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Header image courtesy of Tikitiki Bowling Bar (via Facebook)
Originally published by Sophie Petit. Last updated by Gabriella Lynn.
You’re on the hunt for exciting things to do with your kids in Hong Kong, you already know Ocean Park like the back of your hand, and lord knows how many times you’ve walked around Disneyland. So what now? Luckily, our city is bursting with fun attractions—and many of them free—so we say help your little ones beat the boredom and spend the day doing one of these family-friendly activities.
Get competitive on the lanes at Hong Kong’s coolest bowling alley, Tikitiki Bowling Bar. This surprisingly spacious Sai Kung venue is like a world of its own and absolutely perfect for a day of fun with your youngsters. Bowl your way to victory under the flashing lights of the impressive video wall. Hitting all those strikes is hungry work, but there are small bites and gourmet restaurant spreads to tuck into, plus plenty of drink options for adults (wink wink).
There are tons of deals and packages to choose from, such as birthday parties, bowling functions, and themed events. See here for regular prices and here for package deals.
Tikitiki Bowling Bar, 4/F, Centro, 1A Chui Tong Road, Sai Kung
Are scorching Hong Kong temperatures getting you and your little ones down? We know one fun way to cool off—get your icy fix at one of Hong Kong’s indoor rinks! Glide over to Ice Palace in CityPlaza, The Rink at Elements, Glacier at Festival Walk, or Mega Ice at MegaBox and let them show off their skills on the skates. Prices range from $1.6 per minute to $60 to $80 per session, making this a super affordable option for the whole family.
Ice Palace, 1/F, Cityplaza, 18 Taikoo Shing Road, Taikoo Shing
The Rink, G/F, Elements, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui
Glacier, Shop UG-21, Festival Walk, 80 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong
Mega Ice, MegaBox, Enterprise Square V Tower 2, 38 Wang Chiu Road, Kowloon Bay
Fed up with the limited selections of PG films screening at your local cinema? Then head over to Candy Park by Cinema City, Hong Kong’s kid-friendly cinema, and enjoy heaps of movies as you settle comfortably in the fun multi-coloured plush leather seats that even Goldilocks would be happy with. There is also a children’s play area in front to tire out those restless legs before the film starts, and a range of arcade games to keep everyone entertained. The perfect place to go on those rainy Hong Kong days!
Candy Park, Shop 1036, 1/F, DPark, 398 Castle Peak, Tsuen Wan
Add a spring in their step and take your kids to Hong Kong’s much-loved trampoline park. Let them dare to conquer the ultimate ninja course or become a “circus extraordinaire” on the trapeze (starting from $180 per hour). If they don't fancy that, they can just fling themselves into the giant foam pit—you can rest assured they will always have a soft landing.
Ryze Hong Kong, 3/F, Kodak House 1, 321 Java Road, Quarry Bay
What could be more fun than climbing inside a giant, inflatable bubble and wreaking havoc in a 4,000-square-foot arena? Head to Crossfire Arena, bubble up, and let the madness begin as you and your loved ones bump and crash your way to victory in this quirky team sport (starting from $160). The bubbles come in three different sizes so everyone in the family can find the perfect fit, and there’s also the option to dim the lights for a neon adventure. With party bookings available and a large lounge area to relax in between games, this is the perfect family activity—just make sure you hide the Xbox from the boys!
Crossfire Arena, On Fat Industrial Building, 12 Kwai Wing Road, Kwai Hing
Take your little monkeys to see the monkeys! That’s right—orangutans, gibbons, macaques, and lemurs await at the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens. Nestled among the lush greenery on the northern slope of Victoria Peak, this 5.6-hectare garden is one of the oldest zoological and botanical centres in the world, and is also home to meerkats, flamingos, tortoises, and turtles. All creatures here are free to watch.
Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens, Albany Road, Central
Join Snoopy and the Peanuts gang at this figurine-filled outdoor theme park located in Sha Tin’s New Town Plaza. Snoop through the famous pup’s doghouse and snap photos with all the folks, jump on a canoe and cruise along the mini river, or sing your heart out aboard the life-size replica of Charlie Brown’s school bus. With no entry fee, Snoopy’s World is a cute family attraction that is definitely worth checking out if you have smaller kids—it won’t take long to explore, but they’ll definitely cherish their play date with Snoopy and friends.
Snoopy’s World, 3/F, New Town Plaza, 18 Sha Tin Centre Street, Sha Tin
If you’ve never spent the afternoon with 67 pairs of life-sized animal statues, then you’ve got a real treat coming your way. Located on Ma Wan Island, Noah’s Ark is a truly unique experience for the whole family and a great photo spot (starting from $158). Where else in Hong Kong are you able to snap a selfie with a polar bear and a giant tortoise?
To get the most out of your visit, you can download the Noah’s Ark Animal app and use your in-app QR code reader to scan for animal information signs throughout the park. Aside from the animals, you can also enjoy the beautiful and relaxing Nature Garden which combines greenery and art, a high rope course challenge in Adventureland, and a Treasure House of wisdom where science, history, and music come to life. If you want to extend the fun for your little ones, then why not book the family into the Noah’s Ark Hotel and enjoy another day?
Noah’s Ark, 33 Pak Yan Road, Ma Wan
If you’re looking for an educational activity, then you certainly won’t fall short of options in Hong Kong. With 19 Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) museums to explore, your general knowledge will go through the roof. Aside from favourites such as the Hong Kong Museum of History, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, and Hong Kong Science Museum, there are also some excellent niche museums that cater to all sorts of interests.
