8 Best Things to Do With Kids in Hanoi

This section of things to do with kids in Hanoi is ideal for travelling families looking to enjoy a fulfilling holiday in the capital city of Vietnam. Known for its rich culture and traditions, Hanoi is teeming with breathtaking sites, such as historical monuments, unique museums, and art galleries, but there are also plenty of entertainment, both modern and traditional for the little ones. Most shopping malls in Hanoi are fitted with arcade centres, bowling alleys, and movie theatres, while outdoor water parks are ideal for those looking to cool off during the scorching summer months. From massive theme parks with thrilling rides to traditional theatre performances, our comprehensive guide of the best family activities in Hanoi cater to just about any budget level and preference. 

1 Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Hanoi with tickets selling out well in advance so it’s worth booking yours as soon as you arrive in town. It is also advisable to pay more to get closer to the action as the theatre seats a few hundred people and the puppets are not that big. The theatre is modern and usually shows 17 short sketches within a one-hour performance. Aside from the general admission fee of VND 100,000, there's an additional camera or video fee if you wish to photograph or film the show.

Opening Hours: Daily 15:00, 16:10, 17:20, 18:30 & 20:00

Address: 57B, Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

Tel: +84 43 824 9494

Price Range: VND 100,000 

2 Ice-Skating in Savico Megamall Hanoi

L3-301-1, located along Nguyen Van Linh Street is one of Vietnam’s largest shopping malls, where you can find an ice-skating rink on the third floor – perfect for entertaining the kids while escaping unfavourable weather conditions in Hanoi. Offering a good mix of local and international brands, ample dining outlets, entertainment centres, and beauty services, familiar brands include Levi's, Lacoste, Adidas, Nike, Prada, Burberry, and Yves Rocher as well as prominent fast food chains such as Pizza Hut, Sumo BBQ, and Trung Nguyen Coffee.

Opening Hours: Daily 09:00 – 22:00

Address: L3-301-1, Savico Megamall, 07 - 09 Nguyen Van Linh Street, Long Bien District, Hanoi

Tel: +84 46 266 8855 

3 Ho Tay Water Park 

Ho Tay Water Park features plenty of high-speed water slides, a three-metre deep wave pool, and a lazy river filled with colourful caricatures and water fountains. Spanning over 35,500 square metres, the water park is also adjacent to an adventure theme park that houses a roller coaster, Ferris wheel, and thrilling rides for older kids. Ho Tay Water Park is located in Tay Ho District, about a 15-minute taxi ride from Hanoi Old Quarter. Entrance fees for the water park are priced at VND 100,000 for adults and VND 125,000 for children, but it’s only VND 60,000 if you’re visiting after 17:00.

Opening Hours: Monday – Friday 09:00 – 20:00, Saturday & Sunday 08:00 – 20:00

Address: 612 Lac Long Quan, Nhat Tan, Tay Ho District, Hanoi Tel: +84 43 718 4222

Price Range: Visitors above 1.35m - VND 100,000 (weekdays) & VND 125,000 (weekends), visitors below 1.35m VND 60,000 (weekdays) & VND 80,000 (weekends) 

4 Vinpearl Land Water Park Royal City Hanoi 

Vinpearl Land Water Park Royal City Hanoi is one of the largest theme parks in Hanoi, housing an Olympic-size swimming pool, dive pool, two playgrounds, a wave pool, and spa pool, as well as plenty of colourful rides and flumes. Set within the Vincom Mega Mall Royal City, the playground areas offer a good mix of interactive and physical games for children of all ages. Standout features include a 5D cinema, bumper cars, karaoke room, dance machines, and two-lane bowling alleys.

Opening Hours: Daily 09:30 – 18:30

Address: Floor B1 – R3, Vincom Mega Mall Royal City, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi

Tel: +84 1900 6677 Price Range: VND 100,000 (80 – 140cm) & VND 170,000 (over 140cm) 

5 10 Pin Bowling in AEON Mall Hanoi 

Dream Games host a spacious games arcade centre and a modern bowling alley with digital scoreboards and lively music playing in the background. Located on the third and fourth floors of AEON Mall Hanoi, Dream Bowling is also fitted with fast food kiosks, karaoke rooms and pool tables, attracting mostly local youths looking to enjoy fun while their families are shopping in the mall. You can opt for an hour-long game for VND 250,000, but if you’re pressed for time, each round of bowling costs only VND 35,000.

Opening Hours: Daily 10:00 – 22:00

Address: T341 - 3rd Floor & Lot 401 – 4th Floor, Aeon Mall Long Bien, 27 Co Linh, Long Bien District, Hanoi

Tel: +84 43 269 3000 Price Range: VND 35,000 per game, VND 250,000 per hour 

6 Ionah Show Hanoi 

Ionah Show Hanoi offers a stunning display of dance, circus, music, visual, 3D mapping and lighting performances. Held every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings, the show chronicles the journey of Lady Ionah, who was hurled into a surreal world after an argument with her beloved. Similar to the ever-popular Cirque du Soleil, Expect lots of acrobats in colourful costumes performing traditional and modern dance performances, theatrical arts, and well-designed set pieces, throughout the9 0-minute long show. 

Opening Hours: Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday 20:00 – 21:30

Address: Star Galaxy - Theater & Convention, 87 Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi

Tel: +84 43 664 6969 Price Range: VND 750,000 (second class) & VND 950,000 (first class)

7 Hanoi Central Circus 

The Hanoi Central Circus is ideal for a day of family-friendly fun, where travellers can enjoy live performances and simple fairground games within a large park in the south of the city. Featuring clowns, acrobats and animal performances, the Central Circus in Hanoi follows a fairly predictable schedule, but it can be a lot of fun. Located next to Thien Quang Lake, it is a 10-minute taxi ride from Hanoi Old Quarter.

Opening Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 20:00 - 22:00

Address: 67 Tran Nhan Tong, Nguyen Du, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi

8 Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi offers an insight into the 54 different ethnic groups of Vietnam in an effort to preserve cultural heritage and promote socio-cultural diversity within the country. The museum is packed full of information detailing traditional Vietnamese ways of life, from religious events to the symbolic rituals of all the Vietnamese ethnic groups, providing a rich tapestry of the culture melting pot existing in Vietnam. The exhibition hall features everyday objects representing each group, a research centre, library and auditorium, as well as leisure pursuits on display such as traditional water puppet theatre and calligraphy.

Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 08:30 – 17:30

Address: Nguyen Van Huyen Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi

Tel: +84 43 756 2193 Price Range: VND 40,000