10 must-do activities with kids in Lyon!

1 - Go for a walk in the Parc de la Tête d'Or 

A true Lyon Gone must know the Parc de la Tête d'Or like the back of his hand. And it's never too early to start learning! On your scooter, on foot or by bike, stroll in the shade of the cool, wooded paths in summer, enjoy the warm colors in autumn, breathe in the fresh air in spring or admire the landscape under the snow in winter: as you'll have gathered, each season has its own charm and splendor at the Parc de la Tête d'Or.

Here's something to make your day at the Park even more special:

For 3/6 year olds: Attend a Guignol show, a veritable institution that has been entertaining children in the Park since 1948!  A self-guided tour of the zoo is also one of the highlights of your visit to Parc de la Tête d'Or. From the African plain, a veritable tableau vivant conducive to wonder, to the fauverie, children of all ages will be delighted! Last but not least, Le Lézard (the Lizard) travels through the 117-hectare park, discovering it in a friendly and original way. Finally, every Lyonnais has a cliché of themselves as a child on the Park's Carrousel: perpetuate the tradition, savour your madeleine de Proust and treat your children to a ride!

For 6/12 year-olds and over: Add to this the workshops offered throughout the year by Lyon Nature: landart, gardening, which should appeal to these little city dwellers! There are also many other activities to discover in the Park (rosalie, pedal boat, rowing boat...).

For ages 12 and up: There are also workshops on

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Jardin Botanique de Lyon

2 - Visit a museum

For 3-6 year olds, head to Vieux-Lyon and the Petit Musée de Guignol. Book a puppet show then enjoy a look behind the scenes! You’ll get to know the characters Guignol, Gnafron and Madelon better.

At the Lugdunum museum (ages 4 and up) your children will be able to explore the Roman era and dress up in the children’s area. You can follow this up with a visit to the Roman theatres. On the first Sunday of every month, entry to Lugdunum is free for all visitors.

For ages 6 and up, the Musée des Confluences will have the whole family fascinated with the animal mummies in the Species - the Web of Life collection, the lion, giraffe and wall of butterflies, and the dinosaur skeletons in the Origins - Stories of the World collection. Then, in the museum gardens, you can capture the moment with an Instagrammable photo of the children in front of the ONLYLYON sculpture!

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Quentin Lafont / Musée des Confluences

Le Musée Cinéma et Miniature is a must-see for anyone interested in special effects! Older and braver kids won’t want to miss the horror section and the Alien Queen… 

Musée Lumière,
Learn about how cinema was born in Lyon in the Lumière brothers’ house. You can see the recreation of the bedrooms upstairs and the amazing bay windows on the ground floor. The museum also has gardens where you can sit outside for a drink. 

The Museum of Illusion (ages 4 and up) plunges young and old into a fascinating world of holograms, kaleidoscopes, visual puzzles, distorting mirrors and many other optical illusions.

Explore the mysteries of the Universe at Science Expériences, an immersive course open to all (from age 3). Let your little ones discover science in a fun and playful way!

Suitable for everyone, Mini World Lyon can be enjoyed on different levels depending on age. An ideal family outing!

There are many other activities offered in Lyon’s museums that are great learning experiences for kids: Le Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, Le Musée des Tissus, les musées Gadagne.

Budding heroes will love the Musée des Sapeurs-Pompiers (Museum of Firefighters), Musée de l'automobile (Automobile Museum) or Musée de l'aviation (Aircraft Museum)…

3 - Explore La Croix-Rousse - the silk weavers’ district  

Take your children to see a demonstration of a weaving loom at the Maison des Canuts.

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Maxime Brochier

Introduce your kids to the ‘Bistanclac-pan’ sound of weaving looms at the Soierie Vivante workshop. Also, don’t miss the weaving sessions held there.

Round off your visit to La Croix-Rousse passing by the Mur des Canuts and visiting Place des Tapis square: here you can see street decorations in the shape of cocoons.

4 - Admire the view from Fourvière hill   

It's time to get some height! From the esplanade de Fourvière or the Jardins du Belvédère, have fun getting to know Lyon's iconic sites and buildings!

From here, the skyline reveals its secrets, with a breathtaking panorama: the Place Bellecour here, with its little horse, the domed roof of the Opera House (whose red light intensifies under the applause), the “Tour Crayon” and the “Tour Gomme” as children call them, stand majestically in this urban landscape.

