By Martin Benda, a father who loves travel, art and craft beer and swapped his small-town life for the big city of Prague. Edited by Emma White.
Prague is jam-packed with exciting things to see and do, from visiting historical monuments to discovering the local art scene, sampling delicious Czech food to strolling through the Old Town and so much more. If you’re thinking that Prague is not a particularly kid-friendly destination – think again! There are tons of great things to do in Prague with kids such as indoor playgrounds, toy shops, kid-orientated museums and even the zoo! There are also a whole host of fun, kid-friendly restaurants in Prague, allowing both kids and parents to get a real taste of the local food culture. Kickstart your trip to Prague with kids by using this guide to the best things to do in Prague with kids and the essential things to know about navigating this city with little ones - I guarantee this will be your kids’ best holiday yet!
Prague Zoo
One of my favourite family activities in Prague is a day at the Zoo. Prague Zoo is one of the best in Europe and is the second most visited tourist destination in the Czech Republic, after Prague Castle. There are over 4,600 animals and more than 680 species that reside in Prague Zoo! In particular, the kids will love the Butterfly House, the Bororo Reserve, the observation tower, chairlift, mini-train, paddling pool and Children’s Zoo. The pride of the zoo is its Elephant Valley, home to a large herd of beautiful Asian elephants. The Giant Salamander House is equally impressive, here you can see the largest amphibians in the world including the critically endangered Chinese Giant Salamanders. The Zoo is spacious and there is plenty of room for the animals who seemed to be well looked after rather than just being kept as a tourist attraction. If your kids love animals this is a must-do, and I would definitely recommend visiting the zoo over Sea World in Prague. The website suggests a minimum of 4 hours for the visit but I’d say you should probably make it a full day to avoid rushing around. The Zoo is very easy to get to, just take the 112 bus from the city centre and get off at the last stop, it only takes about 10 minutes.
Artpark At Galerie Rudolfinum
Prague is full of many wonderful museums and art galleries which showcase the city’s rich history, cultural identity and artistic flair. And although most of Prague’s more traditional galleries are probably not the best place for your little one’s curious hands to explore, there are a number of Prague kid-friendly galleries which provide a fun interactive learning experience. A visit to the small but brilliant ArtPark at Galerie Rudolfinum is a great way to spend a few creative hours, and you’ll be pleased to know that it is also free. Magnetic pictures, a giant chalkboard and wooden blocks are all available for crafting a masterpiece. The gallery often runs free workshops for children, allowing parents to explore the main exhibition while their children work with professionals to develop their own works of art.
The Toy Museum
Another one of the best things to do in Prague with kids is to visit the Toy Museum. This unique and quirky museum is located near to Kalova (Charles) Street, approximately five minutes’ walk from the Old Town Square. It is home to a relatively small private collection of toys from different eras right up until the toys of today’s world. You will find old Barbie dolls from when they were first released, as well as olden day teddy bears, antique dolls houses, Star Wars items and various models of ships and trains. It’s just as fun for adults too, and it’s interesting to see how much toys have evolved in such a small amount for time and how quickly fashions have changed. It may be slightly frustrating for the kids to not be able to play with all these cool and impressive toys, but you’ll be pleased to find that on the second floor there are interactive displays with stuffed animals that the kids get to play with if they want to! The museum is well-priced with admission costing around 70 CZK per person.
Kingdom Of Railways
When visiting Prague with kids I really recommend visiting the wonderful miniature world of the largest model railway in the Czech Republic! With over more than 2800 square metres of fun for children and adults, this amusement park in Prague includes hundreds of metres of track, dozens of locomotives, replicas of villages and towns, moving cars and other vehicles. There is also currently the largest LEGO production in Central and Eastern Europe and the largest Thomas the Tank Engine display in Europe! The intricate detail is truly impressive from the aeroplanes overhead, to the miniature landmarks of Czech Republic, the special forces soldiers scaling the communications tower and the massively long coal train. Kids can press buttons which make areas light up or trains move, the interactivity is great for those visiting Prague with toddlers who like to touch everything! There are also several life-size mock ups of public transport that the kids can play in and pretend to drive. They have an actual full-sized tram where kids can sit in the driver seat and push buttons to open and close the doors, turn lights on and off, ring the bell and more – always a hit with my kids! They all have a video screen in the windscreen which makes it look as if you are actually driving. This indoor playground in Prague is located outside of the centre but is easily reachable by metro in around 10 minutes.
Prague Hamleys
You may be familiar with the famous London location, however, Hamleys in Prague is truly on another level when it comes to toys and entertainment. This toy shop is enormous, with so much to see and do for your little ones including a variety of different toys and games with interactive stations dotted around the store. Have you ever seen a full-sized carousel inside a shop? Didn’t think so! But that’s exactly what you’ll find inside the Hamleys branch, along with a huge slide that spans a whole two floors in height! Another favourite of my kids is the butterfly room. Much larger than you’d expect, the room has “jungle” noises, foliage, a waterfall, pond and bridge, as well as lots of beautiful butterflies fluttering around and sitting on feeders - a great photo opportunity for the family. There is an admission fee but, in my opinion, it is well worth the money.
Rent A Pedal Boat
It can be difficult to get any real sightseeing done when visiting Prague with a baby or younger child. Buggies are a nuisance on the cobble stones of the Old Town and our kids’ little legs get tired very quickly. An alternative way to see the city without having to do much walking or pram pushing is by renting a boat on the river. You can rent funny-shaped boats that kids will love – my favourite is the swan-shaped pedal boat! It is an inexpensive activity that will please all the family and provide a different perspective of the city from the water. This is of course especially good on a sunny day but do remember to use sun protection as you will be out in the open for at least an hour. Take your time, pedal down the river, take in the beautiful views and just relax! The best place to rent one of these boats is from Slovanka on Slavic Island.
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