You say Bangkok, I hear mookata, shopping, and massage. The land of smiles is well-loved among us grown-ups for all of the above, but that’s not to say the little ones need to be left back home with a nanny. Now that travel’s back, pack your suitcases, grab your mini-me and spice up vacation season with these 21 family-friendly activities in Bangkok.
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Image adapted from: @tarinthetraveller & @christinalapin via Instagram
Yes, you read that right. Corgi in the Garden is a dog cafe filled with 13 of the floofiest corgis, and kiddos are more than welcome to chill and play with them. Visitors can pet these furbabies, play fetch, and purchase a bag of dog food (฿100, ~S$3.84) to feed them – this is also the best way to get their attention.
Cafe admission starts from ฿250/pax (~S$9.60), which entitles you to a free drink. You can also upgrade and get a free corgi-themed tumbler for ฿550/pax (~S$21.11). Each session lasts for an hour, so you’ll have plenty of time to hang with the pups and snap a thousand photos for the mems.
Admission: From ฿250/pax (~S$9.60)
Address: 338/1 Kallapaphruek Road Bang Wa, Phasicharoen Bangkok 10160, Thailand
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 11am-6pm (Closed on Mondays)
Contact: +66 62 865 6156 | Corgi in the Garden Facebook
Image adapted from: @acckii1 & @forever_mrs_ho via Instagram
Asiatique The Riverfront is reminiscent of a mini carnival. Kids can go on the giant ferris wheel that overlooks the scenic Chao Phraya River, or ride the 2-storey Venetian-inspired horse carousel. Round off your time by browsing the open-air market here, where you can score a tonne of affordable children’s clothes and delectable street food.
Admission:
Ferris wheel: From ฿250/pax (~S$9.60)
Carousel: ฿100/pax (~S$3.84)
Address: 2194 Charoen Krung Road, Wat Phraya Krai, Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok 10120, Thailand
Opening hours: 11am-12am, Daily
Contact: +66 92 246 0812 | Asiatique The Waterfront website
Tokyo? Kyoto? Nope. This is in fact, Harajuku Thailand located a 1-hour drive away from the Bangkok city centre. The Japanese-style architecture here is so legit, it’ll convince your senses that you’re miles away in sushi-land.
I know, why go to a “fake” Japan when you’re in Thailand? For one, you can dress your whole family up in yukatas at ฿350/person (~S$13.42), for the whole day. Not just a facade, the town also houses actual stores selling Japanese ice cream, snacks, and drinks. Best of all, you can nominate someone from the fam to try out a human claw machine for just ฿200 (~S$7.67).
Prizes include keychains, hair accessories, and instant noodles.
Price: Free
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 10.30am-9pm | Fri-Sun 10am-10pm
Address: 47/2 Moo.13, Krathum Rai, Nhongjok, Bangkok 10530, Thailand
Contact: +66 9 0920 9885
Image credit: @gae_napaphan via Instagram
Bangkok has an assortment of eateries, night markets, and cafes but if you’re looking for something a little different, take a little drive out to Baan 1,000 Mai Café & Farm, just outside the city.
Image credit: @chantiwa_aom via Instagram
Get loads of pics of your kid at this treehouse-themed cafe, chock full of whimsical decor. From a hanging swing to colourful hut-shaped dining areas, the well-thought-out decor will make the 1 hour drive out from the city very much worthwhile.
Image credit: @bakealittlemind via Instagram
Enjoy countryside vibes here while dining on local fare, with fried rice and cakes priced from under ฿100 (~S$3.84).
Address: 48 Soi Bo Garb Municipal, Moo 6, Bang Toei, Sam Khok District, Pathum Thani 12160, Thailand
Opening hours: Sat-Sun 10am-5pm (Closed from Mondays to Fridays)
Contact: +66 91 998 2466 | Baan 1,000 Mai Café & Farm Facebook
Getting there: Drive 1 hour North from Bangkok City Centre.
Image credit: @danovich
While some rooftops have panoramic lookout decks and others have gardens, department store CentralPlaza Bangna has a whopping water park. Pororo AquaPark Bangkok is the first rooftop water park in the world, featuring 9 pools and 4 water slides.
