Entertainment for children in Kaluga. Where to go on a weekend with children in Kaluga

Kaluga - the “cradle of astronautics”, the New Year’s capital 2020/2021 - is gaining popularity year after year, occupying a special place in the weekend tourist route. It’s easy to get to, and you can really see all the sights in a couple of days.

Travelers with children can easily find something to do for their children: the city is rich in interesting places and entertainment centers.

What to see in Kaluga with children, what museums and theaters there are for children, amusement parks and attractions, where to play laser tag or take a quest - we’ll look at this in this article.

Where to go with a child in Kaluga

Holidays with children should be varied, memorable and educational, so when creating a program, combine traditional children's entertainment with visits to cultural sites and architectural monuments.

Zoos

On the right bank of the Oka River there is the Biosphere eco-park, where Kaluga’s largest collection of various animals is presented - more than 80 species of waterfowl, birds, fish, reptiles and mammals. The falcon yard, without cages or aviaries, houses 30 species of birds. Among the animals you can see a kangaroo, a camel, a llama, and a buffalo. The Baikal seal show is held in the nerpinarium. Topiary has a large collection of artificial green garden figures. At the rental point you can rent a children's car, an electric car, a boat, or a velomobile. For relaxation there is an area with gazebos and observation platforms.

The area is so spacious and there is so much entertainment that you can easily spend the whole day here with your child.

A 1-hour drive near Obninsk is the Sparrows Bird Park , the largest in Russia. More than 2 thousand animals, birds, reptiles and fish from all over the world live here. In addition to meeting the residents of the park in “Sparrows”, you can play on the playground, visit a mini-farm (ponies, bulls, goats, lambs, etc.), watch ostriches, ride on a pony or in an open carriage, take a photo with a tamed bird of prey . In winter, there is a long slide for riding on inflatable bagels. The artificial pond is home to carp, and fishing will be an excellent family leisure option. If you wish, you can stay for a couple of days by renting a cozy house on the high bank of the Istya River.

Parks

Kaluga-Park

In the historical center of Kaluga there is a Park of Culture and Leisure - a favorite place for walks for residents and guests of the city. On its territory there is “Kaluga Park” - an amusement park for visitors of all ages. There are more than 10 attractions, there are family, children's and extreme entertainment: carousels, swings, a train, trampolines, a Ferris wheel, a laser maze. Children from 5 to 14 years old and at least 100 cm tall can complete the Jumanji rope course - a simple route with a continuous belay line. Other entertainment includes pony riding, face painting, and show programs on holidays.

The center of attraction in the warm season is the Mir park on the shore of the Yachensky reservoir. There is a beach with an adult and children's pool, a children's playground, a beach volleyball court, activities on the shore and on the water, grill areas, as well as a cafe with panoramic views of the reservoir, a tent with a lounge area. The park hosts various events: festivals, creative and culinary master classes.

Culinary master classes

Children love to repeat after their parents and do “adult things.” That is why many of them are always ready to help in the kitchen and feel like little chefs. But not every parent agrees to let their child into the kitchen - in 99% of cases this threatens with scattered flour and complete chaos. And it’s much more interesting for children to give the world culinary masterpieces in the company of their peers.

Many cafes and coffee shops in Kaluga realized this long ago and began organizing culinary master classes for children. Usually it costs an average of 300 - 400 rubles. This amount includes all necessary products and equipment. Of course, the children take everything cooked with them (unless, being hungry, they don’t eat everything on the spot).

Among the regular organizers of such events are the cafe-bakery “Koritsa” (Kirova St., 25), children’s cafe (Gagarina St., 1\9), and the cafe “Delo v Sauce” (Kirova St., 39). There are also special culinary studios, such as Artichoke. They also regularly conduct master classes for children. True, they do this on different platforms.

Entertainment centers for children in Kaluga

You can spend time fun and active in indoor entertainment centers and outdoor amusement parks. Kaluga has a large selection of places to relax with children on weekdays and weekends.

Entertainment centers

in the very center of the city, in Gostiny Dvor a children’s playroom “Tararam” has been opened . There is a ball pool, slides, a labyrinth, a sandbox, a carousel, a water trampoline, cars, rides - everything you need for a fun time.

