10 Best Things to Do in Paris with Children

When travelling to Paris with children, most people think of Disneyland. However, there are many things to see and do in Paris for the little ones to enjoy the trip. From its spectacular gardens to the monuments themselves, there are attractions for the youngest members of the family.

Here are some tips and suggestions to make your trip a success and ensure it remains etched in the memories of the youngest members of the family.

The jewel in the crown when visiting the city with children is, without a doubt, taking advantage of the trip to do and see everything there is to do and see at Disneyland Paris.

This theme park is perfect for spending a few hours of fun, although it is important to buy a pass to avoid queues if you don't want to spend more time waiting than you do on the most popular attractions at Disneyland. Here are the two options available:

• One-day tickets for Disneyland Paris, from £67
• Multi-day tickets for Disneyland Paris, from £169
• Tickets for Disneyland Paris with express bus service, from £127

With all the restaurants and services available at Disney, it will be hard to get the kids out of the park when the day is over.

When visiting a city as big as Paris, with so many places to see and long distances between them, tiredness can make it difficult for children to enjoy themselves. One way to avoid this without missing out on the places you want to see is to start with an organised tour or excursion around Paris. Here are my favourite options:

• Ghost tour, from £13
• Bike tour of Paris, from £35
• Personalised private tour of Paris, from £48
• Paris patisserie tour, from £80
• Tour of Paris' covered passages and galleries, from £111

If you're travelling with children, I recommend choosing one of the tours that allows you to customise the itinerary. After all, you know your children best, so you'll know what places will interest them most.

What's more, this way of visiting the city will allow you to get to know it a little better so that you can then explore on your own, without forgetting the informative input of the guides. Many of them are used to having children in the group, so they will certainly know how to spark their interest in what they are seeing.

If you find the metro too complicated to use with children, the city offers a really interesting alternative: Paris tourist buses, which allow you to discover Paris comfortably and at your own pace, without bothering the little ones.

As there are several buses with different stops, you'll have no problem getting to almost anywhere you want to visit, with the added advantage of being able to hop on and off as often as you like. What's more, the top deck is open, which children usually love. Finally, many buses have an audio guide in Spanish so you can learn about the places you're passing by. Here are the main ones:

• Big Bus Paris night tourist bus, from £27
• Big Bus Paris tourist bus, from £39
• Toot Paris tourist bus, from £42

Finally, a similar option to the tourist bus is the batobus. This is a boat that travels along the Seine, stopping at the most important monuments on its banks. Children are sure to enjoy travelling around the city by boat.

Travelling with children to Paris does not mean missing out on the city's most important monuments. However, to ensure they enjoy themselves and don't get bored, you need to change the way you see them and introduce activities that will excite them. The views from the Eiffel Tower, for example, can be fascinating for little ones. Going up is always a good idea, and at the entrance you will be given a game featuring a character called Gus Gus, who will help you discover some interesting facts about the monument.

One of the factors to bear in mind when taking children on this outing is the climb up the Eiffel Tower. The stairs, although spectacular, may be too long for younger children. However, the option of taking the lift is much more comfortable and therefore more suitable for them.

And I would never miss the opportunity to go up the Eiffel Tower with a guide who explains all the secrets and interesting facts about the tower. Below, I highlight all the options available, with and without a guide, with and without a lift, so you can choose the one that best suits your interests:

• Skip-the-line tickets to the top of the Eiffel Tower, from £37
• Guided tour of the Eiffel Tower with climb up the stairs and optional access to the top, from £40
• Tickets for the Eiffel Tower in Paris, from £38
• Tickets for the Eiffel Tower by lift, from £36

In addition to the must-see Parisian icons, there are other lesser-known activities that children can enjoy.

• Don't miss the Paris Zoological Park, also known as the Vincennes Zoo. It is a huge space with five biozones distinguishing the native animals of each continent, where you can discover more than 180 animal species.
• Discover the Paris Aquarium, one of the oldest in the world, where you can literally touch the fish. Explore the depths of the sea among more than 13,000 species, watch the mermaid show or the shark tank. A perfect plan for a day out with children.
• Visit Le Grand Rex Studios, a former art deco cinema. This is for film buffs of all ages, as you can tour the studios, see first-hand how special effects are created for films and view the photo archive of your film idols.
• Take a ride on the Ballon de Paris, a hot air balloon that rises about 150 metres above the French capital. If you want to enjoy this experience, just head to André Citroën Park from 9 am.
• Discover the Grevin Wax Museum: almost all children love wax figures, and those in this Parisian museum are no exception.

One of the questions you'll probably ask yourself when planning a trip to Paris with children is whether they'll be able to keep up with the pace of visiting some museums. Obviously, it doesn't seem like the best idea to force them to spend a whole day at the Louvre, for example, but that doesn't mean you have to give up on those visits.

