Finding Magic In Everyday Bangkok
By Berivan Birkan
It has been nearly nine years since we moved to Bangkok and more than three years since we started exploring it with our daughter. The questions that keep coming from friends and family abroad, are "What do you do with a child in Thailand? Isn't it too hot? And what about the monsoon season?" Our answer is simple. The heat and rain are just part of everyday life, not obstacles.
As working parents, we've learned that family activities shouldn't feel like a burden with hours of preparation or ticket arrangements and advance bookings. So we choose easy things which often make the best memories. The easier activities are to organize, the more often we'll actually do them and love them.
While we've occasionally enjoyed indoor playgrounds like HarborLand or Kidzoona in the past, we've found that as our daughter grows we're choosing nature more and more often. Most afternoons after school, we just grab a water bottle, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, and head towards one of our favorite places: Benchasiri, Benjakitti, or Lumpini Park.
Our daughter can spend twenty minutes watching a squirrel jump from tree to tree or stop every few meters to inspect a dead leaf or a tiny snail. We've invented stories about ants carrying giant crumbs back to their kingdoms and imagined where ladybugs might fly to. As a children's author, these little discoveries became the inspiration behind my book Mia the Purple Dragon. Seeing the world through my daughter's eyes has been an incredible inspiration.
And the monsoon season is actually one of our favorite times to be outdoors. It rarely rains all day long, so instead of cancelling our plans, we embrace the rain. Our daughter jumps into puddles, splashes through rainwater, discovers snails, and comes home happily covered in mud.
At the weekend, one of our favorite escapes is Bangkok's green lung: Bang Krachao. The adventure starts with a short boat ride across the Chao Phraya River from Phrom Phong pier. You can easily rent bicycles near the arrival pier and cycle through lush greenery. We usually begin early in the morning and stop by noon at Get Growing Community Farm or Sri Nakhon Khuean Khan Park, where our daughter can explore while we slow down and enjoy the lunch and peaceful surroundings.
Over the years, we've realized that children don't need elaborate entertainment. Sometimes all they need is a stick, a leaf, a bicycle, or simply the time to discover the world at their own pace, with you.
Here are a few hidden gems we also love:
The Artist's House (Baan Silapin): For canal-side walks, feeding fish, and traditional Thai puppet shows. Kids love it.
SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World Annual Pass: This is surprisingly good value for Bangkok residents and perfect for little marine-life lovers.
Bangkok Planetarium & Science Centre: Near BTS Ekkamai. It is underrated but so child-friendly. Our preference rather than Wow Park.
Forest school programs: There are a few of these where kids can explore and learn about nature.
Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market: It is a colorful scavenger hunt; whoever finds the pink flowers first wins the game.
After nearly a decade in Bangkok, we've discovered that the best family activities aren't necessarily the biggest attractions or the most expensive tickets. More often than that, they're simply the easiest ones, especially the ones that invite us to slow down, and see the city through our daughter's eyes.
About the Author:
Berivan Birkan is a mother of one and the author of the children's book 'Mia the Purple Dragon'. Through her writing, she shares the values she hopes to instill in her daughter—kindness, courage, self-belief, and imagination—while inspiring children everywhere with stories that encourage these qualities.