15 Best Things to Do in Stockholm with Kids + Itinerary (2026)

Stockholm is an incredible place to visit with kids. It’s so family-friendly, with a lot that is great to do with kids when they’re young.

I’m half Swedish, and visited Stockholm several summers as a kid. I recently brought my two kids (4 and 12 years old) to Stockholm, and we had such a great time experiencing this wonderful city together.

For being one of the world’s major cities, its one of the best ones that I’ve brought my kids to. I’m amazed at all there is to do in Stockholm with kids. There are:

• several kid-friendly museums (including the largest open-air museum in the world)
• an amusement park on the water
• lots of boat rides, as its a city on water
• a beautiful and walkable old town
• tons of family-friendly restaurants

Sweden in general also has a very relaxed and positive attitude towards families and children, and I felt this in Stockholm too. It’s a beautiful city, and ideal for families, and you’ll probably find after reading this article that there are so many things to do, that you’ll have to stay a night or two longer than you originally planned! We spent 5 nights there on our most recent trip, and I wish we would have had more time.

So, let’s chat about the things you can do as a family in Stockholm!

Suggested Itinerary for Stockholm with Kids

Because there are such interesting and unique things to do in Stockholm as a family, I recommend spending at least three days in Stockholm with kids. (We spent 4 nights, and it was just barely enough time to be able to experience the best of Stockholm as a family.) I would do more, if possible.

Here’s how we structured our Stockholm itinerary with kids:

Day 1: We explored Old Town. (We weren’t staying in Old Town, it was a 20-minute walk which is doable – Stockholm is a very walkable city.) In Gamla Stan, we checked out the Stortorget, saw the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace, the cathedral, and admired the cobbled roads
Day 2: Spent the day at the Skansen Open Air Museum, on Djurgarden Island
Day 3: Took the ferry back to Djurgården Island to visit the Gröna Lund Theme Park
Day 4: Back to Djurgarden Island again, to visit the Viking Museum and the Vasa Museum

There are other really cool things to do in Stockholm besides the above, but this is what we prioritized. I will show you additional options below. I recommend staying somewhere in our just outside Old Town; its very easy to take the ferry to Djurgarden Island. It’s a 10-minute ferry ride, and you can tap your credit card to pay your fare (kids are free on the Stockholm transit system.)

Things to do in Stockholm with Kids

1. Spend a day at Gröna Lund

I’d highly recommend a day at Stockholm’s amusement partk ,called Gröna Lund (which translates to Green Cove) which is on Djurgården island. There are all kinds of rides there, including roller coasters and a drop tower. We used to go to Gröna Lund (also known as Tivoli) every time we went to Stockholm. I most recently brought my two kids and it was as fun now as it was 20+ years ago!

We found Gröna Lund so well run; it was busy, but not overwhelming. It had a variety of rides – roller coasters, some rides for younger kids. My 4 year old was a bit more limited in the rides she could go on, but there were still plenty of rides for her.

When you visit Gröna Lund, you choose between:

• An entrance only ticket (and pay extra once inside for coupons for rides)
• A ‘Ticket to Ride’ entrance, which includes unlimited rides, which is what we did, and found worth it. Our Ticket to Ride admission included two jump the line opportunities, which was nice to have

Tickets can be booked for the date you want to visit on the website here.

2. Spend a day at the Skansen Open-Air Museum

Besides Gröna Lund, Skansen is the #1 thing I’d suggest doing in Stockholm with kids. It’s a massive park, and its one of the first and largest open-air museums in the world. There are buildings, a zoo, playgrounds, food trucks, parks, and even beautiful views of Stockholm City from some areas.

Open-air museums are very popular in Sweden during summer, but Skasen is open every day of the year, and they add elements of Swedish culture and tradition depending on time of year you visit. We were there for their Midsummer celebration in mid-June.

The purpose of Skansen is to show you what life in Sweden was like 100s of years ago, and they bring this to life, along with lots of other things to do with kids. There’s a zoo with native Swedish wildlife (arctic fox, moose, reindeer) and several playgrounds.

Our kids (12 and 4) both loved it. Its a really nice day out with kids. You can book your tickets on the Skansen website.

Pro Tip: You could spend the whole day at Skansen if you wanted to. It’s quite large, and extensive!

3. Explore Old Town (Gamla Stan)

Gamla Stan is a must on anyone’s Stockholm itinerary – its one of the oldest, prettiest and best-preserved old towns in Europe. Even as a child, I was mesmerized by the beautiful alleyways and cobbled streets of Gamla Stan, and exploring it with my two kids was extra special.

As you walk around Gamla Stan, you will see countless restaurants, cafes and Swedish souvenir shops. The best thing is to just admire the beauty of these old streets and buildings, and take it all in.

