Hot Spots for Kids' Parties or Just a Day Out.

(From The Moscow Times)

Good parenting involves spending quality time with children, but what's quality to a child can be too much for parents craving some peaceful R&R. Children's clubs can bring parents and children together by taking some responsibility for the entertainment while allowing adults to participate or just relax.

For kids aged 3 to 10 and their parents, Arlekino Children's Club (19/3 Verkhnyaya Radishchevskaya Ulitsa) is a cross between day care, family space and a restaurant, manager Vladimir Dzgoyev said. After paying an entrance fee -- 350 rubles ($12) for children on weekends, 300 rubles on weekdays, and 50 rubles for adults anytime -- kids roam around the two-level playroom with a slide, jump on a trampoline, make faces in front of crooked mirrors or play video games. Clowns and entertainers keep them busy with games and challenges, while parents can look on. On weekends, there are performances and shows. A table with candy is included in the price.

For food, Arlekino features separate child and grown-up menus. A selection of pancakes, meatballs, hot dogs, French fries, ice cream and other kids' favorites is available, as well as Italian, other European and Middle Eastern dishes for the adults. Parents can also leave children with babysitters for 500 rubles an hour for children under 3 and 300 rubles per hour for older children.

Mir Detstva (18 Pavlovskaya Ulitsa) has more space and -- in addition to a playroom, two cafes, and an auditorium for shows and performances -- houses a toy store, a clothing store and a flower shop. Parents-to-be can visit the center for parenting classes and prenatal yoga. The interiors are very playful and original, painted in pastel shades. There is no set entrance fee, but playground fees are 120 rubles per hour on weekends and 100 rubles per hour on weekdays. Kids play with a teacher and entertainers dressed up as pirates, cooks and children's book characters.

At the arts table, children can make jewelry and paper crafts. There are two cafes: on the first floor, which is noisier and more appropriate for slightly older children, and one floor up, which has a quieter atmosphere that will please mothers with infants and mothers-to-be. One table in the downstairs cafe is designed to give parents a child's-eye view of the world, for those "who've forgotten what it's like to be kids," said Ilya Kovalenko, the head of the advertising department. The menu includes a lot of vegetables, and the meat and fish dishes are home-style. Children cannot be left unattended: ...