Florence for Children: What to do and where to go with the little ones

The cradle of the Renaissance is a city rich in history, art and culture that offers opportunities for knowledge, excitement and fun to all kinds of visitors.

There is no shortage of perfect locations for children and teenagers, activities that can be done with the family, and the most not-to-be-missed places in nature.

Museums in Florence for children

The city has a wealth of museums. We can count over 70 sites and almost all of them are also suitable for young visitors who can have fun and learn by taking part in workshops or experiencing specially prepared spaces:

Uffizi Gallery: it is one of the most famous and visited museums in the world. Even children will be fascinated by it, thanks to the many masterpieces within it. Think of Botticelli’s Venus, Filippo Lippi’s Madonna and Child with Two Angels, Artemisia Gentileschi’s Judith Beheading Holofernes, Caravaggio’s Bacchus, Titian’s Venus of Urbino and Paolo Uccello’s Battle of San Romano. In addition, the UffiziKids programme is active, with a staff available to families to provide useful advice on the visit and on initiatives designed specifically for children;
Chini Museum: a child-friendly museum. In this way, the little ones can enjoy an experience even without adult supervision. With the Art Nouveau creations designed by the Chini family;
Palazzo Strozzi: the exhibitions are structured in such a way as to allow children of all ages to develop a correct approach to art;
Accademia Gallery: here the little ones can follow a path designed for them and accompanied by the voices of “Davidino” and Matteo, the museum’s restorer. In addition to observing Michelangelo’s famous David;
Natural History Museum of the University of Florence: developed in six sections, it immediately captures the attention of children with the La Specola zoology section and the geology and paleonthology section;
Archaeological Museum: we retrace our history through Etruscan, Greek and Roman finds as well as admiring a section entirely dedicated to Egypt.

Museums for young children in Florence

Activities, interactive experiences and programmes designed specifically for the little ones end up involving children more, allowing them not to get bored and keeping them enthused about what they are seeing and learning.

Let’s take a look at the museums in Florence with workshops for children:

Galileo Museum: children will have fun admiring numerous scientific instruments but also thanks to the interactive components and educational programmes.
Horne Museum: in addition to admiring the Herbert Percy Horne collection, the little ones can have fun with many ad hoc activities;
Museum degli Innocenti: in Piazza Santissima Annunziata we find a place built by Filippo Brunelleschi to welcome orphaned and abandoned children. Today it offers numerous workshops for children aged 3 to 11 with “La Bottega dei Ragazzi”;
Leonardo da Vinci Museum: many workshops in one of the city’s most beloved museums, where you can observe many inventions by the greatest Italian genius of all time;
Planetarium: It is one of the most captivating places for children. The large dome allows you to observe the movement of the planets and stars, while workshops and activities allow you to deepen your knowledge;
Florentine Museum of Prehistory “Paolo Graziosi”: we discover the evolution of man from the Stone Age to the Metal Ages. Lots of games for children from 3 to 10 years old.
HZERO – The miniature train museum. In the heart of Florence, HZERO is an unmissable stop for families looking for a unique and engaging experience. This museum is home to one of the largest model railways in Europe, thanks to its 280 square meters, 121 traffic lights, 1000 street lamps, 147 switches, 359 routes and almost 1 kilometer of tracks. A fascinating miniature world where over 70 trains cross highly detailed landscapes, including cities, mountains and stations. Children will be enchanted by seeing the trains whizzing along the tracks, while the more curious can explore the museum in an interactive way: with 3D viewers they can “enter” the model railway and walk along the tracks, while thanks to the green screen station they can take a souvenir photo immersed in the railway scenery. In addition, HZERO organizes creative workshops and model-making courses, offering the little ones the opportunity to discover the art and technique of model railways in a fun and practical way. A magical experience for the whole family, perfect for spending a few hours playing, discovering and wondering

Florence for young children

Visiting a city with particularly young children always requires inventiveness to avoid boring your children and to allow them to get excited and have fun.

Let’s see what to do in Florence with young children:

Villa Bardini: here we find one of the most beautiful parks in the city as well as one of the most scenic places ever. Walks and locations of great appeal will enthuse the little ones;
Il Gigante Adventure Park: a short distance from the centre we can immerse ourselves in an adventure park full of trees and shrubs to experience pleasant moments in nature;
Le Cascine Park: more outdoor fun with a visit to the largest public park in the city. 130 hectares where you can play, cycle, watch birds or have a picnic.

What to do in Florence with young children

Activities have always been an excellent solution to win over your children and to make them feel unique emotions.

