Ultimate Guide to Kuala Lumpur with Kids: Top Things to See and Do

Written By Kristine Berry-Trow

Visiting Kuala Lumpur with kids is a great idea. The city is such a mix of culture, experiences, fun and excitement. There is so much to see and do for kids in Kuala Lumpur and it is easy to travel around, generally budget friendly and has great infrastructure. After our 4 trips here, read more about our favourite and we think the best things to do in Kuala Lumpur with kids. We’ve even ordered all these great things to do in Kuala Lumpur into 3 and 7 day itineraries for you to follow here!

If you’re looking for the best family friendly restaurants in Kuala Lumpur, then check out our full guide here - and it’s still growing! And if you’re on a budget then we’ve condensed this list into a smaller ‘free things to do in Kuala Lumpur’ guide.

klcc

Kidzania

Kidzania is to the west of the city centre, around 30 minutes and £5 in a Grab taxi. There are various Kidzania centres in the world but we hadn’t visited any before this one. The concept is that Kidzania is a city for kids where they can work to earn money, spend their money on experiences or save up their wages to shop at the end of the day. Whether it is being a fire fighter, working for the police, getting your driving license or being a surgeon, it is both fun and educational. We spent 5 hours here, costing us £65 as a family of 4. There’s so much to share, we have done a separate blog page on our top tips when visiting Kidzania.

City Park, TRX The Exchange

There are so many malls in KL and most of them are not just for shopping but they have food courts and entertainment for family. The City Park at TRX Exchange is no different and is the newest addition to KL’s mall scene. The city park is 500 acres of rooftop gardens, walkways and play areas. There is even a rainforest walk, all of which is accessed via the 4th floor from the mall. As well as all the walkways to explore, there is a play cave, adventure play park, splash park and water play section, all located in the centre. It is new, clean, safe and great fun for kids of all ages - this definitely goes down as one of the best parks in Kuala Lumpur. Next to the water play there is a small amusement centre with fun cars to rent which the kids can drive around themselves on the rooftop walkways. The city park is free to visit but the cars are £5 for 10 minutes - they even have sensors to avoid crashes or you can drive in the cars with the kids.

Museum of Illusions

If you find yourself in Bukit Bintang with kids with an hour or so to kill, you’ll have a good time at the museum of illusions. Spread over two floors there are around 12 different ‘photo poses’ creating illusions, walls full of art illusions, wooden puzzles spread out across the space and a vortex tunnel. It was really quiet when we visited so the staff helped us to get the best shots and both our kids really enjoyed themselves. This certainly wouldn’t fill a whole day, and the entrance fee is around £30 for a family so not the cheapest, but we think it is worth a visit.

KL Eco Park and Canopy Walkway

The last remaining rainforest in KL is situated right next to the KL Tower and there is a brilliant canopy walkway to see it in all it’s glory. Entrance is free for under 6s, adults are £7 and children £1. There are 4-5 sections of walkway which aren’t so high they go above the tree canopy and the bridges don’t swing so it’s not going to put off any one who has an aversion to heights. The unexpected highlight of the walk was the wild monkeys that walked right by us, enjoyed their brekkie in the trees and even carried their babies swinging from tree to tree. These monkeys aren’t the aggressive ones you see in Bali, but they are wild so of course exercise some caution. There are other hiking trails in the eco park, if you are with older kids or want to explore more, but the canopy was enough for us. Be aware that the park is closed on Fridays and last entrance is 4pm.

From KL Eco Park you can also enjoy the KL Tower up close (we didn’t go up as the price tag of £10-£20 each wasn’t worth it for us), and you’ll catch sight of the World Peace Gong and the area is worth and explore - there’s also toilets and various restaurants / snack / drink stops at the foot of the tower which are well received. There are two entrances to the eco park either from near Jalan Alor, or from the KL Tower.

