Madrid with kids aged 3-5
Three to five year olds do well here if you keep mornings active and afternoons indoors. The zoo, Faunia, the railway museum and Nickelodeon Land at the Parque de Atracciones are built for this age. The palace and the Prado are not.
What works at 3-5
Zoo and aquariumZoo Aquarium de Madrid
child from €16.90Zoo, dolphinarium and aquarium on one ticket. It is a big site, so pick a half and stick to it.
Theme parkParque de Atracciones de Madrid
child from €23.90A city amusement park one metro stop from the zoo, with a full zone for small children.
Animal parkFaunia
child from €16.90Smaller than the zoo, with indoor climate halls. The better choice on very hot or cold days.
ParkEl Retiro Park
No ticket neededThe city's big park: rowing boats, playgrounds and weekend puppet shows. Free to enter.
Riverside park and playgroundsMadrid Río
No ticket neededSeventeen play areas along the river and water jets in summer. Flat, free and stroller-easy.
Natural history museumMuseo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales
child from €3.50Dinosaur skeletons and a giant squid for €3.50 a child. Small enough to finish before lunch.
Railway museumMuseo del Ferrocarril
child from €4Real locomotives in a nineteenth-century station hall. Train-obsessed 2 to 6 year olds will not want to leave.
Theme park day tripParque Warner Madrid
child from €32.90A full-day theme park outside the city. Great from 6 up, a long haul with toddlers.