On the 3rd floor of the Orion shopping center there is a family active recreation park “TutoKruto” . For children of different ages there are two labyrinths, a trampoline arena, trolls, a ninja quest, and an interactive room. There is a separate play area especially for children. Animators and colorful photo sessions, show programs and face painting await guests.

Children under the age of 8 are welcome in the playroom . On a spacious area of more than 130 sq. m there are many play complexes: a two-story labyrinth with spiral slides and a dry pool, a safe inflatable trampoline with a slide, a carousel, a swing, a full-fledged children's kitchen set, a car repair shop, a cash register and an endless variety of toys.

Children of different ages will feel at ease in the large nursery For children from 1 to 5 years old and from 5 to 11 years old, there are two huge play labyrinths, and for children under 4 years old there is a separate play area. Among other things, there is a sports ground for active games, two dry swimming pools with slides, a trampoline, and a cafe. You can play air hockey, tennis and billiards. Interactive programs are held every Sunday.

In two shopping and entertainment centers and “Mix” there are Rikki-Tikki game rooms . What is there to do here? Ride the only all-season tubing slide in the city, climb through a huge labyrinth or the “Spider House”, shoot with air guns, jump on a trampoline. From time to time, master classes and entertainment show programs are held in the gaming rooms.

Trampoline centers

Remember: visiting the trampoline center is only possible in comfortable sportswear and clean socks.

The largest trampoline center in Kaluga is “Zero Gravity” . Visitors can enjoy 27 modern trampolines in four zones (universal, children's, professional, free jumping), a foam pit, a climbing wall, and a children's obstacle course. An air cushion is equipped for practicing tricks. On the second floor of the center there is a comfortable waiting area and a cafe.

Another place where you can jump and frolic to your heart's content is the Kangaroo active recreation center . Inside there are two halls, one of which is dedicated to a large trampoline arena with a foam pit. The second hall houses a climbing wall, table tennis, badminton court, and parkour area.

Laser tag

Laser tag is a fun team game without bruises or paint. The essence of the game is to defeat players with safe light shots from weapons. Hitting an opponent is recorded by a special sensor attached to the head.

Active recreation center "Partizan"

The largest laser tag club in Kaluga is “Partizan” with indoor and outdoor areas equipped with atmospheric music and changing lighting. A variety of scenarios are designed for players aged 7 years and older. There are also laser tag quests based on the games Fornite, Counter Strike, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

At the active recreation club “Diversant” you can take part in exciting and dynamic games of laser tag and paintball, which are held on specially built grounds, accompanied by experienced instructors. The club has two bases - an indoor training ground on Karl Liebknecht and an open area near the village of Prigorodnoye Lesnichestvo.

You can also play laser tag and paintball at the outdoor area of the Aventador military-tactical games club In addition, there is the opportunity to shoot with a crossbow.

At the Extreme 40 active recreation center, laser tag and paintball games are held with a wide variety of scenarios (capturing and holding a point, capturing the enemy flag, etc.). You can also rent an ATV or snowmobile, ride a go-kart, and also jump with a parachute, fly a paraglider, fly an airplane, or fly a hot air balloon.

Kaluga quests for children

In reality, quests are already common entertainment for a team of friends, a group or a family. The participants’ task is to get out of specially designed, entourage, locked rooms within the allotted time.

The quest club "Kaluga" organizes several quests: "Captain Morgan's Gold" (6+), "Bank Robbery" (6+), quest battle "Black Dolphin" (10+), "Saw: Game of Survival" ( 10+), "Amnesia" (10+). The action quest “Monsters, Inc.” is designed for both children (6+) and teenagers (16+); bright surroundings, exciting script and powerful visual impact immerse you in the atmosphere of the cartoon.

Participants in the game in the locations of the Trap quest club will have to complete a special mission: fly to a space station, escape from imprisonment in a medieval castle, solve the mystery of an old house, or get out of the creepy lair of a maniac. Children under 12 years of age play accompanied by at least one adult on the team.

How to have fun with friends? Take part in the Ford Boyard quest show in Kaluga, which is based on the famous television program. Players find themselves surrounded by realistic scenery and large-scale props. Hides, labyrinths, encounters with real rats and snakes and other tests await them. All this is accompanied by intriguing music and special effects.

