Although Paris is overflowing with appreciated museums and touristic sites, we tend to forget the little ones, who think the time waiting in line is way too long and are bored in exhibits that are often too complicated for them. Going to Paris can also interest your kids, and we will prove it to you. In fact, there are just as many squares, restaurants, funfairs, parks, and exhibits for kids and teenagers.
There are plenty of original and lively places for kids that will also thrill the older people in your group!
The events
The Book Fair/Le Salon du Livre
Like every year, the Salon du Livre* opens its doors in March for three days. This is the occasion to give your little beasts a taste for reading thanks to the presence of their favorite writers and cartoonists at their editors’ stands.
Moreover, some themes for the younger ones will be tackled (they change among years) in the form of contests such as: “imagine the cover of your book” without forgetting to add many other games or activities.
Dates: between the 20th and the 30th of March (check the dates on the official website)
Price: the price range is from €8 to €29 and it depends on the option chosen
Address: Paris Porte de Versailles – Pavillon 1 Boulevard Victor, Paris 15ème
Access in public transports: metro Porte de Versailles (ligne 12) or Balard (ligne 8)
Schedule: Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. / Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. / Monday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (morning is only reserved to the professionals).
KidExpo Exposition
Seen as the famous annual meeting for families, this exhibition offers you 100 free and permanent work groups for children aged from 4 to 14 years old, new products and innovative services for families, all the Christmas games to discover in preview…
Here is a little extract of the event from previous years: a big stage greeted the children’s favourite heroes for parades and autographs but also performances and a flash mob including conferences/debates about a variety of subjects such as the importance of the game in the child’s construction and the new technologies.
Dates: between the 20th and the 30th of October (check the dates for this year*)
Price: free for children under 4 years old and between €8 and €36 (detailed prices are on the website)
Address: 1 Place de la Porte de Versailles, 75015 Paris – Halls 6 & 8
Access in public transports: line 12 of the underground, stop Porte de Versailles
Schedule: from 10:00 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Japan Expo
Every year, the Parc des Expositions of Paris-Nord-Villepinte welcomes for 4 days the Japan Expo that honours the Japanese culture through mangas, video games, movies, exhibitions, competitions and even fashion shows and concerts for the delight of its visitors.
Especially for children, the Japan Expo concocts for them a play area and another one with activities for children up to 13 years, with activities managed by organizers holding BAFA.
Dates: between the 15nd and the 18th of July (check the dates for this year)
Price: between €18 and €120, it depends on the chosen option (see the price of the Japan Expo)
Address: 93 Avenue des Nations, 93420 Villepinte
Access in public transports: RER B towards Aéroport de Charles de Gaulle 2, stop Parc des Expositions)
Schedule: from 9:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. with the pre-sales tickets, from 10:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. with the purchased ticket on site
Cultural activities
Grand Palais
That’s at the Grand Palais that you can take your children to admire the works and the exhibitions. Offering a wide range of attractions for the youngest and for the biggest and a great skating rink in winter, this event is for everybody. The museum’s collections offer great opportunities for parents and children to interact, about an amazing work art or about an artistic profession, for instance.
Price: between €12 and €143, detailed rates are on the official website.
Free for children under 13 years old. The free admission for children doesn’t apply the first Sunday of each month for each national gallery.
Address: 3, avenue du Général Eisenhower 75008 Paris
Access in public transports: stop Champs-Elysées-Clemenceau – lines 1 et 13, stop Franklin Roosevelt – lines 1 et 9
Schedule:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
National Museum of Natural History
As the favourite place of nature’s unconditional fans and of the curious little guys, the National Museum of Natural History is a real treasure. It’s THE ideal place for a family outing. Both playful and instructive, parents and children won’t grow tired of it …
Price: between €9 et €13 for an adult and free for people under 26 (see the prices of the museum)
Address: 36 Rue Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire, 75005 Paris
Access in public transports:
Metro: stop Gare d’Austerlitz – line 5, stop Censier Daubenton – line 7, stop Jussieu or Gare d’Austerlitz line 10
RER C: stop Paris-Austerlitz
Schedule: every day from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except on Tuesday, on December 25, on January 1, on May 1. The last access at tills is 45 minutes before the closure of the zoo.
Musée en Herbe
Especially designed for a young audience, the Musée en Herbe offers playful exhibitions about artistic, scientific and civic thematics. Thanks to its playful teaching skills full of humour, it arouses the creativity and the curiosity of the child.
“Come on! The Musée en Herbe is a museum where you can touch the works without running the risk of being scolded!”
Price: between €5 and €16. Detailed rates are on the official website*.
