Things for families to do in Madrid
So, you fancy taking the kids on holiday but aren’t sure where to go… How about a trip to the Spanish capital? Madrid is the perfect city for sightseeing and has loads of activities for children. Here are just some of the top museums, parks and attractions where you’re guaranteed to have a good time!
15 top children’s attractions in Madrid
• Casa de Campo. The biggest park in Madrid has some real gems, including two of the main children’s attractions: the Parque de Atracciones de Madrid, including Nickelodeon Land, where kids and grownups can go on rides with the most popular characters from the Nickelodeon TV channel, such as SpongeBob SquarePants; and the Zoo Aquarium de Madrid, where kids can see one of the most adorable animals on the planet, the panda bear, among many others!
• Parque Warner de Madrid. Some 30 minutes from the city centre, the Warner Park in Madrid is well worth a visit just to see the look on your children’s faces when they come face to face with the likes of Tweety, Batman, Superman, Silvestre, Bugs Bunny and Wonder Woman, to name but a few, strolling around the park. It also boasts amazing rides and shows worthy of a Hollywood movie.
• Micropolix. Picture a 12,000 m² city designed especially for kids… Well, it’s no dream: it exists in Madrid! It has over 30 themed areas and everything you need in a city: hospital, bank, supermarket, town hall, TV studio… The only requirement to gain access to all these spaces is that all citizens, in this case children, have to work to earn Eurix (Micropolix’s own currency). Highly entertaining educational fun!
• Parque del Retiro. The best-known and most-popular park in Madrid is the ideal place for a stroll and to unwind if you’re in town with kids. You can go out in a rowing boat, walk around its lovely gardens and, of course, visit the Palacio de Cristal, always a hit with kids.
• CaixaForum Madrid. Housed in a spectacular building with a stunning vertical garden, CaixaForum boasts lots of workshops, exhibitions, screenings and a whole host of activities for kids and families. Make sure to check it out!
• Gran Vía. Gran Vía is a bustling street with lots of theatres, several of which are sure to be showing plays and musicals popular with children. One of the longest running is The Lion King: it’s been on at the Lope de Vega Theatre in Madrid since 2011 and has thrilled almost 4 million spectators.
• Faunia. If you and your kids like animals, you’ll have a whale of a time at Faunia. The animals are grouped by ecosystem, so you can visit the jungle, African forest or the poles, among others. Fans of Jurassic Park will love the dinosaur canyon, complete with faithful reproductions.
• Museo Thyssen. You might think it’s not a particularly great idea to take children to this museum, but you’d be wrong! The Thyssen Museum in Madrid organises special family tours so kids can discover one of the great art collections in the world in a fun, engaging fashion through games and workshops. They’re sure to let their imagination run wild!
• La Escalera de Jacob. If you want to go to the theatre, but don’t dare take the kids, you’ll have no problem here! This art space in the Lavapiés neighbourhood puts on magic shows and plays for children and toddlers.
• Museo del Prado. A trip to the biggest art gallery in the world, the Museo del Prado de Madrid, can be a great idea if you’re wondering what to do in Madrid with kids. The museum has laid out a special route for families, including a map and game with clues and stickers to help kids get the most out of their visit and learn some interesting facts along the way. There are also children’s audio guides.
• Treasure hunt. Have you always wanted to go on a treasure hunt? Now you can do one with the kids! The activity starts with a fun 90-minute game to explore Aranjuez and discover a fantastic treasure. Next you get on a boat to solve enigmas and open the eagerly awaited treasure chest. A fun, original plan for the whole family!
• Parque del Oeste. There are lots of great children’s attractions in the park itself or nearby: the Debod Egyptian Temple, the Faro de Moncloa tower with amazing views over Madrid, the Campo del Moro gardens with peacocks roaming freely and, of course, the Palacio Real. Take a tour around it and the children will feel like princes and princesses.
• Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales. Nature lovers will adore this museum, with over 27,000 examples of mammals, an extensive geology collection, scientific instruments, dinosaur bones, tissues and DNA, among much else.
• Planetario de Madrid. A great option if kids want to learn more about outer space, with over 50 special effects projectors to simulate the solar system. And an observation tower to view the stars and planets that will amaze kids.
• Museo de Cera de Madrid. It’s not every day you get to take your photo with your favourite footballer, singer or superhero. But at the waxworks museum you can! It also has a terror train, a virtual trip in a simulator and 3D projections of the history of Spain in the Multivisión space.
If you’re planning on travelling to Madrid in summer, check out our recommendations of what to do in Madrid in summer. There’s no excuse for staying at home! And if you’re still unsure where to sleep in the city, you’ll love our apartments in Madrid. Central, fully equipped and reasonably priced, what more could you ask for?