Image credit: @attasouy via Instagram
Themed after the iconic South Korean penguin character, the 10,000sqm park has 2 slides you can’t miss: Pororo’s Funnel Water Park and Tong Tong’s Magic Slide. What can we say? The kids will surely love you for this day out in the sun. After all, we all need some Vitamin D after all that indoor shopping.
Image credit: @looktarn_tarn via Instagram
Get Growing Community Farm is the kind of attraction you’d never find in Singapore – though we mean that in the best way possible. It’s messy, dirty, and perfect for the outdoor-loving kid. The kiddy haven features a wild and rustic style playground with mud slides, an outdoor jungle gym, and even a zipline.
Image credit: @getgrowing.communityfarm via Instagram
It’s coined farm, so of course, expect to meet friendly animals too. Feed goats from ฿50 (~S$1.91) and collect chicken eggs to take home (฿60, ~S$2.30) for a farm-to-table breakfast experience.
Image credit: @getgrowing.communityfarm via Instagram
And, as with most Bangkok attractions, there’s always a little nook for the parents to rest their legs. In this case, unwind at a cafe in a glasshouse while the kids embark on their adventures.
Image credit: @risatoi_bkk via Instagram
If there’s anything better than an indoor playground, it’s a free indoor playground. That’s not to say it’s any less exciting than all the other BKK play areas out there. Quite the opposite – Skynet Playground at Lasalle’s Avenue is a suspended playground hanging 3 storeys in the air above a mall.
Image credit: @montessoriwithus.th via Instagram
Your little “Spiderman” need not hold back here, with climbing swings, rings, and even rope ladders that connect one level of the climbing nets to the next.
Image credit: @risatoi_bkk via Instagram
While not air-conditioned, this playground is sheltered so no stormy clouds can rain on your parade. Reviews say that the play area is sanitised regularly – all you really have to worry about is ensuring that your kids come donned in socks, which are mandatory for hygiene purposes.
Price: Free
Address: 549 Lasalle-Bearing Road, Bangkok 10260, Thailand
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 3pm-6.45pm | Sat-Sun 11am-6.45pm
Contact: +66 061 402 6992 | Laselle Avenue Facebook
Image credit: Natta Ongmorakot via Instagram
Kiddos can graduate from the kids’ cars and Tomiya toys at Bangkok ATV Adventures. Without having to leave the city, enjoy an off-road 4-wheeler adventure through the jungle with your little one.
Image credit: @Pichakorn Wongwishyakorn via Instagram
What’s special about their ATV rides here is children under 5 can ride pillion for free. Rumble through mud pools and duck under low-hanging trees during a ~30-minute long Mad Max-style adventure.
Image credit: @noon_bua via Instagram
No worries if your AirBnb doesn’t come with a pool – Safari Garden Playground & Cafe provides. The outdoor nature-themed play area for kids is perfect for a hot Bangkok afternoon. Escape the sweltering heat with a dip into their odd-shaped pool that comes with slides and a mini-waterfall feature.
Image credit: @noon_bua via Instagram
Before hopping right in, explore the wooden playground with rope bridge, slides, and tunnels. There’s even a kid-size railway train for the little ones to play pretend.
Image credit: @pia_yapiii via Instagram
Image credit: Jeena Osuminasai via Google Maps
Having all been a child once, we know one thing: studying? Boring.
But, kids can definitely be tricked into saying yes to a fun educational experience. Enter the Children’s Discovery Museum, the Science Centre of Bangkok. Opened in 2001, it’s said to be Thailand’s first museum and learning centre. Today, it’s a hit among locals and expats, with more than 2,000 reviews on Google.
Image credit: Hotels.com
You can easily fit it into your travel itinerary as it’s located right next to the iconic Chatuchak Weekend Market. Within the attraction’s 4 buildings, find dinosaur exhibits, water playgrounds, and an outdoor jungle gym bound to keep the kids entertained all day. Best of all, entry is free.
Image credit: @kom_2y via Instagram
While the liveliness of Bangkok is very much appreciated, most of us city folk won’t mind a change in scenery every once in a while. Other than taking a day trip out of town, you can also escape the bustle at Sansiri Backyard, located in the heart of Bangkok.