Address: 23, rue de L’Arbre-Sec, 75001 Paris
Access in public transports: RER A, B and D, stop Châtelet – Les Halles, line 1 stop Louvre-Rivoli, line 7 stop Pont Neuf, lines 1, 4, 7, 11 and 14 stop Châtelet
Schedule: opened from Monday to Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. without a break and opened during holidays and public holidays
Musée Grévin
It counts no less than 200 waxwork figures from Albert Einstein to Mahatma Gandhi going through Michael Jackson or Alfred Hitchcock, including more recently Kendji Girac. For the youngest, you may know that the museum provides visits especially conceived for them. For a better immersion into the atmosphere, as soon as they enter into the museum children will be dressed up in countess, baron, duke or in princess outfits and they can be photographed next to their favorite soccer superstar or next to their favorite singer …
Price:
Adult from €20
Child (0-5 years) free
Child (5-15 years) from €16.20
Family offer from €17
See the rates of the Musée Grévin
Address: 10 Boulevard Montmartre, 75009 Paris
Access in public transports: Grands Boulevards, lines 8 and 9
Schedule: opened from Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and from Saturday to Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Cité des sciences et de l’industrie
We save the best for last: the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, in the North-East of Paris. In the district of La Villette, you will find a giant space devoted to children: the Cité des Enfants, in which you could share a moment with your children during a playful and stimulating activity. The vocation of the area is to awaken curiosity of the children and to take part in their development through smart exhibitions and unique temporary exhibitions.
From the age of 2, children can gambol in the 1,700 square meters divided into 5 parts: “I discover myself”, “I know how to do” and “I get my bearings” contribute to the development of the child and to the learning of the body’s control. The spaces “I experiment” and “All together”, accompany children towards an opening of the world and towards others. Take your camera; they will be irresistible when they will believe themselves to be a weather forecaster or a television news presenter!
You have to know that it is strongly advised to book before going. A session lasts about an hour and a half.
Price: from €9, detailed rates are on the official website
Address: 30, avenue Corentin-Cariou 75019 Paris
Access in public transports:
- in underground : Porte de la Villette, line 7.
- in tram : Porte de la Villette, line T3b.
Schedule: opened from Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and opened on Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Leisure activities
Pailleron Sports Place
In Pailleron sports area*, skating rink is opened all year and attracts whether young or old people to whiz speedily on ice all afternoon. Every first Friday of the month, you can ice skate during a party where the atmosphere is guaranteed with record companies’ new talents.
Not really attracted by skates? Don’t worry! You will always be able to take comfort in a sweet breaststroke in the swimming pool. The aquatic area is divided into two parts: on one hand you have the sports space surrounded by bay windows and glass roofs. A real work of art, the place is ranked as a “historic monument.” And on the other hand, you have playful pools: from the paddling pool to the massaging bath with a wave ball, everyone will find their happiness! “Foam” parties also take place during the year; do not hesitate to keep yourself informed thanks to the website.
Prices for the ice space:
Skate rental €3
Unit price for entrance: €3.50
Membership card 10 entrances without skate rentals: €29
See the rates for the Pailleron Sports Space*
Address: 32, rue Edouard Pailleron 75019 Paris
Access in public transports:
In underground : line 7, stops Bolivar, Jaurès, Laumière or Colonel Fabien
Schedule:
During school terms, sports space is opened on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Wednesday: from 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Saturday: from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Sunday: from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
During school holidays: from Monday to Friday (8:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.), Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
La tête dans les nuages
In case of rain, you can take refuge at the covered play area La Tête dans les Nuages that overflows with as many games and activities for children as for adults: video games, billiards, bowling, table foot … As well, there is a space devoted to the youngest and available from age 3. Come and share a casual and friendly evening with family or an excellent moment during a cold or a rainy afternoon.
Prices:
€2 = 1 token
€10 = 6 tokens
€20 = 12 tokens
Prices are on the official website*!
Address: 5 Boulevard des Italiens, 75002 Paris
Schedule:
Opened everyday, including during the public holidays
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: from 11:00 a.m. to 00:30 a.m.
Wednesday and Sunday: from 10:00 a.m. to 00:30 a.m.
Thursday: from 11:00 a.m. to 00:30 a.m.Friday: from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Saturday: from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Access in public transports:
In Underground: lines 8 and 9, stop Richelieu-Drouot
Kapla Centre
A source of joy and of attraction for the youngest, Kapla game consists in making wood’s personal universe. It develops the ability to organize items in a three-dimensional space and enables the child to discover and to refine its means of action on the material. So summon up your patience and build a knight, a princess or your favorite singer!