Not only are many Parisian museums free for children under a certain age, but if you plan your visit well and keep it short, you're sure to enjoy it. Following the example of the Louvre, the first thing you should do is book your tickets to the Louvre Museum without queuing and decide which rooms you want to visit.

Another important aspect is to find out if the museum has activities for children, as is the case with the Louvre. On Sundays, the Louvre sets up family points with entertainers who give tips on how to visit the museum so that children don't get bored. You can also book a guided tour of the Louvre, letting them know that you are coming with children so that they can take this into account.

Other museums to visit with children

The French capital has a wide range of museums, and some of them are more fun for children than others. Here is a short list of those that may be most suitable for children:

• City of Science and Industry: In this large science museum, you can learn through experiments, optical illusions and scientific exhibitions, as well as visit the planetarium. The best way to educate while having fun!
• Rodin Museum: Its smaller size, as well as the fact that part of the collection is located in its beautiful gardens, can be an advantage when visiting with children. In addition, the gardens are equipped with deckchairs and places to buy ice cream.
• Natural History Museum: This is undoubtedly one of the museums that will appeal most to children. Its galleries contain a wealth of objects related to the natural world. A visit to the Palaeontology Gallery, with its dinosaur fossils and sabre-toothed tigers, is a real highlight.
• The Museum of Magic: Much less well known, this museum in Le Marais is one of the best places to take children. They will be surprised by a little trick at the ticket office, and the interior is full of artefacts related to the world of magic.

The same goes for the exterior of Notre Dame Cathedral, which remains closed due to the 2019 fire. But don't worry, there are virtual tours that allow you to explore the architecture of this majestic cathedral before it burned down in an immersive way. Take advantage of the visit to tell your children the Disney version of the story of the famous hunchback.

Those travelling to Paris in spring or summer will be able to enjoy the city's gardens. When travelling with children, these green spaces are perfect for allowing them to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Many of them also have play areas that will delight the little ones.

• Tuileries Garden: located near the Musée d'Orsay and the Louvre, these gardens feature a Ferris wheel, swings and a merry-go-round. It's an ideal place to take a break between museum visits.
• Luxembourg Gardens: in addition to the beauty of the park itself, this garden is famous for its well-known puppet theatre, which is so popular that it is usually filled with Parisian families on performance days. There is also a merry-go-round and you can go sailing.
• The Champ de Mars: located right at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, you can spend some time here after visiting the tower. It has several areas with swings, as well as food stalls if you fancy a family picnic.

Despite its well-deserved fame, Disneyland Paris is not the only amusement park you can visit during a trip to the French capital. Parc Astérix is really interesting for children. Less crowded than Disneyland and with a more educational focus, many people think it is more interesting and fun than Disneyland.

Within Paris itself, you can visit the Jardin d'Acclimatation, a park offering activities that combine attractions with culture and nature. Here you will find a circus and educational workshops, as well as the chance to see farm animals, a puppet theatre and boat rides.

Another great option for exploring with the little ones is to book tickets for the Paris Zoological Park, a 14.5-hectare park with 180 special animals.

Like any major capital city, Paris offers a wide range of things to see and do, including shows for the youngest members of the family. Spending a morning or afternoon at one of these shows will make your experience even more enjoyable.

These shows range from puppets to magicians, singers and storytellers. Here are some of the ones that children are most likely to enjoy:

• Les Pestacles: every year between June and September, the Parc Floral de Paris is filled with concerts and musical shows for children.
• Workshops and games at Paris Plages: the famous river beaches of Paris host a variety of events for children to enjoy their stay. Among the most entertaining are the activities organised by the BHML (extramural libraries).
• Cirque Bouglione: the oldest circus in Europe: between October and March, the Cirque Bouglione company opens its doors to showcase its new repertoire. It is located in the 11th arrondissement, in the Bastille area.
• Little Villette programme: throughout the year, La Villette park offers activities for children and teenagers, from circus performances to film screenings, magic shows and puppet theatre.

Even if you've booked an organised tour for some of your visits, getting around Paris will still be important if you're travelling with children. The first obvious option is the extraordinary Paris metro, but in some cases it won't be convenient. The stations (some of which are real tourist attractions) don't have lifts, so if you're travelling with a pushchair, you'll have quite a bit of difficulty. In addition, the entrance doors are often narrow, so you will have to ask for a special door to be opened if your pushchair is large.

If your children are older, the metro may be a valid option. Just make sure you keep an eye on them in busy stations and just before you reach your stop.

On the other hand, if you are staying for more than two days and plan to use this form of transport a lot, the cheapest option is to buy a Ticket t+ card, which gives children a 50% discount. Children under 3, however, can use the underground for free.