Let’s take a look at some of the activities to do in Florence with young children:

Trip on the Arno: a pleasant boat experience to observe the city from another point of view;
The tower of Palazzo Vecchio: together with the Associazione Mus.e. we take part in various educational activities. For example, we can go through a secret door hidden between the closets and access corridors, stairs and secret rooms;
Plant hunt: at the Botanical Garden, children can use the garden map to recognise the different plants and locate the specimens present.

Florence with children: parks and gardens

One of the advantages of Florence is its climate, which is mild almost all year round. This allows you to relax outdoors and explore the city.

Among the places most loved by children there are certainly parks and gardens. Here are the most beautiful ones in Florence to experience with the children:

Boboli Gardens: it is the most important historical park in the city. With grottos, temples, statues, fountains, nymphaeums;
Rose Garden: on the hill of San Miniato there is a garden with over 1,000 varieties of roses;
Iris Garden: between Viale dei Colli and Piazzale Michelangelo we find a 2-and-a-half hectare garden with olive groves, stairways, pitches, paved paths and, of course, the permanent exhibition of tall, intermediate and dwarf bearded Irises and numerous ornamental plants;
Bardini Garden: an elegant location divided into three gardens, different in style and era. We can admire an Italian garden with a baroque staircase, an English forest and an agricultural park with orchard and wisteria pergola.

Swimming pools for young children in Florence

One of the most popular attractions for young children is the swimming pool. An inexhaustible source of fun, both in the summer and during the rest of the year.

Let’s discover the best swimming pools for young children in Florence:

FLOG: it is open every day and is located on the green island of Poggetto, in Via Michele Mercati. Free admission for children up to 3 years old;
Le Pavoniere: located inside Le Cascine Park, in Viale della Catena, it is one of the largest and best-known swimming pools in the city. It has a separate area reserved for children. It also has a bar and restaurant. Free admission for children up to 3 years old;
Bellariva Swimming Pool: it is on the Lungarno Aldo Moro and is surrounded by greenery. It offers swimming lessons for children and summer camps;
Zodiac Swimming Pool: in Via Grandi there is a swimming pool open every day. With swimming lessons for the little ones;
Delta Florence Swimming Pool: it is near the motorway, in Calenzano. Open every day, with a pool and small slide for children;
Hidron Swimming Pool: in Campi Bisenzio there is a real water park with outdoor pools and slides for adults and children, hot tubs, fitness area, restaurant, spa, waterfalls.

Florence for toddlers: where to go

Visiting a city with very young children is always stimulating because it is essential to find the right places where they can play without getting bored.

Among the most popular destinations we certainly have parks and green areas.

Let’s discover the best places in Florence for toddlers:

The garden of Borgo Allegri: it is a short distance from Piazza Santa Croce. It is a small, well-kept area, with lawn and play area;
The public gardens of Lungarno Santarosa: dedicated to the 1901 Nobel Peace Prize winner Henry Dunant, the park is a green area with playground equipment for children;
Garden of the Royal Stables: in Piazzale di Porta Romana we find a perfect location for a walk away from the chaos of the centre, ideal for the little ones;
Bobolino Gardens: yet another area of Florence not far from the historic centre but at the same time quiet. Bobolino is along Viale Macchiavelli and consists of three gardens with lawns, paths, trees, fountains with water jets, grottos, stairways and terraces. Perfect for walking in total peacefulness;
Carraia Garden: the park is in the San Niccolò district, in the Oltrarno area. Named after Piero Filippi, it has a shape that protects it from the wind and is characterised by a nymphaeum, an elevated area with a pergola equipped with barbecue and tables.

Florence with toddlers, what to do

In addition to parks, gardens and play areas, Florence offers plenty of ideas for relaxing and surprising activities to do with small children.

Let’s see what to do in Florence with toddlers:

Ride on a horse-drawn carriage: in Piazza Duomo we find several horse-drawn carriages, on board which you can take a real tour of the city to discover the most characteristic places;
Find the most beautiful toys in the shops in the centre: in the heart of the city we can visit many stores and workshops where we can buy a toy for our child. We can visit the Disney Store, the Bartolucci wooden toy store, Dreoni or the Città del Sole;
Family Tour: the Palazzo Vecchio infopoint offers a free family tour, with an explorer’s backpack kit. In addition, the Family Tour App gives you the opportunity to discover many interactive digital itineraries.

Florence with children, what to do

One of the most popular attractions for children is the classic playground or the larger theme park.

