12 Things To Do In Copenhagen With Kids

Copenhagen, was a city I had long wanted to visit. We finally visited the Danish capital for a long weekend at the end of November for a pre-Christmas break. I was not disappointed. Copenhagen is a compact city and, coming from London, we enjoyed its relative calm as the small population (around half a million people) went about their business – riding their bicycles to work and welcoming us as a family. Here are 12 activities for kids in Copenhagen which we did during our four-day stay with our three-year-old daughter.

1. Round Tower

One of the best views in Copenhagen is from the top of the 17th century Rundetaarn, known in English as the Round Tower. Built as an observatory in 1642 for King Christian IV, it is still a functioning planetarium for star-gazers. It has a sloping ‘spiral walk’ up to the top along cobbled paving – so pushchairs can be taken – although I was amazed that Mrs T managed to walk the full 209m to the top. Halfway up, there is the Library Hall where Hans Christian Anderson drew inspiration. It is now home to a cafe and often hosts art exhibitions.

Once at the top of the tower, which is 39m high, you are given a fantastic view over Copenhagen. Although there was a calm atmosphere and it wasn’t busy, it was very windy when we went (in early December) so we didn’t hang around at the top for too long!

Cost – Adults 25DKK (£2.50) Children 5-15 years old – 5DKK (50p) Under 5’s – free

2. Changing Of The Guard

The Danish royal family is one of the oldest in the world and has many parallels to the British monarchy, including the ritual of the changing of the guard. Their winter residence, Amalienbourg Palace, is far more discreet than Buckingham Palace though. Heading towards the Palace for noon, when the changing of the guard happens, we could hear the sound of the Royal Guards’ brass band playing from faraway. Suddenly, in an unassuming part of town, we turned a corner and they appeared before us. We had arrived at the 17th Century Amalienbourg Palace and were treated to the sight of the guards marching towards us as they played their instruments. They wear a similar attire to the Queen’s guards – same fluffy hats – just wearing blue rather than red. It was a wonderful experience which we shared with a handful of other tourists.

3. Take a boat tour

Copenhagen is built upon a series of islands and the best way to get an overview of the city is by boat. We took a hop-on hop-off combined bus and boat tour with Stromma. It was perfect for seeing all aspects of the city and included an audio tour. See my full review here.

4. The Little Mermaid

It was during our tour that we stopped off at the renowned Little Mermaid statue. It is rather smaller than I expected and but it is one of the few ‘sights’ of Copenhagen so you have to tick it off the list really. Mrs T was impressed by it!

5. Tivoli Gardens

One of the oldest theme parks rides in the world and visited by the likes of Walt Disney, who drew inspiration for his own parks, Tivoli Gardens is fun for all the family and a Copenhagen must-see. Visit at Christmas, as we did, and it is turned into a magical wonderland with Christmas markets, food stalls and even Santa paying it a visit. There are also special events at Halloween and Easter. Concerts are shown throughout the year and there are around 40 food stalls and restaurants. You could easily spend all day there!

6. Nyhavn

Many of the pictures you see from Copenhagen are of this quaint area – which translates as ‘new harbour’. The colourful 17th century houses once housed prominent artists, including Hans Christian Anderson who wrote some of his famous works at number 20. Have a wander around and go for lunch at one of the many restaurants which line the waterfront. We went to Skipperkroen – which was delicious. One of our other diners was Copenhagen-born Sandi Toksvig – so it must be good!

7. Christmas markets

If you are visiting during the November, December and early January, make sure you check out the Christmas markets. There are plenty spread throughout the city so they are very easy to come across as you wander the streets.

8. Shopping

If you enjoy your shopping then there is plenty of choice: from stores you see in most big cities to more quaint shops, including many jewellers selling Amber stones and, when we went, there were some festive pop-ups with quirky window displays. My daughter loved this one which saw the polar bears dance and play instruments,.

We were staying close to the main shopping street, Strøget, which is the longest pedestrianised street in Europe. We enjoyed wandering down it, passing some of the local sights on the way until we got to the opulent-looking department store Magasin. On the top floor, there is a food court which has a great selection of food, including the local bite, Smørrebrød. We were rewarded with wonderful views over the main square of Copenhagen.

9. Lego store

You are in Denmark so surely a visit to one of its most famous exports is must? The store is a delight for children (although can get very busy at peak times). As you enter, there are expertly built models on display. In the window, they had replicas of the Royal Guards. Once inside, there is the opportunity for children (and adults) to unleash their creativity with a selection of Lego and Duplo to play with as well as the chance to buy any piece of Lego you desire.

10. Eat Smørrebrød

You must try the famous Danish open sandwich when you are in the city. Buttered rye bread is topped with a variety of delicious toppings. Yum!

11. Take a day trip to Malmo

We hopped onto the train during our stay and visited the charming Swedish city of Malmo for the day. Just 35 minutes on the train over the Oresund bridge, it is well worth a visit if you have time.

12. Go for gourmet food

Copenhagen has a number of Michelin-starred restaurants, most notably the famous Nordic restaurant Noma. Of course, if you have children it may not be ideal to have a full-on tasting menu but it could be an option for lunch or an early dinner if you are a foodie. We got a 7pm table at the restaurant, Almanak, by the waterfront. The food was excellent and they were really good with Mrs T – providing crayons and paper (although there was not a children’s menu).

Those are some things to do in Copenhagen with children. Have you been to Copenhagen? If so what did you do? Would love to know your thoughts.

If you found this article useful, you can download it – along with other Copenhagen guides – at GPSmyCity.

Want to visit? Find Copenhagen hotel deals here

Other posts you may enjoy.

Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen
Copenhagen By Bus And Boat
Five Hours In Malmo

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