Bangkok for kids: 35 things to do with your children

Bangkok has a reputation for being an after-dark playground for adults. And we wouldn’t want it any other way.  

But that doesn’t mean it’s not a family-friendly city. There are dozens of activities, classes and shows that cater specifically to the young ones. 

Here are 35 things to do with your kids in and around Bangkok. Many are worth checking out even if you don’t have children. 

Every holiday season, Santa throws on his scuba gear to make an appearance at Siam Ocean World.

1. Siam Ocean World

An impressive aquarium in the basement of the posh Siam Paragon Shopping center, Siam Ocean World has everything from penguins to sharks. 

There are live feeding displays, a kids’ play area, rain forest, reefs and giant tubs you can stick your feet in and watch fish nibble away at your dead skin. 

1-B2 Floor, Siam Paragon, 991 Rama 1 Road. Open daily, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. +66 (0)2 687 2000

2. Dusit Zoo

Bangkok’s Dusit Zoo -- known as Khao Din to the locals -- has been around since the 1930s but recently underwent some renovations that include a lakeside promenade and a 'sky walk' that gives visitors an elevated view of some of the exhibitions.  

Located next to the grand Amphorn Satharn Throne Hall, it has a decent selection of animals, including the usual elephants, tigers, snakes and crocodiles.

There are also a few small rides and a huge lake you can paddle around in a pedal boat as your kids -- or you -- cower at the sight of wild monitor lizards swimming by. 

71 Rama V Road, Chitrlada district, Bangkok. +66 (0)2 281 2000. Open daily, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. 

One of the highlights of Safari World is the giraffe feeding tower.

3. Safari World 

Safari World is basically a two-park attraction. There’s a drive-through open zoo where you can check out lions, tigers and rhinos from the safety of your car. The park also offers bus rides through the zoo for visitors without vehicles.

Next door is Marine Park, which is a bit misleading as there’s a lot more than just aquatic-related stuff, such as animal exhibitions and live shows. 

99 Panyaintra Road. +66 (0)2 914 4100-. Open daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

4. Siam Park City

Siam Park City is a huge theme park with thrill rides, kiddie rides, a massive water park, dinosaur museum -- stay away if you have dust allergies -- and a learning zone.

The aging park certainly could use a few coats of paint but it's still a great place for a day out. Most impressive of all is Siam Park City’s wave pool, which at 13,600 square meters is the largest in the world, according to Guinness. 

Siam Park Avenue (Serithai soi 75), Waterpark open daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Amusement park, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. +66 (0)2 919 7200

A replica of Lopburi's Prang Sam Yod at Ancient City.

5. Ancient City

The only way to tour Thailand’s most significant historical sites in a day. About a 45-minute drive from the city, this Samut Prakan attraction features replicas of dozens major Thai landmarks, from the Grand Palace in Bangkok to the contested Preah Vihear temple on the border with Cambodia. 

Given Ancient City's size, walking isn’t recommended. Rent a golf cart or a bike to cruise around the park instead. 

296/1 Sukhumvit Road, Bangpoo, Samut Prakan. Open daily, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

6. Funarium

Bangkok expats love this giant air-conditioned venue. The majority of the space is taken up by an enormous playground complete with climbing walls, ball pools, super-slides, trampolines, tubing and rope swings.

There’s also a cycling circuit (complete with bikes, trikes and helmets), a basketball court, outdoor sandpit, paddling pool and a well-designed babies' and toddlers' area for tots under five. 

A café caters to adults and kids, and upstairs there’s an arts and crafts room and party spaces for hire. Best of all, there's a separate parents’ area complete with 1970s style lounge furnishings and those priceless attributes -- peace and quiet.

Sukumvit 26 (behind Carrefour, Rama IV Road). +66 (0)2 665 6555 Open daily, 8:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.

Thai Wake Park hosts regular competitions featuring some of the best wakeboarders in the region.

7. Wakeboarding

For kids who love being yanked across the water on a board there are three great wakeboarding venues in Bangkok.  

Two of them are cable-ski facilities -- Lake Taco and Thai Wake Park -- which means the rope is attached to a big overhead cable attached in turn to metal towers that pull you around the lake instead of a boat. 

Thai Wake n' Ski offers boats with drivers, which you can book for 15-minute sessions.  

8. Cooking school

Bangkok has a few cooking classes geared towards kids and teens. At the high end of the price range is the Mandarin Oriental, though they only accept kids 15 and older. 

A Little Something is popular among the locals, with classes available for kids as young as three and running right up to adults.

A scene from the the Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall's Thonburi display.

9. Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall

Dragging your kids around a museum to learn about Thai history might not seem like a fun afternoon. But trust us, this place is cool. And they might even learning something. 

Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall is actually a high-tech interactive museum that recaps two centuries of Bangkok history in one large space.

Sophisticated multimedia displays and touch-screen booths shows off content that mainly focuses on the rich past of the Rattanakosin period, highlighting royal culture, Thai architecture, traditional performances and ceremonies. 

Open Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. 100 Ratchadamnoen Klang Road. +66 (0)2 621 0044.

10. Khlong tour

Show the kids that not everyone lives over dry land, and hire a long-tail boat from any Chao Phraya Ferry pier and take an hour’s rip through the city’s canals (khlongs).

Always an eye-opening experience, even if you've lived here your whole life.