Let’s discover the most beautiful and interesting locations:

Carousel of Piazza della Repubblica: it is one of the main attractions for children. The carousel has been here since the early 1900s. It is a true masterpiece of craftsmanship, with hand-painted and decorated wooden horses;
Playground in Piazza Massimo d’Azeglio: it is perfect for the little ones, up to 6/7 years old. There are swings, slides, climbing equipment, covered carousel. The area is fenced and is particularly large. Completed by a five-a-side football pitch;
Garden of Villa Strozzi: lots of vintage-style wooden toys, to take a dip back in time while having fun. It is in the Oltrarno area, within a large green area;
Horticultural Garden: here we find a play area with semi-rigid flooring. Inside a location with well-kept avenues, a neoclassical temple and an Art Nouveau greenhouse.

Florence for children aged 11

Visiting the city with older children allows you to move around more easily and to have different and fascinating experiences.

Let’s see where to go and what to do in Florence with 11-year-olds:

Climbing Brunelleschi’s Dome: a fun experience because it will take us through steps (463) and corridors until we reach one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the city;
Bike tour in the historic centre: this is one of the most wonderful activities to do with your children. The historic centre is entirely pedestrian, so it can be easily travelled by bike, in total safety even for children;
Selfie Museum: it is an area dedicated to creative art, which will allow you to admire original works and put your own creativity to the test. It is located in Via Ricasoli;
Walk through a real labyrinth: inside the Boboli Gardens we find a labyrinth made of hedges and trees. Adults can relax while the younger ones will enjoy getting lost and finding the way out.

What to do in Florence with children today

In the city, activities are constantly organised specifically designed to involve, excite and surprise the youngest:

Third Culture workshops: many activities to learn notions related to computer science, new technologies, natural sciences, communication, the web, robotics, earth sciences;
Educational activities in the municipal libraries: here too many experiences to learn about literature, books and more. Children will be able to try their hand at workshops, animated readings, comic book courses, literary games, board games, treasure hunts, theatre workshops;
The Puppets of Stac: to discover the ancient Tuscan folk tales through sung and acted shows, made with wooden puppets;
Theatrical performances and musicals: the Nelson Mandela Forum, the Teatro Verdi, the Teatro Puccini and the Teatro della Pergola frequently offer shows capable of conquering even the youngest.

What to do in Florence with children if it rains

In case of adverse weather conditions we can organise many alternative activities and certainly not stay at the hotel:

Visiting the museums: Florence offers many child-friendly museums that allow you to admire works studied at school. The ideal is to buy a skip-the-line ticket online and save precious time;
Treasure hunt in the Uffizi: the Uffizi Gallery organises fun activities that allow you to discover and learn about art in a completely unique and particular way. Just pay attention to what the guide is asking us from time to time and find flowers, dogs, cats and much more inside the paintings;
Visit a temporary exhibition: several historic Florentine palaces host temporary exhibitions. These include Palazzo Medici Ricciardi and Palazzo Strozzi;
Discover the covered markets: Florence boasts two covered markets in the historic centre, ideal to visit at any time, even on a rainy day. The Central Market is the best known. It allows you to eat and buy many typical products but also participate in workshops, events and cooking shows. The Sant’Ambrogio Market is ideal for buying typical products of all kinds, cured meats and sausages;
Multimedia exhibitions in Santo Stefano al Ponte: the deconsecrated church of Santo Stefano al Ponte, between Piazza della Signoria and Ponte Vecchio, houses the Cattedrale dell’Immagine and offers frequent exhibitions of multimedia immersive art;
City sightseeing bus: if it rains? We can always take a tour of the city aboard the characteristic red double-decker bus, with the lower covered level!

What to do with children in Florence and surroundings

The surroundings of Florence also offer numerous points of interest and places to visit with children:

Maiano Farm: just over six kilometres away there is an educational farm where the little ones can have many experiences with animals and activities in the botanical garden;
Pinocchio Park: an hour’s drive away is the theme park dedicated to the famous puppet. Located in Collodi, it is a literary park where we can take a path that mixes nature and art and that allows you to relive the entire fairy tale;
Lake Bilancino Park: in Barberino del Mugello, about 30 minutes by car from the city, there is a natural park for swimming, where you can practice activities and swim;
Senterelsa: is a river park less than an hour’s drive from the centre. Here it is possible to take a path of about 4 km that runs along the river and characterised by bridges, walkways, pools of water and waterfalls;
Balze del Valdarno: a nature trail that will allow children to immerse themselves in the greenery. A route about 6 km long that begins in Castelfranco di Sopra;
Medici Park of Pratolino: less than 15 km from the city there is a park with numerous buildings, monuments and works of art, including the statue of the Giant of the Apennines by Giambologna.