Entertainment for Kids in North Cyprus

If you’re living in North Cyprus with children of any age you may feel that there is not a lot for them to do.  This may have been the case a few years ago, but with the arrival of many younger families from all over the world, there are now many kids’ groups which are active in the community and provide great sources of entertainment for children of all age groups.

We can start by saying that North Cyprus obviously has its own strong community ties and you can always join in with groups that are particularly aimed at promoting Cypriot culture such as HASDER, but your children may need to at least know the basics of the Turkish language before they get involved.  Having said that, the more the expat and local communities mingle the better, and you will quickly find that children can communicate more easily than adults these days and it’s not a big deal for them to get on and speak a mixture of Turkish and English!

For the toddler age group there are now specific toddler groups due to the arrival of younger expat families wishing to settle in North Cyprus.  They are often advertised in the press or by word of mouth, so it shouldn’t take long to become a social yummy mummy!  Toddler groups are often weekly or bi-weekly get togethers, and they give the youngsters and parents a chance to socialise.  Of course if you’re working there is always the nursery option which will also give your children a great start to life in North Cyprus as they will be able to integrate with the local Cypriot children too.

For children of any age there is a lot to entertain, with groups setting up to educate and allow kids the chance to explore their potential and hone their social skills.  The Five Fingers restaurant in Ozanköy is home to Alex and Libby Main who have set up a Garden Bookshop which is used for kids’ book clubs, talks and shows, and they also hold very successful flower shows.

Adults can also enjoy the activities on offer at the Five Fingers Restaurant as well, with talks and book and film launches, all of which have proved very popular for the expat and local communities alike.  If you would like to know more about their activities then feel free to call them on +90 (0)392 815 2010 or +90 (0)533 8458278 or email alex.main@sunnycyprus.net.

There is the newly opened Black Olive Café in Alsancak, located near to British Academy School, it runs craft clubs and various other entertainment activities to suit kids of all ages, and you can even book your child’s birthday parties there too and let them run riot in the purpose built playground.  You can contact them on +90 (0)533 8355133 or by email theblackolivecafe@gmail.com.  It’s also worth noting that Black Olive Café offers exercise classes for adults too.

If children are interested in sports then there is always football which seems to bridge any kind of culture divide, there are tennis courts in Kyrenia and Lefkoşa which act as a social meeting place too, or children can always get involved in a pursuit such as diving, giving them the opportunity to pick up a skill that could become a possible career or hobby in future years.  If your child attends a local school then there are always things to do and trips to go on organised through the school, so they will soon find plenty to keep them busy.

Perhaps your children are more creative than sporty and again there is much to keep their interest and enthusiasm going with music and dance schools, private piano tuition and so on.  The Cyprus Art School is a private education facility that teaches in music and dance and you can contact them on +90 (0)533 8404094 or by emailing kibrissanat@gmail.com.  Alternatively children can join in a variety of classes at various dance studios all over North Cyprus, where they can learn jazz, ballet or contemporary dance for example.  Girne American University in Kyrenia also has a Stage School if kids are after something a little more artistic, and can offer a range of activities such as belly dancing, tap and ballet – contact 650 2220 for more information.

Besides the above, there are many more things that children can do for entertainment, with beaches or water slide parks making for a fun day out for example, as can a trip to the cinema or a castle!  Whatever children enjoy then please visit our water and land activities articles  to get a full run down of everything there is to do in North Cyprus!