I absolutely love Paris and have visited five times, three of which I have brought my children with me. Paris might be known as the city of love but there is tons for families to do. Here are some of my favorite things to do in Paris with kids over the years.
Parent and Me Cooking Class
If the French can do anything, it’s making some amazing pastries! One of our favorite things to do in Paris is eat until our hearts content but when we get back home we want the same goodies so learning how to make them is mandatory. We took the Parent/Child Macaron class at Cook n’ With Class. This class is geared towards kids 6-12 years old but there was a family with a 4 year old in our class. We’ve personally done cooking classes when our kids were younger in Marrakech, Brazil and Costa Rica so if you think your child can manage the length they’re fine with younger kids joining. They only allow 8 participants so be sure to book early, it’s a must. They do offer other cooking classes too if macarons aren’t your thing.
Take the Miraculous Cruise Down the Seine River
If your kids watch Miraculous, the Adventures of Lady Bug and Cat Noir you’ll want to take the Miraculous Cruise down the Seine River with them. Seine River cruises are very popular in Paris but admittedly can be a little boring depending on the age of your child. So make it interesting with this theater-like cruise that has the characters LadyBug and Cat Noir on it. Each child is given a book with 5 puzzles to solve throughout this hour-long cruise. The puzzles have to do with the museums and buildings along the Seine River so they’re learning as well. This cruise is offered by Bateaux Parisiens and only during the summer months.
Jardin d’Acclimatation
If you’re looking for a break from sight-seeing in Paris with kids take them to Jardin d’Acclimatation. It’s a super fun filled day with rides, playgrounds, petting zoos, games and more. We had so much fun here and there was never a dull moment. There is a flat rate entrance fee and then you can purchase an unlimited ride pass or a set number of tickets to pay individually per ride.
Perfume Making Class
When looking up things to do in Paris with kids my daughter came across perfume making classes and we immediately wanted to book one. Most unfortunately only allow adults 18+. However, we found a parent and me class through Candora Paris which is parents and their children only. It is 100% catered to kids 6-11 with a whole puzzle to solve throughout the class which teaches them about the different scents they’ll then be using to create their own fragrance. It’s only offered 2 days out of the week with limited seats so be sure to book in advance.
Eiffel Tower Tour
I mean, did you really go to Paris if you didn’t see the Eiffel Tower? A lot of people just check out the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadero or one of the other viewing points throughout Paris. I highly recommend actually going up the tower and getting the full experience. You can purchase tickets directly on the official Eiffel Tower website here but you can only buy them 60 days in advance and they tend to sell out quickly as resellers stalk the site and purchase loads of them.
As an alternative you can book through a 3rd party which we ended up doing because we couldn’t get tickets directly on the site. The good thing about this was we had a guide who explained the history of the Eiffel Tower. Our tour was through XXXXXXXX. When visiting you can take the elevator up or climb the stairs. Elevator tickets cost more and sell out quickly but we opted for the stair climb as that’s what my daughter requested. There are 328 stairs to the first floor and another 372 stairs from 1st to 2nd floor. If you go to the summit you can only reach here by elevator and you need a summit ticket. The view from the 2nd floor is the best though as the summit has extremely high railings that block the view.
The first floor of the Eiffel Tower has quick food restaurants, snacks and ice cream with plenty of seating. Grab a bite, sit here, relax and enjoy the beauty of the tower. Be sure to grab a “Tour Eiffel Kids” booklet as an activity children can do during or after your visit.
Take a Picture with Mona Lisa
Another must do in Paris is to see the infamous Mona Lisa which is located inside the Louvre Museum. The museum is huge and takes hours to get through so be sure to put aside enough time to visit. This may change in the future but especially if you’re visiting during the summer you want to make a reservation in advance. When we arrived with our pre purchased tickets in June there were plenty of people trying to visit but turned away as it was sold out.
Explore Montmartre
It’s no wonder so many people adore the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris. It’s home to Sacre-Coeur which has one of the best views of the city. There is also a carousel here the kids can take a spin on.
While watching a cabaret is probably not on your list of things to do in Paris with kids the Moulin Rouge is still iconic. There is no harm is walking by the building and taking a photo even if you wouldn’t dare watch a show.
This neighborhood also is home to plenty of beautiful cafes like Le Consulat and Mason Rose. Want to get a self portrait drawn? Then head to Place du Tertre, just a 5 minute walk from Sacre Coeur. It’s a famous square in Paris with restaurants and an abundance artists looking to draw your portrait. Never take the first price you are quoted, we ended up paying half of what the artist originally stated.
Have Hot Chocolate at Angelina’s
When looking for a sweet treat in Paris head to Angelina’s. You can have afternoon tea here or get their hot chocolate which people rave about. It was too chocolatey for me but I also am just not a chocolate fan in general. They serve lots of treats as well as a full menu for brunch/lunch. The french toast was really good!
Visit the Dior Museum
If your kids are into fashion you have to take them to the Dior Museum. Since my daughter is a fashionista she said this was one of her favorite things to do in Paris. There are 13 or 14 rooms you go through learning about Christian Dior, his road to internationally famed designer and seeing many of his designs. They give kids a book upon entry to answer questions throughout the exhibit which allowed my daughter to be even more engaged through our visit.
