13 Things To Do In Berlin With Kids

Visiting Berlin puts you in touch with history like nothing else. Berlin's 20th-century history alone is more than many cities go through in their entire existence, with the effects of World War II and the Cold War still in evidence everywhere you turn in the German capital. Thanks to the turbulent nature of German history, you can be sure a trip to Berlin will be an education for the entire family. But how do you keep kids entertained while on a trip? Luckily, Berlin is a wonderful city to visit with children. Even if history leaves them completely bored, you'll find lots of other things to do in Berlin with kids. There's always something new and exciting going on, so no matter when you visit Berlin, you'll find plenty to keep the whole family busy.

Of course, traveling with kids means traveling with lots of stuff. But you can make your Berlin trip easier on yourself by dropping off your bags at a Bounce luggage storage in Berlin. Only carry what you need to, and you'll find yourself in a much better position to enjoy everything Berlin has to offer.

Berlin Zoo

A trip to the zoo is always a thrill for kids, and Berlin Zoo has been an important part of the city since 1844, making it the oldest surviving zoo in Germany. In fact, with more than 20,000 animals to see, Berlin Zoo is one of the best attractions of its kind in all of Europe. Easily reached by public transport, this is the perfect place to bring the family while you're exploring Berlin. The zoo is part of the larger Tiergarten, which offers a huge park for kids to have fun and also houses the Berlin Aquarium, so you can visit both attractions in a single day. And it's only a couple of metro stops from Berlin Central Bus Station.

The polar bears and giant panda are some of the zoo's most famous residents, but with so many animals to see, your kids are bound to find their own favorite. And with the Berlin Aquarium and the Tiergarten so close, you won't run out of things to do on a family trip here.

Prenzlauer Berg

Berlin is very much a city of different neighborhoods, each with their own attractions and feel. Prenzlauer Berg, located in the north of the city around an hour by public transport from Berlin Airport, is one of the city's trendiest. You'll find tons of cool boutique stores, designer shops, cafés, and bars in this hill district. However, it's also one of the best places to go in Berlin with kids. This vibrant neighborhood is home to kid-friendly cafés and several attractions designed with the whole family in mind. Check out the Labyrinth Kindermuseum, an attraction full of completely hands-on exhibits for kids from 3 to 11 years of age. Or visit the petting zoo at Jugendfarm Moritzhof for an up-close encounter with a variety of farm animals. Prenzlauer Berg is a great place to visit in the city with kids, because it offers plenty for both adults and children to get excited about. While the kids play in one of the many playgrounds or attractions in the area, you can do some shopping or take a breather in a nearby café.

Checkpoint Charlie

It would be a shame to visit Berlin without experiencing any of the city's history. One of the best places to do that without boring your offspring to tears is Checkpoint Charlie. This was once one of the few crossings between East Berlin and West Berlin, and as such, was the frontier between two entirely different views of the world, the capitalist West and the communist East. Nowadays, checkpoint Charlie is surrounded by retail stores, but the old checkpoint remains, along with its warning signs and fragments of the Berlin Wall. The causes and consequences of the division of Berlin may be a little much for young children to handle, but they'll enjoy getting their passport stamped at Checkpoint Charlie by the actors dressed as border guards. And for older kids, it's a great place to get a visceral experience of the history of the city.

East Side Gallery

Artistically minded kids, especially teenagers, may get a kick out of the East Side Gallery. This open-air gallery was once part of the Berlin Wall, but now the concrete wall has been repurposed into a gallery of street art. The vibrant art is famous around the world and often changes to reflect up-and-coming artists in the city. It's the perfect place for photos and a great location to inspire the artist in your kids while also teaching them a little history at the same time. Plus, it's completely free to visit. If you are visiting Berlin on a budget, don't forget to check out our guide to other great free things to do in Berlin.

Food Tour

Everyone loves to eat. And Berlin, as a center of immigration for decades, has a culinary culture that rivals any in the world. Home to numerous street food festivals and exotic dishes from around the world, Berlin is a fantastic town to eat your way around. Taking a food tour allows you to experience some of the best dishes in the city on a fun and entertaining tour. Some tours even cater specifically to children's tastes, so look for a tour that specializes in looking after kids.

