Things for younger children in Malaga

If you’re on holiday in Malaga as a family, you’ll be looking for things to do for children in Malaga. In this blog post, we offer some ideas for children aged up to 10.

Look out for our second post when we suggest things to do for older children and teens. If you’ve got even younger children in your party, this post recommends the best things to do in Malaga for toddlers.

Art museums for children

Most of the art museums in Malaga cater for children with special one-off activities or guided tours. These are usually in Spanish so no good if your child doesn’t speak the language, but the guide might be English-speaking so it’s worth asking.

Highlight

The Pompidou Centre welcomes children with open arms – there’s a special entrance for them and the room with the installation ‘Bajo la luna II’ is full of metal pieces in all shapes and forms waiting for children to make their own construction. Open every day except Tuesday.

Read our guide to the Pompidou Centre in Malaga.

Beaches

One of the best children’s activities in Malaga has to be visiting the beach. Both the main beaches in Malaga are within walking distance of the centre and both have blue-flag status. Kiosks along the seafront promenade sell bucket and spade sets as well as cold drinks and ice creams.

Swimming in the sea

The sea doesn’t generally get too rough in Malaga, but beware of strong currents and big waves when the surf’s up. Some parts of the beaches shelve quickly away from the shore so you can quickly find yourself out of your depth. The safest places for children to go in the sea in Malaga are at the west end of La Misericordia near the causeway and at the small bays in Pedregalejo. 

Lifeguards operate between Easter and the end of September on La Malagueta and La Misericordia beaches. Follow their instructions and heed the flags – green for safe bathing, yellow for caution and red for danger. There’s also a special jellyfish flag when there are a lot in the water. 

Water parks

There are two in Malaga and both great for younger children. An inflatable water park is set up just off La Caleta beach (east of La Malagueta) with slides and obstacles.

And at the far west end of La Misericordia beach you’ll find a water park that’s perfect for kids (and their parents!). Open from mid-June to the end of September, family fun is guaranteed – see the video below. 

Museums

Music Museum

This counts as one of the best things to do for children in Malaga because this is a museum where you can touch practically everything. Bang on all the instruments, try your hand at conducting and scrape a few notes on the violin. Look out for special activities for kids.

Calle Beatas 15. Open daily.

Museum of the Imagination

A great one on the long list of Malaga museums, this space is dedicated to stretching your imagination to its limits. Four rooms full of scientific and optical illusions take you on a journey where nothing is quite as it seems. Lots of things to look at, touch and take photos of.

Calle Martínez Campos 13. Open Mon, Tues & Thurs 11am to 8pm, Fri to Sun 11am to 9pm. Closed Wednesday. More information.

Family fun at the English Cemetery

This lovely spot (Avda de Pries 5, slightly east of the Malagueta bullring) brings history and fun together in its family activities on Saturday mornings. Pre-reading age children will enjoy the I-Spy games while parents can tour the fascinating site. Allow around an hour for the visit. Cost €5 for adults, €4 for children. Book your slot here.

Malaga Treasure Hunt

If you fancy discovering the city while searching for treasure, this family-friendly tour is for you. Allow 2-3 hours for the tour, which includes plenty of surprises. From €19 per person.

Outside Malaga city

There are lots of things to do for children on the Costa del Sol generally and several nearby resorts have excellent family-fun attractions. For younger children try these:

Sea Life

Big aquariums and lots of sea life to see at SeaLife in nearby Benalmádena. Open daily – get discounted tickets online. How to get there: Bus 110 from Muelle Heredia, every 10-15 minutes and the journey takes 35 minutes. Get off at Benalmar bus stop.

BioParc Fuengirola

This is one of the best zoos anywhere and a great day for all the family. Open daily – look out for online promotions. How to get there: Train from Malaga (cercanías) near CAC art museum. Trains every 30 minutes and the journey takes 50 minutes. Get off at Fuengirola. More information here.

Play parks

Children on holiday in Malaga are spoilt for choice when it comes to play parks and you don’t have to go far to find some fun things to climb on and slide down. The western seafront promenade has a great choice and there are also climbing frames on the beaches.

Highlight: the pirate ship on the western seafront. Walk a little further west and there’s a zip line on the beach.

If you’re looking for rides or trampolines, try Muelle Uno where there are usually some set up during weekends. In the warmer months, you’ll find an old-fashioned merry-go-round near the lighthouse.

And of course, during the Malaga Fair (in August), there are rides galore for all ages!

Time out

This one’s more for the parents than the children – if you fancy some quiet shopping time to yourself, there are childcare centres in:

Vialia – Urban Tempo, a large play park upstairs, next to the eateries on the first floor, suitable for children aged 6 to 13. Recrealia on the ground floor with activities in English and Spanish with regular workshops for children aged 4 to 12. Open Fri 5.30-9.30pm and Sat 11am-3pm & 5.30-9.30pm. Free.

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