Cairo, Egypt
Apart from the hazard of crossing the street, touring Cairo with children is no different than taking the kids to any other capital city. It can be exhausting when visited at a breakneck pace, boring if too much time is spent at one place and wholly rewarding when a child’s interests are considered. There is much to this city of 20 million that kids find fascinating! And street life is but the start. Tour the Pyramids at Giza and Dahshur and explore the temples inside and out. Visit the Egyptian Museum and ogle at King Tut’s tomb. Cruise the Nile on a felucca and view Cairo in a different way. Float on the river at night and take in a belly dancing show. Don’t forget to make time for a trip to Khan al-Khalili, Cairo’s principal marketplace. It is a great place to experience commercial Cairo and introduce kids to the art of bargaining.
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History & Culture
Ancient Egypt's great pyramids may be close by but Cairo wasn't founded in pharaonic times. The capital of Egypt was built by the Fatamids in 969 AD long after the last pharaoh ruled. But make no mistake; Cairo was an important commercial center in its heyday. Historic Cairo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural significance, was once known as The Mother of the World.
Maps
Online maps are a great travel planning resource and a great way to get the kids involved in a family vacation. Plot your route to Cairo and find your way when you arrive. Map tourist attractions as well as your hotel. Find out how to get around by metro.
Books
Books are a great way to introduce younger children to a new adventure and get teens and tweens ready for a family trip. Learn more about Egypt through guidebooks, novels and historical fiction and embark on a different kind of family journey. Find recommended reading lists for adults and kids.
Music & Sound
The ancient Egyptians invented writing and were the first culture to erect a stone monument. And they were the first people to incorporate music and dance into religious ceremonies and everyday life. While little is known of the rhythm and sound, the importance of music is evidenced in wall paintings and the evolution in the instruments played can be followed overtime. Harps, flutes and double clarinets were played in the Old Kingdom. Percussion instruments, lyres and lutes, likely borrowed from neighboring cultures, were incorporated into ancient Egyptian song during the Middle Kingdom. But whether ancient Egyptian music is a precursor to modern Egyptian song remains a mystery. The Arabic music played in Egypt today is believed to be rooted in the courts of Islam between the 7th and 13th centuries. Sufi and Greek influence is noted in the music of that time but the hand of the ancient Egyptians is, as of yet, unproved.
Egyptian Music
Tour Egypt Listen to Music Online The Egyptian Castle Children's Songs & Nursery Rhymes Mama Lisa's World News
Read Egypt newspapers online and brush up on Egyptian current events from politics to economics and sports to entertainment before you depart on a trip with kids. Get Egypt news and discover what Egyptians are reading. Daily Egypt News is only independent source for Egyptian news. Al-Ahram Weekly is a widely circulated government affiliated newspaper. Egypt Daily News aggregates the local news.
Kids' stuff
Online resources make learning about Cairo lots of fun. Did you know that the word paper comes from the Egyptian word papyrus? Find out how papyrus is made and what it comes from. Discover King Tut's tomb and learn about the life and times of ancient Egypt. Find out how Tutankhamun died and what was buried in his tomb. Test your knowledge of ancient Egypt before you depart and again when you return home and find out how much you learned on your trip to Egypt.
Egyptian Papyrus
Kidzworld King Tut Canadian Museum of Civilization Brainteaser National Geographic Kids |
