15 must-sees for kids in Copenhagen

The list is a compilation of Børn i byen favorite sights and spots in the city, including everything from kid-friendly museums and playgrounds, to historical venues. 

Changing of the guards at Amalienborg

Everyday at noon (12PM on the dot), the Royal Life Guard at Amalienborg (the Queen’s palace) are relieved by a new batch of guards. On days where the Queen is actually home (she’s a busy lady), the new guards set off from the Royal Life Guard barracks in Gothersgade at 11:27AM. Accompanied by musicians, they parade through the city toward the palace in bearskin hats and blue uniforms, marching past both the Round Tower and Kongens Nytorv, on their way to the palace.

Where: Amalienborg Slotsplads 5, 1257 København K

A day in Tivoli Gardens

A trip to Copenhagen wouldn’t be complete without a stop in Tivoli, where both big and little ones can have a great time with the rides, playgrounds, pantomimes, sweets, and seeing all the beautiful sights, such as the gardens which Tivoli is known for. You can enjoy a picnic on the lawn, give up your pacifier to the Sleeping Troll in Lykkerosen, or eat your way through the many restaurants within the amusement park or find something good at the new foodhall next door.

Where: Vesterbrogade 3, 1630 København V

  ✔︎ With a Kids in the City club membership you get 15% off in selected periods. 

Shopping on Strøget

Strøget, Copenhagen’s main pedestrian street, runs through the center of town, with shopping opportunities, restaurants, and cultural experiences for the whole family. To make your tour of Strøget especially child-friendly, visit the Disney Store at Amagertorv or take a much-needed break on the playground behind Helligaandskirken (the Church of The Holy Ghost) or try a bite of something delicious and creamy from La Glace. A few little pit stops might just help the little ones last a little longer–– and let you slip into a few shops along the way.

Where: From Kongens Nytorv to Rådhuset (City Hall), Indre By

Meet the animals at the Zoo

Copenhagen ZOO is always a sure winner with the kids! There’s everything from pandas and polar bears to snakes and sloths. After working up an appetite, check out the food stalls or one of the new restaurants––Bistro Panpan has a direct view of the pandas! When the kids are tired of watching animals, there’s a huge playground in the children’s section where they can run faster than a cheetah or swing on the bars like little monkeys they are.

Where: Roskildevej 32, 2000 Frederiksberg

✔︎ With a Kids in the City club membership you get 15% off in selected periods. 

Art and creativity at The National Gallery of Denmark

Visiting The National Gallery of Denmark isn’t just a chance to catch an interesting exhibit; it’s a unique opportunity for your kids to unleash their creativity. In the Children's Workshop they can paint and draw to their hearts’ desire with a little help from the artists in residence. The museum is worth a visit for its architecture alone, especially in regards to the spectacular union of the 19th century main building with the modernist extension from the 1990s.

Where: Sølvgade 48-50, 1307 København K

New meets old in Carlsberg Byen

Carlsberg Byen is one of Copenhagen's newest districts. The historic area, originally founded by J.C. Jacobsen in 1847 for his Carlsberg beer production, has been thoroughly renovated and redeveloped. The district is rapidly growing and already has a flourishing international school. Enjoy a stroll through the area and check out the modern architecture, alongside the original Carlsberg buildings. There are lots of lovely open areas and two different parks, making the place attractive to families with children.

Where: Between Frederiksberg, Valby, and Vesterbro

A view from the Round Tower

Take the kids to The Round Tower  (Rundetaarn) and let them get dizzy trying to run the whole way up the long winding spiral. From the top of the 35-meter-tower, you can spy on the city from above – and if you look closely on a clear day, you might even be able to see all the way to Sweden. During the summer you can sweeten your trip with an ice-cream from Topkiosken (the kiosk at the top). Plus, on selected days you can visit the tower observatory, which is the oldest of its kind in Europe.

Where: Købmagergade 52A, 1150 København K

✔︎  With a Kids in the City club membership, kids are free and adult tickets are 50% off.

Back in time at the National Museum of Denmark

If you want to your children to learn a little history, check out the Children's Museum within the National Museum, where the little ones can explore a Viking ship, an old school room, or have hands-on experience of a medieval kitchen, and much more. If they complain about going to a museum, then learning about the work people had to do in the past, might just teach them how privileged they are to be bored!

Where: Ny Vestergade 10, 1471 København K

Fresh air on Langelinie Promenade

If you need some air – why not combine it with a beautiful view of the water! Take a walk along Langelinie promenade to the Citadel (Kastellet). Boat-enthusiasts can revel at the enormous cruise ships often docked there and the kids can blow off some steam on the playground near Langelinie Pavillon. Don’t forget to wave to the Little Mermaid, before you climb the ramparts and check out the Citadel’s old cannons.

Where: Langeliniekaj 2, 2100 København Ø

Canal tours around the city

Experience Copenhagen from one of the many boats that ferry tourists and locals in and out of the capital's canals. The humorous guides will give you a whole new perspective and the inside scoop on all the historic buildings and monuments, while the kids will thrill every time the boat makes it under one of the low bridges. The guide will tell them when to wave to the Queen in her castle!

Where: The canals in Copenhagen, Indre By

Fun and play in Fælledparken

Set aside a full or half day to experience Fælledparken (The commons) on Østerbro with its wide open spaces, beautiful lake, and countless playgrounds (with traffic towers and sensory themes). Plus there's a skate park, where both the big and little ones can try out their roller skates, skateboards, scooters or whichever way your kiddos like to roll. Last but not least, there’s a water playground where you can splash around on the hottest days of the year.

Where: Edel Sauntes Allé, 2100 København Ø

Educational play at the Experimentarium

Don’t despair if the weather is a little sad and cloudy – Copenhagen has plenty of fabulous indoor experiences! For example, why not make your way to the Experimentarium in Hellerup, where the interactive science exhibitions invite your kids to play and learn about everything under the sun. Children and adults alike will be fascinated and inspired by the experiments.

Where: Tuborg Havnevej 7, 2900 Hellerup

  ✔︎ With a Kids in the City club membership you get a 20% discount.

Picnicking with giants

Can you spot the giant? Go picnicking in the forests of Copenhagen’s western municipalities and search for the six forgotten giants: Teddy Friendly, Oscar under the Bridge, Sleeping Louis, Little Tilde, Thomas on the Mountain, and Hill Top Trine – all created from scrap wood and recycled materials and named after the volunteers who built them. Maps and directions are available on Thomas Dambo’s website.

Where: Taastrup, Ishøj, Rødovre, Vallensbæk, Albertslund, and Hvidovre

Skiing and sledding at CopenHill

Dreaming of a ski trip in summer, then look no further than CopenHill, where you can ski and snowboard year-round. CopenHill is an artificial ski slope, which also offers hiking and crossfit opportunities, along with some après-ski fun and refreshments at the café. Whichever activity you prefer or if you’re just looking for a great view of the city, CopenHill is worth a visit, because how often can you go to a ski resort in the middle of a city?

Where: Vindmøllevej 6, 2300 København S

✔︎ With a Kids in the City club membership you get a 10% discount.  

Colorful Christiania

Let your children experience a different way of life by visiting Copenhagen's very own freetown. Christiania is a colorful place that’s still stuck in the hippy movement from the seventies, with crooked old houses, alternative people, cozy eateries, a fun playground, and a skater ramp. When you enter Christiania, it’s like time stops, and you move around in a colorful and relaxed –– but also messy –– bubble of life, love, and chaos.

Where: Prinsessegade, 1422 København K

Want to save some money on adventures with your kids? Kids in the city Club, which gives you discounts on more than 200 family adventures in Copenhagen.