Stockholm with Kids: ideas of things to do and places to visit on a family vacation in Sweden

08.07.2015 7950


This review is about family things to do with kids in Stockholm: sights, activities, entertainment, kids-friendly museums and more. Some of these places are accessible year round, while others are only open in the summer. All prices in this review are valid as of February 2013 and listed in Swedish kronas. 

 

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The Stockholm Underground and the Stockholm Card
Some inexpensive places to eat with your kids in Stockholm
History Museums of Stockholm for Kids
Interactive Museums in Stockholm for Kids
Kids entertainment in Stockholm: attractions, a zoo, and a waterpark
Stockholm observation decks

 

Stockholm Underground, Stockholm cost of transportation, and the Stockholm Card

In Stockholm, there are no “M” indicating subway entrances, that might be common in other cities. In Sweden, the sign for the underground is a “T” for Tunnelbana. As soon as you start going down on the escalator, it seems like you are on your way into a cave: almost all of the stations are styled as different colored underground grottos. Some stations are dark and bright, while others are even multi-color.

 

 

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An adult ride in Stockholm Metro, for example, starts at 12.50 kronas, so people planning on riding around the city a lot would be well advised to purchase a pass for the day, possibly for a few days. Passes start at 115 kronas (for 1 day) and discounts are provided for kids and adults under 20 years old. All information is available on the Stockholm city transport website: sl.se/sv/Resenar/Valja-biljett/Vara-biljetter. It’s in Swedish, but an online translator should fix the problem.

For avid travelers and those located in the city center, the Stockholm Tourist Card is a good option. Included in the cost of the card transportation are rides in the underground, buses, light trains, and the suburb trains as well as boat, bus, and bike tours (only in English and you child must be at least 12 years old), and 80 different museums and attractions in Stockholm. All you have to do is show your card to the driver or the ticket checker at the entrance, if you try putting it up against the ticket machine - it won’t work. Along with the card you also get a map of the city center with a description of tourist attractions.   

 

 

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Several types of Stockholm Tourist Cards are available: for 1, 2, 3, or 5 days. The cost for a day is 495 kronas for an adult and 225 kronas for kids aged between 6 and 17. Cards with a two day validity cost 265 kronas for adults and the same amount (265 kronas) for kids. For children under 6 years old, practically all museums in Stockholm are free. You can find out more about the Stockholm card here: visitstockholm.com/ru/stockholmcard, it is also possible to buy the card at Arlanda Airport and tourist offices.

People planning on riding around the city a lot and visiting as many museums as possible should consider buying the Stockholm Card. If you only have one day in Stockholm with kids - we suggest that you spend it at the Djurgården Island, which is a home to Skansen (with a small zoo in it); Junibacken; the Vasa ship, the Grona Lund Theme Park, the Aquaria Marine World, the Museum of Nordics, the Biological Museum, and various gardens and parks, as well as numerous playgrounds for kids.

 

 

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Where to eat and snack with children in Stockholm

Cafés and restaurants in Stockholm get pretty pricey, especially in the city center where a lot of tourists come by. Those who like fast food will be surprised by the high prices at the Swedish McDonalds. In the local chain called Max Burgers, however, you’ll get a much better value for salads, burgers, and French fries. You can also grab a salad or some fries at the 7eleven chain, and most places showing the “Buffet” sign offer an all-you-can eat salad bars and even lunches.

Most museums and other public places have picnic rooms as well, which are rooms where you can warm up the food you’ve brought with you and sit down to eat it.

 

The History Museums in Stockholm for kids

In summer, visitors of the the Skansen open-air museum (located on the Djurgarden Island) can stop by any of the 160 buildings, representing all of Sweden. There are also city blocks with professional craftsmen, market square, a printing-house, and a wooden church. In some of the locations kids can see the traditional way of making cheese,  glass, dishes and much more. In the winter time Skansen funs fewer activities and workshops, but aside from the historical buildings there are always the zoo and the aquarium.

 

 

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There is a tour train that loops from Bolnes Square all over Skansen and a cable railroad that leaves Hazelius as well. In summer, the Galeyan Swings Area and the Lill-Skansen Carousels with race cars areas open up for kids. Admission for children under 5 years old is free, 60 kronas for kids between 6 and 15 years old, and from 100 to 160 kronas for adults, depending on the season.

