Highlights of Bangkok for Young Children

Highlights of Bangkok for Children

Bangkok is a vibrant, chaotic, and endlessly fascinating city, but travelling with young children can add a layer of further consideration. But don't avoid it if you are thinking about it. To miss Bangkok for fear of it being too difficult with young children is to miss one of the world's great city experiences. I cannot comment on how it would be with a child reliant on a stroller (the pavements are pretty unaccommodating in Bangkok - potholes, wires, narrow - you have to watch where you walk). After six days here, we’ve learned a few things about what makes this city enjoyable for little ones—and how to keep the family cool, curious, and content in the tropical heat. Here are some of our perspectives:

1. A Hotel Pool: The Lifesaver

If you’re travelling with kids, a pool is non-negotiable. Bangkok’s heat and humidity can be intense and relentless, so starting or ending the day with a splash in the pool was essential for all of us. It was the perfect way to cool down, burn off some energy, and reset after sightseeing or school time.

2. The Chao Phraya River: A Living, Moving Canvas

The river is pure magic for children (and adults, if we’re honest). There’s always something to marvel at—fishermen hauling in huge catches from bridges, colourful party boats decked out in flashing lights, bustling commuter boats, long-tail boats darting between traffic, and even navy ships. Add in the market traders unloading goods and the glittering temple roofs peeking out along the banks, and you’ve got endless entertainment.

3. Temples and the Grand Palace: History Meets Fun

Temples might not immediately scream “fun for kids,” but we made it work. Getting there at opening time helped us beat both the heat and the throngs of coach tours. For younger ones, we turned it into a game: “Spot the golden Buddha,” “Count the dragons,” and “How is this temple different from the last one?” "if you were to be one of the winged guardians of the temple, which colour would you be and what is your name?" Stories about the Royal Family and Buddha, simplified for little ears, added a bit of context and kept their imaginations engaged.

4. Tuk-Tuks and Songthaews: The Ultimate Joyride

Nothing says “Bangkok” like speeding through the streets in a tuk-tuk. For our kids, the noise, the lights, and the breeze made every ride feel like a mini-adventure. They whooped and squealed with delight. The larger family-size songthaews were equally thrilling, but there’s something special about squeezing into a traditional tuk-tuk and feeling the heartbeat and dynamism of the city.

5. Street Food Adventures

Bangkok’s street food scene is legendary, and it didn’t disappoint. A quick tip: If you want to avoid spice, say “Mai Ped” (no spice), though there’s no guarantee it’ll work—it’s a bit of a roulette game! Watching the vendors cook was almost as fun as eating, with huge flames, sizzling woks, towering piles of ingredients, and endless culinary creativity on display. And street food really is quick. If you have hungry little ones who, like ours, can go from content to dying of hunger, street food is your answer. When I say street food, you're sitting down on a plastic-covered table with some questionable plastic chairs, but genuinely, while these places may not look as soft furnished and sterile as we may be used to in Europe and the US, they cook clean, on severe heat, all fresh ingredients and the food is wonderful. What's more, none of us has had a single tummy issue in all the time of travelling here (and we are beyond day 3 at this point of me writing the blog).

6. Fresh Fruit Smoothies: Cooling Down in Style

Sold on nearly every corner, these smoothies are practically medicinal. Packed with tropical fruits, they kept us hydrated, cooled us down, and gave the kids a much-needed sugar boost during long days. And by the way, they do add a bit of sugar syrup to the smoothies which you can ask them to avoid if it matters to you. We needed it. Plus, they’re so good we found ourselves stopping for one at least twice a day.

7. Lumphini Park: Green Space, Giant Lizards and Giant Ducks

Bangkok’s concrete jungle melts away in Lumphini Park. The kids loved pedaling around the lake on free duck boats and spotting the enormous monitor lizards sunbathing by the water. When the heat became too much, the sprinklers dotted around the park doubled as impromptu cooling fountains to run through.

8. Street Markets: A Feast for the Senses

Even if you’re not shopping, Bangkok’s street markets are a delight. The colours, the lights, the smells, and the constant buzz of activity are enough to hold anyone’s attention. The kids were wide-eyed, soaking in everything from rows of glittering jewellery to stalls selling stuffed animals, trinkets, and the occasional oddity. Full transparency: we bought trackers for our children (see our packing recommendations and links to the ones we used for android). It was more for our peace of mind rather than any genuine paranoia or feeling unsafe. We all felt incredibly safe as a family and still do in all the places we have ventured in this country (blog is catching up!). But they were inexpensive, the children were happy enough wearing them and tucking a couple into our rucksacks meant we felt easier in those first acclimatising weeks.

Our Bangkok Rhythm: Finding Balance

It took us three days to acclimatise to the heat and humidity, plus shake off the not-too-awful jetlag, and honestly, the first few days were quite low-energy. But that was fine. We set a relaxed pace, we had the time over this whole trip, alternating between early starts followed by pool and school in the afternoons, or a lazy morning at the pool and school before heading out in the afternoon for an adventure and a night market.

Bangkok doesn’t demand that you rush—it’s a city that rewards you for slowing down and soaking it all in. By balancing exploration with downtime, we managed to make the most of our six days here without pushing ourselves too hard.

Bangkok may be busy and bustling, but it’s also incredibly family-friendly. With the right mix of planning and flexibility, it offers something for everyone, no matter how young or old. Having traveled extensively, I can still nominate this place as one of my favourite cities in the world. There really is just nowhere else like Bangkok. We fell in love with it. And we will absolutely return.