Paris with kids

11 activitiesGetting around 3-day itineraryChecked Oct 4, 2026

Paris with kids is easier than its reputation, provided you plan around two things: distance and stairs. The centre is mostly flat and the big sights sit along the river, so a lot can be done on foot. The metro is the problem. Only one line is fully step-free, and with a pushchair the buses and trams are the better choice.

The famous sights are mixed for children. The Eiffel Tower works from about 5. The Louvre is free for under-18s and still tiring for most of them. What saves a family trip here is the second tier: the Luxembourg garden, the zoo at Vincennes, the Jardin d'Acclimatation, the natural history gallery. Book the timed tickets, keep one big thing per day, and leave the afternoons loose. In summer the queues are long and shade is scarce around the monuments, so start early.

Things to do in Paris with kids

Landmark

Eiffel Tower

child from €6

Take the lift to the second floor and stop there. The summit adds a second queue.

Enjoys from 51h30 – 2h30Folded only

0-2 · Tiring3-5 · Fine6-10 · Great11+ · Great

Art museum

Louvre Museum

child from €0

Free under 18, but huge and crowded. Pick three things and leave after 90 minutes.

Enjoys from 71h30 – 2h30Stroller OK

0-2 · Tiring3-5 · Tiring6-10 · Fine11+ · Great

Boat ride

Seine River Cruise (Bateaux Parisiens)

child from €10

One hour sitting down while Paris goes past. The best rest stop on a walking day.

Enjoys from 31h – 1h15

0-2 · Fine3-5 · Great6-10 · Great11+ · Fine

Theme park

Disneyland Paris

free under 3

A full day out by itself. Under 3s enter free and most toilets have changing tables.

Enjoys from 38h – 11hStroller OK

0-2 · Fine3-5 · Great6-10 · Great11+ · Great

Aquarium

Aquarium de Paris

child from €20.50

Indoor, pushchair-friendly and next to the Eiffel Tower. A solid rainy-day plan for under-6s.

Enjoys from 21h30 – 2hStroller OK

0-2 · Great3-5 · Great6-10 · Fine11+ · Fine

Science museum

Cité des Sciences and Cité des Enfants

child from €12

The Cité des Enfants has one area for ages 2 to 6 and another for 5 to 10. Babies get their own.

Enjoys from 22h – 4hStroller OK

0-2 · Fine3-5 · Great6-10 · Great11+ · Fine

Amusement park

Jardin d'Acclimatation

Rides go by height, not age. Under 80 cm enter free, and the pass pays off from 80 to 130 cm.

Enjoys from 23h – 5hStroller OK

0-2 · Fine3-5 · Great6-10 · Great11+ · Fine

Zoo

Paris Zoo (Parc Zoologique de Paris)

child from €17

Animals grouped in five habitat zones. Allow at least two hours, and bring a picnic.

Enjoys from 22h – 4hStroller OK

0-2 · Great3-5 · Great6-10 · Great11+ · Fine

Park

Jardin du Luxembourg

No ticket needed

Free garden with a paid playground, pony rides, a carousel and toy sailboats on the pond.

Enjoys from 11h – 2h30

0-2 · Great3-5 · Great6-10 · Great11+ · Fine

Natural history museum

Grande Galerie de l'Évolution

child from €10

A great hall of life-size animal specimens. Small children need no reading to enjoy it.

Enjoys from 41h30 – 2h30

0-2 · Fine3-5 · Great6-10 · Great11+ · Fine

Viewpoint

Arc de Triomphe

child from €0

284 steps, no pushchairs inside and the lift is out of service. For children who can climb.

Enjoys from 745 min – 1h15No strollers

0-2 · Skip3-5 · Tiring6-10 · Fine11+ · Great

Getting around

Step-free metro means line 14. Île-de-France Mobilités states that line 14 is the only metro line fully accessible, with lifts at every station. It stops at Pyramides, close to the Louvre, and runs out to Orly airport. On the older lines, expect stairs and bring a carrier or a pushchair you can lift.
Buses and trams with a pushchair. According to Île-de-France Mobilités, every tram line and every Paris bus line is accessible. That makes them the easier choice with a pushchair. A bus and tram ticket costs €2.05 and is a different ticket from the metro one.
Child fares. Children under 4 travel free and need no ticket. From 4 to under 10 they pay half: €1.30 on the metro, train and RER and €1.05 on buses and trams. An adult metro ticket is €2.55. Tickets load onto a Navigo Easy card or a phone.

All transport notes

Itinerary

3 days in Paris with kids

Eiffel Tower, river and aquariumThe tower early, an hour on the Seine, then the aquarium across the bridge.

Louvre and LuxembourgA short, planned Louvre visit, then the rest of the day in the garden.

Jardin d'Acclimatation and the ArcA ride day in the Bois de Boulogne, with a climb at dusk for older kids.

Open the full plan

Paris with kids: common questions

Is the Eiffel Tower worth it with a toddler?

Only as a short visit to the second floor by lift. Under-4s are free but need a ticket, only foldable pushchairs are allowed, and there is no changing table at the top. Seeing it from the Champ de Mars and spending the money on the boat is a fair alternative.

Is the Louvre free for children?

Yes. Admission is free for everyone under 18, though they still need a free reservation. Adults pay €22 if they live in the European Economic Area and €32 otherwise.

Can I use a pushchair on the Paris metro?

You can, but only line 14 has lifts at every station, according to Île-de-France Mobilités. Elsewhere you will be carrying it up and down stairs. Buses and trams are accessible and are the easier option, and under-4s ride free.

Disneyland Paris or the Jardin d'Acclimatation for under-5s?

For most under-5s, the Jardin d'Acclimatation. It is inside the city, takes half a day, lets children under 80 cm in free, and has entry from €7. Disneyland is a full day outside Paris with dated pricing, and it pays off more from about 5.