There are some key things to see in Gamla Stan:

• Stortorget – the oldest town square in Stockholm, with the iconic reddish orange buildings side by side. There’s a large fountain in the centre, and occasionally people performing. The Stortortget is a must for photos and family pictures
• Mårten Trotzigs Gränd, the skinniest street in Stockholm, shorter than your arm span. However, there was a huge line up just to get into it when we were here, so we moved on.
• The Royal Palace –  changing of the guard ceremony is held at 12:15pm every day and lasts around 40 minutes. It gets busy, and hard for kids to see if you don’t get a good spot. My little one sat on my husband’s shoulders so we could see. It’s well done and I’d recommend it. Get here 30 minutes early if you’re visiting in spring or summer. Also, there is such a cute gift shop and bathrooms on-site
• Stockholm Cathedral (Storkyrkan) built in the 1200s, and is the city’s oldest church. Kids under 18 can enter for free, but it costs money for adults. We just took photos from the outside
• Museums – The Jewish Museum, the Nobel Prize Museum, the Medieval Museum and the Royal Armoury Museum

We spent half a day exploring Gamla Stan with our kids, and I found it to be enough. The town is beautiful, but also quite busy in the summer months, and with only four full days in Stockholm, there were many other things we wanted to fit in as well.

4. See the sunken ship at the Vasa Museum

Best for: Ages 5+ (but all ages can participate – everyone under 18 is free!)

The Vasa museum is also on Djurgarten island, and the main draw is a 1600s ship that sank in the harbour and was brought back up in the 1960s. We found visiting Vasa highly worth it. Seeing this massive ship was mesmerizing for all of us, including the kids!

It is so well preserved with so much detail. The museum was more extensive than I expected, with three floors, movie theatres showing info videos, interactive displays, etc. You move from floor to floor, getting a chance to view the ship from different angles, and view the activities and other artifacts on each floor.

My 12 year old was more interested than my 4 year old, but both of them liked it and we’re all glad we saw it. You can grab tickets for the VASA Museum in advance on their website, which saves time when you arrive.

Pro Tip: There was a kiosk outside the Vasa museum where we grabbed a snack. If you’re looking for somewhere to sit down and eat, Restaurangen Blå Porten – (means Blue Door restaurant in Swedish) a Mediterranean restaurant, has a large outdoor courtyard, and is right next to the Vasa Museum. They don’t have kid’s meals, but you’ll find many things kids will like on the menu; especially their Blue+ menu. Check it here.

5. Take a boat or ferry ride around the city

Stockholm being a city on water means you often need to take a ferry from one side to the other. Unless you’re staying on Djurgården Island, then you may end up taking a ferry there which is a nice opportunity to see views of Stockholm from the boat.

This was a lot of fun for us, but also our kids. The ferry system is connected with the city’s transit system, and they’re all well-run, clean, and on-time.

I think its worth it to get out on the water while you’re in Stockholm, whether its a ferry ride or taking a boat tour. It allows you to see the city from a different perspective and appreciate that its a city of islands.

Here are some ways to make sure you set foot on some type of boat while you’re in Stockholm:

• Take the ferry to/from Djurgården! Taking the ferry is the same as taking the metro or tram – its interconnected with the city’s transit system. Simply pay as if you’re using your credit card to buy something, and you’ll be on the ferry!
• Book an electric boat ride (50 minutes long) this will show you more of the city, rather than just being a way of getting from one place to another.

6. Learn about vikings at the Viking Museum

Best for: 5+ (but all ages welcome; kids up to age 6 enter free)

The Viking Museum is another one of the family friendly attractions on Djurgarten Island. We popped in here at the last minute, as it was 3pm (an hour from their closing time.) This meant that we visited when it was less busy, and we were glad we managed to get in here – it was really informative and fun.

The Viking Museum interactive museum for kids and adults of all ages – a small, slow roller coaster-like ride that takes you on a journey of visuals.

You can see Viking artifacts, remnants of one of their ships, and there are live demonstrations and activities. Visiting the Viking Museum is well worth it, and I would say you could easily spend 2 hours here, although we condenced our visit into 1 and would still say it was worth it.

Grab your Viking Museum entrance ticket online on Viator here

7. Enjoy the fika culture as a family

Fika in Sweden is about sitting down with a coffee, and taking in the moment and relaxing. This may sound like its mostly an adult thing, its well loved by kids too.

Fika involves drinks, plus usually some baked goods and pastries. Children in Sweden typically drink saft, a syrup mixed with water that creates a red sweet drink – or just a regular juice.

There’s no special place to get a fika in Stockholm. Fika can just be at your apartment or hotel, a picnic in a park, or a random coffee place. It doesn’t have to be at one of the special places that advertise ‘fika’ in Old Town, because fika can happen anywhere.