Image credit: @peatto_atama via Instagram
At this free-entry urban farm, harvest vegetables (฿99, ~S$3.79) and feed animals like chicken, ducks, and fish (from ฿30, ~S$1.15). Attractions spread out over a wide open space, with animal dens, a fish pond, and photo ops like a flower tunnel interspersed. Fill your tummies up at an in-house restaurant after all that exploring.
Image credit: @kom_2y via Instagram
Image credit: @__onespotburners__ via Instagram
No trip with kids is complete without a visit to a theme park. Dubbed the Disneyland of Bangkok, Dream World has 7 main zones you can explore, filled with 40 thrilling rides. Don’t miss the Space Mountain-like Black Hole Coaster as well as Hurricane, a popular topsy-turvy ride you can’t find in Singapore.
Hurricane ride.
Image credit: Dream World
To take a break between rides, explore the picturesque theme park filled with photo ops like a mini Hobbiton, catch a parade, or explore a snow-themed town. It’s no wonder locals also consider this the best theme park in Thailand.
Image credit: @sormaly_tann via Instagram
P.S. Head to the Dream World website to see which rides are closed for maintenance for the day. The website is also available in English.
Image credit: @junneesweet via Instagram
Image credit: @siangpure_experience via Instagram
With delicious mookata, mango sticky rice, and Thai tom yum filling our bellies, it’s only a matter of time before your baby has his/her very own food baby. No, we’re not telling you guys to hit up the hotel gym – you can burn off excess calories in a fun way at Peppermint Bike Park, located a 1.5-hour drive from Bangkok city centre.
Image credit: @mama.pa.play via Instagram
Kids can rent a mini bike to whizz around the park, with smooth asphalt roads for beginners and tricky obstacles like wooden beams for gung ho warriors. Parents can also rent regular-sized bikes to follow along.
Image credit: @tkfam_bkk via Instagram
Resembling a floating village from certain angles, Bangyai English Village has all kinds of wacky amenities for the little ones including a rope zipline over the water.
Image credit: @airr_patrarin via Instagram
In short, it’s a learning centre-meets-theme park with something for every type of kid. Marvel-themed playground? Check. Kayaking rides? Check. Sand play? Also, check. The real question is, what can you not find here? And we’d have to say, not much. The staff speak English as well.
Image credit: Ceemeagain
Image credit: @ong_twp via Instagram
No worries if the little ones are too young to snorkel at Thailand’s pristine beaches. Explore the underwater world at Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World instead. Rain or shine, the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia takes visitors through a 10,000sqm space filled with sea creatures from all over the world.
Image credit: @millthxx via Instagram
Stroll over a transparent-top shark tank and enter an ocean tunnel filled with eagle rays and schools of fish. Kids can also pet sea anemones, starfish, and crabs with the guidance of a staff member at an interactive rockpool, or catch a mermaid show on weekends and holidays.
Image credit: @coachpoupee via Instagram
Zoos + kids are a combination you know works wonders. For the little ones that can’t get enough of adorable animals, Safari World Bangkok is sure to enthrall with not just one but 2 large parks.
The Safari Park is Bangkok’s first open-concept zoo where animals roam around freely. Hop on a 45-minute long safari adventure on a coach or private car to get up close to animals like rhinos, zebras, and even lions. For a close-up encounter, head up the elevated giraffe terrace, where you can feed and pet giraffes at eye level with a top-up.
Dolphins and seals also await you at the Marine Park, with 7 performance and feeding shows to complete the day.
Image credit: เดี๋ยวโน่พาไป via Facebook
With 2 storeys of slides, climbing nets, dress-up costume racks, and even a pseudo supermarket, Little Sheep Kids Cafe has plenty to keep the youngins occupied all day long.
Image credit: @aym_bkk via Instagram
Admission to this indoor playground on steroids is priced from ฿480/child (~S$18.40). It’s a pretty cute place to get pastel-themed photos of your kids. As a cherry on top, everything should still be in peak condition, since the attraction opened in January 2022.
Cafe seats are just behind the 2-storey slide.
Image credit: เดี๋ยวโน่พาไป via Facebook
When your battery runs out, retire to the spacious in-house cafe while the kids go about making friends within eyesight.
The Land of Smiles is also rife with creativity. You can tell from the quirky “same same but different” tees. Let your little ones’ creative juices flow as well at Bambini Villa, a kid-friendly mall known for its family-friendly workshops.
