Toronto is Canada’s most densely populated city, but it doesn’t feel that way.  From the air it’s all green spaces and endless water.  The impression that holds up upon closer inspection, though the city is cosmopolitan and urban by turns too.

My daughter and I spent four days in and around Toronto in June, and came away very impressed.  The same things that make the city so darn livable make it very visitable too.  Here are five fun things to do there with kids.

1.  Look down on other people

It takes just 58 seconds to travel to the 114th floor of the CN Tower, but try not to hold your breath.  The glass floor on the 113th floor is the main attraction.  Go ahead and stand on it—it’s allegedly strong enough to withstand the weight of 14 hippos and has a view straight down.  After that, journey higher to the Sky Pod (147 stories up), or just grab lunch at Horizons Restaurant.

The CN Tower may not hold the title of “tallest building” (an honor that goes to a skyscraper still under construction in Dubai) or even “tallest freestanding structure” (a mostly-underwater oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico), but it was more than tall enough for us.

2.  Get your science on

The Ontario Science Centre actually convinced me that educational museums can be fun—it’s that good.  In fact, I might still be playing with the amazing hydraulaphone (a cross between a flute, a drinking fountain, and a pipe organ) near the museum’s entrance if duty hadn’t called.

My daughter and I also enjoyed goofing around with the 3-D pin toy in the KidSpark exhibit, reserved for children 8 and under and their caregivers.  Other highlights included an interactive floor, a bobsled simulator, and the electricity show, in which a Van de Graaf electrostatic generator is used to demonstrate static electricity (not to mention really bad hair).

3.  Go back in time

The impressive Royal Ontario Museum is Canada’s largest museum of world cultures and natural history.  Try not to arrive tired, because you’ll run out of energy long before you run out of interest.  With small kids, head straight to the second floor where the Natural History galleries are housed.  The Gallery of Birds is absolutely fascinating with hundreds of diverse species mounted in mid-air in a single flock.

Other hits with kids are the dinosaur and mammal galleries (which feature 60 complete dinosaur skeletons and artifacts such as fossilized birds, insects, and the ever-popular dinosaur poop) and the first peoples gallery (with birch bark canoes, beautiful native North American bead work, and Sioux chief Sitting Bull’s headdress).

If your reserves aren’t tapped out, the Earth’s Treasures should be your final stop.  The ROM’s collection of minerals, gems, meteorites and rocks will knock even the smallest socks off the most tired feet.

4.  Get out of town

Toronto is a pretty leafy place, but if you’ve got an urge for wide open spaces you won’t have to go far.  Just 20 minutes from downtown is the 200-year-old village of Unionville where you can browse the shops, have lunch and stroll down historic Main Street.  Unionville often dresses up as small-town America for films, television, and commercials, and visiting is like stepping back in time.

Just up the road from Unionville are the Forsythe Family Farms (usually open May through October) which have everything kids love: animals, wagon rides, and plenty of room to play.  Spring brings baby animals to feed and hold, and in the fall there are hedge mazes and pumpkins.  Their Enchanted Forest is the antidote to modern life: a 25-minute walk through the woods punctuated by wooden storybook scenes.

Hikers will love the York Regional Forest, a lovely series of rustic tracts crisscrossed with paths, streams, and very little else.  Owls, fox, deer, and turkeys make their homes here as does poison ivy (so stay on the trails).

5.  Visit the falls

No Toronto itinerary is complete without a visit to Niagara Falls.  It’s a 1 1/2-hour journey by train and about the same by car, so allow almost a full day however you arrive.

By far the best way to see both Bridal Veil Falls (on the American side) and Horseshoe Falls (on the Canadian side) is from aboard the Maid of the Mist boats.  You suit up in blue disposable rain ponchos and cruise past both falls on a 30-minute tour.

There’s a running audio commentary, but we couldn’t really hear it over the shrieks and laughter of the passengers.  The spray as you pass Horseshoe Falls is equivalent to standing under a cold shower, and the sound is a lot like thunder.

If time allows, hit the local IMAX theater (on the Canadian side) for a showing of “Niagara: Legends and Daredevils.”  It’s predictably overwrought, but enjoyable.  As you exit the show, you pass through the Daredevil Gallery which houses a historical collection of scraped and dented barrels that survived the plunge over the falls, though five of their numbskull passengers did not.

