Belgium is such a beautiful and fun country for families to visit. You can enjoy being in a major city or have wide open green space after just a short train ride! So what can you do in Brussels with kids?
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As with all of our trips, I spent plenty of time researching the best activities for kids in Brussels prior to our visit.
Here are my top picks of the best activities for kids in Brussels!
A favorite snack food in Belgium are waffles. You will find a waffle shop on nearly every block in Brussels. Naturally, this means you need to try out as many of them as possible during your visit!
The waffles in Brussels are made with pearl sugar which gives them the most perfect little caramelized sugar crunch!
Some of the most popular toppings include powdered sugar, whipped cream, caramel sauce, Nutella, sliced strawberries and bananas, maple syrup and ice cream.
We decided to join a waffle workshop and we were so happy that we did! The workshop taught us all about the REAL Belgian waffle and we had the chance to make our very own. We were given all of the ingredients and toppings and were able to eat as many as we wanted! Our kids had a great time getting to make their own creations and we more than had our fill!
There are a few different companies offering waffle workshops in Brussels, click here to book the one that we took!
Kids are sure to get a little laugh out of this iconic statue located in the heart of the city! The ‘pissing boy’ is a bronze statue that is often found dressed up in one of his nearly 1,000 outfits.
His wardrobe is kept at the Brussels City Museum, where you can find some of his many outfits on display.
The story of little Manneken-Pis varies depending on who you ask. Some say he saved the city by peeing on the fuse of an explosive. Another story is that of a little boy that was cursed by a witch after she caught his peeing on her front door.
Regardless of the real origin, today he represents the fun and lighthearted people of Brussels.
Manneken-Pis is located at 1000 Brussels, Belgium at the junction of Rue du Chene/Eikstraat and Rue de I’Etuve.
Located just outside of the city, you will find the incredible Atomium building. Built for the 1958 Brussels World Fair, this building is made of 9 spheres and represents an iron crystal that has been magnified 165 billion times!
You can even take in the amazing views of Brussels while eating lunch or dinner at the Atomium Restaurant, located in the top sphere.
After this, head over to Mini Europe which is located right at the base of Atomium. Here you can check out mini-versions of Europe’s most famous sites. You’ll see London’s Big Ben, the arena of Seville, the Eiffel Tower of Paris and even the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela of Spain.
Kids will love the interactive displays that allow them to recreate the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, destroy a section of the Berlin Wall or even operate the Windmills at Kinderdijk!
Address:
Place de Atomium 1
1020 Bruxelles, Belgium
They are open 10am – 6pm most days of the week.
If you are afraid of heights, this isn’t the excursion for you!
This giant ferris wheel is 180 feet high. We took a night time ride and the views were incredible. There is always something special about seeing a city all lit up at night time.
Each cabin can fit a maximum of 8 people.
Address:
Place Poelaert 1
1000 Brussels, Belgium
They are open from 11am to 11pm most days of the week.
I’ve never met a kid that didn’t like fries and Belgium does them just right! They are a favorite street food here and you will find stands all throughout the city. These perfectly fried frites are typically thick cut, crispy on the inside and soft on the inside.
But let’s not kid ourselves, it’s all about the dipping sauces! Sauces range from your typical ketchup and mayonaisse to the more adventurous like garlic mayo, Andalouse sauce and curry ketchup.
Our favorite street frites were from FRITLAND.
Address:
Rue Henri Maus 49
1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
Hours: 11am – 1am Sunday – Thursday, 11am – 3am Friday & Saturday
Most people are surprised to find out that Paris is just a short 2 hour train ride from Brussels. On one of our days in Belgium, we decided to surprised our kids with a quick trip to Disneyland Paris!
We hopped on an early morning high speed train for the quick journey. The train station, Marne-la-Vallee Chessy, is located directly outside the entrance of Disneyland and could not have been more convenient.
We had such a great day trip and the kids loved having a break from the sight seeing to enjoy a day of fun.
For more information, check out my post The Ultimate Guide to Disneyland Paris!
As with nearly every city in the world, COVID19 has changed some of the availability and hours of businesses. Please check directly with each business for their hours prior to finalizing your travel plans!
You can’t beat the location of this hotel. Located in city center, it’s surrounded by countless restaurants. We were able to walk almost everywhere we went, which was great when traveling with kids.
Our room was cozy and comfortable. It had a separate sitting area with a desk and plenty of room for the four of us. They even provided separate toiletries for our kids!
Click here to book your stay!
Address:
Rue Auguste Orts, Grand Place 3-7
1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
I hope this list of the best activities in Brussels with kids was helpful! Let me know your favorite by commenting below!
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