Creativity for Parents, Teens & Tots

Please note that at various intervals some links may be out of date/service while websites are being updated to reflect seasonal changes.

Photography courses for adults

Geneva Photo Club – excellent, down-to-earth, affordable, small classes for all levels in Intro, street, night (low-light), portrait, studio photography, Lightroom, and more. Fun and informative approach with experienced teachers.
Olivier O’Hanlan Photography for courses, workshops and photo walks, film nights and art appreciation.
Michele Peterson Photography, the site for professional photographer Michele Peterson, who also offers a beginner’s course and private photography lessons.
Centres of photography in Geneva – links to institutions both public and private, as well as art galeries, agencies and events that celebrate photography.

Ceramics for adults

Judith Stoudmann-Panczel, Ceramisist, offers pottery courses for adults and children at her atelier in Eysins, Vaud. Tel: 022.361.16.42 / 076.464.99.89 and at email: autourdelaterre9@hotmail.com

Creative writing for adults

Creative writing, please explore the offerings (workshops, master classes, mentoring, events, etc) of the Geneva Writers Group an international association of writers based in Geneva.

Ecole-Club Migros

Probably the largest and with outlets throughout Switzerland, the Ecole-Club Migros offers courses on a huge variety of topics.

Art, nature, and music courses children, teens and adults

Les Cré-ateliers – Arts and Crafts workshops for teenagers and adults
Les Ateliers Verts – “Green workshops” for children at Geneva’s Botanical Gardens (during the school year)
Swiss Gardening School – Info and events for green thumbs
OSR activities for schools – Orchestre de la Suisse Romande provides discovery workshops, classroom activities, youth concerts and vouchers for children and teens

Theatre productions and theatrical training for children and teens

Am Stram Gram Center – Geneva public theatre offering theatre productions and courses for children and teens
Theatre du Loup – Theatre school for children and teens.
Centre of Contemporary Art  – Educational activities at Geneva’s Contemporary Art Museum
Le Theater Töpffer – Geneva theatre offering productions for children, teens and families
Théâter Forum Meyrin – Theatrical events and exhibitions for young people
Théâtre des Marionnettes de Geneve – Offering childrens puppet shows, workshops and special events

Children’s film club

La Lanterne Magique – Movie club for children aged 6 to 11 including festivals, special screenings and events

Family-and-home information

The Geneva Welcome Center – Family Information – A helpful family resource page with links to information on events, child care, schools, sports & recreation for children and teens, universities, language courses and pets.

Directories of events and activities for families

Know-it-All – Community guidebook for Geneva, Vaud and neighboring France

20 years/20 francs

Card 20/years-20/francs – for a one-time CHF20 purchase, this card offers reduced-price entries, for cardholders up to the age of 20, to a wide-range of activities and locales, including concerts, festivals, theatre, museums, exhibitions and sports events.

Librairies for adults and children

Geneva Public Librairies – Directory of Geneva’s municipal librairies. A helpful article about how to register to borrow books and about Geneva’s “bibliobuses” is: Geneva Libraries: Quality books in many European languages.
The Library in English – Children’s books and story hours (as well as adult books) the Library also holds second-hand book sales twice a year.

Bookshops for children and teens

Au Chien Bleu – French children’s bookstore with an excellent selection of French books, CDs, toys as well as special events and workshops.
Payot Bookstores – French bookstore with a good selection of English books, also for children.

Vacation camps and activities for children and teenagers

ASK –  “All Special Kids” camps for children aged 5-19 with special needs
Mouvement Jeunesse Suisse Romande – Spring and summer camps for children in the Swiss Romandy
Ecolint – Ecolint Camps and activities for children
Geneva Family – Vacation camps in Vaud, Geneva, Valais, Neuchâtel and German-speaking Switzerland
Key English School – Language and theme camps in Geneva at Corsier and Genthod and Vaud at Lutry, Chesaux and Monts-de-Corsier for children 4 to 12
International Camp Suisse – A private centre for 140 campers above Lake Geneva at Torgon, offering outdoor events, cultural excursions and language courses
Altitude Summer Camps – Offers mountain adventure camps, language and day camps at Verbier
Village Camps/Summer Camp Leysin  – The Swiss Alpine Centre is the home of Village Camps Leysin, which welcomes up to 180 campers, aged 7-17,  from all over the world for language, adventure, sport, dance, and junior camps
Le Rosey Summer Camps – Campuses at Rolle, Vaud, and Gstaad offer sports and arts activities while the Mountain Camp gets kids up close to the Alps. Also offers an Excellence Camp for adventurous and fit young people and a SAT Prep Camp.
Pianoforte Productions – Piano lessons with an accomplished teacher
Swiss Language Club – Intensive morning language classes and outdoor afternoon recreation at the Leysin and Neuchâtel campuses.

Museums and outdoor play areas

Geneva’s Museé d’Art et d’Histoire offers family and children’s activities; download their quarterly programme of events
Château de Prangins – (near Nyon) A Swiss National Museum filled with historical rooms, a lovely park and kitchen garden and restaurant/balcony with many special events and activities for families and children
Swiss Museum of Transport (Lucerne) – A wide range of special attractions (a boat and railway) and events for children.
Aquatis Aquarium-Vivarium (Lausanne) – aquarium and zoo housing a large variety of fish, frogs, spiders, crocodiles, scorpions, serpents and tortoises
Alimentarium (Vevey) – Cookery workshops (in French) for kids aged 6 to 12, birthday parties, and a 3-D film journey through the intestine!
Signal de Bougy (Bougy Villars) – Large outdoor play and picnic area with a spectacular view over Lake Geneva.