If you're staying on the Right Bank, take the children for a stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries , where there are donkey rides, ice-cream stands, and a marionette show; at the circular pond, you can rent a toy boat. On the Left Bank, similar treats exist in the Jardin du Luxembourg . After a visit to the Eiffel Tower, you can take the kids for a donkey ride in the Champ de Mars.

A Paris tradition, puppet shows are worth seeing for their colorful productions -- they're a genuine French child's experience. At the Jardin du Luxembourg, puppets reenact plots set in Gothic castles and Oriental palaces; many young critics say the best puppet shows are held in the Champ de Mars.

On Sunday afternoon, French families head to the Butte Montmartre to bask in the fiesta atmosphere. You can join in: Take the Métro to Anvers and walk to the funiculaire (the cable car that carries you up to Sacré-Coeur). Once up top, follow the crowds to place du Tertre, where a Sergeant Pepper-style band will usually be blasting off-key and you can have the kids' pictures sketched by local artists. You can take in the views of Paris from the various vantage points and treat your children to ice cream.

Your kids may want to check out the Gallic versions of Mickey Mouse and his pals at Disneyland Paris.