Aug 11, 2010

Kids in Stockholm: Junibacken

Just back from 2 weeks (was that all?) in Europe. Since going through the trip sequentially is, decidedly, for squares, I'll start with a great Stockholm destination for young'uns. It's a major plus if they're familiar with Astrid Lindgren's stories, of course, since that's what Junibacken is all about - Pippi Långstrump (Pippi Longstocking in english), Emil, Karlsson på Taket, etc. It's an indoor museum with multiple play areas, a cafe, a little theater, and a great shop. The highlight is the Sagotåget, the Storybook train, which is a short (10 minutes, maybe?) ride that takes you through a bunch of the Astrid Lindgren stories. They can set it for 12 different languages, so no need to brush up on your Swedish for this one. We also lucked out, since we hadn't consulted a schedule beforehand, but just as we got off the ride, a Pippi show was about to start. Unfortunately, the performances are (as far as I know) only in Swedish, so maybe not as interesting for tourists and visitors. Matias had a great time crawling and cruising around all the play areas, and even sat still for the Storybook train ride. All in all, we spent an amazing 3 hours there - more than twice the usual time we spend at our "usual" Djurgården destination, Skansen, and since I could sit and relax while Matias and Bella were running around, I was able to recharge for the next 3 hours of walking we (well, I-- the kids were in the stroller) did around town.
Think Bella's excited to get on the Storybook train? Nooooooo......
At Villa Villekulla, Pippi Långstrump's house:
Matias getting written up for extreme cuteness by Konstable Kling:
On Djurgården, near the National and Vasa Museums. Opening times and more information on their website: http://www.junibacken.se/