27 Fun Things to Do in Kathmandu with Kids
Are you travelling to Kathmandu with kids and not sure what activities are there for children in Kathmandu?
I live in Nepal and although I do not have my own kids, here is a list of activities that have been recommended by friends living in Kathmandu with kids!
There are so many activities for kids in Kathmandu. There are lots of classes such as art, dancing and baking for different age groups. Kathmandu also has museums and heritage sites that are great activities for families.
There are also some great day or weekend trips from Kathmandu such as Chandragiri, Godawari, Nagarkot and Dhulikhel.
So, here are all the activities for kids in Kathmandu!
Fun Things to Do in Kathmandu with Kids
CLASSES (Art, Dancing, Baking)
1. Grooming Tales
Grooming Tales holds activities and workshops for various ages of children. The activities are divided into age groups for kids between 3-8 years old. 8-12 years old, and for children above 12. The activities include skills development, music and arts and crafts.
- Classes: music, art, dance, photography and skills development workshops
- Locations: Gairidhara (near Thamel), Bhakundole (Lalitpur)
- Ages: class groups: 3-8 years old, 8-12 years old, 12+ years old
- Website/contact: Grooming Tales
2. Artie Life Institution
- Classes: Arts and crafts
- Location: Bhaisepati (Lalitpur)
- Ages: 5-15 years
- Website/contact: Artie Life Institution
3. MCM Dancing
AT MCM Dancing, they hold various dance classes for children. The great things about it is that they also have ballet classes which is rare to find in Kathmandu.
They hold group classes daily but there is also an option to sign up for private classes. There is a try out class for Rs. 500, and after that there are options to pay per class or to buy a class pass.
- Classes: kids ballet, yoga and dance classes
- Location: Ekantakuna (Lalitpur)
- Ages: 4-12+ years old
- Website/contact: MCM Dancing
4. Bread and Pastry Paradise
At the Bread and Pastry Paradise, they hold baking classes (cookies and cakes) for children. The baking classes take place at their bakery in Boudha and the classes can be held in English, French and Nepali languages. The price is Rs. 500 per class.
- Classes: baking classes for kids
- Location: Boudha
- Website/contact: Bread and Pastry Paradise
5. Pickle Bumps
Pickle Bumps has very extensive kids activities starting from age 14 months old. They have a lot of infant and pre-kindergarten activities designed to develop skills at an early age.
- Classes: skills development, gymnastics, music, art, dancing, after school activities, summer/holiday camps
- Location: Chandol
- Ages: 14 months to 15 years old
- Website/contact: Pickle Bumps
6. Artudio
Artudio organises painting and drawing workshops for kids on Saturdays. They usually hold an ‘Art Camp’ every 6 months (winter and summer) for children between the ages of 3-15. The Art Camps are about 1 week long, so if you are staying long-term in Nepal with kids, this can be a nice activity.
- Classes: painting, drawing
- Location: Chhauni (Swoyambhu)
- Ages: all ages
- Website/contact: Artudio
7. House of Palettes
The House of Palettes is located in Jhamsikhel and it is great for both adults and kids. You can take a photo with you that you would like to paint and then the teachers help you to paint it. It is really great as you end up with a painting that looks really professional with the help of the teachers.
- Classes: painting
- Location: Jhamsikhel (Lalitpur)
- Ages: all ages
- Website/contact: House of Palettes
8. Drawing Room KTM
- Classes: drawing, painting, sketching
- Location: Jhamsikhel (Lalitpur) and Khichapokhari (Kathmandu)
- Ages: all ages
- Website/contact: Drawing Room KTM
ACTIVITIES
9. Jump KTM
Jump KTM has three branches, two in Kathmandu and one recently opened in Pokhara. It is a trampoline park and if your kids are full of energy, this is the place to take them to jump around a lot and then get them to easily go to sleep in the evening.
- Trampoline park
- Location: Kathmandu: Mandikhatar and Jhamsikhel. (in Pokhara: Jump Pokhara)
- Website/contact: Jump KTM
10. Whoppee Land Amusement and Water Park
The Whoppee Land Amusement and Water Park has Nepal’s largest water slides. It can be a great, fun day out for the whole family. The amusement park is located in Chobhar, near Kirtipur.
