Top 10 activities to do with kids in Bucharest, Romania

Despite the traffic, pollution, chaotic development, and mayors who are about as competent as a broomstick put in charge of a housing estate, Bucharest is a city that retains its old charm in places. Of course, Romania‘s capital can’t compare with Vienna, declared the world’s most liveable city for years, or other European cities where the standard of living is much higher. But when it comes to spending leisure time in Bucharest, the options seem to be growing. But what do you do if you have children and want to offer them, like any happy family, activities that will satisfy them and pleasantly occupy their time?

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So, what do we do with the children at the weekend in Bucharest? What outdoor activities for children can be undertaken in Bucharest? What are the places to visit with children in Bucharest? These are questions that parents automatically ask themselves, and not a few people go online at weekends to find ideas for spending free time with children in Bucharest.

That’s why we’ve done a bit of research and put together a list of 10 activities to do with kids in Bucharest, and if you have any other suggestions, we’d love to hear them in the comments.

Animals Farm

Children are fascinated by animals. It is said that in big American or European cities, children never see a common animal in the flesh because they have no opportunity for this. I mean, okay, there are zoos, but not all cities have them, and not all families have the chance to get to one. Come to think of it, nowadays people who don’t have a house or relatives in the “countryside” don’t see cows, pigs, goats, or sheep like we used to, and they don’t have the opportunity to interact with these domestic animals.

However, in Bucharest, there is a place where this can be done. And even if we won’t mention in this list the Băneasa Zoo, currently a deplorable place left far behind the modern times, we include the Animals Farm, the first domestic farm in Romania set up in a park-style area and designed especially for children’s enjoyment.

Opened in 2009 in the vicinity of the Dairy Farm in Pantelimon, the Animals Farm covers an area of 40,000 square meters, and its primary purpose is to encourage interaction between children and domestic animals, familiarizing young children with them in an environment close to the idea of “countryside”. 

What can children do at the Animals Farm? They can move around outdoors, play in the playgrounds, learn about domestic animals and their breeding and care. For example, children can see how a cow sows, feed the animals hay, help weave a pony, feed carrots to rabbits, and so on. Those weighing up to 30 kilos can ride a pony. There’s a zipline section and trampolines, and if you get hungry, you can eat at the Hungry Little Goats restaurant, regardless of the weather.

Address: 20 Sf. Gheorghe Street, Pantelimon commune

Animals Farm opening hours: Monday – Friday 9-17.30, weekends and public holidays 9-18.30. 

Animals Farm entrance fees: 14 RON (children over 2 years old), 16 RON (adults), 50 RON (family 2 adults and 2 children), children under 2 years old, and people with disabilities have free access.

Antipa Museum

A classic. The Antipa Museum is the place where generations of schoolchildren have passed through, fascinated by the exhibits and stories it houses. There are over 2 million objects grouped in zoological, palaeontological, mineral, and ethnographic collections. The history of the Antipa Museum began in 1834 when the first collection of natural history was exhibited in the “Museul National din Bucuresci”, founded in 1834 in the halls of the St. Sava College, at the initiative of the banker Mihalache Ghica (brother of the ruler Alexandru Ghica).

In 1983, the naturalist Grigore Antipa became the director of the Museum of Natural History in Bucharest, which he ruled for 51 years. Antipa took the initiative to construct the present building, arguing in 1903 for the necessity of its existence, in a memo to Prime Minister Dimitrie Sturdza. The new natural history museum was then inaugurated on 24 May 1908, in the presence of King Carol I and the royal family: 16 rooms and a major attraction – a skeleton of a Dinoterium, a huge mammal related to the modern-day elephant.

The Antipa Museum building was damaged over the years by two major earthquakes, but it was restored (costs included €13m), and on 17 September 2011, the museum reopened with a new, modern presentation, with monitors, touch screens, interactive buttons, offering a multimedia foray into the world of natural history.