Perhaps you fancy travelling back to 1910 to see the Tai Po Train Station as it once stood and explore fifty years of vintage trains at the Hong Kong Railway Museum, or immersing yourself in a world of Chinese treasures at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. Schedule your visit for a Wednesday when many of Hong Kong’s museums offer free admission.
Harry Houdini broke out of a suspended straitjacket, David Copperfield escaped from an exploding building, but do your little ones have what it takes to mastermind their own perfect escape? Find out at Hong Kong’s first-ever real-life room escape game, Freeing HK. Throw the whole family into a mysterious world of intrigue, puzzles, and codes as you work together to engineer an escape in a tight race against the clock. Can you escape the mysterious clinic and solve the missing children case in under 45 minutes? Book now and find out.
Freeing HK, 4/F, Pakpolee Commercial Center, 1A–1K Sai Yeung Choi Street South, Mong Kok
If your little one is a budding Picasso, book them a slot at the charming and cosy boutique painting studio, KA Atelier, and let them enjoy a two-hour workshop in either teapot painting ($480) or East-West painting ($450) with the studio’s artist herself, Carole Leung.
Alternatively, they can get messy at Causeway Bay studio Aura Art. Kids can choose their preferred item to paint on from canvas to fabric, grab all the acrylic paints they need, and enjoy three hours of painting (starting from $290) to keep their creative juices flowing.
KA Atelier, 6 St Francis Yard, Wan Chai
Aura Art, Unit 2E, 83 Percival Street, Causeway Bay
Forget fancy gadgets—a hookless fishing rod is all you need to keep little hands happy and busy at Fisherfolk’s Village. Situated at the beautiful Sok Kwu Wan Bay on Lamma Island, this natural setting combines local history with hands-on activities for kids and adults, like making salted fish and preserved kumquats. Occupying an area of over 20,000 square feet, the village comprises authentic fishing junk, traditional dragon boats, an exhibition hall, themed folklore booths, fishing rafts, and dwellings. Click here for tickets.
Fisherfolk’s Village, Sok Kwu Wan Fish Raft, Lamma Island
Whether your little one is an animal lover, a board game geek, or mad about Harry Potter, they are quite literally spoilt for choice when it comes to novelty cafés in Hong Kong. If they want to while away a rainy afternoon with some furry companions, take them to Cat Island Cafe or Rabbitland Cafe. Feeling peckish? Head to Yum Cha for some adorable animal-shaped dim sum—the cheeky BBQ piggy buns are the best!
Little fans of JK Rowling’s wizarding world will no doubt be spellbound by the magical potions, props, and memorabilia on offer at 9¾ Café. Or perhaps they love nothing more than getting stuck into a game of Monopoly, in which case they will enjoy the huge selection of board games on the shelves at Jolly Thinkers. It’s game on in Hong Kong!
Cat Island Café, Flat D-E, 3/F, Po Ming Building, Fu Ming Street, Causeway Bay
Rabbitland, 3/F, 530 Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay
Yum Cha, 2/F, Nan Fung Place, 173 Des Voeux Road Central, Central
9¾ Cafe, 4/F, Prosper Commercial Building, 9 Yin Chong Street, Mong Kok
Nothing beats a breath of fresh air and the sights of nature. Just minutes away from the bustling Central district, well hidden by tall buildings on Hennessy Road and Kennedy Road, Hong Kong Park is a beautiful oasis of exotic birds, plants, and plenty of space for children to play and run around. Enjoy a family walk over the wooden paths perched high among the trees and see how many colourful birds you can spot. It’s not only a fun area to explore, but a great spot to take lovely photos with your nearest and dearest.
Hong Kong Park, 19 Cotton Tree Drive, Central
For a full day of fun, head over to Lantau Island and embark on an outdoor adventure with one of the 360 Ngong Ping tours. Kids looking to discover the most delicious treats might enjoy jumping in a boat and riding through the waterways of Tai O with the 360 Tai O Pass (starting from $190), as they feast on local delicacies such as doughnuts, big fish balls, and tofu puddings. Or perhaps they will enjoy learning about local fishing culture and Buddhism with other family and friends as they join a private group tour (starting from $450), which takes them to see a traditional stilt house and eat lunch at the Po Lin Monastery.
Ngong Ping 360, 11 Tat Tung Road, Tung Chung
Does your tot absolutely love running and jumping around? Within 7,000 square feet, 100 Fun is an indoor playground in Lok Fu equipped with ball pits, wavy slides, rope courses, and an arcade! It also has a pretend-play supermarket and play zones with colouring pages and building blocks that are great for young ones. When everyone is tired from having fun, head to Fullhouse Kitchen, the kid-friendly restaurant, for some pasta and egg waffles.
100 Fun, Shop 3205–3208, Lok Fu Place, 198 Junction Road, Wang Tau Hom
Sometimes, after a long week, you just want to spend the Saturday afternoon in an air-conditioned library with your kids. With over 260,000 children’s books and audio materials, the Children’s Library in Causeway Bay is perfect for fostering little readers and family bonding, complete with an activity room, exhibition area, multimedia room, and toy library.
Children’s Library, 2/F, Hong Kong Central Library, 66 Causeway Road, Causeway Bay
Sophie is always on the lookout for a great story and her next big adventure and loves nothing more than discovering the city’s hidden gems—and most delicious cocktails. When she’s not exploring new places, she’s off travelling and ticking countries off her bucket list.
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