The best beaches for children in Stockholm are shallow for a long way out with a sandy bottom: Smedsuddsbadet on Kungsholmen, Ängbybadet and Kanaanbadet on Mälaren in Bromma, Flatenbadet in Skarpnäck and Hellasgården on Källtorpssjön in Nacka. Small lakes warm up earliest in summer. Rock bathing spots such as Fredhäll and Långholmen suit children who can swim. Always check the latest bathing water tests on the city's website.
It is a Thursday in July, 26 degrees, and a nanny in Bromma is looking after two children aged two and five. It is one o'clock. This is not the moment to head to a beach with people on every square metre. It is the moment to go to a bathing spot where the two year old can stand knee-deep for ten metres without it getting deep, where there is shade and where you are home for dinner. Here is how to find those in Stockholm.
What makes a beach good for children
- Shallow for a long way out. The most important thing. A two year old should be able to walk a long way without the water reaching their tummy. It is also what makes the water warmer.
- Sand or grass rather than rocks and stones. Rock bathing spots are beautiful and harmless for swimmers, but a three year old who slips on algae does not need to experience it.
- Shade. Trees near the shore or room for a parasol.
- A toilet and water. A beach day with a newly nappy-free three year old and no toilet is a short one.
- A small lake. Lakes in town and in the suburbs warm up faster than Mälaren and Saltsjön. In June the difference can be several degrees.
- Nearby. A beach twenty minutes away that you go to three times beats a perfect beach an hour away that you visit once.
Beaches that tend to suit families
These are well-known municipal bathing spots with sand and shallow sections. We do not list addresses or details that change: check the city's and municipalities' websites for the latest bathing water tests, facilities and how to get there with SL (Stockholm's public transport).
| Beach | Where | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Smedsuddsbadet | Kungsholmen, by Rålambshovsparken | Small children, close to town, grass and sand, playground next door |
| Ängbybadet | Bromma, Mälaren | Long sandy beach, shallow, families with children of all ages |
| Kanaanbadet | Bromma, Mälaren | Sand, shallow, often calmer than Ängby |
| Flatenbadet | Skarpnäck, lake Flaten | Shallow, child-friendly, a lake that warms up early |
| Hellasgården | Nacka, Källtorpssjön | Shallow children's bathing area, nature reserve, good for a whole day |
| Brunnsviksbadet | By Hagaparken | Small, grass, suits a short dip with small children |
| Tantobadet | Södermalm, Årstaviken | Small, nearby, for a quick dip after förskola (municipal preschool, from age one) |
| Långholmsbadet | Långholmen | There is a sandy beach, but rocks all around, best for children who can swim |
Which beach for which age?
With a baby under one it is about shade and short dips, not the beach. Choose the nearest bathing spot with grass and trees, be there for an hour in the morning, go home. Between one and three it is shallow water that counts, with an adult in the water the whole time, never on the blanket with a book. Three and four year olds want to dig, build and fetch water in buckets: sand and a wide water's edge. From five, when the child starts swimming, jetties become fun, and then a life jacket goes on until the child can swim 200 metres. School-age children want rocks to jump from, and then Fredhäll, Långholmen and the rocks at Hellasgården are the classic spots, for children who really can swim.
Safety at the water
- An adult within arm's reach in the water with children under five. Not on the beach, in the water.
- Decide who is watching. When two adults are present, children drown because each thought the other was watching. Say it out loud: I have him now.
- A life jacket at jetties and rocks for anyone who cannot swim 200 metres.
- Rubber rings and armbands are toys. They flip over, slip off and give false security.
- Sun protection. Factor 30 or higher, reapply after every swim, a hat and a UV top in the water. More in Sun protection for children.
- Water to drink. Children who are swimming forget that they are thirsty.
- Drowning is silent. A child who gets water in their mouth does not shout, they sink. Watch the child, not the phone.
What a beach day with small children looks like
Go in the morning, when the beach is empty and the sun is not yet strong. Pack the night before: towels, a change of clothes, sun cream, hat, parasol, bucket and spade, water, a snack, nappies if needed, a swim nappy. Allow two hours on site, no more. For the first half hour the child digs in the sand while getting used to it. Then ten minutes in the water, out, dry off, a snack in the shade, in again. Home for lunch or for nap time. An afternoon after förskola can be the same thing in miniature: an hour at the nearest bathing spot, a dip, a sandwich, home.
What goes in the bag
- Towels, one per person, plus a spare
- A change of clothes for every child, including socks
- Sun cream, a hat, a UV top for children under five
- A parasol or a small beach tent for shade
- A bucket, a spade, a little watering can: what keeps a three year old busy for an hour
- Water, lots of it, and a snack that copes with heat: crispbread, apple, cucumber
- Swim nappies for the littlest ones, ordinary nappies for afterwards
- One bag for wet things and one for rubbish
- A life jacket for children who will be near a jetty or deeper water
About the bathing water
The City of Stockholm and the surrounding municipalities test the bathing water during the summer, and the results are published on their websites. During algal blooms, which sometimes occur in warm lakes at the end of summer, small children should not swim at all: they swallow water. Green, cloudy water with flakes in it is the signal. Beaches on Mälaren are rarely affected, small lakes more often. More on day trips and longer journeys in Day trips from Stockholm with kids.
How we do it with our families
Nike has two children on Kungsholmen on Fridays and goes to Smedsuddsbadet when it is over 22 degrees. She picks up at two, the bag has been packed since the morning, and they are at the water by quarter to three. The two year old stands at the water's edge filling her bucket, Nike stands next to her in the water. The five year old is allowed to swim to the point where the water reaches Nike's waist, no further, and that rule has been the same since June. After an hour they eat, then one more dip, and they are home by quarter past four with sand in everything. The note reads: swam at Smedsudden, sun cream at three, no snack needed, tired.
Our nannies are out 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: Swimming lessons for children · Summer holidays in Stockholm with kids · Sun protection for children · Prices
Frequently asked questions
Which beaches in Stockholm are best for small children?
The ones with shallow water and sand: Smedsuddsbadet on Kungsholmen, Ängbybadet and Kanaanbadet in Bromma, Flatenbadet in Skarpnäck and Hellasgården in Nacka are known for suiting families. Rock bathing spots such as Fredhäll are for swimmers. Check the city's bathing water tests on its website before you go.
How warm should the water be for a baby?
At least 20 degrees for short dips, and ideally warmer. Babies get cold fast and cannot tell you. A few minutes in the water, then out, dry and warm up. In Stockholm that means lake swimming with a baby is mostly July and early August, and shallow lakes are warmer than Mälaren.
Does my child need a life jacket at the beach?
A child who cannot swim should have an adult within arm's reach in the water, and a life jacket helps but does not replace that. Armbands and rubber rings are toys, not safety equipment. At jetties and rocks a life jacket is a good rule for every child who cannot swim 200 metres.
How long can a child stay in the sun at the beach?
Babies under one should not be in direct sun at all. Older children need shade between eleven and three, sun cream reapplied after swimming, a hat and a top in the water. A parasol or a tent is the best investment for a beach summer in Stockholm.