t Children watch a male gorilla enjoying a snack at Prague Zoo
If you are heading to Prague with kids in tow, rest assured that the Czech capital has lots to keep young minds and hands occupied. From puppets to model trains, zoos to picnics in the sun, children are well catered for here. The city’s river also offers plenty of opportunities for fun on the water including steamboats and pedal boats.
t Children watch a male gorilla enjoying a snack at Prague Zoo
Few would disagree that Prague Zoo is one of Eastern Europe’s best due to its tireless investment in the visitor experience since the fall of Communism. Over 700 species occupy 58 hectares of land in the city’s Troja district, around 132 of them classified as threatened. A great way to reach the zoo is by boat along the Vltava, a wonderful start and finish to the day. The zoo has excellent kids’ facilities and plenty of reasonably priced places to eat and drink, making it one of the best children’s days out in the Czech capital.
One of the top attractions in Prague among families is the stupendous Railway Kingdom in the Smíchov district. This model railway recreates well-known locations across the Czech Republic. Kids can push buttons to activate various sections of the model. Lego is big in the Czech Republic – in fact the country is one of only four in the world where the little bricks are actually made. The exhibition at the Lego Museum includes almost every Lego set produced since the late 1980s. The upstairs room is dedicated to Star Wars.
Prague has plenty of stuff that trundles on wheels to keep the little ones excited. The National Technical Museum is the obvious place to take kids fascinated with anything that moves – they can climb into old steam trains and admire vintage cars and motorbikes. On weekends, from April to November, enjoy a historic tram ride that departs from the Prague Transport Museum in Střešovice, or jump aboard tram 22 (year-round;) for a cheap, fun way to see Prague’s main sights.
A top activity for children visiting Prague is to attend a performance at one of the city’s puppet theatres. Although the shows are in Czech, kids don’t seem to mind and may even pick up a few words. Some of the best theatres are the Marionette Kingdom (Říše loutek), Spejbl and Hurvínek Theatre and Puppet Theatre Jiskra – tickets are cheap, usually costing 100-200Kč. In 2016 Prague’s puppetry tradition was added to UNESCO’s prestigious list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
INSIDER TIP
Prague has many central green spaces where you can shake out the picnic blanket. The Vltava islands, Stromovka park and Petřín Hill are just some popular spots.