The best things to do in Prague with kids (beyond the main sights)

From fairytale castles to parks along the Vltava River, Prague has a host of family-friendly activities to enjoy. Yes your kids will be dazzled by all of the medieval buildings in Prague's Old Town, particularly the Astronomical Clock, but there's plenty more in Prague to inspire and educate your little ones.

Whether you're traveling with toddlers or teenagers here are our top child-friendly days out, plus tips on public transport and where to stay, to ensure your visit to Prague is seamless.

Is Prague good for kids?

Visiting Prague with children is not without its challenges. For one, plan on lots of walking, and the cobblestones can be particularly gruelling for prams and short legs. Add to that the enormous crowds, especially in hot summer, which can certainly wear anyone down. Prague more than compensates, though, with its sheer, medieval fairy-tale feel. Prague Castle really is right out of a storybook. Outside the immediate centre, the city is surprisingly green, and the Vltava River and many parks and gardens offer a nearby, family-friendly respite.

Best things to do in Prague with babies and toddlers

Playgrounds and green space at Letná Gardens

Sitting atop a bluff across the river, north of the Old Town, the sprawling Letná Gardens are a peaceful, family-friendly idyll of walking trails and big fields where kids can roam free. Parents will enjoy the dramatic views out over the river and city below, while younger visitors will gravitate to the playgrounds and more offbeat attractions, like a giant metronome on top of the hill. The trails at the western end of the park extend all the way to the gates of Prague Castle, while the eastern end terminates at the city’s prettiest (and family-friendly) beer garden, where you can grab a beer or soft drink and a light bite.

Best things to do in Prague with kids

Travel to Prague Zoo by boat

The Prague Zoo occupies a bucolic setting along a bend of the Vltava, about 2km north of the Old Town, and is consistently rated among the best in the world. The zoo has a good reputation for caring for its nearly 5000 animals, which include large numbers of elephants, gorillas, big cats and giraffes. Kids will feel right at home at the “Children’s Zoo,” where they can pet and feed farm animals as well as ride a funicular and a mini tram. Everything is signposted in English. You can make getting there part of the adventure. Travel by boat along the Vltava River with the Prague Steamboat Company or enjoy a long walk through Stromovka Park (and catch a ferry to the zoo).

Marvel at the views from Petřín Hill

A journey to Petřín Hill, the tall outcropping on the Malá Strana side of the Vltava, makes for a perfect family outing. The “Eiffel Tower” on top, built in 1891 and modelled after the Paris original, serves as a lookout tower, with views on clear days stretching out to the border mountains to the west and the forests of Central Bohemia.

And that’s just where the excitement begins. Smaller kids will love the mirror maze and fun house, while older children and teens can tour a working observatory.

The surrounding gardens, orchards and fields provide ample space for a picnic lunch. Take the funicular up to start the journey with some excitement, or hike up the paths that lead to the summit.

Pack a picnic for Vltava River & Slav Island

While much of the centre including the Old Town is built up and not overly kid-friendly, the Vltava River, which runs through the heart of city, provides a relaxed space to chill. The banks are lined with walkways and are especially good for duck and swan spotting.

Slav Island (Slovanský ostrov), a small island south of the National Theatre, has a beautiful, well-tended playground complete with a mini-train ride and cafe where parents can sip a coffee. The island’s northern end is home to a jetty that hires out rowing boats and pedalos by the hour in warm weather (April to October). Pack a picnic lunch to make an outing of it.

The National Technical Museum for rainy day fun

Prague’s museums tend toward the musty, old school variety; the interactive, hands-on National Technical Museum is a welcome exception. The museum, which shows off the country’s industrial heritage, has gotten a thorough, modern overhaul. There’s a huge kid-pleasing room stuffed with all manner of vintage locomotives, planes, cars and buses, as well as several floors of play areas plus teen-friendly exhibits ordered around themes like chemistry, metallurgy, architecture and astronomy. The latter section features surviving instruments used by the 17th-century astronomer Johannes Kepler in working out his laws of planetary motion.

The museum offers a discounted family admission and children under six get in free.

Where to to stay in Prague with children

Try to base yourself outside of the more crowded centre and use public transport. The outlying areas of Vinohrady, Holešovice and Bubeneč & Dejvice are green and well connected by tram and metro.

Holešovice has Letná Gardens, and its famous beer garden. Bubeneč is home to sprawling Stromovka Park, another large park with hiking trails and loads of room. Vozovna Stromovka, a handy restaurant in the centre of the park, has an adjacent playground.

Of course, there’s no escaping the Old Town, where most of the city’s top sights are located. There are plenty of kid-friendly eating options around here too.

How to get around Prague with kids

The main tourist areas, including the Old Town, Charles Bridge, Malá Strana and Hradčany (Prague Castle), are mainly off-limits to car traffic, so you’ll have to walk or use public transport.

Prague’s metro (underground) is fast and reliable, but the descent to the platforms is often via a long steep escalator (brush up on your escalator-pram skills before coming). Many trams are now equipped with kerb-level doors, making it easier to on- and off-load strollers and small children.

Kids under six years of age travel free on public transport, but be sure to carry proof of age. Czech drivers are notoriously poor at yielding to pedestrians on crosswalks, so keep a special eye on children around intersections.