Traveling around Istanbul with a child means shortening your museum itinerary and extending your list of places to visit by ferry. The city almost feels like it was designed for children: there are cats everywhere, the sea is always present, and you can find a "simitci" (sesame bread vendor) on every corner.

Exploring Istanbul with children means shortening the museum list and lengthening the ferry list. The city seems made for children: cats everywhere, sea everywhere, a simit seller on every corner. The eight suggestions below suit different ages; the common rule is a park or seaside break in the middle of the day. 1. Rahmi M. Koç Museum, Hasköy. A submarine you can enter, steam locomotives, classic cars, aircraft and a miniature train. Nobody from five to fifteen gets bored; allow at least three hours and go by Golden Horn ferry, the pier is right in front. 2. Miniatürk, Sütlüce. Walking among 1:25-scale models of Turkey's monuments; seeing Hagia Sophia at knee height amazes a child. Same day and same ferry line as Rahmi Koç. 3. The ferry. It is entertainment in itself. Cross to Kadıköy, throw simit to the gulls, take the wind on the top deck. Going to the islands and renting bikes on Büyükada is the safest full-day children's programme; there are no cars. 4. The Basilica Cistern. Darkness, columns, water and Medusa heads: the most exciting place in Sultanahmet for anyone over seven. It is quick; skip the queue by going early. 5. Istanbul Aquarium, Florya. The rainy-day plan; tanks from the Black Sea to the Pacific and a rainforest section. Reached by Marmaray, it takes two to three hours. 6. The Toy Museum, Göztepe. Toys from the 1700s to today in a historic mansion; calm and charming for small children, nostalgia for parents. 7. Panorama 1453, by the Topkapı walls. Standing inside a giant 360-degree painting of the conquest tells what history lessons never could; ideal for over-tens. The culture park next door is for running. 8. Gülhane Park and the Moda shore. Put a green space in the middle of every day. Gülhane lets you breathe between the Sultanahmet museums; the lawns of Moda are the sunset end of a Kadıköy outing. Some practical notes. Pushchairs struggle on Sultanahmet's pavements and Balat's slopes; a carrier is better. Children may enter mosques, but courtyards suit them better. Children's menus are rare in restaurants, but köfte, rice, lentil soup and pide are everywhere and children like them. The ice-cream sellers' show in Beyoğlu is a free performance. Cats are friendly, but do not approach street dogs. And children are loved in Istanbul: seats are given up on crowded ferries, plates are shared in restaurants, nobody frowns at a crying baby.

8 Ways to Enjoy Exploring Istanbul with Children.