When people think about taking a family holiday to Mexico, visions filled with the beaches of Cancun, Cozumel, or Cabo San Lucas usually come to mind, not a hectic, crowded, crime-ridden dystopia like Mexico City.

These previous perceptions have been the stereotype that has dogged one of the world’s largest cities for decades, but in recent times, things have changed dramatically for the better, with Mexico’s capital being no more hazardous than your average American city.

If you and your kids consider yourselves to be adventurous, there is much to like about the D.F. (District Federal, as it is also known), as Spanish colonial architecture, sweeping plazas, and mouth-watering Mexican cuisine all await you here.

There will be some days however where the patience of your little ones will run short, as these sights will begin to bore them. It is at times like this where you should seek out fun activities that they are sure to enjoy. The following three attractions are filled with features that will engage them on their level, which is something that any family holiday should include at some point.

Let’s discuss them starting with…

1. Chapultepec Park

Often considered to be Mexico City’s lungs, Chapultepec Park is a greenspace that is twice the size of Central Park, and on weekends, it is a place where many local families come to enjoy walking the paths, piloting a paddleboat on Lago Chapultepec, or visiting the animals at the Chapultepec Zoo. Food, drink, and toy carts line the main thoroughfares through the park, so going hungry, thirsty, or without a new source of amusement during a visit to Chapultepec Park is a virtual impossibility.

2. Museo del Papalote

One museum you won’t want to visit during your time in Mexico City’s largest green space is the Museo Del Papalote, or Children’s Museum. Located in the western half of the park, this museum offers everything from the arts and sciences, to simulations of everyday adult life like grocery shopping 4D Toto. If all that learning begins to wear them out, a sand pit and bubble zone will allow them to enjoy some free play as well!

3. Farm Tio Pepe

If the time has come to have your kids meet the animals of the barn yard, Farm Tio Pepe will allow them to touch, pet and observe animals such as pigs, sheep, and many others. This place also shows kids other aspects of farming, with explanation on how to raise vegetable garden, how to milk a cow, and how to mount and ride a horse.