Museums: Try the following MUSEUMS. The Artillery Museum is a favorite of children fond of climbing over tanks and real military equipment and looking at the rich collection of arms and armor. The Railroad Museum has large displays of train models. The Zoological Museum is a natural history museum with many native animals including a stuffed mammoth. The small Space Museum illustrates the Soviet space program, rockets and space gear. The Central Naval Museum has models of ships. The Chamber of Curiosities (Kunst-Kamera)has fascinating curiosities collected by Peter the Great. Try also the Botanical Museum, Peter the Great's Cottage, the Mining Museum, and even The Hermitage and The Russian Museum. Tour The Aurora Cruiser.

Boat Excursions: Try the following: hydrofoil to Peterhof, canal tour and a boat trip up the Neva.

Imperial Palaces. Take a hydrofoil to Petro-dvorets (Peterhof Palace) and wander around the fabulous fountains and a trick statue. See the special sections on Peterhof (Petrodvorets), Gatchina, Lomonosov, Pushkin, Pavlovsk.

Country Dacha and Forest: The country is enjoyed by all ages and there are kindergartens and programs similar to our summer camps for Russian children. If you have an adventuresome child, inquire about joining a summer camp. At the DACHA you would probably go fishing, garden, and pick mushrooms, all favorite pastimes.

Sports: Watch a world-class football, basketball, volleyball practice or visit sports events at local STADIUMS and SPORTS FACILITIES. Go BICYCLING, SKATING, SAILING, SWIMMING, TENNIS, and HORSEBACK RIDING or take a carriage ride around the Winter Palace and down Nevskiy Prospect. Try indoor SWIMMING, TENNIS, and BOWLING, or outdoor SKATING, cross-country SKIING.

Concerts and Theaters: For young children try the Bolshoy Puppet Theater, Bryantsev Theater for Young Audiences, Children's Ballet Theater, Children's Ice Theater, Clown-Mime Theater, Puppet Opera, State Youth Theater on Fontanka, Stray Puppy. Older children enjoy THEATERS & OPERA HOUSES, CONCERT HALLS , MUSIC AND JAZZ CLUBS, and ROCK CONCERTS (held in stadiums) . Schedules are in the local newspapers.

Circus***: The circus in Saint Petersburg has a rich tradition.

Parks and Amusement Parks: Almost all the Parks of Culture and Recreation (PKIO) have mini-amusement parks (Attraktsiony) with rides for children; some have row boats, pony rides, playgrounds, band shells with music, and plenty of room to walk, run, and play gardens. Tavricheskiy Sad has been a children's park for 100 years. It has an amusement park for young children in the northwest corner. Try also Elagin Ostrov for skating and boating. See PARKS and GARDENS.

Children's Amusement Parks: are located at Tavricheskiy Sad J6(I7), Moskovskiy Park Podeby and Ekateringof Park (formerly called Komsomolskiy Park) (BC6).

Playgrounds: Almost every apartment complex or small park has a playground, many quite imaginative, but in recent years the equipment may have been neglected and less attention paid to safety standards. So check the equipment first and then, let your children loose.

Zoo: Rather pathetic - not recommended.

Children's Railway: (Wed-Sat 10-17) is at Railway Station Shuvalovo, ten minutes from the Finlyandskiy Railway Station. Currently only 2 km of its former 8 km are working and it is reported to have fallen into some disrepair.

Walk on Nevskiy Prospekt: On Nevskiy you can enjoy the street bards, mimes, magicians, portrait artists, watch park bench chess matches, visit souvenir vendors and always get ice cream.

Trolley Rides: Trolley rides are still an adventure for children and a good way to get a quick overview of the city. See TRAMS (TROLLEYS).

Libraries and Books: Children's LIBRARIES are found in each district where books in English can sometimes be found. Also look in a children's bookstore, or in the children's and foreign language sections of a large bookstore for English books. Wonderful children's books are now available in Russian and are a great way to learn Russian.

Toys and Clothing. The shop DLT Leningrad Trading House, traditionally a shop for children, still has the largest selection of children's clothing, furniture, toys. The Russian metal scale-models of trucks and cars, Playmobils, Barbie dolls, Legos, and stuffed animals are favorites for children. See TOY STORES. Metal soldiers are often found on tables along the street. Part of the fun is hunting for the particular soldier or book, that you want.

Sports: Joining a SPORTS CLUBS might be good for long term foreign residents, or participating in CHESS CLUBS, ROWING CLUBS or other clubs. Many welcome fellow amateurs.

Kindergartens: St. Petersburg has hundreds of nursery schools for 1.5 - 3 year olds and kindergartens (3-7 year old) (Detskiy Sad). See KINDERGARTEN AND NURSERY SCHOOLS

Children's Cafes & Restaurants: see below.

Schooling: The American School of Moscow has opened a branch in St. Petersburg offering approved curriculum from K-1 to 10th grade. There are also several playgroups. See SCHOOLS, PUBLIC & PRIVATE. The well-known music and art schools are basically very intensive "after-school" programs with high admission standards. There is also a Montessori school, see KINDERGARTEN AND NURSERY SCHOOLS.

Learn Russian: There are special language courses for children. See LANGUAGE COURSES, PROGRAMS & SCHOOLS.

Infants: Baby food, disposable diapers, cribs, strollers, and good medical care are widely available. Look in BABY FOOD & NURSERY SUPPLIES, CHILDREN'S STORES, PHARMACIES (Chemists) , FURNITURE STORES. Rent strollers, bassinets or cribs through RENTALS (Furniture, bicycles, TV's, etc.). Western baby products are easy to find, but be sure to bring along any special medicines. See also CLOTHING, CHILDREN'S, MEDICAL CARE & CONSULTATIONS, TOY STORES and SCHOOLS, PUBLIC & PRIVATE.

Children's Car Seats: Car seats can occasionally be found in the children's department of Gostinyy Dvor and DLT (see DEPARTMENT STORES) and auto parts markets. They definitely can be MAIL ORDER BY CATALOG.