Organized in three areas, the museum presents the “biodiversity of Romania” section on the semi-basement, invites visitors into the world of Earth’s ecosystems on the ground floor, while the upstairs rooms are reserved for prehistory and human history, ethnology, marine biology, mineralogy, etc. The Antipa Museum is definitely one of the places to go with children in Bucharest, as the little ones will have a fascinating visit, during which they will be able to see, among other things, dioramas presenting exhibits such as the Black Sea seal (a species that became extinct in 1980), the vertebrate and invertebrate collections, the herpetology collection and so on.

Address: Șoseaua Kiseleff nr. 1, Bucharest (in Victoriei Square)

Antipa Museum opening hours: Tuesday-Friday 10-18, weekend 10-19

Antipa Museum entrance fees: 20 RON (full price), 5 RON (pupils, students), 10 RON (pensioners).

Adventure Parks in Bucharest

For children and parents alike, who love adrenaline and are looking for places to quench their thirst for experiences out of their personal comfort, adventure parks are the perfect place to spend free time. There are several adventure parks in and around Bucharest, both large and small, which can be transformed into outdoor playgrounds for children in the capital. More specifically, Bucharest offers (at the time of writing) four adventure parks – one in the city and three outside it, within reasonable distances:

Adventure Park Herăstrău

Closed for the winter, Aventura Parc Herăstrău is located near the Japanese Garden in King Michael Park (as former Herăstrău Park is officially called now). According to difficulty, it has four trails structured by age groups, starting from age 4. The entrance fees to Aventura Parc Herăstrău are 40 RON (child) and 50 RON (adult), for two hours (extra hour costs 20 and 25 RON respectively).

Extreme Park Cernica

Located within the Phoenix Cernica Complex, 15 km from Bucharest, Extreme Park Cernica offers a diverse range of adventures and activities, including 11 adventure trails (starting with those for 3-year-olds and up to difficult ones for teenagers over 16 and adults), zip line, picnic area, children’s playgrounds. The opening hours of Extreme Park Cernica are Monday-Friday 10-18 and Saturday-Sunday 10-19. 

Prices are various, but those for the trails are 50 RON (children 3-11 years) and 60 RON (over 12 years) / 3 hours. Tiroliana costs 25 RON.

Edenland Park

Located in the commune of Balotești, on 12 Cantonului Street, 28 km from downtown Bucharest, Edenland Park is one of the most complex adventure parks in Romania and one of the safest (if not the safest). Here, the activities are numerous and diverse. Children and adults are offered 14 trails in the trees, with varying degrees of difficulty, equipped with the “Life Line” system, which provides comfort and added safety. The trails range from the “Pici” trail (children 4-6 years) to the “Tarzan” trail, recommended for children aged 16 and over. 

In addition to the tree trails, at Edenland Park, you can go climbing, horse riding, rent bikes, jump from 15 meters high (Eden Jump), shoot archery, play minigolf or Airsoft, and much more. The entrance fee to Edenland Park is 15 RON / person (children under 3 get in for free), but the activities have different prices, which you can find on the website.

Comana Adventure Park

Open in the Comana Forest, 38 km from the center of Bucharest, Parc Aventura Comana is a recreational place where you can spend a sunny weekend day, enjoying with your children what the hosts call “the corner of heaven in the heart of nature, close to Bucharest”. Casa Comana, which includes the adventure park, is truly a special place for holidays. Strictly referring to the Adventure Park, it has three trails for children aged 4 to 6, three for children aged 7 to 14, and three for adults or children over 1.70 m tall.

A unique attraction of the Comana Adventure Park is the Waterfall Zipline (10 zip lines spread through the trees) and the zip line across the lake, which takes adrenaline lovers 130 meters above the Casa Comana lake. The tree climbing costs RON 50 (3 hours) and the zipline RON 10.

Here you can find the best gear for a bicycle tour.