Atlanta is known as a great convention city, but it’s also a great family friendly destination.  In addition to the better known Atlanta attractions such as the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, Stone Mountain Park and Six Flags Over Georgia, there are lots of things to do in Atlanta that are easy on the wallet and big on fun. Here is a list of several free things to do in Atlanta.

1. Piedmont Park

Piedmont Park could be a post all its own. This is a wonderful place to bike, rollerblade, walk, or toss a ball. There’s even a dog park for your four legged family members. Free guided walking tours offer a fascinating look at the park’s rich history. Once a month, enjoy guided bird watching hikes. The park has the only playground designed (and recently renovated) by internationally renowned sculptor, designer, and architect Isamu Noguchi. Each Saturday, enjoy the unique, open-air Green Market featuring Georgia-grown produce, fresh cut flowers, baked goods and herbs, along with chef demonstrations and live music. On the first and third Saturdays, kids can make a project to take home as part of the EnviroVentures Saturday Drop By.

2. Center For Puppetry Arts Museum

The Center for Puppetry Arts offers world class puppet shows and a fantastic museum of all kinds of puppets including a recently acquired collection from Jim Henson. The Henson display includes, Big Bird and Bert from Sesame Street, Kermit and the Swedish Chef from the Muppets, and others from various commercials, tv shows and movies done by Henson. The museum is FREE each Thursday from 1 - 3 pm. For a list of puppet shows, visit www.puppet.org.

3. There’s Music in the Air

I love outdoor concerts and there are plenty to choose from in Atlanta. Local musicians play in neighborhood parks during events like the Chastain Chill or East Cobb Playdate. Centennial Park hosts the free Wednesday Winddown and Music @noon. If you want to leave the kids at home, purchase a table and bring your favorite picnic and a bottle of wine to the Chastain Amphitheater. For something a little different, check out the line up at the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Concerts in the Garden. It’s a great place to see a show.

4. Outdoor Movies

Each summer several of the parks around Atlanta host outdoor summer movies. There’s Screen on the Green in Downtown and Flicks on 5th in Midtown Atlanta. Both offer somewhat more mature fare but there is at least a few good kid movies on the list. East Cobb Park offers a more kid friendly line-up. Although it’s not free, you can enjoy a cheap step back in time at the Starlight Drive In Movie Theater. Double features show each night for $7 per adult and $1 per child age 3-9. Come early to get a good spot and bring a picnic.

5. Cool at the Pool

Cool down in the Georgia heat at one of several recently renovated public pools. Chastain Park and Piedmont Park are free weekday mornings and charge a nominal fee of $4 for adults and $2 for children in the afternoon.

Whatever you choose, you’re bound to have a great time visiting Atlanta.

Sue Rodman is the author of Field Trips with Sue, a fun blog about inexpensive outings with kids in and around Atlanta.

This year is the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall’s demise and the city is popping with all kinds of great deals, events and nightlife.  Despite being known as a hip, clubber’s paradise - the Deutscher youth often go holiday there just to party the nights away - your kid can say “Ich Bin Ein Berliner,” too.  There’s a ton of great family stuff to do in Germany’s capital city.  So much so that it was very difficult for me to narrow it down to five things.  But, hey, if I missed something really, really good, you can just add it in the comments!

1. Zoo Berlin

I’ve already blogged about Chet and my adventures in the Berlin Zoo searching for Knut.  But this zoo has a lot more to offer than just an internationally adored, adolescent polar bear.  There’s a great petting zoo, an adjacent aquarium and, Chet’s favorite, the wild and crazy monkey house.  We spent quite a bit of time there watching the affen swing around, flash big, red butts and fling poop at the glass.  Good times.

2. Checkpoint Charlie

Yes, yes, I know that the checkpoint is only a replica and looks nothing like the actual checkpoint did back in the days of the wall.  Even if it’s not authentic, it’s still fun!  Take your photos alongside a faux Soviet soldier and then make your way to the nearby Museum Haus.  Your kids will be entranced with all of the innovative and, frankly, insane ways that people tried to escape into Western Germany during the days of the Iron Curtain.  I was honestly surprised that some of the exhibits weren’t marked with some type of Darwin Award winning ribbons.

3. The Puppentheater Museum

Both you and your kids will be thrilled and also a little creeped out by the puppets on display at this funky museum.  The museum offers very kid-friendly tours as well as story hours, puppet shows and other events.  But really, the draw will always be those belong-in-Poltergeist-icky-looking marionettes.

