FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES IN ICELAND

Iceland’s a great place to bring the kids, with a heady mix of adventure, history and places to relax. In this article we’ll take a look at some of the country’s most family-friendly activities, including swimming pools, interactive museums and wildlife-spotting opportunities as well as the kinds of tours and activities that you can all enjoy together.

We’ll offer practical advice on how to prepare for a family holiday to Iceland, with tips on what to pack, how to cope with seasonal variations and suggestions for how you might adapt your travel plans to suit young children or teenagers.

Interactive museums that the children will love

Iceland offers a variety of museums and attractions perfect for a family vacation. From quirky turf houses to museums dedicated to fascinating topics like witchcraft, marine life, and even unusual subjects like willies, there’s something to captivate every member of the family, young and old alike.

Interactive museums are surprisingly fun, so when researching things to do in Iceland for families don’t assume they’re all stuffy and boring collections comprising labelled exhibits in glass cases.

One museum that’s much more engaging is the Icelandic Museum of Rock and Roll, located close to Keflavik Airport. Budding musicians can sing karaoke and rock out on an electric guitar in the museum’s sound booth.

Another immersive experience is at Perlan in Reykjavik. State of the art technology brings Icelandic nature and geology to life, such as an augmented reality replica of Látrabjarg bird cliff, a walk-through artificial ice cave and an immersive Northern Lights show in the museum’s planetarium. Upstairs there’s even an ice-cream parlour. As educational activities go, it’s about as far removed from school as you can get.

While letting your children visit an erupting volcano might sound daunting, a captivating and educational show offers a thrilling alternative—without the safety concerns.

If you're in Reykjavik or Vik, the Lava Show is a must-see that will leave kids wide-eyed in amazement. Suitable for all ages, though best for those over four, it’s the only live lava show in the world. Here, real lava is heated to a staggering 1100°C, simulating the awe-inspiring power of a volcanic eruption.

The Whales of Iceland Museum in Reykjavik features life-sized models of 23 whale species, offering an immersive and educational experience for all ages. Interactive displays and multimedia exhibits provide insights into whale biology, behavior, and conservation. With highlights like the underwater sound experience and virtual reality encounters, it's a must-visit attraction that deepens appreciation for these majestic creatures.

Going to the pool is part of everyday life in Iceland. Its abundant geothermal energy means that you can rely on the water being warm, even in winter. Many municipal pools have water slides and other fun things to keep the children amused. Some have kiddie pools and well-placed hot tubs for you to relax in while your kids splash around.

Kids’ playgrounds are also found in most larger towns. In summer, you’ll often see inflated bounce pads for younger children to bounce around on and let off steam, whiledesignated skate parks can be found in Reykjavik and Akureyri.

At Reykjavik’s Kringlan Mall, children aged between 3 and 9 can play at Adventureland, a small indoor playground, and children under 6 can play at a large indoor playground called Family Land.

One of the most special things about a family trip to Iceland is its wildlife. All the family, regardless of age, will be enchanted by the comic antics of Iceland’s puffins. Come between late April and mid August for the opportunity of a close-up encounter, though be aware if great skuas and Arctic terns are also nesting in the vicinity they’re not so well-behaved.

Whale watching tours are also great family-friendly activities; open to everyone over the age of one, you’ll all get excited if a humpback whale breaches or if a pod of dolphins swims alongside the boat.

And though not strictly speaking wildlife, Icelandic horses are also a delight, whether you see them by the roadside, visit a stable or, for those aged about 7 or over, go for a ride.

Iceland has more than its fair share of challenging hikes but the good news is that there are plenty of easy ones too. For instance, much of the Golden Circle is child-friendly.

At Þingvellir National Park, a manageable path leads from the car park to Öxarárfoss waterfall, squeezing between the steep sides of the Almannagjá gorge along the way. You can also manoeuvre a stroller around Geysir and to the viewing platforms at Gullfoss.

A popular stop on our South Coast tours , you’ll find another easy, flat trail leads to Seljalandsfoss from its car park; there’s a handrail beside the metal stairs that flank nearby Skógafoss if you want to climb up for the view.

Further east, it’s only a short walk between Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach but you can also move your rental vehicle to the other car park if you need to.

Iceland's mix of easy and accessible trails ensures that everyone, from families with young children to adventurous families with teenege kids, can enjoy its incredible natural wonders.

