11 fun indoor activities for kids in Prague

Last Updated on November 17, 2023

Having visited Prague a couple of times during its colder months, I felt prepared for our first winter living here. After all, I’d braved the city in below-freezing temperatures before. I knew the shock of the wind and the vital importance of cocooning in a jumble of layers.

But I think, deep down, my head was still full of cosy memories of hotels with thick, duvets and views out onto frosted baroque rooftops. And of mornings spent clipping up cobbled streets in winter boots, ducking into small, dimly-lit pubs to warm my hands on mulled wine. Oh yes, I understood that Prague could be cold, but my faded idealized memories had warmed it up a little.

Of course, once actually living here, with two young children at my side, I have never again quite found the Prague of my pre-kids mini-break memories.

Not to say that Prague can’t still enchant me on a bright winter’s morning. But, add to that scene a toddler, who despite the biting chill still resists wearing her mittens. Or a 6-year-old with bundles of energy to burn. Well, as you can imagine, the challenges of winter are a little different.

But, even though lazy winter days are now a distant memory, I have enjoyed discovering a different Prague. One of world-class museums, galleries and theatres, as well as family-friendly shopping malls, retro cinemas and miniature railways.  So, this year, I’m armed with more knowledge to see us through the winter. 

Here are our favourite family-friendly indoor activities in Prague, perfect for a cold or rainy day:

1. Lose track of time in one of Prague’s museums

It is somewhat surprising the number of small but excellent museums housed in Prague.  I have already written about seven interactive child-pleasing museums in the city. But then, on top of this, I discovered two more.

The Czech Museum of Music is housed in a beautiful building at the heart of Malá Strana. It has a rotating schedule of temporary exhibitions, which are often interactive and worth the modest entrance fee. Add to this a beautiful (less hands-on) permanent exhibition and a cosy café, and you’ve got a good morning out for little music fans.

Alternatively, if you are keen to learn more about the history of the city itself, a visit to The House at the Golden Ring is a good starting point. Just off the Old Town Square, this museum features lots of audiovisual exhibits about the shaping of the city. Young children will enjoy the small, play-based children’s section on the second floor. This contains blocks for castle building, as well as dressing-up and pretend-play opportunities.

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2. Be inspired by a modern art gallery

Although many of Prague’s more traditional galleries are probably not best suited to curious little hands – a trip to the small but wonderful ArtPark at Galerie Rudolfinum in the Old Town is a great way to pass a creative hour. And pleasingly, it is free to enter.

Wooden blocks, a giant chalkboard and magnetic pictures are all available for crafting a masterpiece. What’s more, the gallery sometimes runs workshops for school-age children (in Czech). The reasonably priced tickets are available on GoOut.cz .

Another brilliant gallery for kids is DOX, a contemporary art gallery in hip Holešovice. With inclusivity at its heart, it’s hardly surprising that it has a welcoming attitude towards children.

The ever-changing exhibitions here are often interactive in their own right. Older children may also enjoy exploring their surroundings through The Gallery Game, a box of thought-provoking worksheets and objects, which can be borrowed from the reception desk and is available in English.

The gallery’s café is bright and welcoming and contains a small play corner. The opportunity to climb upon the beautiful, wooden airship Gulliver that appears to float above the building is bound to be a highlight.

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3. Let loose at Toboga Fantasy

If your little one has woken up with an extra spring in their step, and you are not sure that this is the right day for museums and galleries, you may want to head to this 6,000 m² indoor playground instead.

With a play area for toddlers, large climbing structures, trampolines, bouncy castles and huge slides for bigger kids, this is a great place to burn some energy on a cold or wet day. The price varies, depending on your age and how long you choose to stay. All-day entry offers the best value. To save yourself a few korunas, remember to bring your own socks.

The café offers meals of varying quality, but the pizzas and rice dishes are reasonable. If you do decide you want a change of scene for lunch, there is also an IKEA next door with a small play area and canteen restaurant. With an all-day entry wristband, it is possible to leave the playroom and return later.

Situated in a retail park in Zličín, you can catch the No 180 bus from Dejvice, or take the Metro B line to Stodůlky and then walk for 15 minutes. By far the quickest and easiest route is to travel by car or taxi.

