Family-friendly Copenhagen: top things to do with kids
With its peerless reputation for design, fashion and fine dining, Copenhagen is known as the epicentre of Scandinavian sophistication. However, the Danish capital can be an equally appealing destination for a family city break.
With its wildly imaginative playgrounds and buggy-friendly streets, Copenhagen* is one of Europe's more welcoming destinations for families with young kids.
Babies here are regularly spotted napping contentedly outside cafés (whatever the weather), children are ferried to and from school and daycare in ubiquitous bike trailers, and most casual restaurants happily provide high chairs.
And as home to the world's second-oldest theme park and a multitude of interactive museums and activities, the city has plenty to keep younger visitors entertained.
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Run wild at a Danish playground
Public playgrounds are one of Copenhagen's specialities: the city boasts around 125 of them in total, each one seemingly more creative than the last.
Forget what you think you know about basic swings and slides; the Danish capital's adventurous offering includes skate parks, tree houses, giant sandpits and miniature traffic circuits designed to fascinate children (and possibly some adults) of all ages.
Highlights include Nørrebroparken, which features a striking wooden plane structure that doubles as climbing apparatus, and Konditaget Lüders, a rooftop playground whose elaborate spiral climbing structures are catnip for daredevils.
Several of the best playgrounds in the city are overlooked by top-notch cafés, meaning you can indulge in a steaming hot filter coffee and a freshly-baked cardamom bun while the kids explore.
Explore the child-friendly museums
Danes are famous for their pragmatic attitude to the weather, and even on rainy days it's common to see children kitted out in waterproofs burning off energy outside.
If you need some indoor time, though, Copenhagen's collection of world-class museums includes several institutions designed with kids in mind.
An unmissable one is the Experimentarium, an elaborate science centre located a quick train journey or cycle ride from the city centre that will keep curious young minds engaged for hours, thanks to four floors of highly interactive activities that cover topics ranging from the science of water to the human body.
Whether you fancy immersing yourself in a giant soap bubble or learning about international shipping and trade, there's something for everyone here; babies and toddlers are catered to as well, thanks to a dedicated 'Miniverse' section.
Elsewhere, the modern art museum Ikono specialises in fun sensory experiences that children will love, featuring light painting, a mirrored room filled with balloons, and a gloriously indulgent giant ball pit.
Meanwhile, Arbejdermuseet (The Worker's Museum) includes a children's exhibition that allows little ones to dress up in 1930s style clothing and get involved in the interactive grocery store or the trade union office.
Take a quick dip
Life in this historic maritime city revolves around the water, so for a change of perspective, hop onto one of Copenhagen's signature yellow harbour buses to see the sights from a different angle. Kids will love spotting the different boats and bobbing about on the waves.
If you're brave enough, pack up the beach towels and get more closely acquainted with the city's bracingly chilly water by heading to one of its many public open-air swimming pools for a refreshing dip.
Havnebadet Fisketorvet has a children's pool that is 0.7m deep, while Islands Brygge Harbour Bath boasts two pools for little ones, the shallowest of which is just 30cm deep and perfect for paddling. Warm up afterwards with a creamy hot chocolate from one of the many nearby cafés.
Make four-legged friends at an urban farm
If it's all getting a bit much, then a quick cuddle with a bunny rabbit might be just the tonic. ByOasen is a charming open-air urban farm in the heart of the cosmopolitan neighbourhood of Nørrebro that should definitely feature on any Copenhagen family-friendly to-do list.
The nature spot is home to farm animals including goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hens and insects, as well as a greenhouse, raised beds and a campfire, which provides the focal point for activities like wood carving once per week.
ByOasen is free to visit and is run by specialist educational staff who care for the animals and will happily help children and adult guests alike interact with them and learn about their environment.
Indulge your inner child at Tivoli
No trip to Copenhagen would be complete without a tour of Tivoli Gardens, the enchanting theme park in the heart of the city that has been open since 1843.
Its traditional antique-style rides range from classic carousels and a lurching Ferris wheel, to dizzying roller coasters and the 63 metre-high Golden Tower, which features an almost vertical, stomach-swooping drop.
For those who prefer to keep their feet on the ground, there's a haunted house to explore, while anyone looking for a more sedate experience might be tempted to take a dragon boat out onto the amusement park's picturesque lake, which is surrounded by lush greenery and overlooked by the Japanese Pagoda, a dining spot home to a revolving roster of top chefs.
A vibrant events programme means that with forward planning, a visit to the theme park can also double up as a chance to enjoy theatre productions, ballet performances or classical music concerts. Grab a stick of whimsical candy floss or some traditional Danish licorice, admire the twinkling lights and soak up the festive atmosphere.
Climate in Copenhagen
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum daytime temperature °C |  2 |
3 |
 5 |
 10 |
 16 |
 20 |
21 |
21 |
17 |
 13 |
8 |
4 |
| Hours of sunshine (daily) | ||||||||||||
| Days with some rainfall |  17 |
 13 |
15 |
13 |
 11 |
11 |
13 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
17 |
17 |
| Sea temperature °C |  1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
 8 |
 14 |
 17 |
17 |
15 |
 11 |
8 |
3 |
The above guide shows the climate in Copenhagen. Find out more about conditions across the country in our complete guide to the climate in Denmark.
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