Museum für Naturkunde

Ordinarily, children and museums don't seem like they go together. But when it comes to natural history museums, all bets are off. And Berlin's Natural History Museum, or Museum für Naturkunde, is one of the best things to do in Berlin with kids. One of the top museums in all of Germany, the museum is worth visiting for its stunning dinosaur skeletons alone, which will both thrill and delight kids while teaching them something about the natural world. It's a great rainy day activity and one of the best museums to visit in the city to keep the kids entertained. For more info on Berlin's impressive variety of fascinating museums, check out our guide to the best museums in Berlin.

Berlin TV Tower

The Berlin TV Tower is an iconic landmark of the city. Known as the Fernsehturm in German, the television tower was built in 1969 by the government of East Germany as a symbol of communist engineering prowess. When it was built, it was the fourth tallest freestanding structure in the world, and at 368 meters, it remains the tallest building in Germany and one of the tallest in the European Union. The tower has an observation deck and revolving restaurant 200 m above the ground that will give you fantastic views over Berlin, and kids will enjoy the ride to the top when they visit this famous attraction.

Little Big City Berlin

Both you and your kids will feel like giants at this charming Berlin attraction. Here, the whole city has been lovingly re-created in miniature scale, and you can learn the complicated stories of the city through the dioramas created here. It's especially fun to visit at Christmas time, when the village becomes a miniature Christmas market. But whenever you visit, seeing some of Berlin's most famous sites like the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag building as tiny versions of themselves is not only a fun thing to do, but it also helps you get a better sense of the layout and history of the city you're visiting.

The Jump House

If you want the kids to burn off some energy so you can have a peaceful night, this is the place to do it. The Jump House is Berlin's largest trampoline Park, with more than 120 trampolines divided into seven different fun zones for kids to enjoy. They'll have a great time bouncing around and through the different children's courses, and you'll get some peace and quiet when they finally burn off all that youthful energy.

Legoland Discovery Center

Next to the hustle and bustle of busy Potsdamer Platz, you'll find one of the most popular attractions for families with small children in all of Berlin. The Legoland Discovery Center is the perfect interactive attraction to visit, and one of the best things to do in Berlin with kids. Lego is one of the most popular toys in the world, and kids will have fun expressing their creativity with the brightly colored blocks that are here for them to play with. Legoland also has rides, a Ninjago assault course, and a miniature version of the city of Berlin built entirely out of Lego. There's also a Duplo play area for younger kids, so it's a great attraction to visit with kids of different ages. Plus, let's be honest. Most of us have fond memories of playing with Lego as kids, and you might rediscover a passion for this creative toy yourself.

BergWerk

Older kids can stay active at BergWerk, Europe's biggest indoor climbing park. Featuring a re-created mineshaft, BergWerk is full of rope bridges and assault courses where kids can let loose and enjoy themselves. Older kids can also try their hand at adventure sports like climbing and rappelling, testing their skills in a safe environment. In fact, the climbing walls and rope ladders here are so much fun that you may be tempted to try them yourself. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Computer Games Museum

Kids that enjoy video games will get a real kick out of the Computer Games Museum. And if you're a gamer, you will too. But be warned that the speed of progress in technology may make you feel very old when you see some favorite childhood computer systems on display in this museum.

The museum has over 300 exhibits, ranging from the very earliest computers up to cutting-edge virtual reality. Many of the games can still be played today, making this one of the most fun museums you're ever likely to visit. It won't just be the kids who have a blast here.

Spy Museum

As the meeting point between East and West, Berlin was a city on the front line of the Cold War. As a result, it saw its share of spies from both sides keeping tabs on the other. The history of espionage is celebrated at Berlin Spy Museum. And this is no museum of dusty exhibits in glass cases. Instead, you'll find a laser maze to navigate and be invited to use the latest technology to track down bugs and hidden cameras. It may be called a museum, but this attraction is easily one of the best things to do in Berlin with kids and provides an exciting trip through time none of you will forget.

What are the best family activities to do in Berlin?

Once you start looking, you'll find that Berlin has an almost inexhaustible range of things to do with kids. The best things to do will depend on your own tastes and those of your children, but some of the city's attractions are classics for a reason.

Checkpoint Charlie provides a great way for kids to learn more about the history of the city without getting bored. The Spy Museum likewise offers a fascinating trip through time that feels more like an adventure than a trip to a museum. Younger kids will love the Jump House, and older kids will get a thrill out of the East Side Gallery.

Plus, with so many parks and green spaces dotted around the city, and so much excellent food to try, it's easy to build an itinerary that will satisfy everyone in the family. Drop off your bags at a Bounce luggage storage in Berlin, and you'll be ready to take on the German capital and enjoy your trip to the fullest.