Although, it is located a bit far from Kathmandu city centre, you can easily get there by taxis. Check here the best Nepali taxi apps to get around Kathmandu.
- Nepal’s largest water slides
- Location: Chobhar
- Website/contact: Whoppee Land Amusement and Water Park
11. Best Archery
The Best Archery is in Jhamsikhel and both kids and adults can try archery there. There are instructors who will help with how to use the bow and the arrow. The sessions start from 30 minutes and it is a fun activity for the whole family. It can get a bit busy on the weekends.
- Classes: archery classes
- Location: Jhamsikhel (Lalitpur). (also has a branch in Pokhara)
- Website/contact: Best Archery
12. Astrek Climbing Wall
- Location: Thamel
- Ages: kids and adults
- Website/contact: Astrek Climbing Wall
13. Central Zoo
- Location: Jawalakhel (Lalitpur)
- Ages: all ages
- Website: Central Zoo
The Central Zoo is located in Jawalakhel, which is also about 10 minutes’ walk from Patan. It was established in 1932 and it is the only zoo in Nepal.
Visiting the central zoo can be a great activity especially if you are visiting Kathmandu with kids. You will find a wide range of animals here, including tigers, rhinos, hippos and crocodiles.
🐅 Prefer to see wildlife in their natural habitat? Check out the 3 best places to see wildlife in Nepal!
MUSEUMS
There are a good number of museums in Kathmandu that are enjoyable and educational for kids. Two of the best museums for kids is the Aviation Museum and Narayanhiti Palace Museum.
14. Aviation Museum
- Aviation Museum Location: Sinamangal (near the Tribhuvan International Airport)
- Aviation Museum Opening Times: everyday: 10 am – 6 pm
The Aviation Museum is set up inside of an actual plane so it is an exiting set up for kids. The background story of the plane in which the museum is established, is that it crash-landed in 2015 in Kathmandu and then the plane was refurbished to serve as the museum.
In the museum, they have a documentary about aviation and after that, the visitors get to see the exhibition and photos about the history of aviation (both for Nepal and global aviation).
15. Narayanhiti Palace Museum
- Narayanhiti Palace Museum Location: Durbar Marg (near Thamel)
- Narayanhiti Palace Museum Opening Times: closed on Wednesdays, all other days: 10 am – 3:30 pm
Nepal used to be a monarchy until 2008 and the Narayanhiti Palace was turned into museum. It is an interesting place to see the inside of a palace where Nepal’s monarchy used to live. The exhibition includes old photos, coronation jewellery, sculptures, paintings and antique furniture.
In 2001, members of the royal family were killed in the ‘Royal Massacre’ and the places where each member of the family died is marked within the palace grounds. The museum is definitely an interesting place to learn about Nepal’s history and it’s located just a few minutes away from Thamel.
WORLD HERITAGE SITES
There are 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Kathmandu Valley. Visiting the sites are a great activity for kids. The heritage sites are spread out across Kathmandu and if you plan to visit all the sites independently, it will probably take around 3-4 days to give sufficient time for all.
The 7 World Heritage Sites in the Kathmandu Valley are: Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Pashupatinath Temple, Changu Narayan Temple, Boudanath Stupa and the Swoyambhu Stupa (also called as the ‘Monkey Temple’).
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16. Kathmandu Durbar Square
The Kathmandu Durbar Square is a great place to visit with family. It is located close to Thamel and is one of the most famous attractions in Kathmandu.
‘Durbar’ means ‘royal palace’, and although the construction of the square began in the 3rd century, most of the temples were built during the 16th century.
The temples were heavily damaged by the earthquake in 2015, however, the reconstruction has been since mostly completed.
17. Patan Durbar Square
The Patan Durbar Square is located in Lalitpur, just south of Kathmandu.
Within the Patan Durbar Square, there are a number of beautifully built temples and the Patan Museum. The view of the Patan Durbar Square from the top floor of the Patan Museum is pretty nice.
18. Bhaktapur Durbar Square
The Bhaktapur Durbar Square is one of the beautiful and biggest out of the three durbar squares in the Kathmandu Valley.