4. The Reichstag

The old German Parliament Building is fascinating from a historical perspective - it’s now commonly believed that Hitler had it burnt down (and blamed some poor Dutch guy for it) to vilify the Communists and solidify the Nazi party’s power in the country back in the 1920’s.  Your children may or may not be interested in touring the old part of the building (advance tickets are necessary).  But definitely take the time to climb up to the top and check out the modern, mirrored Reichstag dome.  It offers incredible views of the city even on dreary days and the circular walkway will help your kid burn off a little extra energy.

5. Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

I’m sure that this one will cause some raised eyebrows - I know many parents prefer not to take children to these kinds of memorials.  Germany, of course, has many monuments and museums dedicated to the Holocaust.  And some of them are decidedly NOT kid-friendly.  However, the museum underneath the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a block-wide, concrete-block modern art sculpture, I believe, is one of the most tasteful yet eye-opening exhibits in this vein.  For kids old enough to understand the Holocaust, it is thoughtful and educational without being too overwhelming.  And for kids too young to understand?  They’ll just love running amok along the sloping pathways between the large, concrete block and will then be happy to hang out in the stroller as you explore the museum.

So if you’ve considered visiting Berlin, don’t hesitate.  There is all kinds of great history and activities for the whole family.

Thirty years after their first triumphant world tour, the Pharoah’s treasures are on the road again.  King Tut and the Golden Age of the Pharoahs opened this week at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, and has announced engagements in Indianapolis and Toronto next.  Want to take your kids?  Good call.  Here’s what to expect.

Timed entry, long lines, and no strollers

Kids five and older will be fascinated by the objects and legends of King Tut, but parents will have to clear a few hurdles to get to them.

Timed entry tickets keeps the wait times down, but you’ll stand in line for up 30 minutes to enter the exhibit with your group.  Since antsy kids and lines don’t mix, I’d definitely recommend bringing your own entertainment.  If you forget, hit the gift shop which stocks a mind-blowing selection of Egypt-themed merchandise in the Treasures of Ancient Egypt store.  Seriously, who buys this stuff?  Oh right, I do.

Soft front carriers are permitted inside, but strollers and baby backpacks are not.  We saw a few people with toddlers—they looked absolutely miserable (the parents, not the toddlers).

Getting the most out of the tour

Definitely spend the $7 for the audio tour.  A lot of it will go over your kids’ heads, but a lot of it won’t.  Of the 80 objects in the exhibit, about 20 have short narrations (by Omar Sharif) complete with music and interviews.  Our 7 and 9-year-old kids listened intently to the entire thing.

If you read up on King Tut, Howard Carter (the archaeologist who discovered his tomb), and Lord Carnarvon (the guy who bankrolled the search and excavation) before you go, your kids will enjoy their visit exponentially more.  Books that cover the so-called “curse of King Tut’s tomb” seem to go down particularly well.

Videos and wall-sized excavation photos add a lot of drama to the exhibit and put the artifacts in perspective, so take the time to check them out too.

Highlights for kids

In a story tailor-made for children, Tutankhamun ascended the throne 3,300 years ago at the age of nine, ruled for ten turbulent years, and died under mysterious circumstances at the age of 19.  The exhibit includes many of the boy king’s personal items as well as treasures meant to insure his divine immortality.

Our kids were deeply impressed by the huge stone head of Amenhotep IV, the wooden bust of Tut as a boy, and a ceremonial gold dagger found tucked into the mummified monarch’s belt.

The most fascinating piece is a tiny, but perfect coffinette used to preserve the viscera of Tutankhamun (or as we like to call them, “Tut’s guts”) during the mummification process.  On it, the boy king is depicted in gold, obsidian, crystal, and glass wearing his trademark striped headdress.  My 7-year-old son said it best: “Whoa.”

There are two other small coffins that are new to the exhibit which were found to contain tiny mummified female fetuses (currently undergoing DNA testing to determine their relationship to King Tut).  Interesting for adults, but a little grisly for kids.

Unfortunately the iconic golden Death Mask which was the highlight of the Treasures of Tutankhamun exhibit in 1979 no longer travels—the Egyptian government has deemed it too fragile.  Tut’s mummy and inner sarcophagus aren’t touring either.  They are still in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings.

King Tut and the Golden Age of the Pharoahs will be at the de Young Museum in San Francisco through March, 2010.  Tickets are available at www.tutsanfrancisco.org.

Traveling moms tend to be polarized on the topic of in-car DVD systems: some think that looking out the window and talking builds character, others believe that car time is down time.

Children’s audiobooks are less controversial.  When you find a good one, the miles just seem to fly by for everyone.

