Things to do in Paris with family: theme parks, educational museums, and children's activities

The Parc Zoologique de Paris lets children explore over 180 animal species in naturalistic enclosures that recreate different ecosystems from around the world. The zoo offers daily feeding demonstrations and rotating exhibitions to help visitors understand animals and their habitats.

This theme park in Plailly offers families and children over 40 attractions and shows inspired by Gallic culture, French history, and the Asterix comics. The park combines roller coasters and water rides with entertainment for different age groups, making it a popular alternative to the theme parks near Paris.

Disneyland Paris in Marne-la-Vallée is a large leisure complex with two theme parks, seven hotels, and a shopping district designed for families with children. This destination offers Disney characters, shows, parades, and seasonal events throughout the year. Visitors of all ages can enjoy rides, attractions, and entertainment across both parks.

Aquaboulevard is an indoor water park where families can spend the day in water-based activities. The facility offers eleven water slides, wave pools, hot tubs, and a beach area all under one roof. Additional amenities include fitness facilities and a cinema, making it easy for everyone in the family to find something to enjoy.

The Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie is a science museum with experimental zones, a planetarium, and hands-on exhibits where children learn about technology, physics, and mathematics through practical demonstrations. It fits well with family activities in Paris, offering interactive ways for children to explore how things work and understand scientific concepts.

Musée Grévin is a wax museum in Paris that displays over 200 realistic figures of famous French and international personalities from history, sports, politics, arts and entertainment in detailed settings. For families with children visiting Paris, it offers an enjoyable way to see well-known figures up close and learn about their stories.

The Musée de l'Illusion in Paris is part of family-friendly activities in the city and features visual exhibits, holograms, stereograms, and interactive installations that demonstrate principles of perception, optics, and the human brain through hands-on examples.

FlyView in Paris offers families a special way to see the city from above using virtual reality. Visitors sit in flight simulator seats and wear VR headsets to view famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, and other monuments from the sky. The experience appeals to both children and adults and fits well with other interactive family activities the city offers, where hands-on technology creates memorable moments.

The Natural History Museum in Paris is a wonderful place for families to discover the history of Earth and life. The collections display fossils, minerals, and taxidermied animals from different periods and regions across several buildings. Each building offers a different perspective on the natural world. The botanical gardens are also part of the museum and feature around 2500 plant species. Children can learn in an engaging way how dinosaurs lived, how minerals form underground, and what diversity the plant world contains. It is a place where curiosity and learning go together.

The Kid's Palace is a recreation center for families in Paris that offers climbing structures, ball pits, and padded play areas for children between 1 and 12 years old in an indoor space. It provides an alternative to larger theme parks like Disneyland Paris or Parc Astérix for a visit with younger children.

The Jardin d'Acclimatation is a family park in the Bois de Boulogne that offers mechanical rides, carnival games, animal enclosures and water features. It fits perfectly with family activities in Paris, providing a more relaxed alternative to large theme parks like Disneyland Paris or Parc Astérix, while combining rides with access to nature and animals.

The Jardin des Plantes is Paris's national botanical garden and offers families with children a place to explore nature and science together. Established in 1626, this garden holds around 4500 plant species, including medicinal plants displayed in dedicated sections. Children can visit the menagerie to see animals and view paleontology exhibitions that bring natural history to life. The garden's pathways invite peaceful walks, and the space provides families with an opportunity to learn about different plants and their uses while enjoying green surroundings in the heart of the city.

Parc Floral is an ideal spot for families exploring Paris with children who enjoy plants and the outdoors. The park features flower gardens that change with the seasons, displaying colorful blooms throughout the year. Children can observe butterflies in the butterfly house, play on the playgrounds, and enjoy outdoor concerts during summer months.

Bateaux Mouches are glass-roofed boats that travel along the Seine River, allowing families to see Paris's monuments and bridges from the water. Multilingual audio guides provide explanations about the city's history and landmarks during the cruise. This is a relaxing way for families with children to learn about the city while enjoying views of its architecture.

The Musée du Louvre fits into this collection of family activities in Paris as a former royal palace holding roughly 380,000 artifacts spanning from ancient times to 1848. Children and parents can walk through galleries displaying Egyptian antiquities, paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts spread across the museum's rooms. Families find themselves stepping into history, discovering how people lived in different periods while exploring the artworks and objects that shaped human culture.

The Centre Pompidou presents contemporary art exhibitions and offers film screenings and workshops for young visitors in a dedicated children's area. Within this collection of family activities in Paris, the Centre Pompidou joins other cultural venues where children can experience art and creativity.

The Opera House Game is a treasure hunt through the 19th-century Opera Garnier building in Paris. Participants solve clues about the architecture and history of the building. This activity fits well into a family visit to Paris, as it helps children explore one of the city's most famous structures in an engaging way while learning about its past.

