The summer vacation can be dull if you are stuck in Cairo, but there are many fun outdoor activities that can help you enjoy the hot summer weather. First stop is Lego Mania, which is not only about Lego. Tucked between several restaurants in New Cairo, this colourful venue caters for Lego and painting fans on the first floor. The second floor has a real treat for kids in the shape of trampolines, a pool of colourful balls, giant-size Lego, a climbing wall, mini plastic slides, and a kitchen game on the side. Parents are asked to take off their shoes and watch as their children have a blast. Everything is friendly and clean, but in the trampoline double check for small spaces that little feet can slip into by accident. Children should always be under the supervision of their parents. “It's really fun and safe,” said 16-year-old Youssef Haddad who is satisfied with his experience at AirZone Egypt, the biggest trampoline park in Egypt. Based in the Point 90 Mall in New Cairo, the park has become popular in a short time among young and more adventurous people. “The park is divided into several sections, in which some can enjoy dodge ball and others can simply bounce the time away. There is a special section for more advanced trampolining limited to adults, but there are also trainers that supervise the whole park,” Haddad said. Another fun game is wall climbing, with participants falling into a foam pit. Again, children should be monitored by their parents to avoid reckless jumps that could lead to accidents. A mind-tickling activity that could be pretty exciting is The Maze, another new activity that family and friends can do. Located in New Cairo, The Maze challenges your mind. Visitors form teams of between two and six people and start thinking their way out in less than 60 minutes. You get to pick from several themes and then the games begin. Adopting the same line of thought is The Room Egypt. Located in Sixth October City, the game starts when a team of four to six people are locked into a room and try to put the pieces of a game together to be able to get out. If you want to take a walk through history where ancient buildings are the backdrop to an equally ancient and enchanting performance, the weekly performance of the shadow puppets (aragouz) at Al-Sehemi in Al-Muizz Street in Islamic Cairo can be recommended. Every Friday, the Wamda Troupe organises workshops that starts at 3pm dedicated to making shadow puppets and drawing aragouz, learning about their history, and then attending a performance that is usually over by dusk. Wamda also hosts Egypt's oldest aragouz puppeteer, Am Saber, who puts on a treat for a generation brought up on electronic gadgets who want to watch the magic of traditional shadows and light. On a parallel note there is the Al-Balsam book store in Giza, which is much more than a book store. It is a publishing house for children's stories, and there is a weekly schedule for children's activities from storytelling to painting and arts and crafts. The Family Park is a giant park as big as the Azhar Park in Islamic Cairo. Located near to Al-Rehab in New Cairo, it is a perfect family outing. There is a mini-zoo on one side of the park overlooking the railway that goes through it. There is also mini-carting, and every weekend there is a festival with lots of eating and other activities to enjoy. The Children's Museum in Heliopolis is one of the most interesting venues for children. The garden is a great play area with lots of outdoor games for kids, and the inside of the museum is dedicated to interactive learning for ages from four years old and upwards. If you are looking for music and handicrafts this summer, ArtMania is an interesting studio for handicrafts and music located in Galleria 40 in Sixth October City. There is also the Artcafe in Maadi.