Price: €15 per person (see the rates for the Centre Kapla*)
Address: 27 rue de Montreuil – 75011 Paris
Schedule: opened from Monday to Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Access in public transports: stop Faidherbe-Chaligny (line 8)
Gardens/Parks
Tuileries Gardens
Paris welcomes you into one of its oldest green spaces: the Tuileries Gardens!
A real French formal garden masterpiece, the Tuileries offers a multitude of appealing and diverse leisure activities. With a trampoline, donkey or pony rides, theater of Puppets or cycling races, your children will no longer know where to look. Have a walk into the lateral paths, your children will have the opportunity to go cycling, to run or to play ball. If the sun shows up, think about the picnic day!
Address: Place de la Concorde – 75001 Paris
Schedule: from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., from last Sunday of September to the last Sunday of March, and from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., from last Sunday of March to last Sunday of September
Access in public transports: Tuileries (line 1) or gare de Musée d’Orsay (RER C), then cross the Seine by the Solférino footbridge
Jardins du Luxembourg
During summer days, children will appreciate making the small sail ships slide on water with the help of a thin pole, and they will also enjoy the puppet theatre, a great basketball or football game or the playground of the Poussin Vert (it’s a park opened from Monday to Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in winter and from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in summer having a playfield with a slide, a sandbox, an adventure tour with tunnels, a rope in the form of a cobweb and lots of surprises to discover! (Allow for €2.50 per child and €1.50 per adult. Ticket is valid all day long.)
Address: entrances -> place Edmond Rostand, place André Honnorat, rue Guynemer, rue de Vaugirard
Schedule: the garden is opened according to the daylight.
Access in public transports:
In underground: Odéon (lines 4 et 10), Mabillon (line 10), Saint-Germain-des-Prés (line 4)
RER B: Luxembourg-Sénat
Jardin d’Acclimatation
Aside that the Jardin d’Acclimatation has perfectly matches landscapes, cultural animation and attractions, it offers numerous activities such as the work group:
- cookery for the little gourmets
- “the laboratory of colours” in which children create natural colours they will use to draw
- crazy scientist, allowing kids to produce lemonade or to bring out a real rainbow
- Zumba and hip hop dances
- animals from the little farm
- circus comedy
- magic
- street art
You have to know that this is only a sample of the proposed activities and that some of them are free. Each activity lasts two hours and costs €30 (garden entrance included). The entire day with two activities and a lunch costs €65. Further details about prices and content of activities!
Cost of the entrance in the garden: €5.20 (check the prices of the Jardin d’Acclimatation)
Address: Bois de Boulogne, Rue du Bois de Boulogne, 75116 Paris
Schedule:
From Monday to Friday, from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday, during holiday and national holidays: from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Access in public transports: Les Sablons (line 1).
Zoos
Paris’ Zoo (Zoo de Vincennes)
With more than 1,000 species to your credit, the zoo is an astounding space of exchange and leisure activities. Come and admire the flamboyant lions, the majestic elephants from Africa, the graceful otters from Europe and other animals growing in harmony with their environment! The discovery and the observation of animals is always a fascinating moment for children. Seeing them react in front of animals is just as captivating for their parents.
The little educative and playful touch is that it is not the animals that are shown to the children but the children themselves that are invited to discover the animals. It’s the occasion for all the family to get some fresh air
Price: between 14€ and 22€ for the ticket adult-child at full price. For those under 3 years old, the entrance is free. Detailed rates are on the official website.
Address: Bois de Vincennes, Avenue Daumesnil, 75012 Paris
Schedule: the zoo is open all year.
- Schedule from the end of March to the end of April: from 10:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the week and from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. during the weekends, the public holidays and school holidays all areas
- Summer schedule (from the beginning of May to the end of August): from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. every day
- Schedule from the beginning of September to the end of October: from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during the week and from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. during the weekends, the public holidays and school holidays all areas
- Winter schedule (from the end of March to the end of October): from 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, except on Tuesday – weekly close day, except during public holidays and school holidays
Access in public transports:
Porte Dorée (line 8) : less than 10 minutes walk from the zoo entrance
Saint-Mandé (line 1) : from 15 minutes walk from the zoo entrance
Château de Vincennes (line 1), then bus 46
In tram : line T3 (stop Porte Dorée)
Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes
Opened in 1794, the Menagerie is one of the oldest zoos in the world! Nestled in a verdurous safe haven, it houses about 200 animal species (mammals, birds, turtles, crocodiles, lizards, snakes, amphibians, crustaceans, spiders …) one-third of which are threatened with extinction.
