Stavanger for Kids

Kids see the world so much differently than we do, which is exactly why it’s so much fun to travel with children.

While I’m exploring Norway solo, one city in particular has brought out my inner child, and that’s Stavanger, in the southwest corner of the country. With its industrial history and current oil-town status, I didn’t expect so many fun and one-of-a-kind kid-friendly activities–and yet, I’ve spent the last three days playing as hard as a child on summer vacation.

Norway is already listed among the 100 Places that Can Change Your Child’s Life, but anyone considering a trip with children might also consider visiting the following. Each is fascinating, highly educational and just plain fun:

• The Norwegian Petroleum Museum: Ever wonder how they get oil out of the middle of the North Sea and into your car? Discover every aspect of the oil industry and then play on one of the coolest playgrounds in the world, built entirely from recycled materials used on Norwegian oil platforms.
• The Science Factory: My favorite place by far, the Science Factory is in nearby Sandnes and serves as a high-tech playpen for kids of all ages. Stargaze in the planetarium, check out today’s sunspots with the solar telescope, build your own computer, find out how your brain works
• The Norwegian Canning Museum: this real-life herring factory teaches kids all about Stavanger’s past economy, with fun, hands-on exhibits that showcase the serious work ethic of child workers in the past century.
• Iron Age Farm: Go back in time to before the Vikings and step into this authentic Iron Age Farm, recreated on the site of an archaeological dig. See how our ancestors lived 1,500 years ago and practice skills with some of the actual tools that they used to survive.