Madrid with Kids! – Tips from a Mom
Whether you’re planning a trip to Madrid or a long-time resident looking for new ideas, Madrid is full of great options to keep your little ones entertained.
You might also like my article on workout tips for moms in Madrid.
Parks
Madrid is home to several great parks that offer lots of fun activities.
Madrid Rio: Why not go for a run with your baby along the park lining the Manzanares River? Parents running with a jogging stroller in Spain used to get a lot of odd stares. The running boom has changed all that and made jogging strollers a trend that’s here to stay. Get yours at Baby Running – an online store with top-of-the-line sport strollers.
Casa de Campo: Casa de Campo is a huge park housing the amusement park, zoo aquarium with more than 6,000 animals, and a scenic lake with outdoor cafes and boats for rent. If you’d like to avoid traffic jams and screaming kids on the metro, try the cable car for a scenic view of Madrid along the way. You may want to make sure you are out of the park before it gets dark as escorts tend to make their appearance later in the day.
Retiro: Look for a puppet show at the outdoor theatre on weekends and enjoy the many other street performers surrounding the pond at the center of the park. You can also rent row boats if you’re feeling confident in your deltoids, or sit back and relax on the solar boat. If you are looking to get some exercise, Diverbikes across from the O’Donnell entrance rents all different kinds of bikes, and surreys. Rain driving you and your kids up the wall? Check out the second floor of the library in the park for a space dedicated to babies and children.
Theme parks and zoos
In addition to the amusement park and zoo aquarium in Casa de Campo, your children will also love seeing the animals at Faunia in Valdebernardo. Visitors can interact with cage-free animals, and even feed them. The manatee exhibit and petting zoo tend to be a big hit.
If you have a car, the 30 kilometer drive to Warner Theme Park is the worth the trip. With five different park areas, including Hollywood Boulevard, Superheroes World, Cartoon Village, the Old West and WB Movie World Studios, there are plenty of options to keep everyone in your family happy. Younger kids will love seeing Batman, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Superman while older kids and parents check out the latest roller coasters, log fumes and rapid rivers.
You also have the largest water park in Europe about 15 minutes from Madrid in Villanueva de la Cañada. Aquópolis can get very packed during the peak season so you may be better off going to one of Madrid’s outdoor pools on hot summer weekends.
Summer pool by UCM
Sports fans
Kids dreaming of becoming the next Cristiano Ronaldo will forever thank you for taking them to the tour of the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Mini Real Madrid fans will be in heaven as they visit the players’ locker room, the President’s Balcony and even sit on the players’ bench.
Little ones hoping to join Cholo’s squad will love seeing the Atlético de Madrid Museum. Atlético fans will adore looking at the trophies, memorabilia and collection of shoes and balls dating back to 1903.
Kid-friendly museums
If your kids hear the word “museum” and start to groan, several museums in Madrid could change all that.
The Wax Museum has over 450 figures including Harry Potter, Snow White, The Simpsons and Frodo from “The Lord of the Rings”. Look online for special discounts for families.
The Madrid Railway Museum contains a selection of 19th century trains, related exhibits and a wide range of family friendly activities. Take a break afterwards and have a snack in the café located in a 1930s carriage. In Spring and Fall you can also take a ride to Aranjuez on an old-fashioned train, the Strawberry Train (Tren de la Fresa).
Madrid’s Planetarium lets little explorers observe other galaxies, planets, stars and black holes. Children’s workshops are also available for Spanish-speaking little ones.
With huge dinosaur skeletons and weekend workshops for children, the National Museum of Natural Sciences is another good option for families.
Theatre and concerts for babies and kids
Madrid offers a wide range of theatre and concerts designed for babies and children. The bill is constantly changing so check BabyTribu and Sapos y Princesas for the latest options.
Other ideas
Older kids who are into go-carts will love the Carlos Sainz Center in Madrid and Las Rozas.
Little ones may enjoy visiting The Casa Museo del Ratoncito Pérez – the Spanish version of the tooth fairy. The hours change so check their website before going.
Located inside the Kinépolis movie theatre, The Magic Forest is a children’s park with slides, climbing trees and mazes.
Nearly every neighborhood in Madrid has a play center (ludoteca). Find the one closest to you here.
By Marybeth Redheffer
Marybeth is the founder of Baby Running, an online store selling sport strollers so you can stay fit with the little ones in the city! Check out her website and facebook.