Good to know: the Zoo of Botanical Gardens offers a better view of its animals and, because of that, they are viewed more easily by children, and this zoo is also cheaper than the one inf Vincennes.
You have to know that there is a package to visit both zoos (the one in Vincennes and the small one)!
Full fare (from 26 years old): 13€
Reduced rate (for people between 3 and 25 years old): 10€
See the prices of the Ménagerie
Address: 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris
Schedule: the zoo is opened every day:
- from the end of October to the beginning of February: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- from the beginning of February to the end of March: 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
- from the beginning of March to the end of October: 9:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Detailed schedule are on the official website.
Access in public transport:
In underground: Gare d’Austerlitz (line 5), Censier Daubenton (line 7), Jussieu or Gare d’Austerlitz (line 10)
In RER C: Gare d’Austerlitz
Food
Berthillon Ice Cream Maker
In this family company founded by Raymond Berthillon, famous ice creams are made just above the shop. Berthillon proposes to you more than 70 flavors of ice cream (salted butter caramel, banana, tiramisu, vanilla, coffee …) and sorbets (blackberry, bloody orange, green apple, raspberry, fig, blackcurrant …). Their ice creams are made from milk, milk cream, and sugar. The maison Berthillon opened a tea house on the amazing Saint-Louis Island, where you can have your breakfast.
Price: €2.50 the scoop of ice cream
Address: 29-31 rue Saint-Louis en l’île – 75004 Paris
Schedule: from Wednesday to Sunday uninterrupted from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Yogurt Factory
You wanna taste an ice cream with 0% fat but 100% gourmet on which anyone can add garnish as he pleases such as fresh fruits, cereals, coulis, biscuits or delicious or all kinds of delicious candies? So let yourself be tempted by the Yogurt Factory! Your taste buds won’t resist …
Price: €4.90 at least for the frozen yogurt with garnish
Address: 3 rue Saint Merri, 75004 Paris, France
Schedule: opened continuously from Monday to Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 00:00 a.m.
Access in public transports: Pont des Arts (lines 1 et 12), Hôtel de Ville de Paris (lines 2 et 11), Musée du Louvre (lines 1 et 12), Jardin des Tuileries (line 12).
Schwartz Deli
The Schwartz is a « deli » (abbreviation of « delicatessen »), one of those restaurants-caterer-delicatessens that we meet for instance in New York. Open since 2009, Schwartz’s Deli fast became an inevitable address of the Marais, and its hamburgers are often nominated among the best of the capital.
Price: between €9.50 et €19 (salads, burgers, soups, pasta)
Address:
In the 4th district: 16, rue des écouffes – 75004 Paris
In the 16th district: 7, avenue d’Eylau – 75016 Paris
In the 17th district: 22, avenue Niel – 75017 Paris
Schedule: from Monday to Friday (12:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.-11:00 p.m.) and on Sundays (12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.)
HD Diner
Wanna return to the magical “fifties”? HD Diner gets to immerse you in a 100% retro universe of a real American diner. It is a nod to this kind of restaurant born in the USA during the 50’s and worshipped by the cinema and the TV. Here, a black and white floor with checkered ground and seats covered with synthetic leather sets a scene where the jukebox is the king.
On the menu, you will discover American culinary specialties: more than 20 tastes for your milkshake, mega burgers, giant hot dogs, chips, 100% homemade and even an American brunch served daily! Let yourself be tempted by an experience that is 100% Back to the Fifties!
Price: the average price is about €21
Districts: HD Diner is present in several boroughs of Paris such as Bastille, Boulogne, Châtelet, Gare de l’Est, La Défense, Levallois, Opéra, Rivoli or Saint-Michel
Address:
Bastille: 47 Boulevard Henry IV, 75004 Paris
Boulogne: 4 Av. du Général Leclerc, 92100 Boulogne Billancourt
Châtelet: 25 Rue de la Reynie, 75001 Paris
Gare de l’Est: 6 Rue du 8 mai 1945, 75010 PARIS
La Défense: C.c. Les Quatre Temps, Parvis de La Défense, 92800 Puteaux
Levallois: 31 Rue d’Alsace Levallois, 92300 Perret – C.C. So Ouest
Opéra: 25 Boulevard des Italiens, 75002 Paris
Rivoli: 2 Rue du Roule, 75001 Paris
Saint-Michel: 25 Rue Francisque Gay, 75006 Paris
*Website only available in French
I aim to share my tips and recommendations for the beautiful country of France. My goal is to help you plan your next adventure, whether it’s a weekend getaway or a once-in-a-lifetime trip. From finding the best hotels and restaurants, to discovering unique activities and sights, I’ve got you covered!
