Children in Stockholm can see animals all year round: Skansen with its Nordic animals and Lill-Skansen for the smallest, 4H farms such as Akalla by with goats and hens, Hästa gård on Järvafältet, Fjärilshuset (the butterfly house) in Hagaparken and Naturhistoriska riksmuseet (the Swedish Museum of Natural History). For children under six, a small farm with five animals is usually better than a big park with a hundred. Check current opening hours on each website.
One Sunday in April a two-year-old in Akalla stands in front of a goat chewing his mitten through the fence. He laughs so hard he sits down. That is the whole outing, and it took forty minutes. A five-year-old wants something else: the bears at Skansen, ideally at feeding time. Here is what Stockholm has, what suits which age, and what an afternoon with animals looks like without turning into a full day that ends in tears.
Places to see animals in Stockholm
| Place | Where | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Skansen | Djurgården | Nordic animals: bear, wolf, moose, lynx, seal. A full day for children from four, a short walk for the smaller ones |
| Lill-Skansen | Inside Skansen | Small animals, rabbits, guinea pigs, goats. Best between one and six |
| Akalla by 4H farm | Akalla, Järvafältet | Farm animals in a small space, children can get close. Best for the littlest |
| Hästa gård | Järvafältet | Organic farm with animals, open fields, good for a walk with a pram |
| Other 4H farms | Around Stockholm | Several districts have a 4H farm with goats, sheep and hens. Check which one is closest to you |
| Fjärilshuset | Hagaparken, Solna | Butterflies that land on your child, an aquarium, warm indoors. Good when it rains |
| Naturhistoriska riksmuseet | Frescati | Stuffed animals, dinosaurs, free entry. For children from three who want to look closely without the animals moving |
| Kolmården and Parken Zoo | Outside Stockholm | Proper zoos, a day trip for children from four or five |
What suits which age
- Under one: a walk at Skansen or Hästa gård with the pram. The baby does not see much, you get a lovely day.
- 1 to 3 years: the 4H farm or Lill-Skansen. Five animals, up close, one hour. Your child wants to stroke, feed if it is allowed, and look at a hen for a long time. Anything more is too much.
- 3 to 5 years: Skansen with one goal: the bears, the seals, the moose. Not everything. Fjärilshuset works well, and Naturhistoriska for the child who likes dinosaurs.
- 5 to 8 years: all of Skansen, feeding times, questions about what the animals eat and why the wolf is not dangerous in its enclosure. Now a day trip to a zoo works if you want one.
- 8 years and up: this is where the interest often turns: either your child wants to learn everything, or it is boring. Riding, a 4H club or volunteering on a farm for the one who wants more.
What an afternoon with animals looks like
- Choose one place and one goal. The goats in Akalla. The bears at Skansen. Not Skansen in general.
- Eat first. Animal outings turn into long walks, and hungry children do not see any animals.
- Stop where your child stops. If the two-year-old wants to look at a hen for ten minutes, look at the hen. That is what your child will remember.
- Wash hands after the animals, always, before the snack. Keep hand sanitiser in the bag in case there is no water.
- A snack on a bench once your child has seen what they came for.
- Home before it falls apart. One hour for children under three, two hours for preschoolers, half a day for school-age children.
Rules children need to hear
Animals that do not know you do not want to be stroked without being asked, and that applies to goats as much as to dogs in the park. Teach your child to hold out a flat hand, not to shout at the enclosures, not to feed unless it is allowed, and that an animal that turns its head away wants to be left alone. They are the same rules that apply to a friend's dog in the courtyard, and the 4H farm is a good place to practise. A child who has learned to read a goat can read a dog too.
The seasons
Spring is best on the farms: lambs, kids, chicks. Summer is Skansen and the big enclosures, but avoid the hottest hour in the middle of the day when the animals sleep and the children squabble. Autumn has fewer visitors and calmer animals. Winter is Fjärilshuset and Naturhistoriska indoors, and Skansen in the snow, where the bears are asleep but the moose and wolves are livelier than ever. Djurgården in winter with a thermos is one of the best days Stockholm has, and it is almost empty.
Animals in everyday life, without an outing
You do not always need an outing. The ducks in the pond at the nearest park, the horses at a riding school you pass on your walk, the dog the neighbour walks at four o'clock. To a two-year-old a duck is as big as a bear, and ten minutes by the pond in Parks in Stockholm with great playgrounds is a whole experience. Do not feed the ducks bread, it is bad for them, but do look. Small stops like these are what make everyday life with a nanny something other than waiting for the parents to come home.
Allergies and safety
Children with a pet allergy can often be outdoors by the enclosures without any trouble, but not inside a rabbit hutch or a stable. Ask on site which parts are indoors. Washing hands after touching animals protects against more than allergies, and small children who put their hands in their mouths should be washed straight away. Keep children on your side of the fence, do not lift them over, and keep the pram away from horses and larger animals. The animals are tame, not toys. More on allergies in Pollen allergy in children.
How we do it with our families
Doaa has a two-year-old in Kista on Tuesdays and goes to the 4H farm at Akalla by when the weather is good. They take the bus after förskola (municipal preschool, from age one), are there by half past three, and the child goes straight to the goats. She brings a carrot if it is allowed that day, otherwise they just look. Half an hour with the goats, five minutes with the hens, hand washing, a sandwich on the bench. Home by five. The same farm every time, and the child now says the goat's name before they get there. On the note: goats, hands washed, snack at half past four, did not want to go home, so we are coming back next Tuesday.
Our nannies are out and about with children in Stockholm every week: parks, libraries, swimming pools and playgrounds. Would you like someone to take the afternoons? Book a free first meeting with the nanny in your home.
Read more: Things to do with kids in Stockholm · Museums for children in Stockholm · Nature reserves in Stockholm with kids · Prices
Frequently asked questions
Where can you see animals with small children in Stockholm?
Skansen on Djurgården has both Nordic animals and Lill-Skansen with small animals children can get close to. The 4H farms, such as Akalla by, and Hästa gård on Järvafältet have farm animals. Fjärilshuset in Hagaparken has butterflies and an aquarium. Naturhistoriska riksmuseet has stuffed animals and is free. Check current opening hours on each website.
From what age is Skansen fun?
From about one, when your child walks and can look at a goat in its enclosure. Lill-Skansen suits children between one and six best. School-age children want the bears, wolves and moose and can walk around for a whole day. Under one it is a lovely walk for you, but the baby does not notice much.
Can children stroke the animals?
At the 4H farms and in Lill-Skansen there are often animals children can stroke under supervision, with hand washing afterwards. With the wild animals at Skansen the rule is to look, not feed or shout. Follow the signs and the staff. Washing hands after touching animals is not optional, especially with small children who put their hands in their mouths.
Can we do a day trip to a zoo from Stockholm?
Kolmården outside Norrköping is the big zoo and can be visited in a day, but it is a long journey with small children and works better from about age four. Parken Zoo in Eskilstuna is closer. Both are open seasonally, so check the hours and whether they are open on the day you plan to go.