Making travel arrangements and creating an itinerary can be an overwhelming experience, let alone planning a trip that will be fun for both children and adults. Weather can be unpredictable, transportation doesn’t always run smoothly, and people aren’t always in a good mood. Despite all the potential travel hiccups that can occur you can still guarantee that you and your family will create lifelong happy memories during your time away.
Whether you have babies, toddlers, elementary-schoolers or teens you can use various strategies to keep kids engaged at any age when visiting a city. Family-friendly vacations don’t have to only consist of all-inclusive resorts and theme parks. The city of lights might be known for romance and wine but there is more than meets the eye for curating a Parisian holiday.
But Paris is more than just romance, and there are many options available for curating a family holiday in this city.
Here’s a list of tips and hacks that can help you and your family have a seamless, enjoyable vacation the next time you’re in Paris - or anywhere, for that matter.
“Don’t try to force-feed culture.” According to mom and Parisian local, Lynn Chaveau, this is one of the most important tips. When visiting museums she used to show her kids on a map where the various paintings were from and reference something they were familiar with that would help them make a personal connection like “this is Italy, where pizza and spaghetti come from!”
Don't try to see everything and don’t over-explain. Children might not be able to relate to art on the same level as adults but they do retain and over time will recognize artists or styles of paintings. Chaveau found that one way to interest them and spark curiosity is to ask questions like “What colours do you see?” or “What does this mean to you?”
Build a day for the kids and explain what you will be doing. Schedule the more solemn, “cultivating” activities in the morning and leave the more fun stuff for later in the day. Consider giving them time limits for each activity. For a more hands-on experience, you could have the kids take pictures to make a scrapbook of their adventures or bring a sketch pad so they can draw what they see.
When you take care of your child’s comfort first they tend to be more open to experiencing the culture. For infants and younger children, this is especially true. You can generally keep them happy as long as you create a comfortable environment where they have access to their favourite toys, snacks and water
Leave downtime between activities when you can and make sure younger kids have time to run around and burn off their energy. As children get older, try to involve them in the planning and let them choose between several activities rather than giving them no control. When it comes to teenagers, consider letting them plan one of the day's itineraries or give them an hour or two to explore the destination on their own.
Helpful Tips
Keep in mind that elementary and middle school-aged kids in Paris have afternoons off on Wednesdays so attractions can be busier during these times.
Restaurants start getting busy around 12, if you want to avoid the crowds and have a shorter wait time it is best to go beforehand.
Kids 3 and under do not need metro tickets, ages 4-9 require a child’s ticket and ages 10 and up need an adult ticket.
A lot of museums and attractions offer discounts for children or reduced rates and passes for families.
Activities
It goes without saying when visiting Paris some tourist highlights can’t be missed. Hotspots like the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and Sacré-Coeur offer not only beautiful views - but they require hiking up several sets of stairs (convenient for wearing out energetic children).
Check out some museums and expositions
Found in the Jardin des Plantes, the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle is a big hit with little ones. There’s a paleontology building filled with skeletons and dinosaur replicas as well as a gallery of evolution that features a collection of life-sized stuffed animals.
Musee d’Orsay is one of the city’s best art museums, but it doesn’t have to be a special experience reserved for adults. Their collection is much smaller than the Louvre and the exhibits display works from impressionist and post-impressionist masters. Consider creating a “scavenger hunt” game where kids need to find specific works of art.
Musee Grévin is a wax museum home to over 500 celebrities and historical figures. The visit begins in the kaleidoscope-like Hall of Mirrors, originally built for the World Exposition and continues through to various rooms that take visitors through the country’s history from the Middle Ages to today.
Have some interactive fun at Cité des Enfants and Cité des Sciences. Cité des Enfants has two sections, one geared towards 2-7-year-olds and the second geared towards 5-12-year-olds. The themes are focused on the development of physical, cognitive and spatial skills. For older children and adults head over to Cite des Sciences. Don’t miss out on seeing the new planetarium or the 3D film displayed inside the giant chrome sphere known as the Geode.
