If anyone knows any good places to take young children in Taipei, I'd appreciate it ... and hopefully others will too.

Good parks, or museums, sports facilities, hikes, unique sites, etc.

What would your TOP FIVE be?

If possible, include address (or tel.) so I (or others) can find them.

Thanks for your time. If nothing else, I know my daughter will truly appreciate it.

qingtiangang in Yangming Shan ON A WEEKDAY. plenty of fresh air, grass to run around on and some cows to look at for the kids, and some scenery for you. lots of hikes of all kind starting from there. have a picnic

Tian Mou:

Tianmu sports park - on a hot day the fountain (probably the best place to cool down on a hot summer day) also the playground is great

Taipei:

The old amusement park close to the grand Hotel. A bit rundown, but my kid likes is anyway

An above all:

My icecream-parlor in Tianmu

http://icecream.euroburg.com

Things like hiking trails etc close by the city, as mentioned by TG, are probably some of the best things Taipei does have to offer for both kids and adults. However here are some we have enjoyed with our five year old recently. I don't know about top five, these are not in any particular order, but bear in mind the age. Many of these are not actually in Taipei but are within easy reach by train/bus from Taipei. All of these need to be visited on either weekdays, or early on a Saturday. Forget Sunday.

Taipei Children's Transport Museum - Exit marked at Technology Building MRT Station (I think). The museum inside isn't that impressive, maybe worth a visit once. Out the back though (you don't have to pay any museum entrance fee for it) does have a number of small kiddy rides etc. which are not bad. The best part though is the race car track which is very nice.

Taipei Zoo - End of the Muzha Line - A good walk around and a nice layout. Not one for a hot day though.

Lefoo Village - Amusement and safari park. Not in Taipei, but the bus can be picked up at various locations around Taipei (takes about an hour to get out there). Only a couple of the big thrill rides, but quite a lot for the little ones. Safari area now has an elevated ride in which you pedal a two seater bicycle over the top of a nicely laid out monkey/Ape enclosure. Also horse/camel rides etc.

Bali - MRT to Tamshui, then a short boat ride across the river to Bali. turn right after getting off the boat. They have now laid out a walkway and cycle path alongside the river out at Bali. You can hire bicycles (including tandems etc. with kiddy seats, and children's bicycles). Passes through a nature reserve area and runs out to a museum (never made it that far myself).

Fins Taipei - Shihlin, best get off at Chientan station. Aquarium with shark tank etc. Small aquarium but with some impressive displays. However it is bloody expensive (we recently went to the big one in Pingdong and it was cheaper to get in) about NT$500 the last time we went there. perhaps worth a visit as a one off.

Baishawan beach - Beach out past Danshui - train to Danshui then bus from across the street from the station. One for the summer. They will rent you a beach shelter and mat for about NT$200 per day.

I think you mean the Taipower stop MRT station. The museum is worth a visit if your kid is into trains.

I'll share some places that haven't been mentioned later.

Our boys' (three & four) top five are, as far as I can tell, these:

Undisputed top-destination, on the wish-list every weekend:
National Taiwan Science Education Center (NTSEC)
No.189, Shihshang Road, Shihlin,Taipei 111, Taiwan
Phone: (02)2833-0011 , 0800-55-77-55
Fax: (02)2833-0022
http://www.ntsec.gov.tw/ntsec-english/index.asp
Not too exciting if you ask me, but they seem to love it!!

Closely followed by:
Taipei Astronomical Museum
Address: No.363, Kee-Ho Rd., Shihlin, Taipei, Taiwan
Tel: (02)2831-4551
Fax: (02)2831-4405
http://www.tam.gov.tw/eng/intro.htm
Exhibits are a bit run-down and often non-functional, but they don't seem to care ...

Always reason for a good tantrum if denied:
Tom Dragon
Tianmu location
opposite Tianmu Sports Park
next to Jasper Villas
(sorry, don't have any details, it's fairly expensive if I remember correctly)

My wife swears by this place, I've never been myself as they usually go during the week, but it's supposed to be very neat and clean and a little different from the usual (tom Dragon-like) plastic attack ...
Play Space
downtown
again, no details, maybe she can post some later ...

and, incredulously discovered only fairly recently but much-loved nontheless, the previously already mentioned
Tianmu Sports Park playground
Biggest sand-pit in Taipei as far as I can tell, with the additional attraction of water being available near-by (i.e.: bring a change of clothes!!)

Have fun! Xpet.

edit: just want to add that we went to the Transport Museum and it was an absolute dump, nothing (literally) inside, the outside yard looked very neglected and no trains or anything was in operation ... the only fun thing for the kids were some electro-cars in the basement that devoured all our NT$10,- coins ...

Yes quite right (terribly sorry) it is indeed the Taipower MRT stop. Also for the Tianmu sports park the cycle track is good so bring the bikes. They banned kite flying but some people still do fly kites there until the jobsworth comes over and asks them to desist.

Don't have kids myself but these are some things I've done with friends who have them.

Bitan to rent the paddle boats and paddle around the river. Bitan is at the end of the Xindian line.

Yeliu on the north coast. This is a long cape with the most bizarre rock formations. Kids love it. It's like an alien landscape.
Here's some pics:
http://robert1566.fotopic.net/p4490025.html
http://robert1566.fotopic.net/p4490140.html

Red House Theatre in Ximending. They use to have and probably still do children's shows (puppet, theatre) on the weekends. Get off at Ximending MRT stop.

Bird watching at Guandu Nature reserve. Get off at the Guandu MRT station.

The new Lonely Planet will be out next month and will have a section on kids on Taipei. You'll also be able to find places within an hour of the city to visit by train or bus. Taipei may be a crowded and often dirty city but you can get out to the mountains and beaches in no time.

In addition to the suggestions above, try the Movie Village place right before the National Palace Museum. It's pretty cool.

Brian

My daughter has really enjoyed visiting the zoo down by Muzha. That is if you can put up with the cruel and inhumane conditions of barely enough space to move. I mean for the guests. The animals tend to have more space, especially on a Sunday afternoon.