Fun Time With Your Kids in Istanbul

Gokce Nacar

May 24 1445 read

Do you intend to travel to Istanbul with your children? Here's our guide to the top activities to spend an amazing time with them.

Looking for a tourist destination that includes many archaeological and historical sites, while at the same time enjoying vibrant life and bustling beauty. But, what about your children, shouldn't they have a share of fun?

Istanbul is the city that guarantees you and your children enjoyment at the same time, as it includes historical heritage, modernity, excitement, and fun children's activities.

You can learn about the most important landmarks and touristic places of Istanbul here, but in this article, we invite you to learn about the fun activities that you and your children can enjoy in Istanbul together.

A small adventure in the miniature park Miniatürk

It is the largest miniature park in the world with a total area of 60,000 square meters, and all existing works are 1/25 of the natural size. The scale models are located in 15,000 square meters, while the rest of the space includes the Panoramic Victory Museum, the Istanbul Crystal Museum, a parking lot, a restaurant, a gift shop, a children's playground, a maze, a chess hall, and other activities. The park includes 134 miniature models, including 62 from Istanbul, 59 from Anatolia, and 13 from Ottoman lands outside Turkey. The park includes two figures of two of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis and the Mausoleum of Mausolus, which were located in Turkey before their destruction.

The park opens its doors to visitors daily, on holidays, and public holidays and the secret of the comprehensive ticket is 12 Turkish liras (1.4 dollars), and for tourists, the entrance ticket price rises to 25 Turkish liras (2.8 dollars), payment in local currency, and foreign currencies are not accepted.

A fun day in Legoland Istanbul

The place is designed for children up to 14 years old and includes many activities suitable for children, most notably the Lego Factory Tour, and Miniland, which includes the most prominent Turkish tourist sites designed with Lego blocks. There are also creative workshops for kids, a shop to buy Lego bricks, a farmhouse filled with giant legos, and an area to build and test LEGO cars.

To ensure the best prices, you can book 24 hours before the visit, and the price for a single-entry ticket is 65 TL ($ 7.90), and unlimited entry is 110 TL ($ 12.4). As for children under 3 years old, entry is free.

Return to the past, Rahmi M. Koç

This museum was a factory in the 19th century, and there's a good chance your kids will love it. They can take a ride in a vintage car, or sit in the cockpit of a real plane, and they can also get to know the submarine from the inside.

The museum is open to visitors from 10 am to 5 pm, and the entrance ticket is 25 Turkish liras ($ 2.8).

An amazing excursion in the Istanbul Aquarium

The Istanbul Aquarium is one of the largest public aquariums in the world, housing thousands of species of marine life. Your children will be able to learn about the characteristics of living things underwater. On a 1.2-kilometer journey, you will be on a date with simulations of the Black Sea, the Istanbul Straits, the Aegean Sea, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Suez, the Mediterranean Sea, the Strait of Gibraltar, the Panama Canal, the Pacific Ocean, and others.

Istanbul Aquarium is open from 10 am to 8 pm, and the entrance ticket for adults is 95 Turkish liras ($ 10.9) and for children 56 Turkish liras ($ 6.6).

Enjoy old dolls at the Istanbul Toy Museum

Turkish poet and author Mr. Senay Akin inaugurated the first private doll museum in Turkey on April 23, 2005. The date of the opening was not chosen randomly. On April 23, the Grand National Assembly met for the first time in 1923. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk also devoted this day to celebrate the child. Each room in the museum is a different theater, so you find the bright stars above when you enter the space games room. Visitors can rest in the café, with antique dolls and miniature bridal furniture.

The museum is open daily except for Mondays from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm. Entrance fees are 25 Turkish liras ($ 2.8) and free for the disabled and children under 3 years old.

Enjoying games in Isfanbul Tema Park

In Via Land theme park - Isfanbul as it has been called since April 2018 - children and adults can enjoy spending a full day amidst the games, theme park, shopping and entertainment centers, and exhibitions. This allows families to spend quality time in the shopping center, themed streets, cool boutiques, restaurants, and cafes, while their children enjoy various attractions such as horse rides and carousels. Children under 3 years old are allowed in for free. The fees for Jungle Park, Dungeon, and Safari combined are 80 TL ($ 9.40).

With an entrance ticket, you can enjoy many games inside the park, but it does not include souvenirs, food, and drink, and photography service, otherwise, additional fees are required.

An amazing dolphin show at the Istanbul Dolphinarium

Istanbul Dolphinarium offers a unique opportunity to explore the fascinating world of sea mammals, by taking a close look at these wonderful creatures, and you will get to know them better and realize the importance of these species in the world, including dolphins, seals, and little whales.

Dolphin shows can be seen daily from 2 pm except for Mondays. Tickets for adults are 220 Turkish liras ($ 26), for children 175 Turkish liras ($ 21), and those under two, free of charge. For those who want to swim for 10 minutes with dolphins, the price of a ticket is 1350 TL ($ 160).