The Little Town of Knowledge (Orășelul Cunoașterii)

If you’re looking for an interactive children’s museum in Bucharest, the option has to be, without a doubt, the Orășelul Cunoașterii, founded in 2014. The mission of this remarkable place is to introduce children to science through play and games, instilling knowledge in a simple language they can understand.

It’s a dedicated space for children aged two and up, where the little ones have access to lots of play-based exhibits grouped into seven areas of interest: fun physics, water-based experiments, balance and gears, sport and movement, sensory experiences, optics, and optical illusions and the workshop room. The Orășelul Cunoașterii workshops are grouped into three age groups (from 3 years old), last mostly about an hour, and are certainly a unique attraction for children eager to be introduced to science.

Address: 3 A Pajurei Street, sector 1, Bucharest 

Orășelul Cunoașterii opening hours: Monday-Friday 9-17, Saturday-Sunday 10-18. 

Prices: 32 RON / child, 18 RON / adult (and other combinations).

Therme Bucharest

What more can children enjoy, especially on a hot summer day, than a dip or a slide? But you don’t just go to Therme in summer; you can go anytime you need to relax with your family. Therme is a relaxation and wellness complex, opened in 2016 by the Austrian A-Heat group, which promotes itself as the largest complex of its kind in Europe, built on a greenfield site, with a total area of over 250,000 sqm.

Located 21 km from Bucharest’s downtown and open every day of the week, Therme offers visitors three distinct zones designed to provide experiences that approximate the real thing in the tropics. Because we’re talking about families with kids here, you’ll have to aim for the Galaxy zone, a family-friendly area with several slides and a wave pool. Beyond the classic swimming, at the Therme, adults can relax equally with the kids, dining out, have therapies and treatments. There’s even an aqua gym program called First Steps in the Water, where, through exercises supported by the parent and indicated by the trainer, children gain confidence and forget their fear of water.

Therme address: Calea București 1K, Balotești commune

Therme opening hours: Monday-Friday 10-22, weekend 9-22.

Therme rates – depending on the day of the week, the time spent and the access area, rates vary. You can check them here.

Țăndărică Theatre

Teatrul de Animație Țăndărică (as it is now called) was founded in 1945, with a puppetry section led by actress Lucia Calomeri. Since then, the theatre has staged dozens of shows for children, becoming an important landmark for the children of Bucharest in the past and even today.

So, if you want to introduce your little one to the world of theatre, cross the threshold of this landmark institution, which takes its name from a famous puppet, and where talented directors and actors put on shows that children love from the start. This is also reflected in the fact that these shows are applauded annually by over 75,000 spectators – children, parents, and grandparents.

In March 2022, the Țăndărică Theatre’s shows will include Snow White, Apolodor, Gulliver’s Travels, The Jungle Book, Me, Oblio, Puss in Boots, and many others. Ticket prices range from 30-40 RON.

Address: 24 General Eremia Grigorescu Street (in Lahovary Square)

Museum of Senses

Those who have visited various European cities may have seen this kind of museum. At the Museum of Senses, fun is always guaranteed. And even if we’re not talking about a museum where your child will necessary acquire a lot of knowledge, the fun it offers can turn a dull day into a fun one. 

The Museum of Senses, located in the AFI Cotroceni shopping mall, invites you into a world of optical illusions and bizarre sensations. A challenge to the senses for children and parents alike, who will pass through various rooms where “normality” is put to the test. From the labyrinth of a dark street to a crowded lane in a metropolis, from an unconventional park to a museum where water flows backwards, from the magic of Tesla globes to the legend of Dracula, from a Vortex tunnel to the AMES room, where dimensions lose all meaning.

Address Museum of Senses: Afi Cotroceni Mall, Bld. Vasile Milea, Nr.4, 1st floor.

Museum of Senses schedule: daily, 10-22. Museum of Senses prices: prices vary, you can check them here.

Comic Opera for Kids

Taking your child to the Opera can be a commendable activity, but you can’t guarantee that your little one will necessarily be very excited or have a lot of fun. But if you take your child to a comic opera, things might change. 