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4. Drive a Prague tram at The Kingdom of Railways

If you’ve ever fancied driving one of Prague’s beautiful vintage trams, a visit to this marvellous interactive model railway is just the ticket.

With train, tram and bus simulators – as well as hundreds of metres of miniature railway looping around model Czech landscapes – this place is every transport enthusiast’s heaven.  Even if you don’t have any trainspotting credentials, it is hard not to get carried away searching for all the trains chugging down the track. And, of course, kids will relish pressing the various buttons, as well as letting off some of their own steam in the small soft play area.

A visit takes approximately 2 hours. Although there is no café on site, there are designated seating areas where you are welcome to snack or picnic. This isn’t a super cheap morning out, and the lack of natural light can start to feel overwhelming, but it’s a fun treat. Being close to Andel’s metro and tram stations makes it a perfect rainy-day pit stop.

To get a taste of a morning there, you may want to have a peek at this short video:

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Looking for the best family-friendly hotels in Prague? Read this post.

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5. Snack on popcorn and watch a movie

Photo courtesy of Kino Aero

Prague has many beautiful cinemas. Although, if you want to take your little ones to watch a children’s film in English your options are understandably limited. However, Cinema City at Slovanský dům in the centre of town often shows a small selection of kids’ films in the original English version. Just double-check when you book they haven’t been dubbed but have Czech subtitles instead. Alternatively, Kino Pilotu, a short tram ride from town, sometimes puts on weekend screenings of English children’s films.

For adults and teens, this problem is more easily solved, as Hollywood blockbusters are often shown in the original English version, with Czech subtitles. So, if you’re travelling with older kids, you may want to head to one of the quirky, independent cinemas such as Bio Oko or Kino Aero. Here, you’ll be greeted by retro charm and both mainstream and arthouse films in English.

Bio Oko also has baby screenings, where parents can take their very little ones and relax for a blissful hour or so.

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6. Find a detsky koutek in a shopping mall

A shopping mall may not sound like a toddler’s paradise, but many of Prague’s bigger malls come with a detsky koutek (child’s play area) attached. These are best suited for fives and under and usually feature a combination of toys, ride-ons, small slides and a ball pit. The prices vary, but it is usual to pay by the hour. Some of the centres offer babysitting for children aged three or over.

A particularly popular soft play area in central Prague is the one hiding out on the 3rd floor of the Kotva Department Store, next to a cafe and in the same building as a minigolf course and the Retro Museum. TimeOut Plus runs some other play corners; the one on the first floor of the Novy Smichov Shopping Centre in Andel is a good size, clean and easy to reach via metro or tram from the centre of town.

Alternatively, Detsky Svet at OC Atrium Flora is a popular play area located next door to the Flora Metro station (Line A). And further away from town, OC Letnany, Centrum Chodov and OC Sestka shopping malls have good-sized free and paid indoor playgrounds.

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Prague Airport Shuttle
Low cost shuttle transfers. English speaking taxi drivers. Door to door service.

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7. Ride the carousel at Hamleys

If you find yourself near central Wenceslas Square on a cold or wet day, a trip to this huge toy store might brighten things up.

The shop is not only packed with a mind-boggling range of toys to admire (I always warn my two they won’t be able to buy anything unless they have some birthday money to spend), but there are also some added attractions. These include a beautiful Venetian carousel, a mirror maze and a water play area. Add to this a small indoor playground, a spiralling snake slide that shoots you between floors, a video game arcade, a laser tag game and a butterfly garden – well, you’ve got yourself a child-pleasing trip out.

Some of the attractions do, understandably, have an entrance fee, and the shop can get busy and noisy – but, given the choice, this would always be one of my son’s preferred indoor outings.

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8. Scatter some skittles

Photo courtesy of Bowling Celnice

Fancy an indoor activity that will please both little and big people? A trip to one of Prague’s family-friendly bowling alleys might be a perfect solution. Bowling Celnice, in the centre of Prague, and Bowling Dejvice, in one of Prague’s leafy suburbs, are part of the same chain and have lanes with bumpers and shoes in smaller sizes.

