a picnic and plan to go for at least two hours of fun. 
• iJump has paved the way, but now there are several indoor chains of trampoline parks nationwide, in addition to the outdoor ones. A ticket is generally for 60-90 minutes, which, including travel time, can easily fill up a morning or afternoon.

Monkeys, birds, fish, and more….

• One of our most popular activities is a trip to the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. Plan to spend hours there! But make sure to come prepared with sun protection, hats, and bottles of drink.
• And then there are all the other animal-filled parks, like the aquarium also in Jerusalem, the Monkey Park in the Ben Shemen forest, and bird parks like Park Utopia not far from Netanya, Hula Valley further North, and Zapari in Park Hayarkon in Tel Aviv.

Jeremy’s Circle at Kefzuba Activity Park

Museums 

• Science museums in Haifa and Jerusalem as well as science parks in Rehovot and Beer Sheva are great for sparking conversations with curious kids. The planetarium at the Eretz Yisrael Museum in Tel Aviv is another air-conditioned treat.
• The Peres Center’s innovation exhibits are both jaw-dropping and inspiring for our future leaders of high-tech. (Our next teen event will be there on 09.05.23 – details and sign-up here)
• We’re big fans of the relatively new Museum of Natural History near Tel Aviv University which is just a few hundred meters from the especially-popular-with-out-of-town-relatives ANU Museum, formerly the Diaspora Museum. 
• The art museums in each city often have special programming for kids over the summer, as well as Instagram-friendly sculpture gardens.

Teen-friendly activities

• The large rope courses are hugely popular with teens, and you might want to follow them up to dizzying heights (don’t worry – they will harness you so you can’t fall, even if you are super clumsy). 
• Our teens love the extreme rides at the amusement parks in Tel Aviv and Rishon. And if we are talking extreme…just an hour of paintball, laser tag or carting can blow off a whole lot of teenage steam.
• How about an escape room to escape the heat? Teens love proving they are smarter than us…so here’s their chance.

Jeremy’s Circle event at Skytown in Tel Aviv

Workshops and tours

• We love a good tour – whether it’s on a bike, Segway, or on foot. A quick Google search can help you find a tour to meet every interest – historic, architectural, graffiti, etc
• We also love a skill-building workshop, especially when it’s indoors with AC cranked to the max. Baking, tye-dying, ceramics, painting, woodworking…there are plenty of options. You can search for workshop and tour ideas (and book them) on the Funzing website.

The great outdoors

• Of course, nothing beats family time in nature, with a hike and picnic on a well-marked trail. You can research parks and nature reserves in Israel on the official site. In many of the destinations, it pays to reserve your entrance in advance.

Jeremy’s Circle at iJump indoor trampoline park

What is your family’s favorite activity?

The above activities have been Jeremy’s Circle winners over time. That said, we would love to hear new ideas and suggestions from you. 

Our next event is May 9 at the Peres Center. And we have four more events planned over the summer. Sign up for updates at jeremyscircle.org.