Also located on Djurgarden is the Vasa Ship Museum. The ship actually sunk in the Baltic Sea way back in the 17th century, yet when it was pulled out of the water 300 years later, it remained almost completely undamaged.  Visitors are not allowed to board the ship, but they can walk around it and gaze from every angle, nd see real cannons and cannon balls in addition to its bell – one of the first “aqualungs” made for sea diving. At the movie room guests can see a film about the history of Vasa. The movie is available in a number of languages. Admission to the museum is free for persons under the age of 19, 110 kronas for students, and 130 kronas for adults.

 

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At the Middle Age Stockholm Museum visitors can learn how people used to live in the Middle Ages and get a look at a market square, a church, and a gathering place. There is also a garden next to the museum where doctors used to grow healing herbs. Adult tickets cost 100 kronas while kids and adults under 19 are admitted free of charge

The Royal Armoury is located right below the Royal Palace in old town. During 2018 you can explore the magnificent royal carriages in the atmoshpheric cellar vaults. Free entrance. The Royal Armoury is buildning a new permanent exhibition which is set to open in 2019. 

 

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Located in the same building is the Toy museum with toy cars, airplanes, ships, railroads, dolls, and doll houses. Presented in the Mickey Mouse room is the history of Disney characters along with doll dioramas and a children’s theater, where shows are performed daily. There is a general ticket both for the toy museum and the transportation museum. For children under 7, admission is free, for kids between 7 and 18 years old admission is 29 kronas, and for adults - 40 kronas.

Presented at the City transport museum is the history of its development in Stockholm, going from horse rail cars to street trains. Visitors can go inside all of the rail cars, both the passenger section and the driver area. There is also a small railroad in the museum halls for kids that both children and adults can ride. It is possible to activate toy railroads and models of trains as well.

 

 

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The Nobel Museum isn’t very big, but visitors can learn a lot about the Nobel Prize winners, the selection process and so on. In the movie rooms, short movies about Nelson Mandela, Mary Curry, Niels Bohr, as well as other scientists, writers, and political activists are shown. At the entrance, kids can pick up special booklets with a fun quiz titled A Hunt for the Nobel Prize, answers to which can be found on an adventure through the museum. Persons under the age of 18 are not required to pay and adult tickets cost 100 kronas.    

 

Interactive museums in Stockholm for kids

To pay a visit to Carlson, Pippi, Petson and his cat Findus all must visit the Junibacken. A magic train sets off into a journey over the land of Astrid Lindgren. Passengers ride past Pippi at Villa Villekulla, see Emily of Lonneberga and Ronnie, the daughter of a bandit, and literally fly over Carlson’s house. After the train ride kids and adults can plunge themselves into the magical land of fairytales by climbing into and touching everything book sets, and enjoying live theatrical performances. Admission for adults costs 125-145 kronas depending on the season, kids tickets cost 110-125 kronas (between 2 and 15 years old), and babies younger than two years old do not require a ticket.  

Read more about Junibacken in our review.

 

 

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Tom Tits Experiment is located in the Sodertalje suburb of Stockholm, but it is definitely worth taking your kids there are least once. Gathered at this interactive museum are over 600 exhibits with many of them located not inside the building, but rather in front. Visitors can test the laws of physics and conduct their own experiments, watch science shows, learn about the human body and touch virtually every exhibit. Read a detailed review of Tom Tits Experiment here. Adult tickets are sold at 189 kronas, the ticket price for kids from 2 to 14 years old is 149 kronas, and admission for children under two years old is free of charge.

 

 

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The halls of the Natural Science Museum are dedicated to the nature of the north, the life of primitive humans and extinct animals. Visitors can see the world's only blue whale effigy there. In the anatomy hall, guests can also learn about the structure of the human body. The entrance to this hall is styled as a giant mouth. In the Cosmonova movie room kids and adults can see movies about space, nature, and different types of animals. As of January 2013, an adult ticket costs 100 kronas and a separate ticket to Cosmonova costs 100 kronas also. Admission to the museum is free for children between the age of 5 and 18 and a ticket to Cosmonova is 50 kronas.