Your local library is a great source for free audiobooks, but you can also buy them on amazon.com (or directly from the publishers), download them from audible.com (or from the iTunes store, though their selection is limited), and even swap them at www.paperbackswap.com.

Here are ten of my family’s favorites to get you started:

1. Brown Bear and Friends (ages 2-5)

I know what you’re thinking: this book doesn’t even really have a plot!  Bear with me though, this is the very, very shallow end of the audiobook pool and it’s where your kids should start.  You’ve got to crawl before you can walk, after all.   Academy Award winner (and mom) Gwyneth Paltrow does voices for all the different characters, and there is fun background music too.  At just an hour long, it’s perfect for the youngest listeners.  The stories are read in English and in Spanish, for your bilingual pleasure.

2. Love You Forever, the Best of Robert Munsch (ages 3-adult)

The gentle, silly repetition in these stories are a delight for all ages.  Robert Munsch’s characters are plucky, independent, and confident.  Very young children will be happy to listen to this one over and over.  Highlights include the Paperbag Princess (who rescues her shallow boyfriend, then dumps him when he criticizes her dirty clothes and messy hair) and Stephanie’s Ponytail (all about a girl who keeps changing her look when others copy it).

3. Animal Tales (ages: 3-adult)

Jim Weiss has a wonderfully soothing voice that’s a pleasure to listen to.  Many of his stories are geared for older children, but this one is perfect for first time listeners.  His interpretations of these classic tales steer clear of scary elements, and have gentle morals.  Anyone who can make the Tortoise and the Hare interesting to grown-ups is obviously a major talent.

4. The Hank the Cowdog series (ages: 4-adult)

Before he was an award-winning author and performer, John Erickson was a west Texas cowboy and ranch manager.  Hank, the star of his The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog series, is a self-aggrandizing ranch dog who thinks of himself as “the head of ranch security.”  Hank’s misadventures, dim sidekicks, and wry tone will have your entire family laughing all the way to your destination.

5. Flat Stanley Audio Collection (ages 4-adult)

The Flat Stanley stories are read by the incomparable Daniel Pinkwater (the author of The Hoboken Chicken Emergency and a children’s literature heavyweight in his own right).  Pinkwater sounds sort of like Dustin Hoffman with a bad head cold, which is inexplicably wonderful.  Flat Stanley’s parents’ matter of fact attitude when they’re son loses his third dimension, goes to space, and meets the President is as funny as the stories themselves.

6. Blah Blah Blah (ages 5-adult)

The best children’s authors are the ones who never, you know, quite grew up themselves.  Bill Harley is just such an author (and I mean that as a very high compliment).  He is still very much in touch with his fear of monsters, sibling rivalry, and disdain for adult logic.  We’ve listened to this one at least 15 times so far, and “Joey, Chloe and the Swamp Monsters” holds a special place in our hearts.

7. The Giants and the Joneses (ages 5-adult)

From the acclaimed author of such family favorites as The Gruffalo and The Snail and the Whale, comes a Giant story with a twist.  Told partly in Groilish (the language of the giants), this story features a “bimplestonk” (beanstalk), “iggly plops” (little people), a “spratchkin” (kitten), and Jumbeelia (the giant girl who holds the fate of the Joneses in her oversized hands).  Reassure very young children that the sheep that seems to have died early in the story has only fainted and will be just fine.

8. The City under the Back Steps (ages: 6-adult)

If you had told me that I would listen in rapt fascination to a story about ants for six hours, I would have been more than a little dubious.  But I did.  Craig and Jill (who aren’t very nice to ants) suddenly shrink and find themselves living under their back steps.  Between the dramatic story and the stranger-than-fiction scientific information about life in an anthill, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.  So were my kids.

9. The Harry Potter series (ages: 9-adult)

We’ve rated this one 9 and up, but the first book (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone) is probably okay for children as young as 7.  Use your own judgment.  The best thing about these stories is that they are really, really, really long.  So if you’re driving from San Francisco to LA or New York to Florida, these are perfect.  Don’t worry if your kids have already read them, they’re just as good the second time around.

10. Evermore (ages: 12-adult)

We know you’re sick of handsome immortals, but trust us: your tweens and teens aren’t.  You might be able to tempt them into turning off their iPods and listening as a family if you put on this story.  A beautiful outcast is befriended by a strange (and strangely perfect) boy at her new school.  Sound familiar?  Of course it does.  Go with it, it’s fun.