Vertical Art is an indoor climbing center in Paris where families can enjoy physical activity together. The facility features color-coded climbing routes suitable for different skill levels. Children from age six and their parents can climb under the guidance of trained instructors. All necessary safety equipment is provided on-site. As a family activity in Paris, Vertical Art offers a fun way for children and adults to challenge themselves while building confidence.

Palais de Tokyo is an art center in Paris where families with children can explore contemporary art up close. The center offers guided tours that help children learn about modern artists and their creations. Hands-on workshops invite children to create their own art and develop their artistic skills. Rotating exhibitions showcase new works and give visitors insight into how artists today express themselves through their work.

At this workshop in Paris, children build LEGO models, solve construction challenges, and learn basic engineering concepts through structured play sessions. L'Atelier des Super-pouvoirs LEGO fits well into the family activities the city offers, helping children develop technical skills in a playful way.

Duck Bus Tours offers a fun way for families to see Paris from both land and water. The amphibious vehicle starts with a drive through the city streets, then enters the Seine River for a view of landmarks and neighborhoods from the water. These tours work well for children and adults who want an active way to explore the city.

The Parc Floral Golf is an 18-hole golf course set within the botanical gardens of Parc Floral. It offers summer sports activities for families with children and adults seeking outdoor recreation in Paris. The course combines sport with the beauty of the garden setting.

The Louvre Pyramid serves as the main entrance to the Louvre Museum and was designed by I.M. Pei in 1989. This glass structure creates an interesting contrast with the classical buildings surrounding it. For families visiting Paris, the pyramid is an excellent starting point to explore one of the world's largest art museums, offering a gateway to countless galleries and collections that appeal to visitors of all ages.

Parc Montsouris in Paris provides families with a 15-hectare green space where children can play and explore. The park has walking paths for strolling, benches for resting, and a pond where you can observe nature. Two play areas offer swings and climbing structures for children of different ages.

La Géode is a spherical cinema with a shiny metal exterior located in Paris. It shows documentaries about science and nature on a large curved screen. For families exploring Paris with children, this cinema offers a captivating experience. The building itself stands out and catches your attention immediately. Inside, visitors can explore the world of science and nature through films.

The Musée de la Poupée in Paris displays over 500 French dolls dating from 1800 to 1959 within this collection of family activities. Each doll is presented with its original clothing and objects arranged in chronological order. Visiting this museum allows children to discover the history of French toy making and see how doll fashion and design evolved over the decades.

The Maison de Balzac is the former home of French novelist Honoré de Balzac and displays his furnished rooms, personal belongings, and a collection of his published works. For families exploring Paris with children, this museum offers insight into the life of a major 19th-century author and can spark interest in literature and history.

Square René-le-Gall is a garden in the 13th arrondissement that offers multiple playgrounds for different age groups, a fountain, flower beds, and paved paths between lawns and chestnut trees. This location fits well into family activities in Paris, giving children space to play in a green setting while parents can relax along the paths.

The Musée en Herbe in Paris is a child-oriented art museum with interactive exhibits, workshops, and educational programs that introduce young visitors to major artistic movements. It fits perfectly with family activities in Paris and complements other museums like the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie.

Les Serres d'Auteuil is a green haven in the heart of Paris for families wanting to explore nature. This historic greenhouse from the 18th century houses an impressive collection of plants from tropical and temperate climates. Children can discover palm trees, orchids, and rare plants while learning how different ecosystems work. The four climate zones let visitors experience the diversity of plant life firsthand.

The Musée de Montmartre in Paris occupies a 17th century house and displays paintings, posters and documents telling the story of the neighborhood's artistic past, along with a garden. For families visiting Paris, this museum offers a window into Montmartre's history as an artist quarter and complements other family activities like theme parks, interactive museums and children's attractions.

The Monnaie de Paris is a historic institution dedicated to coins and their creation. With exhibitions showcasing French currency throughout history and hands-on workshops in metalworking, visitors discover how money is made. This venue brings together history and practical learning, giving families a place to understand the craft and craftsmanship behind the objects we use every day.

The Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes is an 18th-century zoo housing 600 animals from 150 species, located next to botanical gardens and natural history museum galleries. For families visiting Paris, this zoo offers a way to see animals and nature within the city, complementing visits to other educational attractions like the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie and the National Museum of Natural History.

The Philharmonie de Paris is a modern concert hall in Paris that works well for family visits. The venue features interactive music exhibits where children can discover different instruments. Regular children's concerts take place in the large acoustic hall, designed specifically for young audiences. The place combines professional musical performances with educational experiences that help children understand music in a playful way.

The Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine presents replicas of French architectural monuments, construction models, and exhibitions on building techniques from medieval times to the present day. For families visiting Paris, this museum offers a practical way to explore how buildings have been constructed throughout history and helps children understand the evolution of architecture.