What to do in Strasbourg with your family? Good news, visiting Strasbourg with children is easy. The Alsatian capital is very suitable for weekends and family stays, with a multitude of activities as original as they are unmissable to occupy young and old. There is something for every taste, every budget and every age.
In this article, I’ll take you discover Strasbourg a little differently, whether you are a Strasbourgeois or a visitor in my beautiful city. I’m sharing with you some activities that I like to do with my 5 year old daughter and that are therefore suitable for children between 3 and 10 years old. For more ideas, read our article on visiting Alsace as a family.
Tourism in Strasbourg with a guided tour for children
Strasbourg has a very rich history and architecture with many fun details hidden throughout the city. Some guides offer special tours for children, that are between games and adventure. This is the case, for example, of Ălodie who proposes “Conte-moi Strasbourg si tu peux” or “Les façades de la cathĂ©drale racontĂ©es aux enfants”. A great way to discover the history of Strasbourg!
Departing from the Tourist Office and accompanied by Michel, her big Alsatian hamster, she takes the children on a journey to discover the history of the cathedral and its incredible statues which will amuse them a lot or the invention of printing with the passage of Gutenberg. My daughter really enjoyed the legends and the beautifully told anecdotes. Find here the program of guided tours proposed by the Tourist Office.
Good plan: discover the city while having fun with Familicitirali
Discover Strasbourg as a family, freely and with fun? It is possible with the Familicitirali treasure hunt that you can either download here or pick up for free at the Tourist Office.
From the cathedral square to the old customs house, the route takes you to some of the most important places in the city center, including the Place du ChĂąteau, the Rue du Maroquin and the Pont du Corbeau. At each step, your child will have some explanations and stories to read and will have to answer questions. The visit is very fun, playful and free.
If you know a little about the city and like to tell stories to your children, you can also give them your own tour. For example, I had fun doing this one day with my daughter by taking her to discover the cathedral with fun details for children.
Take a boat ride, a must!
Nothing is more magical for children than to discover the city of Strasbourg by boat. The riverboat cruises are always a hit with my daughter and her visiting friends. It must be said that the company Batorama offers a tour perfectly adapted for children with interesting and amusing commentaries that allow them to discover the history of Strasbourg in a playful way. At Christmas, there is even a special cruise with tales of lost elves.
If your child is more of a sailor, I invite you to try the little electric boats of Captain Bretzel. You will have the choice between a funny children’s boat (police, fireman, cruiser or trawler) on which he can take the helm and sail gently near the Vessel or a boat of 5 to 10 places that you will pilot for a longer cruise with family or friends.
Playing in the museums of Strasbourg
Who said museums were boring and not suitable for children? The museums in Strasbourg offer many fun activities for the little ones with games, routes and treasure hunts.
I recommend you to discover the beautiful museum of the Ćuvre Notre-Dame through the game “La galerie des discrets” that you can get for free at the reception. For more than an hour, your child will have to investigate to find 11 characters hidden in the museum’s collections. The booklet specifies the room and gives you a little riddle to help you find it. And what happens at the end? Surprise!
Walk in the Orangery Park
The Orangery is the must-see park in Strasbourg, whatever your age. For children, it is particularly magical with a multitude of activities in a beautiful setting. I particularly remember the boat rides and the antique carousel when I was a kid. Now my daughter is enjoying it to my great pleasure.
The Orangery is also the best place in Strasbourg to see storks thanks to the reintroduction center. The large white bird, emblematic of Alsace, often flies over the park and lands in one of the many nests in the trees or on the Josephine pavilion.
My daughter also likes to go to the games a lot. There are 3 areas in the park: 1 for the little ones, 1 with wooden games and 1 with metal structures. Otherwise, a corner of the lawn is particularly suitable for a game of badminton or Mölkky. Finally, the book shack at the Richter Street entrance to the park offers a nice selection of self-service books for both children and parents.
Go to the beach on the Docks
During the summer, the docks of the Presqu’Ăźle Malraux are transformed into a beach and a nautical base. I love going there to spend a relaxing moment on a deckchair while my daughter plays in the sand or cools off with her friends under the giant misting machine. Everything is provided free of charge!
There are also free activities for children from 3 to 8 years old or for older children like paddle, pedal boat or kayak. In short, there is enough to spend a pleasant afternoon with your family and enjoy the coolness of the pool.
Looking at the stars at the Planetarium
Children are often fascinated by the stars. If a real trip into space is not yet on the agenda, they can still discover the secrets of the starry sky at the Planetarium. Several shows are offered for children on the big screen of the dome. The little budding astronomers quickly get into the game when they have to answer the questions of the animator, look for stars, discover the constellations and the planets of the solar system.
Learning while having fun at the Vaisseau
The Vaisseau is the center of scientific discovery for children, a kind of science city in Strasbourg. I can’t hide the fact that it has almost become an annex of my house because my daughter loves going there (long live the subscription!).
In fact, there is never a dull moment. Children discover the human body, a beehive or an ant farm, electricity or water. They can build a house, an igloo or a bridge, go on a journey in the dark or in a wheelchair, learn about shapes or animals.
In addition, there are often animations proposed for the children during the school vacations. Another interesting point is that the Vessel is the ideal activity when it rains, but also when it is very hot outside because the building is air-conditioned. Otherwise, the park is also very pleasant.
Playing board games as a family
Are you a player? My daughter is. We enjoy playing board games as a family. But sometimes, we also want to go out or discover other games without buying any. For this, game bars are perfect.
Near the Place des Halles, the Philibar is the ideal place to spend a good time with your family, whether it is around a Uno or a role-playing game, with a beer or a coffee for the parents, an apple juice for the children. Even the little ones have their place there with a play box especially for them.
Go for a bike ride
In the cycling capital, a family bike ride is a must and particularly enjoyable. The numerous bicycle paths and the very flat terrain are perfectly suited for children. However, it remains to find a nice route. I recommend you to start from the PourtalĂšs park in La Robertsau (parking for car if needed) and to take a part of the “piste des forts“ to La Wantzenau (about 7 kms). You will find yourself in a rather incredible nature, quiet and safe.
There are some pretty fun places to stop with the kids. For example, you can go and say hello to the Highland Cattle, those red Scottish cows with their big curly fringe. There is also a small bird observatory where you will probably encounter ladybugs. Finally, this Rhine forest is full of small ponds, often bordered by pretty fishermen’s huts.
Going to see the animals
Children love to discover animals. If there is no zoo in Strasbourg, there are several nice places to go to see animals well treated or in their natural environment. At Friedel Park in Illkirch, the animals live in semi-liberty in a large park of 2 hectares on the banks of the Ill. Admission is free. You will come across donkeys, cows and even goats that will come and sit on the bench next to you.
In Wolfisheim, a former Prussian fort (Fort Kleber) has been converted into a park with a playground on one side and a mini-farm on the other. Children can accompany the volunteers to feed the animals.
Finally, on theRohrschollen island, a fish pass has been built next to the hydraulic plant to allow migratory fish to swim up the Rhine. Two panoramic windows are freely accessible to watch the salmon go by.
And you, what are your ideas for activities in Strasbourg with children?
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