The Best Things To Do With Kids In Cologne Germany

Cologne has all the right ingredients for a perfect family holiday – chocolate factory tours, a trip to the zoo, and beach fun are just a few of the city’s activities guaranteed to keep children busy for days. Whether you’re in town for the Cologne Carnival or otherwise, here’s our ultimate to visiting Cologne with kids.

Chocolate Factory

Young and old alike are bound to feel like Charlie at the Cologne Chocolate Factory and Museum. A mouthwatering aroma of chocolates welcomes visitors as soon as they step in the museum, and from there, things get more and more delicious. A guided tour walks visitors through the fascinating process of chocolate making, from planting cocoa beans to wrapping finished chocolates. Visitors can watch chocolate bars being made right in front of their eyes, and even have their own bar made on request. As an added bonus, there is a chocolate fountain and the opportunity to taste delicious chocolates.

Cologne Zoo

Aquarium, Monastery, Zoo

Cologne Zoo is one of the oldest and best zoos in Germany, and promises unadulterated fun for the family. The zoo is huge, so exploring it takes up the better part of a day. It boasts some 10,000 animals, reptiles and birds across a whopping 800 species. Visitors can witness feedings of sea lions, hippos, piranhas and penguins, as well as marvel at amazing bird shows.

Hänneschen-Theater

Theater

Hänneschen-Theater is a traditional puppet theater in Cologne that has been entertaining kids as well as adults since 1802. The narratives are based in a fictional village in Cologne and center around the typical characteristics and lifestyle of the natives of the city. The music for the performances are always original. In a single year, the theater hosts around 270 delightful performances.

Rheinpark

Park, Theater

Cologne is proud of its lush green Rheinpark, and with good reason. Apart from being a great place to bike and stroll, the park has a beach club, a theater and thermal baths. Older children love the youth centre (the Kölner Jugendpark) and the miniature golf course. There are several playgrounds in this park for the little ones and an adorable train that takes visitors around the park. The Cologne Rhine Cable Car (Kölner Rhein-Seilbahn) is an exciting activity for visitors of all ages and offer impressive views across the city.

Indoor playgrounds

Indoor playgrounds are an excellent alternative to playing outdoors when the weather is not favorable. The indoor play areas in Cologne – Silly Billy, Jackelino Safari and Okidoki Kinderland – are a wonderland for kids, with their massive climbing frames, long slides, trampolines, climbing walls, ball pools, and bouncy castles that kids can easily spend several happy hours exploring.

Blackfoot Beach

A few miles from the bustling city center of Cologne, travelers can dig their toes into soft sand and dive into a crystal-clear lake for a relaxing swim. The artificially-constructed Blackfoot Beach has sand to make castles, water to splash in and yummy snacks for sale – in short, it has everything your little bundles of energy need in order to have a blast.

Aqualand

Park

Aqualand is a fabulous water park with loads of attractions for kids of all ages, as well as adults. There are a number of super-exciting slides, some with special music and light effects, for varied age groups. Apart from slides, there are swimming pools and paddling pools. While children have a blast at the slides, parents can take turns at the rejuvenating sauna, or treat themselves to a hot stone and steam bath.

Looking for more family-friendly activities? Check out our guide to the best amusement parks in Germany.