So, I suggest grabbing some pastries from a bakery, juice for the kids, and warm drinks for the adults and sitting anywhere that you find relaxing. Fika isn’t something you find in a place. It’s about the mindset of relaxing and taking a break.

So in my opinion, the best spot for a fika is wherever you’re staying, or a park somewhere! Buy some cinnamon buns, cookies, cakes, and bring coffee and juice. Sit down, put phones away and interact with eachother. This will best capture the fika spirt

8. Visit some awesome playgrounds

Stockholm is so good about having lots of playgrounds, ranging from large elaborate ones, to small micro ones in the middle of the city. It’s pretty easy to just take a break, and let the kids burn off some steam.

Stockholm can be a lot of walking and younger kids will appreciate the break. We were lucky to have a playground right outside of the apartment we rented, so my 4 year old played here every day.

There are some really large, imaginative playgrounds in Stockholm that you can venture out to, but they are all a bit ‘out of the way’ from the heart of the city centre where most tourists stay.

9. See the colourful paintings in the metro

The metro is a convenient way to get around Stockholm, especially if you aren’t staying central. Several (not all) of Stockholm’s metro stations are artistically painted with creative designs.

But if you’re on the metro anyway, seeing some of the colourful designs is an added bonus! Here are some of the colourful metro stations in Stockholm to be prepared to see colourful desings:

• T-Centralen (white with blue designs) this is the main metro station in the city, so if you’re taking the metro at all, you’ll probably end up here. The express bus from the airport brings you here.
• Stadion (painted in rainbow colours)
• Rådhuset metro station

It’s so easy to use the metro. Simply tap with your credit card as you enter, and it will charge you! No hassle of having to pay for a ticket. Once you tap and pay to get in, you can go anywhere you want within 75 minutes.

Pro Tip: Children are always FREE on the Stockholm subway. When you tap, simply bring them through with you.

10. Visit the Junibacken Children’s Museum

Junibacken is a children’s museum inspired by the stories of Swedish author Astrid Lindgren (who wrote the Pippi Longstocking books.)

Junibacken isn’t like other children’s museums. The inside of it reminds me of the scene Mary Poppins, where they jump into the paintings. It looks like like you jumped right into a story book – its so amazingly put together, and highly worth a visit with kids.

There is also an escape room for older kids and adults, beautiful gardens in the exterior, as well as a theatre and gift shop. You can pre-book tickets on the Junibacken website (and cancel them up to the day of your visit.)

11. Try Swedish ice cream

Swedish ice cream is really the best! You will see soft ice cream sold in many places around Stockholm, with a variety of sprinkle options. I definitely recommend trying the ice cream while you’re here.

Above you can see some different sprinkle options, and the ones that we chose. It’s fun to be able to choose different toppings every time you get ice cream.

12. Head to the Toy Museum

Best for: All ages (but ideal for younger kids)

Like other museums in Stockholm, the Toy Museum is quite unique and fascinating. It’s located inside a cave, and there are many toys and pretend play areas where they can role play.

While all ages are welcome, I would mostly prioritize the Toy Museum if you have young kids between 3 and 8 years old. There is also a little underground where you can have fika onsite.

The Toy Museum is open from 10am to 5pm every day. Kids between 3-18 years old cost 115 kronor, which is around $10 USD. Adult entrance ticket costs around $16. Book here on their website.

13. Sample different foods at Östermalms Food Hall

Best for: All ages

Östermalms food hall is a historic food market that dates back to the 1800s in Stockholm.

Traditionally, the market was based around meat and cheese but they have so much more than that now; Lebanese cuisine, healthy plant-based fast-food, Scandinavian open-faced sandwiches. See all the options here.

Of course you can also get the more traditional items – fresh produce, jams, Swedish flatbread, cheeses and meat, baked goods, and coffee. It’s a

Östermalms Food Hall opens at 9:30 every morning. It’s in a less-visited area of Stockholm which you probably wouldn’t be spending time in unless going there specifically for the food hall, so I recommend taking the metro. Get off at Östermalm’s Saluhall on the red line.

14. Visit the Tom Tits Experiment Science Museum

Best for: All ages (best between ages 7 and 15)

I know the name sounds a bit weird, but don’t let it put you off. Tom Tits Experiment is a science museum, located in a suburb southwest of Stockholm.

Students learn about science through hands on, interactive displays. It’s a lot of fun, and there are a few floors. If you have school-age kids, you could easily spend a whole day here. There’s an outdoor area as well with gardens, insects, and life-size dinosaurs.

There’s a cafeteria on site, with a weekly changing menu – or you’re welcome to bring a packed lunch.

If driving, it would take around 35 minutes to get to Tom Tits Experiment by car from Stockholm. See details on visiting here.