The food menu contains small snacks as well as paninis and pizzas. As both alleys are on the small size, reserving in advance is probably wise.

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Fancy a family day trip from Prague? Find lots of inspiration in this post.

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9. Become absorbed in a family-friendly theatre performance

Prague is home to a vibrant theatre scene, including many magical children’s productions. Of course, many are in Czech – although with lots of physical humour, puppets, music and dance – children may well still enjoy the spectacle even if they can’t follow the dialogue.

The National Theatre has a whole programme of child-friendly opera, ballet and drama – and gives a recommended age for its shows, as well as reduced ticket prices for under 16s. Many of the multimedia Laterna Magicka productions at the New Stage are accessible for non-Czech speakers; both me and my 6-year-old son adored a  production of As Far As I See. The combination of well-pitched knockabout humour, enchanting dance and the brilliant interplay between the video screen and the stage meant we could follow the plot.

Alternatively, Divadlo Minor is a theatre specifically for children. As well as having performances for kids of all ages – including babies and toddlers – it has a wonderful, play area for pre-performance fun. Just be warned – tickets often sell out within hours, and normally go on sale on the 15th day of the month. For English speakers, the production of Toodle Noodle is the most accessible.

Other family-friendly theatre option includes heading to Holešovice for a contemporary circus performance at Jatka 78 (highly recommended, especially for older kids and teens).

And then there is the theatre in Dejvice dedicated to the famous Czech puppets, Spejbl and Hurvinek. Although something of a Czech institution, these plays are a little long and involved for children with no Czech.

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10. Find dinosaurs, classic cars and rollercoasters close to the airport

Updated: March 2023

Since I first wrote this article in 2017, an exciting new family-friendly option has roared onto the Prague scene: the Pop Entertainment Centre, close to the international airport. Inside is an anarchic mix of thrills, with a museum dedicated to dinosaurs, a free exhibition that will delight car enthusiasts and Majaland, a 9000m2 amusement park.

Majaland is sure to delight primary-aged kids with its mix of fairground rides, playground, racing slides, bumper boats and ball pit. The Dinosauria isn’t huge but does contain fossils, dinosaur models and a VR dino-themed experience. So, a good bet for some prehistoric play.

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11. Take the plunge in one of Prague’s waterparks

This photo of Aquapalace Prague is courtesy of TripAdvisor

It may seem counter-intuitive to dive into a pool of water when it is wet or cold outside. Well, that’s my excuse for avoiding Prague’s indoor swimming pools to date anyway, but it’s a wrong I intend to right this year.

AquaPalace Prague, Aquadream Barrandov and Šutka Aquacentrum all feature slides and splashy water play for kids.

If you are looking for something a little more central, it’s possible to reserve a slot on weekend afternoons at the small, heated indoor pool at Hotel Julis on Wenceslas Square. This is great for babies and little ones and there are lots of water toys and floats to borrow. Just call +420 234 699 987 or email info@bazenjulis.cz a few days ahead to see what times they have available; the price for adults is 200Kcs for an hour and a half, and discounts are available for children depending on their age.

Some bonus family-friendly indoor Prague options

Fluke a hole-in-one

Loops, ramps and a volcano make the 18-hole mini-golf course in Kotva Department Store a great way to pass an hour or so in the centre of town. Family tickets are available and the instructions are in Czech and English. On the third floor, you’ll also find a soft play area.

Design your own decorations

Taking your little tikes into a room full of breakable pottery may sound like a recipe for disaster, but a trip to one of Prague’s family-friendly pottery cafes can be the perfect antidote to a cold, dull morning. If you are looking for something around the Vinohrady district,  Kavárna Maluj is a popular choice and has discounted prices for children on Tuesday – Friday between 10.00 – 13.30.

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And so, I hope this provides some useful inspiration for what to do in Prague on a rainy or cold day. I’d love to hear any more tips you have in the comments.

Want more ideas for what to do in Prague with kids, including some great sunny day options? Take a look at 74 things to do in Prague with kids. 

Many of the websites listed here are in Czech. If like me, you are a non-Czech speaker, Google Translate will be your friend. This post contains some affiliate links. If you purchase something using these, I will get a small commission to go towards the running of the blog at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

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Some holiday reading and games

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