 

 

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At the National Museum of Science and Technology in Stockholm  the “Teknorama” experiments interactive hall is worth a mention. Kids are likey to enjoy the "100 of the Greatest Inventions" exhibition, and the Play Lab where they can assemble mechanisms from wheels and screws, and explore the model of an ore mine. Families can have playful running, jumping, and paddling competitions in the Sports Hall . The Cino 4 Movie Theater features moving chairs and runs movies about Vikings, skyscrapers, and flights, all viewers must be over the age of 4.

The National Museum of Science and Technology in Stockholm is a science center, and its MegaMind exhibition is where visitors can explore how it all works, and how the human brain can be trained to become even more creative. Kids and parents can paint with their eyes, make virtual sculptures, and create music using just the power of thought.

Kids are likely to enjoy the "100 of the Greatest Inventions" exhibition, and explore the big exhibition of an ore mine. Teknoleket is the place where the youngest geniuses can explore mechanics, light, sound and time, try a whole bunch of fun experiments and discover the wonders of technology and science. Families can have playful running, jumping, and paddling competitions in the Sports Hall.

On Wednesdays, the museum has longer hours and stays open until 20:00. It is also the only day that it is possible to visit the museum for free after 17:00. Every day, children under 7 years old are admitted free, tickets for kids between the age of 7 and 19 cost 100 kronas, and adult tickets cost 150 kronas.

At the Theater and Music Museum in Stockholm all visitors can play an electric guitar, a drum set, a harp, a theramin, and many other instruments. Touching the old instruments is forbidden, although it is possible to listen to recordings of how they used to sound. They also have a collection of puppets and decorations from all over the world, including Africa and Asia. During school holidays, the museum also does family tours and open workshops on how to play musical instruments and the art of performing in a theater. Kids and adults under the age of 19 are admitted for free, the price for students is 50 kronas, and the price for adults is 70 kronas.

 

 

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Activities for kids in Stockholm: attractions, zoo, and waterpark

Rides and attraction at the Grona Lund Theme Park on Djurgarden are open for the summer, although they do shows in the theater on the weekends and even during the winter. The park has entertainment even for the smallest guests: the kids Ferris wheel with closed cabins, the Love Tunnel, and the Circus Carousel for kids. They also have a roller coaster called Ladybug, a mirror room, and an entire Fun House with hills and moving bridges. Some of the extreme attractions include a free fall from 80 meters in the air, roller coasters, and a Haunted House. Also, they do concerts in the evenings during the summer.

 

 

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Admission is free for children under 6 years old and elders. Everyone else between the age of 7 and 64 have to pay to enter the park and take rides.

The Kolmarden Zoo is located in 120 km away from Stockholm. It  features a safari park that visitors can ride over on an aerial lift, a dolphinarium, and a Tiger Kingdom. Inhabiting Kolmarden are elephants, rhinos, gorillas, and giraffes and there is also a petting zoo with various domestic animals. On top of that, there are carousels and a kids theater at Bamse’s World. Guests can rent strollers at the zoo. Admission to the zoo is 399 kronas for adults and 299 kronas for kids between 3 and 12 years old

In order to splash round in a pool and ride some slides - visit the Sydpoolen Water Park, also located at Sodertalje. The park features big slides and three pools: one for swimming, another for waves, and the third for kids. There are also little slides for children, play areas, and water cannons. There are also jacuzzis and saunas. Visitors can’t bring food to the park, but there is a café there with an outside terrace opening in the summer. Admission for a 4-hour time slot for adults costs 100 kronas, 80 kronas for kids between 3 and 15 years old, and is free of charge to children under 3 years old.

 

Stockholm observation decks

Lifting tourists 130 meters up the Ericsson Globe Dome in the Johanneshov District is the see-through Skyview cabin. The trip in the cabin lasts about 30 minutes. On weekdays the cabin is open from 9:30 until 18:00 and from 9:30 until 16:00 on Saturdays and Sundays. Adult tickets are sold at 130 kronas and kids tickets (between 4 and 12 years old) are sold at 100 kronas. 

The observation deck at Kaknas TV Tower is open year round. Families get to look at Stockholm from a height of 128 meters, although unfortunately, it’s located far away from the city center. The open-air deck is open during good weather in the summer, and the roofed deck is open year round. Admission for adults is 50 kronas and for kids between 7 and 15 years old is 20 kronas.  

 

 

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The City Hall observation deck is open from May to September. From there it is possible to get a view of the city center from a height of 106 meters. To get up there, you can take the stairs or the elevator and admission to the tower costs 40 kronas. 


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