Top Ten Reasons to Take Your Kids to Brazil

Written by Adit Abhyankar, married to a Brazilian native and a self-confessed Brazilophile. Their three year old son has spent much time in this sun and samba filled nation and here’s why he thinks you should make a trip too:

10. In almost any town other than Rio and Sao Paolo, you can find many restaurants that have an attached play structure. Parents drink caipirinha and barbeque while kids burn calories…

9. Lots and lots of sandy beaches. Parents drink caipirinha on the beach and each grilled shrimp while kids burn calories…

8. Most malls have play areas for kids with supervised babysitters included. And they aren’t cheesy. Parents shop while kids burn calories and meet other kids…

7. People are super-friendly. How does this help? Well, lets see: kids share toys, or at least their parents make them; friends you meet will look after your kid while parents frolick in the ocean; waiters will entertain your kid if you need some alone time with your caipirinha…

6. The Brazilian airlines give you toys and coloring books on the airplane. So in case you were running late to get to the airport and forgot to pack toys in your handluggage, they will bail you out. Oh yeah, they give you candy too.

5. Live music all over the place. And you know how kids love live music. So settle down in front of a good band, let them mesmerize your kids and you can drink caipirinhas

4. Lots of perks. Give a flustered look and cut in front of any line – at the airport, at the car rental counter, at the all-you-can-eat buffet. Everyone is more than willing to accommodate parents with kids. Oh, Dads? This won’t work for you, but you can try. Make sure your wife does not catch you flirting though!

3. Cheese bread (Pao de queijo) and fresh juices. These are Brazilian staples and you can find them anywhere. And unlike caipirinhas, you can actually share with your kids who will love both. To illustrate the point, I took 50 of these cheese breads balls to my kid’s preschool (15 kids) here in San Francisco. They were all gone in 15 mins! The juices are ridiculous – the best you’ll ever have.

2. Warm weather, pretty much year round. This means your bags will weigh less, your kids can run around naked, you get to see your significant other in their speedo/brazilian bikini (if the sound of this sounds like it’s a reason NOT to go to Brazil, you can take solace by ogling others on the beach. Refer to my earlier note about not getting caught)

1. You are going to Brazil! Do you really need a reason?