Bookshops

Libreria per Ragazzi Mel Giannino Stoppani

Piazza dei SS. Apostoli 59/a - 65, tel. 0669941045.

A spacious, well-designed and well-stocked bookshop entirely dedicated to children and teenagers. Also CDs and videos, and books in English and French (mostly for young children). Hosts birthday parties (Mon-Fri, 17.00-19.30), organises summer activities for children aged 6-11 and runs a music course on Tues for children aged 5-10. Story reading on Wed at 17.00 is free of charge. Children aged 5-11 can be left for baby-sitting on Fri evenings, 20.00-23.00.

Libreria Rizzoli Store

Via Piave 18 (Porta Pia), tel. 0642014726. Nature-related arts and crafts on Sat 15 March (build a coral reef using recycled material) and Sat 29 March (study specimens of different animal teeth and rebuild them).16.30. Booking recommended.

Cinemas

Cinema dei Piccoli

Viale della Pineta 15 (Villa Borghese), tel. 068553485. Films for children at 15.30, 17.00 and 18.30 every day.

Cola di Rienzo Kids

Piazza Cola di Rienzo, tel. 063235693. Films for children in the afternoon and evening every day.

Museums

City Museum of Zoology

Via Ulisse Aldrovandi 18 (Villa Borghese), tel. 0667109270, www.comune.roma.it/museozoologia. Tues-Sun, 09.00-17.00, Mon closed.

This recently modernised museum exhibits historical collections, including 10,000 bird specimens assembled in Italy at the beginning of the 20th century, and temporary multimedia installations. Current temporary exhibitions feature reproduction in the animal kingdom, survival in extreme environments and the Red Seas coral reef. Guided tours for children and adults (also in English) on Sat and Sun. For information tel. 0632609200.

Explora - Childrens Museum of Rome

Via Flaminia 82, tel. 063613776, www.mdbr.it. Entrance Tues-Fri at 09.30, 11.30, 15.00, 17.00; Sat, Sun, holidays at 10.00, 12.00, 15.00, 17.00. Mon closed.

Contains a play town with a supermarket, post office, television studio, bank and hospital where everything can be observed, touched and used. Kids can purchase products at the supermarket or sit at the cash register and take the money; read the news in front of the TV camera or dress up as a fireman and climb into the fire engine. There is a play area for smaller children (0-3) with rattles, plastic toys and lots of books. Birthday parties with entertainment can be organised. Visits last 105 minutes. Museum restaurant open for lunch and dinner.

Monuments on Via Appia

For the Playtime at the Museum series, activities for children on Sun at 11.00. April and June at Villa dei Quintili, Via Appia Nuova 1092, May at Tomb of Cecilia Metella, Via Appia Antica 161. Booking essential, tel. 0639967700.

Music

Accademia Nazionale di S. Cecilia

Auditorium Parco della Musica, Viale Pietro de Coubertin 15, tel. 0668801044, www.santacecilia.it.

A series of lessons and concerts for children in the new Auditorium Parco della Musica.

Programme: 9 March (11.00), 10 and 11 March (10.00): Di che musica sei? (ages 4-8). Children participate in the concert and learn that through music they can communicate and express their feelings. With the soloists of the orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di S. Cecilia.

23 March (11.00), 24 and 25 March (10.00): La Banda a due bande (ages 6-12). With the band of the Carabinieri, children learn about the sections of a band, its instruments and the role of the conductor.

Also: family concerts at discounted prices for young people (12-26) and their families are held every Sun (12.00). Performances by the orchestra of the Accademia are preceded by an introductory talk at 11.00. Max length 1 hour, no interval. Telephone or see website for programme.

Theatre

Teatro Mongiovino degli Accettella

Via Giovanni Genocchi 15 (Via Cristoforo Colombo), tel. 065139405, www.accettellateatro.it.

Programme: 7 March, 20.30: Dracula (8-12 years); 8 and 9 March, 16.30: Brutto Anatroccolo (3-7 years); 15 and 16 March, 16.30: Alice nel Paese delle Meraviglie (4-8 years).

Also theatre workshops. Next workshop on Luis Sepulvedas story La Gabbianella ed il Gatto, Sun mornings from 9 March to 12 April, for children 6-10. Cost: 100. Tel.068601733 office hours.

Teatro di Pulcinella al Gianicolo

Piazza Garibaldi, tel. 065827767.

Carlo Piantadosi and his wife Angela have been staging this open-air, Punch-and-Judy-style puppet theatre on the Janiculum for 45 years. On Sat and Sun mornings (from about 10.30) and afternoons (from about 16.00). Times depend on weather and demand.

Outdoors

Bioparco - Zoo

Piazzale Giardino Zoologico 1 (Villa Borghese), tel. 063608211, www.bioparco.it. 29 Oct-29 March, 09.30-17.00; 30 March-28 Oct 09.30-18.00; 30 April-30 Sept 09.30-19.00 on Sat, Sun and holidays.

The Bioparco has been greatly improved in the last two years. Large parts have been renovated (such as the Chimpanzee Village and the giraffe house) or created (a childrens farm and a lake oasis). Emphasis is given to environmental education and conservation of endangered species.

Weekend activities: free guided visits with World Wildlife Fund personnel at 13.30 and 14.00; watch the animals being fed at various times 11.30-15.00; organised games and activities for children at the lake oasis at 11.00 and 16.00 on Sundays.

Luneur - Fairground

Via delle Tre Fontane 4 (EUR), tel. 065925933, www.luneur.it. Open Mon-Fri 15.00-19.00, Sat 15.00-02.00, Sun 10.00-22.00. Tues closed.

From merry-go-rounds for smaller children to scary roller-coasters. Also, a Ferris wheel, a go-kart racing track, water slides, a house of mirrors, ghost trains and a traditional Neapolitan puppet theatre at weekends.