15. Take a boat tour to the Stockholm archipelago

Best for: All ages

While boat rides just around the city centre are under an hour, boat trips to the archipelago boat rides are longer – often 2-3 hours in length.

With kids, you have a couple of options for seeing the archipelago.

• This kid-friendly kayak tour of the Stockholm archipelago for kids who are 6+ years old. (It’s on the pricy side – a few hundred dollars per participant. But its 3 hours long and includes a fika snack)
• Do a boat tour of the archipelago with Stromma, which are also around 3 hours long but all ages can participate and its quite a bit cheaper than kayaking. Strollers are welcome aboard (preferably foldable ones) and there is a cafeteria and food service.

16. Visit towns, islands and nature reserves outside of Stockholm

Best for: All ages

Most tourists mainly spend their time in the Stockholm area, and rightfully so – but there’s so much to see in Sweden beyond that. Stockholm has lots of amazing day trip options, and many of them would be great with kids.

Here are some possible day trips from Stockholm to consider making room for in your Sweden itinerary.

• Uppsala (1 hour) a quaint town with the beautiful Uppsala Castle and Cathedral, a botanic garden and large park
• Lida Friluftsgård – an outdoor area, to enjoy nature recreation centre, 30 minutes (by bus or car) from Stockholm. There’s also a cabin that sells great food – the menu changes daily, so be sure to check their website.
• Gävle (1 hour) Walk through the cobbled streets of old Gävle. Visit the kid’s playground and do mini golf in the Boulognerskogen park. Visit or stay overnight at Kybacka Farm, outside of Gävle where you can spend time with animals
• Drottningholm Slott (Queen’s Palace) -Only 10 km from the city centre, but it can take up to an hour to get here with public transit. There are special activities for kids at Drottningholm. However, you can also simply visit the outside of it for free.
• Vimmerby (3 hours) – Known for its Astrid Lindgren Theme Park, which is mostly set up to look like you’re on the set of a Pippi Longstocking book
• Grinda island- a nature reserve just 1 hour away by ferry. Very family friendly. You can visit for the day, or even stay overnight.
• Sandhamn island – similar to Grinda, but more activity-oriented and a bit more lively. (With younger kids, I’d choose Grinda.) See details on getting to Sandhamn here

See my Sweden travel itinerary (which can be done in 7-14 days for how to structure a trip to Sweden and see more than just Stockholm (with or without kids.)

Where to Stay in Stockholm with Kids

Here are some of the best places to stay as a family in Stockholm, according to different budgets. All of these places are located near Stockholm Central Station, which is a 15-20 minute walk to Old Town

• Budget: Elite Hotel Adon 1800s building with creatively decorated rooms, close to old town and central station, offers a great breakfast and very kid-friendly
• Mid-Range: Old Town Stay Hotel (what we chose, because we prefer having separate rooms!)
• Luxury: Radisson Blu Viking Hotel Right beside Stockholm Central Station, with a swimming pool, and a superb breakfast

Important Tips for Visiting Stockholm with Kids

✅ Stockholm is made up of islands. With kids, the island you’ll want to spend a lot of time in in Stockholm is called Djurgården. Djurgården has most of the attractions that you’ll want to visit with kids in Stockholm. However, there aren’t a lot of accommodations on Djurgården. so we took a ferry to Djuargården almost every day – you can grab the ferry to Djurgården from Sussen and simply tap your credit card to pay.

✅ Many of the kid-friendly attractions are included in the Stockholm City Pass, which can be bought for 1-5 days. (Many attractions in Stockholm allow children to enter for free, so you should determine if the pass is worth it for just you, or your kids as well.)

Stockholm for Families FAQ

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about visiting Stockholm and Sweden with kids in tow

Is Stockholm worth visiting with kids?

Stockholm is absolutely worth visiting with kids. There are more than 20 different activities in Stockholm that are suitable to the whole family. Sweden is a child-friendly place in general, and Stockholm does a good job at creating environments and activities where people of all ages -from baby to adult- are welcome and entertained.

Is Sweden good for children?

Yes, Sweden is a great place to visit with kids. Sweden has a very outdoorsy, and family-friendly culture. Children are welcomed in almost all settings, and the peaceful and naturalistic setting is the perfect place for them to spend time outside.

Final Thoughts on Stockholm with Kids

By now, you know of the long list of great things there are to do in Stockholm for families. I’ve travelled quite a bit, and I find Stockholm to be one of the most family-friendly capital cities. I love how children are always considered and welcome on most activities.

Most things to do in Stockholm are very versatile, meaning it can be a great thing to do as adults only if you want it to be, but it can be enjoyed with children too. This is the case with many of the museums, fika culture, the amusement park, and other aspects of Swedish culture. Ha de så bra (have fun) in Stockholm!