Paris with kids can quickly turn into an obstacle course if you line up museums and long visits back to back. The good news is that the city is full of simple, fun things to do as a family, without spending a fortune. Here are my favorite ideas so everyone has a good time, the little ones and the grown ups alike.
Keep Meals Simple and Everyone Happy
With kids, there's no need to overcomplicate meals. A good crêpe at a crêperie, sweet for the little ones and savory for the bigger kids, and you're already winning. Otherwise, the option that never fails: a ham and cheese baguette from the local bakery, eaten on a bench in a park. It's what Parisians do, and honestly kids love it. Simple, cheap, and it heads off the hunger meltdowns at the wrong moment.
A Macaron Tasting
Here's an activity that pleases parents as much as kids: a macaron tasting. Take them to Ladurée or Pierre Hermé, the two great macaron houses in Paris, and let everyone pick their own flavors. It's colorful, pretty, and it quickly turns into a game of comparing tastes. The kids get into it, and you get to indulge guilt free since it's for them.
Carousels and Trampolines Outdoors
Kids need to burn off energy, and Paris is full of little outdoor pleasures for exactly that. On the Champ de Mars, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, there are old fashioned carousels that always do the trick. And at the Jardin des Tuileries, you'll find a big carousel and a playground, but above all those famous trampolines where kids can jump for a few euros, from age 2. While they wear themselves out, you can catch your breath on a bench in the sun. Bonus at the Tuileries: you can also rent a little sailboat to push around the big pond, a Paris tradition that goes back more than 150 years.
Interactive Museums for Kids
Forget the museums where you have to whisper and not touch anything. Paris has plenty of museums built for kids, where you learn by doing and having fun. My favorite is the Cité des Sciences at La Villette, with its Cité des Enfants: a whole space where they can touch and test everything, freshly renovated. There's also the Musée en Herbe, an art museum designed for younger kids from age 3, with playful exhibitions and workshops. Two safe bets for a rainy day.
A Big Day at a Theme Park
If you want to go all out, nothing beats a day at a theme park. The best known is Disneyland Paris, east of the city in Marne la Vallée. Its second park was actually just transformed and renamed Disney Adventure World, with a brand new world inspired by Frozen. The other option, more French and often cheaper, is Parc Astérix, north of Paris, with its roller coasters and its world of Gauls. Both take a full day, so plan to leave early and book your tickets ahead.
Planning It All Without Losing Hours
Traveling with kids is already enough logistics as it is. The last thing you want, once you're here, is to spend your time hunting for where to go and where to eat with them. That's exactly why I built my Paris guide as a map.
It isn't just a list of addresses. Everything is pulled together in one place, my kids' activities, my parks, my restaurants where families feel welcome, my good bakeries, more than 600 places pinned on a single map you open in two seconds. You download it once and it works offline, so you don't need a signal or data to find your way with impatient kids in tow. You look at what's around you, and off you go.
And you'll find far more than what you came looking for. People often buy it for a few ideas, and they leave with hundreds of discoveries they never would have thought of. That's my whole goal: to help you experience Paris as a family like a local, without the stress and without wasting time.
The full map and its 600+ addresses, is right here:
And for all my Paris discoveries, come find me on Instagram: @ellevousguide