Explore Jardin de Luxembourg
Jardin de Luxembourg is one of the most well known parks in Paris for good reason. It’s absolutely gorgeous and has so much space for kids to run around. There is a place you can rent toy boats for kids to race or sail in one of the fountains. Kids can also go on pony rides here, it’s a great place to spend an hour or two.
Have a Picnic in Front of the Eiffel Tower
If there is one thing that Parisians do it’s picnic! You will often see people on any open green space sprawled out enjoying the scenery and eating. We wanted a picnic with an Eiffel Tower view and Champs de Mars is a very popular place for this. Unfortunately due to construction going on the view was obstructed during our visit so we had ours along the Seine River instead. You can bring your own blanket and spread or you can even book a company to set up a picnic for you. There are plenty of companies with picnic options on Airbnb Experiences.
Visit the Eiffel Tower at Night to See it Sparkle
Whether you do an Eiffel Tower tour or not you have to see the Eiffel Tower light up and sparkle at night. It is absolutely stunning and such a different experience at night. You don’t need a ticket or anything for this just head to the Trocadero at nightfall. Once it’s completely dark for the first 5 minutes of every hour until 1am the tower sparkles and it’s magical!
Ride the Carousel at the Trocadero
What kid doesn’t want to ride on a carousel? With one right at the Trocadero in front of the Eiffel Tower it’s the perfect place to take a break with the kids. We went here the night we went to see the Eiffel Tower light up and made it a whole experience. Riding the carousel and getting churros/ice cream from the snack shops killed time while waiting for the first sparkle since it wasn’t until 11pm in June (the sun sets really late in Europe over the summer).
Take a Break and Run Around Palais Royal
Palais Royal is the famous area near the Louvre with the black and while columns. Not only is it nice for photos, it’s also a nice place to allow kids to run around and burn off some energy. My daughter had way too much fun here climbing up and down the columns and jumping off them.
Have Breakfast at a Parisian Cafe
You can’t leave Paris without having breakfast at a Parisian Cafe. I promise you want to skip breakfast at your hotel and eat where the Parisians do. I love just being around the locals, getting the local prices on food and taking in Paris from the sidewalk, watching everyone go about their day. My daughter enjoyed the fresh pastries!
I promise you’ll want to ditch your hotel’s breakfast at least one day and eat at a typical Parisian Cafe. For starters the prices are much cheaper but also it’s all about the atmosphere. There’s nothing like sitting on the sidewalk at your table, people watching and enjoying the beautiful views.
Make a Day Trip to Disneyland Paris
The entire reason my daughter chose Paris for our annual mommy and me trip was to go to Disneyland Paris. Disneyland Paris has two parks, Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios. Disneyland is most like Magic Kingdom and Walt Disney Studios is similar to Hollywood Studios at Disney World in Orlando.The parks are 45 minutes outside of Paris. You can do a day trip like we did, we bought park hopper tickets and visited both parks in one day. During our visit the parks were open 9:30am-11:00pm so plenty of time to visit both.
As an alternative you can stay at one of the Disney hotels close to the park entrance. These hotels were quite expensive and we preferred to stay in Paris and make the commute. You can take the RER train direct from Paris to the park entrance so it’s easy and we had no transfers as the hotel we were at was walking distance to the RER line. Round trip train tickets were 10 Euros for adults and 5 Euros RT for kids.
Parent and Me Spa Day at Free Persephone Spa
Who doesn’t love a good spa day? After all the walking we did during our trip ending it with a spa day was very necessary. I found Free Persephone Spa that has an entire Parent and Me spa menu. From manicures, pedicures, massages and tea time they will cater to you and your child. We did a mommy and me massage and now I think my daughter will be asking for one every month! For children then only allow 25 minute massages and you are in the same room with your child. Each service includes tea time.
Book a Paris Photoshoot
Trips to Paris are often once in a lifetime so document this special time with your family. There are so many places in Paris that are gorgeous you can really take pictures anywhere. Of course the Eiffel Tower and Louvre are the most iconic. We booked a photoshoot with Romain from @bax.paris.photographer and loved how everything came out. Email him at romain.paris.photographer@gmail.com and tell him The Traveling Child sent you for 10% off your booking!
Do a Museum Treasure Hunt
One way to keep kids engaged at museums is to make it fun with a treasure hunt. That Muse and Paris Muse both offer treasure hunts at museums or tours of museums specifically for families with kids.
Where to Stay in Paris with Kids
Paris hotels are known to be small, like standard rooms are tiny!! Since there were only two of us on our most recent trip we decided to stay at Hotel La Comtesse which is near the Eiffel Tower. They have Eiffel Tower view rooms like we picked as well as rooms with street views.
On a previous stay we booked a suite at the Holiday Inn Paris – Gare de l’Est. They would not allow my family of four to stay in a regular room even though it had two beds and one of my children was only 1 at the time.
We have so many amazing memories of our family trips to Paris. We hope you enjoy our list of things to do in Paris with kids as much as we enjoyed doing them. Did you find this article helpful? If so, please share it! Heading to other cities in Europe with kids? Check out our itineraries from trips to Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Brussels.