Things to do with kids in Stockholm, sorted by weather and age: museums, parklekar (staffed adventure playgrounds), playgrounds, animals, swimming and winter activities. Written by us, who are out with Stockholm children every day and know what works on an ordinary Tuesday, not just on holiday.
Stockholm is an unusually good city to be a child in. There are staffed playgrounds, museums built for children, swimming spots within reach of the tunnelbana (metro) and forest twenty minutes away. The problem is not finding something to do, but choosing the right thing for this particular day, this weather and this child. Here is the list we go by ourselves.
When it rains
- Junibacken, Djurgården. The story train through Astrid Lindgren's worlds, Villa Villekulla to climb in, theatre several times a day. The best place in Stockholm for children under six. 1 to 7 years.
- Tekniska museet (the National Museum of Science and Technology), Gärdet. Big, interactive, and the children are allowed to touch everything. Allow three hours. Good from the age when the child can walk on their own. 4 to 14 years.
- Naturhistoriska riksmuseet (the Swedish Museum of Natural History), Frescati. Dinosaurs, whales, stuffed animals in halls you can run around in, and Cosmonova with films in a dome. 3 to 12 years.
- Vasamuseet (the Vasa Museum), Djurgården. A whole ship from the 1600s. Toddlers are fascinated for twenty minutes, school-age children for two hours. Combine with Junibacken next door. 5 years and up.
- Rum för barn, Kulturhuset at Sergels torg. A library built for children, with reading corners, a workshop and staff who read aloud. Right in the city centre, perfect between errands. 0 to 10 years.
- Spårvägsmuseet (the Tramway Museum), Norra Djurgårdsstaden. Old trams and buses to climb in. Less well known, rarely crowded. 2 to 9 years.
- Lekstugan at Nordiska museet, Djurgården. A child-sized 19th-century home where you are allowed to touch everything. An hour, no more. 2 to 7 years.
- Soft play centres. Found in several suburbs, including Bromma and Kungens kurva. A spacious option on a Sunday in November when everything else is full. 2 to 10 years.
- The swimming pools. Eriksdalsbadet on Södermalm has a children's pool, and almost every municipality around Stockholm has a pool with a baby pool and a play pool. From 6 months with an adult.
When the sun is out
- Skansen, Djurgården. The animals, the old houses, Lill-Skansen with small animals, and plenty of grass to run on. A whole day with a packed lunch. All ages.
- Gröna Lund, Djurgården. A funfair with its own children's section. Open seasonally, check the dates before you promise anything. 3 years and up.
- Hagaparken, Solna. Big lawns, Fjärilshuset (the Butterfly House) with tropical warmth, a shark and fish aquarium, and a whole day without traffic. All ages.
- Rålambshovsparken, Kungsholmen. A staffed parklek, a big playground, swimming at Smedsudden and skate ramps for the older ones. Most things in one park. 1 to 14 years.
- Bryggartäppan, Södermalm. A playground built as a miniature 19th-century block, with alleys, houses and a little tavern. Children play here for hours. 2 to 8 years.
- Anders Franzéns park, Hammarby sjöstad. The pirate park: ships, jetties, a lighthouse. Water play in summer. 2 to 9 years.
- Fjäderholmarna. Twenty minutes by boat from Slussen or Nybroplan. Rocks, ice cream, swimming and the feel of the archipelago without a long journey. 3 years and up.
- Hellasgården, Nacka. Forest, swimming in Källtorpssjön, child-length walking trails and the café afterwards. Bus from Slussen. 3 years and up.
- The beaches. Smedsuddsbadet, Långholmen, Brunnsviken and Hökarängsbadet. All on public transport, all with sand. All ages with an adult.
In winter
- Ice skating in Kungsträdgården. Free ice in the middle of the city from November to March, skate hire on site. Support frames for the little ones are usually available. 4 years and up.
- Sledging. Hammarbybacken has dedicated sledging areas, and every district has its own slope. Ask at förskola (municipal preschool, from age one) which one. 2 years and up.
- The Christmas market at Skansen. Weekends in December. Go early, it is full by twelve. All ages.
- Skating on the lakes. When the ice holds, half of Stockholm heads out onto Brunnsviken and Trekanten. Only with adults who can read ice, and only where there are other people. 6 years and up.
- The libraries. Every district has a library with a children's corner, story times and warmth. Free, nearby and underrated. 0 to 10 years.
Parklekar: Stockholm's best kept secret
Stockholm has a large number of parklekar: staffed playgrounds where the staff lend out bikes, sledges and toys, organise activities and keep an eye on things. They are free, open on weekdays and often weekends, and there is one in almost every district. Ask at förskola which one is yours, or search the city's website. For a parent with a lone child at home on a Saturday, the parklek is the best thing there is.
Plan around the child, not the list
| Age | How long | Best choices |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 years | Two hours at most, plan around nap time | Junibacken, Lekstugan at Nordiska, parklekar, any sandpit at all |
| 3 to 5 years | Half a day | Skansen, Junibacken, Naturhistoriska, Bryggartäppan, Fjäderholmarna |
| 6 to 9 years | A full day with a packed lunch | Tekniska museet, Vasamuseet, Hellasgården, Gröna Lund, ice skating |
| 10 years and up | Let them choose | Tekniska, Gröna Lund, the beaches, town on their own with friends |
How we do it with our families
Our nannies are out with Stockholm children every day, and it is rarely at the museums. It is the playground three blocks away, the parklek with bikes to borrow and the walk to the library. The big outings are lovely, but what the children remember is that the same person came on Tuesday and knew which swing was theirs.
Would you like a nanny who knows the parklekar in your area and comes on the same days every week? Book a free first meeting with the nanny in your home.
Read more: Nannies in all our areas · Crafts for kids · Children's birthday party at home
Frequently asked questions
What can you do with kids in Stockholm when it rains?
The museums on Djurgården and in the city centre: Junibacken, Tekniska museet, Naturhistoriska riksmuseet, Vasamuseet, Spårvägsmuseet and Rum för barn in Kulturhuset. The soft play centres in the suburbs and the swimming pools are the alternatives once you have seen the museums.
What is free to do with kids in Stockholm?
The staffed parklekar, the libraries, Hagaparken, Rålambshovsparken, ice skating in Kungsträdgården in winter and all the playgrounds. Several of the state museums have had free entry for periods, check the museum's website for what applies right now.
What suits a two year old in Stockholm?
Junibacken, Lekstugan at Nordiska museet, the animals at Skansen, the parklekar and any playground with a sandpit. Keep the outing under two hours and count on a nap in the pram.
How do you get around Stockholm with kids?
The tunnelbana and buses work well with a pram, most stations have lifts. Tram 7 runs from the city centre to Djurgården and is an experience in itself for small children. Avoid rush hour, 7 to 9 and 16 to 18.