Visiting Brussels with children

6 tips for a great day out

Looking for the ideal destination for a day out with the kids? Brussels is less than two hours by train from Amsterdam and is packed with child-friendly attractions and activities. How about hunting for dinosaur fossils in the Museum of Natural Sciences? Or visiting Tintin in the Comics Art Museum? We have listed the 6 best tips for a day out in Brussels with children.

Brussels' museums are also great for children

Museums are not boring at all! Brussels has a wide range of museums and most of them offer guided tours or fact-finding missions for children. Let your children be amazed, learn and play all in one. Museums are perfect for children and families.

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1. Museum of Natural Sciences

Those who visit the Museum of Natural Sciences will immediately be surprised by the giant dinosaur. The Natural History Museum is not called the Dino Museum for nothing and is the ideal museum to visit with children. It has a fun exploration route where you can learn something about evolution and our planet.
Address: Vautierstraat 29
Website: www.naturalsciences.be/en/museum/home

2. The Comics Art Museum

Dive into the wonderful world of comic books at the Comics Art Museum in Brussels. The museum is located in the heart of Brussels, in a beautiful art nouveau building. Here you will find the classics as well as contemporary comic books. Even after the museum, you can continue to enjoy comic art: wander the streets of Brussels, look up and admire drawings of comic book heroes on walls and facades. The ideal way to discover the city centre with children!
Address: Zandstraat 20
Website: www.comicscenter.net/en/home

3. Train World

Give your children a unique railway experience with a visit to Train World. Discover the very first steam locomotives, take a seat on 100-year-old trains and dive into the world of flashy high-speed trains. Train World is a fantastic experience for railway enthusiasts and especially for children. There are special treasure hunts for the whole family. Tip: download the app in advance!
Train World is located next to Schaarbeek station and is easily accessible by metro, bus and bicycle.
Address: Pr. Elisabethplein 5
Website: www.trainworld.be/en

What activities are there for children

Want to do something outdoors too? Then take the comic book walk or look at the following tips.

4. Bruparck - Mini Europe

Take your children on a trip through Europe in just a few hours during a visit to Bruparck family park! This extraordinary attraction is a miniature city with about 350 models of the most beautiful monuments of the countries of the European Union. Mini-Europa is located at the foot of the Atomium and next to the large cinema complex Kinepolis. So, you can easily visit both.
Address: Eeuwfeestlaan 20
Website: bruparck.com/minieurope-en.html

5. Explore the Brussels Forests with children

Do you like to explore nature with your children? Put on your walking shoes and go exploring in the Brussels forest or discover the different green oases around Brussels. Wander through the historic Forêt de Soignes, a Unesco World Heritage Site. Or discover the flora and fauna of the Scheut forest. With its many footpaths, beautiful playgrounds and green views, it is a great place to have fun with the kids! At Brussels Central Station there are buses that go directly to Scheutbos, the travel time is about 45 minutes.

6. Visit the historic centre with kids

Explore the centre of Brussels with the whole family. See the Grand Place and walk past Manneken Pis. "Why hasn't Manneken Pis gotten dressed?", your children will probably ask. Admire the collection of costumes of the world-famous statue at the GardeRobe Manneken Pis museum, located in the Bread House on the Grand Place, a stone's throw from the fountain.

Travel with children to Brussels by train

Do you want to take the whole family on a city trip to Brussels? Then choose to travel by train. The train is ideal when travelling with children: they can play, walk around or read a book on the way. What's more, children can travel to Brussels at a discount. Eurostar and Intercity Brussels offer attractive discounts, so you can travel with the whole family for a great price.

Intercity Brussels becomes Eurocity Direct and EuroCity from 15 December

From 15 December 2024, the name and route of Intercity Brussels will change. The fast train to Brussels will soon be called Eurocity Direct. In addition to the Intercity, there will also be an extra train to Belgium, EuroCity. Until that date, you can continue to travel on the current trains.
More information about the new trains between the Netherlands and Belgium

Child discount Intercity Brussels

Children 0 to 3 years travel for free without a ticket
Children aged 4 to 11 travel for free with an adult (aged 18 or over) when booking online. Please indicate at the time of booking that your child is travelling with you and you will receive a ticket (free of charge).

Child discount Eurostar

On Eurostar to Paris, children up to 3 years travel free when you take them on your lap and children up to 11 years get a discount. Children get 50% off the adult fare in Eurostar Standard and Plus. They will not receive a discount in Eurostar Premier.

Find train tickets

Brussels with kids

From € 25