City break guide to Copenhagen with kids

When you’re planning a family-friendly city break, Copenhagen might not be the first place you think of. But Scandinavia is perfect for travel with children as my guide to Copenhagen with kids goes to show.

Expect well-organised attractions, buggy-friendly entrances, decent changing facilities and an egalitarian attitude which means kids are usually as welcome as adults in this child-friendly city.

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With more detail in my linked posts, my guide to Copenhagen with kids includes both my tips and experiences. Our visit took place when my daughter was around 18 months, so there’s plenty to discover in Copenhagen with a toddler or young child, as well as plenty for older kids in Copenhagen as well.

Check out my complete guide to Denmark with kids here

Copenhagen for kids: Plan your visit

Grab a guidebook – we went armed with several including the Lonely Planet Pocket guide 

Check out the Copenhagen card – city passes vary wildly from one place to another, so if you’re asking yourself is it worth the money, I’ve checked it out. Read my full review of the Copenhagen city pass, to see whether you might save money.

You can also learn more about the country with these kids’ books about Denmark including a guide for children, activity book and travel journal, plus Hans Christian Andersen fairytales and Norse mythology, not to mention plenty of kids’ books on Vikings.

Getting around Copenhagen with kids

Navigating the metro – getting around Copenhagen with a toddler is a breeze if you’ve ever tried to take a buggy around London or Paris. The city’s metro is efficient, has lifts to both the ticket and station levels and makes it very straightforward travelling to and from the airport as well as some of the attractions outside the centre.

Here are my top tips for using Copenhagen’s metro system, to help find the right tickets as well as planning where to stay.

When you’re not using the metro, Copenhagen itself is very walkable and it’s also perfect for bikes, if you fancy cycling with your kids.

But you shouldn’t miss the chance to get around by water, with some great Copenhagen canal tours for a very chilled-out way to explore too.

Where to stay on a family trip to Copenhagen

We stayed in Islands Brygge, a family-friendly area that has its own metro stop and isn’t too far from the centre – our AirBNB apartment was ideal for self-catering for a tired toddler, and for having some space after she’d fallen asleep. Not to mention a room full of toys for her to discover.

But the city isn’t huge and there are plenty of central options if you’d rather have the attractions on the doorstep.

Start your research with my pick of the best child-friendly apartments and hotels for their Copenhagen places to stay while Booking.com has a great range of family-friendly hotels, if you prefer. Or check out more tips for where to stay in Copenhagen, including some family-friendly options.

If you’re looking for somewhere to store your bags before checking in or after you leave your accommodation, Luggage Hero and Radical Storage have a string of secure baggage storage points around the city

Copenhagen city break guide: What to see

It’s not hard to fill a short break in Copenhagen, even if you’re only visiting for a long weekend. Start your planning with a look at some of Copenhagen’s child-friendly places to visit and things to do – these are my top things to do in Copenhange with kids.

You can’t leave without at least one glimpse of the city’s iconic landmark though. While she’s smaller than you might expect, no trip is complete without a walk to the Little Mermaid

At the other end of the scale, the Tivoli Gardens are another Copenhagen attraction that’s equally popular but easy to spend several hours discovering.  Set in the heart of the city, there are rides, shops, food and open space to wander around. While you’re there, discover yet another Copenhagen icon nearby, at the Hans Christian Andersen museum – along with the dark side of the fairy tales

As recognisable as the Little Mermaid, are the colourful houses of Nyhavn on the waterfront – also the starting point for a canal tour and the chance to see Copenhagen from the water.

You can also try a hop-on hop-off tour but it’s worth knowing that you can’t take buggies onto the boats (there are areas to leave them near the ticket office) so if you’re visiting with a baby or toddler, you’ll either need a carrier or to return to your start point anyway.

And if you’re brave – and your kids are older than my toddler – you can get into the water itself with some canal swimming at Havnebadet

An easier (and less chilly) way to see beneath the waves is at the fantastic Blue Planet aquarium, on the way between the airport and the city centre – on a chilly weekday, you can expect plenty of school groups there as we discovered.

Or discover the Vikings who ruled them at The National Museum –  expect queues for the special exhibitions here and if you’re travelling with a buggy, you need to use the museum’s own strollers so don’t arrange your visit for nap time. As family travel doesn’t run smoothly, our experience at both was slightly fraught but I recommend them both.

Where to eat in Copenhagen for kids

Best known for world-famous restaurants like Noma, there’s still a very family-friendly to foodie Copenhagen too – check out some of my top places to eat with kids, including suggestions if you’re visiting the museums, plus easy options like hotdogs and burgers.

And don’t miss Torvehallerne food market, to buy, to browse and to snack on smorrebrod in the sun. Perfect if you’re visiting with kids, you can buy from the different stalls inside and take your purchases to eat at one of the tables, so it’s ideal if everyone fancies something a bit different.

Check out my complete guide to Denmark with kids here

*First published 2014, last updated 2024*

PIN FOR LATER: GUIDE TO COPENHAGEN WITH KIDS

Disclosure: My guide to Copenhagen with kids contains some affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a few pennies.

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