Entertainment in Kaluga for children on the map:

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Museums of Kaluga for children

Museum of the History of Cosmonautics

The world's first and largest museum in Russia dedicated to space themes is located in Kaluga and is named in honor of K. E. Tsiolkovsky. The collection of the Museum of the History of Cosmonautics includes more than 75,000 exhibits, many of which have been in space and exist in a single copy. Boys and girls get acquainted with the history of aeronautics, aviation, the development of domestic astronautics, and the activities of designers. The greatest delight is caused by the room of rocket and space technology, where models of existing or planned space stations are exhibited, as well as a model of the base unit of the Mir orbital station, where you can freely enter.

As part of your acquaintance with the history of astronautics, it is worth taking a look at the K. E. Tsiolkovsky House Museum , where the outstanding Russian scientist spent 29 years of his life.

To delve deeper into the history of the Kaluga region, it is worth visiting the Kaluga Local History Museum . Within its walls the exhibitions “History of the Kaluga Region”, “Nature of the Kaluga Region”, “During the Years of Severe Trials. Kaluga region in the Great Patriotic War", "Under the banner of the Soviets. Kaluga region in 1917–1941”, “Exotic animals”, “Interiors of the Zolotarev estate”.

House of Masters

You can get acquainted with the life of the peasants of the Kaluga province and the products of local artisans at the House of Craftsmen Museum of Folk Art . As part of the educational program, master classes are held here for the little ones: traditional painting (Gorodets, Khokhloma, Gzhel), textile dolls, watercolor painting, etc.

An exhibition of works by Kaluga artisans is presented in the Museum of Craft, Architecture and Life . Master classes on making toys and playing folk instruments are also held here.

You can introduce children to beauty during a visit to the Kaluga Regional Art Museum . There are several permanent exhibitions dedicated to ancient Russian art, Russian and Western European painting of the 18th-20th centuries, and graphics. Temporary exhibitions are held. You can follow the announcements in the poster on the official website of the museum.

You can stretch your brains, practice your ingenuity and learn new things at the scientific and entertainment center for the whole family - the Crazy Laboratory Anti-Museum . More than 40 interactive exhibits can be touched, twirled, twisted, squeezed - in short, you can do whatever you want with them. On a regular basis, the anti-museum hosts interesting master classes, scientific shows and exciting quests, lessons for young wizards from the magician school.

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Tips for independent travelers

The close distance from Moscow and convenient transport services make Kaluga accessible for visiting even for one day. The main sights are located in the city center. Therefore, experienced tourists, traveling on foot, will easily find the selected attractions. For convenience, you can purchase a detailed map of the city.

The map shows the central streets and main attractions of Kaluga

When traveling with children, stay one night in a hotel. There are enough places to stay in Kaluga, so you don’t need to book in advance. This does not apply to holidays, when it is better to join a tourist group (very convenient and inexpensive). The tour program includes: transport, festive events, meals, excursions.

I have a lot of experience in short tourist trips. It’s better to break away from the festive table and TV, get acquainted with new places, interesting people and get a boost of energy for a long time. I went with my little daughter, but she wasn’t tired of the trip either. Although she fell asleep without waiting for the fireworks. But the impression was smoothed out by the children's matinee on January 1st with gifts, competitions, and games. Adult tourists were offered a good excursion program around the festive city. The trip took only three days, but the memories remained for the whole year.

Video: winter Kaluga

Theaters

The cultural program for children can and should include visits to theatres.

The repertoire of the Kaluga Theater for Young Spectators includes performances for children of all ages. For preschool and primary school age (6+) - fairy tales lasting 1 hour “Counting to five”, “Knock-knock! Who’s there?”, “Goat-Dereza”, “Thumbelina”, “The Scarlet Flower”, “The Frog Princess”, etc. For students in grades 5–7 - “The Riddle of the Ryaba Hen”, “The Canterville Ghost”, “The Jolly Roger” etc. For spectators over 12 years old - performances lasting 1.5–2 hours “A Very Simple Story”, “The Death of Tarelkin”, “Don’t Leave Me...”.

