Five fantastic things to do with the family in Athens this autumn

Find out what happened to The Chatter Telephone, Barky Puppy and other iconic toys at the Fisher-Price Virtual Toy Museum, a new virtual digital gallery created to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the world’s leading baby and infant pre-school brand. Lovingly curated for Instagram, this first-of-its-kind digital exhibition can be safely accessed from your smartphone, allowing you and your family to take a nostalgia-packed stroll down memory lane hand-in-hand with the company that created millions of happy childhoods. Find the museum, and all the makings of an especially cosy family afternoon, on the Fisher-Price Instagram page.

Packed with parks and gardens, green and friendly Athens is perfect for kids who need to let off steam. Steps away from central Syntagma Square, the National Garden’s turtle pond, petting zoo and plant-stocked botanical gardens are a magnet for nature lovers, whilst water babes will adore splashing about in a kayak in one of the canals lining the Stavros Niarchos Park.  Children of all ages will enjoy the funicular ride to the top of Lycabettus Hill, where views over The Acropolis are breathtaking.

For the best budget-friendly way to explore the birthplace of democracy, hop on one of the trams leaving from Syntagma, the city’s central square. In autumn it’s still warm, so pack a swimsuit and a picnic and trundle out on the Athens Coastal Tram to discover the city’s beach-lined coast stretching from Palaio Faliro to Cape Sounion. Older kids will get their kicks on the trampolines and electric boats at Flisvos Marina, whilst toddlers will have a ball in the shallow waters off Varkiza’s silk sand beach.

With fewer crowds this year, there’s never been a better time to visit the city’s child-friendly museums. At the pioneering Museum of Greek Children’s Art (childrensartmuseum.gr) young Picassos can participate in an exciting range of workshops, but little Houdinis might prefer the interactive optical illusions and intriguing holographic exhibits on display at the city’s new Museum of Illusion (museumofillusions.gr).

Athens’ historical core is perfect for little pedestrians who’ll love getting lost along Plaka’s labyrinth of alleys at the foot of the Acropolis, or exploring Anafiotika’s flower-strewn cobbled streets lined with Cycladic-style white houses. After treasure-hunting for antique toys in the city’s Monastiraki flea market, make a beeline for Little KooK (facebook.com/littlekookgr), a magical cafe in the hip Psiri district with themed rooms dedicated to fairytale favourites ranging from Cinderella, to Alice in Wonderland.