The Petronas Towers and Suria KLCC Light Shows

The Petronas Towers and Suria KLCC Light Shows. These iconic towers are the centre of K-L. We didn’t actually go up the towers but we enjoyed them in different ways. Each evening the pools surrounding the Petronas Towers come alive with the most amazing fountain and light shows – the colours, the music, the water dancing. It does get busy but we never had trouble finding a good spot for a sit and to watch, and we went several evenings during our trip as it was such a hit. The night time light shows are on at 8pm, 9pm and 10pm.

Rex Theatre and Cinema

Located near Petaling Street, the Rex Theatre complex is more than a theatre. It is a art community and cultural building full of unique independent shops, the most amazing maze like bookshop and an incredible immersive art experience, Twilight. This show is 60 minutes long and has 3 exhibits, each very different and plenty to mesmerise smaller children. Entrance is £13 for an adult, £10 for children and 6 and under are free. There are flashy images and some loud noises but our sensitive 5 year old was fine and really enjoyed it. Between each show there is the option for kids to run around and the thermal floor will create vibrant colours following them as they burn off some energy. There are two different shows, the difference being that one has a live actor dancing in the third exhibit. The standard show is a little cheaper than the live show. There’s bean bags to lie in as you enjoy watching the films and immersive art on the walls all around you. The show runs daily 10am - 10pm but the live show is generally in the afternoon/evening.

Aquaria KLCC

Into the deep – Aquaria KLCC. Yes, we’ve all been to aquariums around the world, and yes this perhaps isn’t on the ‘budget’ activity list, but Aquaria KL mesmerised our children. The piranha feeding was a real highlight, and we spent a long time in the 90m long living ocean tunnel with sharks and rays swimming overhead and you almost feel you can touch them through the glass. As well as a huge salt-water tank with some “massive fish” (in the words of our daughter), there were also tanks dedicated to jelly fish and crabs of every shape and kind, the Japanese spider crabs being particularly captivating for our two. Many of the tanks have viewing through the glass which is great for children in pushchairs to still enjoy the exhibitions. The aquarium is located in KLCC which is in the complex around the Petronas Towers, so very central, and the air con is a welcome escape from the heat. We spent over 3 hours here which for the £13 entrance fee we thought was great value for money and children under 3 are free. It’s worth noting that as at October 2024 there was a bit of refurb underway and some maintenance needed in places.

The Lake Gardens

The Lakes Gardens or KL’s Botanical Gardens. Once acclimatised to the heat and humidity of KL, the Lake Gardens are great for kids. There are ponds with some huge fish and terrapins which can be viewed over the various bridges and viewpoints. The Gardens are extensive and great for exploring with plenty to capture the attention of young eyes and minds, and plenty of space for running around and burning off energy. With topiary dinosaurs to bamboo houses and rainbow trees, it isn’t only the amazing children’s playground in the centre of the park that makes it worthy of a visit. It also gives some different view of K-L, there’s plenty of trees for shade, cafes and kiosks for refreshment breaks, and the paths are uber pushchair friendly. or

KLCC Water park and playground

KLCC Park. This is an absolute must visit for any family visiting K-L. At the foot of the Petronas Towers is a huge expanse of pools and play areas for children to enjoy. However, don’t make the same mistake as we did and rock-up on a Monday as it is closed!! Every other day of the week, children can enjoy hours of free fun. The splash pools are knee-deep with fountains and various water features to be enjoyed. Remember a nappy for babies and toddlers as otherwise they do get evicted from the water by the various ‘security guards’.

You can combine the splash park with some time on the biggest children’s playground in K-L, with plenty of climbing frames, slides, houses, swings and adventure courses for children aged 2 – 12  there’s something for everyone. And whilst the children play, adults can enjoy the shading spots and views of the Petronas Towers. One word of warning, the plastic climbing frames and slides can get VERY hot in the heat so plenty of water and shorts over dresses are probably a good idea for little ones! It is also worth noting that as at October 2024 there was a lot of the playground closed for repair and maintenance (but it’s big enough to still provide a lot of fun).