Want to explore all the way to the top? Join us on a guided tour of the roofs of the Basilique de Fourvière, and take in the sights of the city from a completely different angle!

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Gaël Fontaine

Want to explore even higher? Take a guided rooftop tour of the Basilique de Fourvière basilica for a unique way to look out over Lyon! 

5 - Take a walk in Vieux-Lyon

Trabouler comme un vrai gone de Lyon, that's not for everyone! Discover this atypical district as a historical heritage, but also as a living heritage, because even today, you can still live and breathe in Vieux-Lyon!  

Enter here, leave there, and be sure to look up as you go! These traboules are truly magical passages! But be warned: in this preserved, listed district, silence is golden...

Have you worked up an appetite? Now's the time to educate your children's taste buds: together, enjoy a delicious gourmet ice cream at Nardone or Terre Adélice.

Push open the doors of the Cathédrale Saint-Jean and admire its astronomical clock. 
 

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Tristan Deschamps

6 - See a show as a family

In Lyon, puppet shows are all the rage, but there are also theaters that program shows for very young children, especially during the school vacations.

For 3/6 year-olds: head for Vieux-Lyon and the Théâtre la Maison de Guignol. Book a puppet show and then enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour! Together, you'll get to know Guignol, Gnafron and Madelon!

L'Acte 2, in Lyon's 9th arrondissement, offers regular shows for young audiences. Combining theater, poetry and humor, it's often an opportunity to rediscover classics, fairy tales and sometimes even magic.

La Comédie Odéon: located in the heart of the Presqu'île, this theater of laughter and emotion offers a wide range of shows for young audiences.

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Auditorium de Lyon

L'Auditorium de Lyon is a fixture in Lyon’s arts scene both for its renown and its shows for families: introductory music sessions, children's musicals, film concerts and youth concerts. 

The opera house holds events for families and children aged 3 and above. Perfect for children to attend their first opera, see a show with family, discover dance and see the opera house...

L'île O, located in the 7th arrondissement, is a unique venue in France. This first floating theater offers a wide range of shows for children aged 3 months to 14 years: classical, shadow and puppet theater, clowns, music...

Lastly, the Aquarium de Lyon offers live shows, as does the Planétarium de Lyon which will take you on a journey through the cosmos!

Even more ideas...

7 - Take part in sporty activities together

Children need to be active.

Take them on a treetop adventure course at City Aventures and share an amazing adventure with them in Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon forest.

From the age of 2, children can develop their balance and refine their motor skills with play trails on the ground. Daring older children can take on the challenge of the trails in the trees. Try out the zipline adventure! 

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City Aventures

France Aventures, at the top of Fourvière hill, offer 7 adventure courses with panoramic views over Lyon from the treetops. Super! 

The Graine de Môme course is open to children aged 4 and up (introductory course possible from the age of 2). Their elder siblings will be able to put themselves to the test on the black course with its 100m long zipline.
A chance for everyone to experience games and exhibitions on the environment and sustainable development.

The Exalto leisure complexes in Villeurbanne and Dardilly have 8 indoor activity areas: Trampol, Ninja Warrior, Funclimb, Lasergame, VR, LaserBall, Arcadrone, Escape Game, Karaoké Box et Bowling !

8 - Go for a walk in one of Lyon’s parks

Les Berges du Rhône,
The Berges du Rhône stretches for 5km along the banks of the Rhône, linking the Parc de la Tête d’or and the Parc de Gerland in a succession of developments varying between natural, mineral and urban styles… There is a picnic area between L’Université and Galliéni bridges.
Limited to non-motorised modes of transport, they provide safe, landscaped paths for bicycles, scooters and pedestrians. 

Le Parc de Gerland, in the south of Lyon, is dedicated to leisure, sporting activities and nature.

On the site of an old military fort, Le Parc Sergent Blandan is a green haven for everyone, perfect for your family outings!

More ideas...

9 -  Go on a fun guided tour

Take a special family tour together. 

Older children can see the whole of Lyon in an hour and a half with  Lyon City Bus.

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Les Bateaux Lyonnais

10 - Be amazed on a cruise in Lyon

Navigône (from 18 June 2025), sailing along the Saône from the Place Nautique de Confluence to the Vaise district, is not your typical way of getting around the city.

You can learn a lot about Lyon in an hour with guided cruises on the Bateaux Lyonnais boats.

More ideas for family activities.