You can find the Nyatapola Temple in Bhaktapur which is the tallest temple in Nepal.
Bhaktapur is a great place for a day trip and apart from exploring the durbar square, there are many other activities that you can do.
19. Swoyambhu Stupa (Monkey Temple)
The Swoyambhu Stupa is a short walk away from Thamel, situated on a small hill. As it is on the top of a hill, there are many stairs to climb to get up to the stupa.
Once you get to the top and the Swoyambhu Stupa, you will get a really nice view of Kathmandu. It is great to go there during sunsets and take in the views of the city and mountains.
20. Boudha Stupa
The Boudha Stupa is a great place to visit for the sunset and evening. There are many rooftop restaurants built around the stupa and it’s such a nice place to relax after a long day.
The restaurants around the stupa serve many different types of dishes, both Nepali and continental dishes.
21. Pashupatinath Temple
The Pashupatinath Temple is the largest temple complex in Nepal built in the 5th century. It is one of the most sacred Hindu temples in Nepal, and the temple complex includes smaller shrines and temples.
The Pashipatinath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Pashupatinath Temple is situated on the bank of the Bagmati River. The Bagmati River flows into the River Ganges, which is considered a holy river.
The temple complex is across a large area, that you can wander around, learn about culture and traditions.
22. Changu Narayan Temple
The Changu Narayan Temple, located near Bhaktapur, is the oldest Hindu temple in Nepal. Although the date of the construction is unknown, the inscriptions on entrance gate are from 464 AD.
Apart from the temple, there is also the Changu Museum and the Ethnographic Museum that can be visited.
DAY TRIPS
There are many options for day or weekend trips from Kathmandu. These trips can be great to be in the nature, enjoy clean air and see the mountains.
22. Patan
Patan may be the most famous for the Patan Durbar Square but there are many other things to do in Patan!
The best places to visit in Patan are the Patan Durbar Square, Patan Museum, Mahaboudha Temple, Golden Temple, Ashoka Stupa, Kumbeshwar Temple, Pimbahal Pond, Mangal Bazaar and checking out museum exhibitions.
23. Bhaktapur
Apart from the Bhaktapur Durbar Square, there are other temples and fun activities. Bhaktapur is known for its pottery, woodcarving and Newari food.
If you are visiting Bhaktapur, it is a great place to try Newari food, take a pottery class, learn to make a thangka painting or even sign up for a woodcarving session.
24. Chandragiri
Chandragiri is only about 1 hour from Kathmandu and there is a cable car which takes you up to the Chandragiri Hills in 10 minutes. The cable car is a steep but fun ride and once you get to the top, you get nice views on a clear day.
There is also a playground on the top, a temple and a restaurants that serves Nepali food.
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25. Godawari Botanical Garden
The Godawari Botanical Garden is only about 45 minutes from Kathmandu and is a great day trip is you want to see some flowers and spend time in nature.
It is open all year around, however, the best time to visit is in the Spring (March-May) when the flowers are in bloom.
WEEKENDS TRIPS FROM KATHMANDU
Although it is possible to visit these places for only one day, it is best to spend at least 1 night in the following places:
26. Nagarkot
Nagarkot is 30 km form Kathmandu and is one of the most popular destinations near Kathmandu to see the sunrise and sunset over the Himalayas.
As Nagarkot is close to Kathmandu, it makes it very easy to reach. Nagarkot can be great for a short 1 night/2 days trip if you are short on time. If you have more time, it is easy to spend 3-4 days in Nagarkot.
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27. Dhulikhel
Although, Nagarkot is the most popular destination for sunrise views near Kathmandu, if you are looking for a less touristy alternative, Dhulikhel is the place for you!
Dhulikhel is 30 km east of Kathmandu and can be reached in 2 hours by taking a direct bus from Ratna Park.
Apart from the beautiful sunrise views, there are also temples, hiking trails or go ziplining.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many things to do for families in Kathmandu. If you are looking for activities for kids, there is everything from sightseeing and museums to art and baking classes.
It is easy to get around Kathmandu using taxis. You can hail or book them through one of the Nepali taxi apps. There is no Uber in Nepal but here you can check out my guide to the taxi apps in Nepal.