Preschool children can be taken to the Kaluga Puppet Theater . The performances here last 45–50 minutes and are designed for the youngest spectators. The performances are based mainly on fairy tales, well-known literary works for children: “Little Red Riding Hood” (0+), “Teremok” (0+), “The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish” (0+), “The Ugly Duckling” (0+) and etc.

Performances for children are in the repertoire of the Kaluga Drama Theater : a fairytale journey in one act based on the story by Eduard Uspensky “Miracles in Prostokvashino” (6+), the musical fairy tale “The Golden Chicken” (0+), the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen “The Snow Queen” ( 6+), etc.

Sights of Kaluga for children

If the purpose of a trip to Kaluga is to get to know the city, you can’t do without visiting the main attractions. What else to watch with your child, besides what is already listed above?

One of the most striking architectural monuments is the Gostiny Dvor . Inside there is a cozy public space, and in the buildings themselves there are various educational centers, shops, cafes, a glass museum, etc.

Teatralnaya Street

You can also take a walk along the semi-pedestrian Teatralnaya Street , along which there are interesting sights - the sculpture “Bag of Fortune”, the monument “Girl with an Umbrella”, the Zero Kilometer of highways in the Kaluga Region, the sculpture “K. E. Tsiolkovsky with a bicycle” and others.

The Vostok launch vehicle is installed in front of the Museum of Cosmonautics - a real duplicate of the rocket launched into space in 1961.

The tourist route around the city includes the pedestrian and vehicular Stone Bridge , a historical stone aqueduct built in 1785 and 160 meters long.

If you wish, you can get to the bridge over the Oka River near the main entrance to the city to admire the Monument to the 600th anniversary of Kaluga .

The main city attraction for children in the winter months is the fabulous residence of Father Frost . She begins to receive guests in the second half of December and continues to give a festive mood throughout the New Year's weekend.

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"Fur Cafe"

Last year, a place opened in Kaluga that literally attracted city residents - the Fur Cafe. This place is not at all like standard cafes - here you will not find a menu with a dozen dishes and a helpful waiter. The only staff members are the administrator and... cats.

About 20 tailed animals from the Cat Territory shelter live in the cafe. They are all sterilized, vaccinated, healthy and ready to find a home.

Actually, this goal was pursued by the owners of the establishment from the very beginning. Here, cafe visitors can get acquainted with the animals and take one of the pets with them.

Children simply love to cuddle fur seals, play with them and stroke their belly. Moreover, if your family does not have the opportunity to have their own pet, the Cat Cafe will be an excellent outlet for your child. Once a week he can come and imagine that he has not one, but twenty cats at once.

Also, the “Fur Cafe” will be an excellent “young fighter course” for those guys who have been begging their parents for a kitten for a long time and persistently. Here they can learn how to handle animals and care for them. Perhaps, having realized that cats are not just a ball of fur for play, your child will stop demanding a pet.

“Fur Cafe” is located in Kaluga at the address: st. Academician Koroleva, 27.

Where to go with a child in the vicinity of Kaluga

Just 70 km from Kaluga there is a unique art park for Russia “Nikola-Lenivets” , which is part of the Ugra National Park . It is notable for its rich collection of architectural and artistic objects. The most recognizable of them is the “Lighthouse on the Ugra”. The spectacle is truly mesmerizing, and it will be great to walk around the open spaces with children. There are also houses for accommodation and an area for tents.

100 km north of Kaluga there is an ethnographic complex “Ethnomir” , which unites several ethno-yards on one territory. In particular, here you can visit Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian courtyards, the courtyard of Siberia and the Far East, as well as Asian courtyards. In addition, the infrastructure includes 10 museums (folk dolls, stones and minerals, irons and others), baths of the peoples of the world (Russian, Sri Lankan, etc.), as well as a Siberian husky nursery, a boarding house for cats, a mini-farm, a corral with horses .

120 km from the city extends the Kaluga Zaseki Nature Reserve , created for the conservation and study of old-growth broad-leaved forests in the northwestern part of the Central Russian Upland. Among the inhabitants of the local forests are elk, wild boar, roe deer, wolf, marten, and badger. The main attraction and pride of the reserve are the European bison. A visit to the reserve is possible as part of an excursion group. There are several routes for observing wild animals (bison, wild boars) and ecological trails.