Just outside Reykjavík, you can explore Heiðmörk, a popular destination for local families, known for its striking red volcanic hills, dense forests, and a serene lake. This area is accessible year-round and perfect for a leisurely day out.

Guided Glacier hikes offer a perfect blend of education and adventure, making them an ideal experience for families with children over eight years old. These guided tours provide a unique opportunity to explore Iceland's majestic glaciers up close while learning about the fascinating geology, history, and environmental significance of these icy giants.

The adventure of walking on a glacier, surrounded by breathtaking landscapes of blue ice, deep crevasses, and rugged terrain, creates an unforgettable experience that will captivate both children and adults alike. The hands-on nature of these tours, often including the use of crampons and ice axes, adds an element of excitement while ensuring safety under the guidance of experienced professionals.

Between late August and mid-April, a Northern Lights tour is a must so long as your children are old enough to cope with a late night – and probably the cold. If your family is active, then put a grin on your faces as you speed along a zipline; the lower age limit is typically 8 or 9 years old.

You might consider letting them ride pillion on a snowmobile to experience what it’s like to travel over the surface of a glacier; similar age restrictions apply. Our Raufarhólshellir lava tunnel tour is open to anyone over the age of 3.

If you’re looking for something a little less adventurous, the sport of folf (frisbee golf) is easy to pick up and with courses all over the country it’s a great way to let off steam on your family vacation in Iceland.

Walking tours with fun themes such as Reykjavik’s cats are another way of spending quality time together.

Being well organised makes all the difference when travelling around Iceland with kids in tow. Here are a few ways you can prepare for a family trip.

What to pack

You won’t need to worry too much about smart clothes when coming to Iceland with kids as restaurants are pretty chilled about casual attire. Instead, think about how you’ll all stay warm and dry; even in summer the weather can be wet, cold and windy. Pack hats, scarves and gloves, plenty of layers and spare shoes in case a pair gets soaked.

Make sure you’ve got puzzles, colouring books and other games to keep the little ones happy. Electronics, including noise-cancelling headphones for when they’re streaming social media videos, music or television programmes, are likely to keep teens amused. Don’t forget the chargers.

How to cope with seasonal variations in weather and daylight

While in some respects an Iceland family vacation can be hindered by challenging weather, it can also bring unexpected bonuses – such seeing your children’s faces light up at the sight of snow far later in the year than they’d ever experience at home. As we’ve mentioned, bringing the right clothing is a must.

You can also work Iceland’s long summer days to your advantage as you can take lengthy breaks between your sightseeing stops and still have enough light to fit in everything you hoped to see. Bring eye masks or ask accommodation providers how effective their blinds and curtains are so your little ones don’t spoil the family’s enjoyment of a tour by being overtired.

Iceland’s a safe country and outside the capital most towns and villages are quiet with relatively little traffic. Therefore, depending on how mature your teens are and their level of confidence, you might allow them some freedom to go to the local ice cream parlour, mall or cinema. Build in time where they can simply chill or hang out with their mates remotely, and make sure they have decent WiFi so they can stay connected.

Some of Iceland’s natural environments are dangerous even for adults, so when determining appropriate levels of supervision, don’t underestimate wild parts of the coast, hot water and scalding steam in areas of high geothermal activity, unfenced waterfalls and icy environments such as glaciers and ice caves.

On a family trip to Iceland it’s important to consider the needs of all members of the family. When it comes to travelling with young children that means being in tune with their usual routines as well as making sure they can handle any differences between the food they’ll encounter and what they’re used to back home.

It’s a good idea to have a flexible itinerary with a view to dropping certain activities if they’re too tired or not in the mood. Build in downtime so that they can let off steam at a jump pad, children’s playground or park. Compare the advantages of carting around their things in a rental car with the fun of being able to share the passing scenery on an organised tour.

Some geothermal lagoons impose an age limit. For example, Sky Lagoon doesn’t welcome children under 12, while those between 12 and 14 must be accompanied by an adult. In contrast, Blue Lagoon allows children from the age of 2; those aged 7 or over must use a gender-appropriate changing room.

Meanwhile, Secret Lagoon and Laugarvatn Fontana, both popular add-ons to the Golden Circle, have no age-related restrictions at all. This is also the case with the country’s natural hot springs though at Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach a responsible person aged 15 or over must remain with any youngster under 10.

We offer so many activities you can do with your children on a family vacation to Iceland it would be impossible to fit all of them into a single holiday. Start working your way through those you’ll enjoy most on your first trip.