Vacation has long begun and a lot of parents ask themselves: where can I take my kids to have fun? In this article you will find several ideas about the ways you could spend quality family time in the Polish capital.
Playgrounds
When kids get bored of the attractions of the nearby playground, it could be a good idea to take your child to a larger playground where they would have a huge amount of space for play. Meanwhile, the parents could rest with a book or a favorite TV series.
The largest and the funnest playgrounds in Warsaw are those in Fort Bema (there are many slides, trampolines and toy catapults), in the Ujazdowski Park (great scenery, bridges, tunnels) and in the Herbert Park (very cool slides). Other playgrounds that are definitely worth a visit are Vistula Playground, where kids could play with sand and water, and Jurassic Park, where the attractions are shaped like dinosaurs. If you’re in a mood for a longer trip, you could take a ride to Powsin Playground or Park Bajka in Błoń. These places are fully accessible by public transport.
Prices: paying a visit to a playground is free, you only have to pay for transport.
Museums
A child’s curiosity knows no limits. Thankfully, there is such a rich offer of museums in Warsaw, that every child can find something interesting for them. One of the most popular museums for children is the Copernicus Science Centre. There, you could learn about physics in a fun and interactive way. You could observe paradoxes and optical illusions, or look at a sky full of stars in the planetarium. The exhibits are often interactive, free to touch. They awaken the natural curiosity with their colors, shapes, textures and movements. Those kids who enjoyed the optical illusions might also like the Cosmos Museum in Wola and the World of Illusions Museum in the main square of the Old Town.
Smart Kids Planet and Kids Museum organized in the Ethnographic Museum are the kind of places where all the exhibits could be touched. A child can undertake new roles, try out new activities and construct valuable knowledge about the world – society, history, philosophy, arts – through play.
Among the largest Warsaw museums that focus on specific topics are the Geological Museum, where children could see remains of dinosaurs, and the Polish Military Museum, dedicated to wartime. The Evolution Museum offers an opportunity to find out more about the most fascinating species once living on Earth, and the Station Museum is a place where kids could learn about trains.
Prices: ticket prices are in the range between PLN 5 and 60. Copernicus Science Centre, Smart Kids Planet and the Ethnographic Museum offer discounts to those who have the Large Family Card. Copernicus also has a certain amount of tickets free of charge for those in difficult financial situations. The Ethnographic Museum and the Polish Military Museum can be visited for free every Thursday, and the Geological Museum is always free.
Beaches and aqua parks
It’s hard to imagine summer without spending time by the water. The fact that the Vistula river is not safe for swimming does not mean this kind of fun isn’t available to Warsavians. There are several water parks in the Polish capital and a couple of swim-safe beaches too.
The water park situated in the Szczęśliwice Park has mushroom-like constructions overflowing with water, a jacuzzi and a huge water slide. The Inflancka Pools have an interesting structure, where the kids can play in a shallow pool and the adults can calmly swim in the deeper ones. There are several types of slides in the Moczydło Water Park – some are curvy and long and others are straight and steep. There’s also a shallow pool with a playground for the little ones.
As for the beaches, there is one at the Czerniakowskie Lake – the water is warm and, what’s important for the parents, the lake isn’t very deep. A place for swimming that’s a lot more interesting can be found in Kozienice nearby Warsaw. Aside from swimming, one can rent a water bike or a kayak there.
Prices: the beaches listed above are free, and the entrance to the water park costs from PLN 10 to 30.
Cultural centres
Cultural centres function in most of the Warsavian regions. They’re places created and maintained by the local community. One can come there to drink some tea, coffee or lemonade; to draw, read a book, play one of the available board games or some outdoor sports. For example, in the Wola Cultural Centre you can play ping-pong, and in the Bemowo one you can play basketball. It’s impossible to describe every cultural centre, as all of them are so different, but each one is a great place to spend some quality time in the summer. Moreover, cultural centres often host different events: concerts, classes, lectures, book swaps, championships, and many more.
Prices: visiting cultural centres is completely free, and things available there are up for free use. Similarly, a lot of events they host are free; however, some of them do require payments – the cost is usually not more than PLN 20.
Trampoline parks
There are several trampoline parks in Warsaw, where a child and their parents can jump around and even learn some stunts. You could visit one of the organized classes or come in for free play. In the Hangar 646 trampoline park there’s a tower for jumping from heights, a track with obstacles and a climbing wall. In the Airo park there’s a pool with soft cushions, an acrobatic rope and a circus trapeze. You could play twister there – a game based on jumping over a bulk that goes around in circles. Another park, Stacja Grawitacja, has a rope park on top of the trampolines.
Prices: tickets to trampoline parks cost PLN 20 or above.
Rope parks
It is a place where a child can safely play around high above the ground. Some rope parks are situated out in the fresh air, in parks or forests, and others are indoor places – it could be beneficial during the heat. This kind of play is very physically engaging and requires a lot of bravery. To get over the obstacles and to complete the rope road, a child must not only use strength and stamina, but also spatial imagination. In a rope park, your child will have an opportunity to feel like a Tarzan in the jungle, while they hold onto the hanging lianas, or like a pirate in the sea, while they climb through a rocking bridge.
Prices: the Bielany rope park and the Wisła rope park have roads of several complexity. Entering one costs from PLN 30 above. Those who have an opportunity to travel outside of Warsaw might be interested in visiting the Integrational Educational-Sport Center in Łomianki, which has a rope park free of charge.
Get it done with us!
Aside from having fun on vacation, parenthood requires managing many formalities. Do you need help signing your child up for school, or maybe with getting some documents? Contact CPC! In the time of coronavirus, our Help Center for Foreigners will help you remotely! Send an e-mail to: [email protected] and briefly describe your problem. If you want us to contact you quickly, you can also send us your phone number – it will make communication easier and shorten the waiting time for our response.
The assistance we provide is free of charge. However, please note that we do not provide technical support for websites and services. This text serves informational purposes only – we do not arrange tickets nor mediate organizational issues.
Click HERE for more guidance on living in Poland and forms of help available in the Help Center for Foreigners.