Opera Comica pentru Copii, a publicly funded institution subordinated to the City Hall and directed by soprano Felicia Filip, stages highly appreciated performances in opera, operetta, musicals, or even music ballet, which are written and adapted especially for children. And the argument that these performances are extremely well received by young audiences is given by the monthly audience numbers, which exceeded 10 000 before the pandemic started.

The March 2022 program includes Magic Way, Parade of Toys, Petrica and the Wolf, and School of Rock. The Comic Opera for Kids is also selling season tickets, and prices can be found here.

Opera Comica address: (Sala mare) Calea Giulești, nr. 16, Bucharest

Țiriac Collection

You might wonder what a venue for “grown-ups” is doing on a list of things to do with kids in Bucharest. At first glance. Because on the second, Țiriac Collection is an excellent suggestion for spending time, especially for parents with boys. Cars are a fascination for any little boy. And who in Romania has a more fascinating collection of cars than Ion Țiriac himself, who was once… “a whisker away from Davis Cup”?

So a visit to the Țiriac Collection Gallery, opposite Henri Coandă airport, will bring children face to face with dozens of impressive car models from the most important car manufacturers, from Rolls-Royce to Ferrari, from Maserati to Aston Martin, from Mercedes-Benz to Jaguar. The collection includes all seven Rolls Royce Phantom models from the 1-7 series, including two from the 4 series, of which only 18 cars were produced between 1950-1956.

Țiriac Collection address: Calea Bucurestilor 289. Otopeni. Ilfov

Visiting hours Țiriac Collection: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 10am-7pm (otherwise closed). 

Prices: adults 20 RON, pupils/students 5 RON, pensioners 10 RON

Escape Rooms for children

Whether it’s the thrill of the challenge, the exciting puzzles, or the creative themes, the escape room experience with children has become extremely popular with families worldwide. Working as a team to crack codes and unlock the door as the time on the clock ticks away will bring you closer to the kids than ever before. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to put your minds together. Bucharest has plenty of escape rooms, some of them specially designed for children of different ages.

To see which escape room in Bucharest is best for you and the kids, you need to try them out. We have identified some exciting escape rooms for kids and suggest the following three:

Escape my Room – the only escape game in Bucharest that promises to customize rooms with clues and can quickly set up the room with your child’s favorite movie character and customize scenarios. 

Address: Dacia nr. 130 sector 2 Bucuresti

Real Escape Room – four escape rooms, four unique experiences for older children. 

Address: 19 Ionel Perlea Street, Sector 1 Bucharest (near Cișmigiu Park)

Trapped – has several escape rooms, but one of them is specially designed for juniors: Candyland. A fairytale world of childhood, where little ones discover cotton candy clouds and cupcake houses. Depending on age, the room has three difficulty levels, and the puzzles require reading instructions.

Address: 18 General David Praporgescu Street, Bucharest

Frequently asked questions for those visiting Bucharest with kids

What are the best private tours you can take in Bucharest with children?

• Ecotourism tour, Bucharest by Bike
• Bucharest for kids – tours organized by Bucharest City Hall
• Free walking tour in Bucharest

What are the best museums in Bucharest for children? (apart from the ones presented above)

• Dimitrie Leonida National Technical Museum
• Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum
• National Museum of Romanian Aviation
• Admiral Vasile Urseanu Astronomical Observatory
• King Ferdinand I National Military Museum

What are the best outdoor activities for children in Bucharest? (other than those above)

• Dimitrie Brândză Botanical Garden
• Urban hunts
• Dino Park Bucharest
• Miramagica Herastrau
• Children’s Village

Conclusion

Bucharest is a city with plenty of activities to do with children. Beyond these, an activity in itself is visiting the capital and especially the historical areas, where children can learn interesting things about the city they were born in (or are passing through). Don’t hesitate to take a free walking tour and explore the center of Bucharest – you’ll have lots of pleasant surprises, and your children will enjoy them too.

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