The Centre Pompidou is an unusual, inside-out building with tubes and escalators on the exterior. This cultural hub is packed with funky, creative exhibits and the first floor is dedicated to kids with installations changing every month. Insider tip: Head to the glass-walled rooftop restaurant displaying one of the best views of Paris.
Please note: At the time of publishing this post, we received word that the Centre Pompidou will be closed from the end of 2025 to 2030 for major renovations.
The recently opened Atelier des Lumières is Paris’ first digital art center. Combining technology with art, a mixture of projectors and lasers display 360-degree views of famous works. This multi-sensory experience aims to make art accessible to a larger audience and is a must-see for almost any age group.
Have a picnic at the park and visit the gardens
While the gardens are open all year long, the best time to visit Luxembourg Garden is during the warmer months. From pony rides to playgrounds to a pond where you can sail small wooden boats, there’s tons of fun to be had here. Keep your eyes peeled for the oldest carousel in Paris designed by the Opera Garnier architect. After you’ve had time to explore the park, head over to nearby rue du Montparnasse to taste some of the best crepes in the city.
Similar to Luxembourg Garden, Jardin des Tuileries offers pony and donkey rides, miniature sailboats, playgrounds with an in-ground trampoline and a carousel. If you’re visiting during the summer be sure to explore the carnival and try out the Ferris wheel to admire the lovely view.
Insider tip: Puppet shows take place on most Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesday afternoons in various parks and theatres across Paris (including Jardin du Luxembourg, Parc des Buttes-Chaumont and Parc Montsouris). These marionette shows are a treasured tradition in France that always includes the principal puppet character known as Guignol. While the dialogue is in French, the characters, storyline, and colours easily translate into any language.
Try a walking, biking or tasting tour
Flavors of Paris - Sweet Tooth Stroll
Depending on their age, there is an assortment of tours available with families in mind. A great introduction to food and culture, spend the day tasting local specialties and discovering some of the fascinating histories Paris has to offer.
The Sweet Tooth Stroll by Flavors of Paris is our most popular tour for families with children. It’s a 90-minute tour where you will discover the sweetest, little neighbourhood pastry food shops, and bakeries in the neighbourhood of Saint Germain des Pres all with tastings included.
Cruise along the Seine
If you get tired of admiring Paris by land hop on one of the boat ride tours and explore the city’s canal ways. As you drift along the river you’ll stop at some of the city’s most famous monuments. Tours go from morning to evening and a variety of packages are available. Start in the evening to watch the Paris sparkle as you enjoy a three-course meal with live music.
Visit a market
One of the oldest markets in Paris, le Marché aux fleurs et Oiseaux happens every Sunday on Ile de la Cité. Enter this somewhat hidden covered market and feel yourself being transported to a jungle in the city centre. Kids will love seeing all the exotic birds ranging from parrots to parakeets to cockatoos and canaries. You will often see vendors selling ferrets, mice, and rabbits and the friendly ones let kids pet them.
Take a day trip
A quick train ride from the city, Disneyland Paris is worth the visit. Kids ages five and up can ride the majority of rides and there are plenty of familiar attractions and shows offered in French and English. Within the park, there is both Parc Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios. Some of the more unique attractions include Ratatouille the adventure and Alice’s curious labyrinth. To avoid long lines it’s recommended to buy the fast pass.
Located in Bois de Boulogne, the Jardin d’Acclimatation is an amusement park complete with farm animals, rides, obstacle courses, and an aviary with more than 200 birds. The summer is a great time to bring a picnic and cool off while enjoying the water-themed activities.
Head out early to beat the crowds and explore the beautiful Château de Versailles or spend the day wandering the free gardens. Kids will enjoy Hameau de la Reine, the pretend farm built as a retreat for Marie Antoinette. Head to the nearby farmers’ market to pick up picnic supplies and enjoy lunch on a patch of grass in the park.
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