Image credit: @bambinivillabkk via Instagram
The classes are affordably priced, with workshops largely in the ฿200 ($7.67) range. Past pop-up booths include Foam Slime ฿150 ($5.75) and Tissue Box Monster ฿200 ($7.67). You can stay tuned to their Instagram page for the latest updates on activities available.
Image credit: @bambinivillabkk via Instagram
Even if none of the ongoing events suit your mini-me, there’s still a free wooden playground with bridges, slides, and seesaws. Since it’s sheltered, you can also rest assured that this is free from grime and mud.
Image credit: @nune_boxingstar via Instagram
Not to be confused with the now-closed Roller Dome Thailand, Roller Dome at Emporium is a sheltered skate rink in Bangkok’s city centre. If you’re staying at hotels like Hyatt Place Bangkok, Holiday Inn Bangkok, and Hilton along Sukhumvit Road, this attraction is just right around the corner.
Image credit: @rollerdome_emporium via Instagram
Kids can learn the 101s of skating here with the flat surface, and training handlebars lining part of the rink. Meanwhile, roller heads can also visit their retail store with cute 4-wheeler skates and skateboards on sale. Roller Emporium also has kid-friendly classes.
Image credit: @rollerdome_emporium via Instagram
Image credit: Chatrium
We’ve all heard of Platinum, Paragon, and MBK, but if you haven’t experienced Terminal 21 Asok, now’s about time. Opened in 2011, the mega-mall is filled with 600 shops and more than 50 restaurants. Still, what takes the cake is its decor.
Image adapted from: Hotels.com, TripAdvisor
Every floor is themed after a different city so you can essentially go “around the world” in less than a day:
Image credit: Chatrium
Every nook and cranny is themed down to a tee. In “London”, for example, find motifs of the iconic red bus and phone booths. When nature calls, you’ll find yourself in a washroom that looks almost identical to the London Underground.
Address: 88 Soi Sukhumvit 19, Khlong Toei Nuea, Thawi Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Opening hours: 10am-10pm, Daily
Contact: +66 2 108 0888 | Terminal 21 website
Image credit: @margoaroundtheworld via Instagram
Bangkok is a city so it only makes sense that it’s a concrete jungle (where dreams are made of). But much like how New York has Central Park, Bangkok has Bang Kachao. Now, while it may sound like a mysterious keropok, this is actually an artificial island at the Southern end of the city, along the Chao Phraya River.
Image credit: @supbangkachao via Instagram
It hums with water activities like stand-up paddling, but most tourists favour cycling around the island. For just about ฿100/day (~S$3.85) a day, rent a nifty 2-wheeler to explore the temples, villages, and restaurants on the island. Some have even proclaimed this to be better than the popular Lumphini Park – though we’ll leave it to you to decide if that’s true.
Getting there: From Wat Khlong Toey Nok temple, rent a motorboat to bring you across the river to get to Bang Kacao. This should cost around ฿10 (~S$0.40).
Image credit: @mamaboobkk via Instagram
Imagine having free reign over a Toys”R”Us store. That’s roughly what you can expect with a ticket to Forest of Play, an indoor and outdoor playground decked out in interactive toys.
While the kid’s playroom back home may have a handful of toy trains and building blocks, things are multiplied a hundredfold here with long choo-choo train tracks and walls of toys for the kids’ imagination to truly run free.
Catch a breath of fresh air in their outdoor zone, where your tots can attempt to make the largest bubble possible with soapy solution, sticks, and ropes.
If you’re looking for a place to bring your kiddos for vacation this year, Bangkok is a no-brainer. Keep crankiness at bay during your next trip with this myriad of family-friendly activities. With everything from human claw machines to animal feeding in an urban farm, there’s plenty to fill the perfect travel itinerary.
While you’re planning your next Bangkok trip:
Cover image adapted from: @sormaly_tann, @looktarn_tarn, @peatto_atama, & @junneesweet via Instagram, Natta Ongmorakot via Google Maps
A portion of this content may contain referral links to products. However, all opinions remain our own.
Article originally published on 17th November 2022 by Kezia Tan. Last updated by Joycelyn Yeow on 16th August 2023.
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