Exploring Batu Caves

Visiting the Batu Caves with kids is an excellent morning adventure from Kuala Lumpur. Whilst not strictly in the city centre, a 20-30 minute drive to the Batu caves would be an excellent morning adventure. I say morning to beat the heat, although we did manage it even when we arrived at 11am! We had been warned that the steps would be too much for us with a baby and toddler, but with Haribo bribery, and the youngest in the carrier, we took our time and scaled all 272 rainbow-coloured steps without too much of an issue. However, do be warned – there are monkeys in abundance and they have definitely realised that with children comes snacks, and we lost out bag of Haribo to a particularly confident one on the way up. Rather than upset, this did cause a lot of hilarity and it is a memory that is still spoken about today. Once at the top there are several caves to explore with many temples housed within the cave network. The amazing brightly coloured shrines are quite the contrast to the grey cave walls – and you are also rewarded with cooler temperatures inside.

China Town, Petaling Street and KL Central Market

China Town, Petaling market and K-L Central Market. For a few hours of mooching, shopping and eating, you could combine all of these three sights in a few hours. There’s the usual tourist-tat and souvenirs on offer, a huge choice of eateries with a host of different cuisines, and a great vibe for exploring the streets and lots of things for little eyes to spot along the way. Within K-L central market, our two through enjoyed the new food hall where we enjoyed a great feast for less than £20 for the 4 of us and everyone could choose what they wanted to eat. A lot of locals frequent this area which we always see is a great sign as somewhere good to go, and our little ginger-headed boy attracted a lot of attention from the locals! There’s also some great wall art as you wander back towards Merdeka Square from the market (5 minute walk). You can walk along the “River of Life” which is traffic free and has some good views of colonial KL.

Berjaya Times Square

Berjaya Times Square Theme Park. If you are seeking air con and family fun, and willing to spend a little for that luxury, there is a full day of entertainment to be had at this indoor theme park. There are rides for all ages here, including even a loop-the-loop rollercoaster all indoors – this is an assault on the senses of a different kind! We were even able to take a baby on the slowest rides, something that we’ve never experienced elsewhere in the world. It wasn’t too busy either so no queuing and restlessness from the kids! For £10-£15 per person (under 3’s free) you then got unlimited rides with everything from small ferris wheels, jeep safaris, rollercoasters, dodgems, fishing games, pirate ships and virtual reality software. The lights, sounds, an surrealist design (think giant ice creams hanging from the ceiling), there was definitely something for everyone and probably not on the usual tourist trail as most people there were local families.

Also within Berjaya Times Square is bowling at Ampang Superbowl on level 5, which is very reasonably priced at £15 a game for a family of 4, including the mandatory shoe hire. Make sure you take socks with you otherwise you have to rent those as well! There are bowling balls for smaller kids and the option to have lane buffers to make it very family friendly.

Hop On Hop Off Bus

We’ve enjoyed several hop-on, hop-off buses when visiting cities with the kids, and the Kuala Lumpur edition is also very worth it. We find they give you a good feel for the layout of the city and which sites you want to go and enjoy more. We generally sit on the route all the way around then then visit where we want to go independently. The kids enjoy sitting on the top deck and enjoy the breeze or the air con, and for adults we get to do some sightseeing! It’s also good for when they are walked-out or the walk is just a bit too far. Kuala Lumpur has 2 routes, each 2 hours long. We only did the garden route as it was the half of the city we knew least well, but the city loop takes you around the Petronas Tower, KL Tower and the larger malls. A family ticket costs 170RM (£30) for 24 hours, or 270RM for 48 hours. There is also a night tour starting at 8pm which must be booked in advance.

tourist bus

Petrosains Science Museum

Petrosains Science Museum. You might think this is another ‘not quite budget friendly’ activity, but at a cost of around £25 for a family of 4 it provided another full day of entertainment for everyone. Their tagline is ‘where science comes alive’ and that couldn’t be truer. This is an amazing place with hands on exhibitions on space, dinosaurs, speed, oil and gas, and many others. We met a talking and moving robot, and endured a 130-km wind tunnel and g-force chair – well I did, much to the hilarity from the kids. There were science demos throughout as well and so age appropriate for all ages from 3 right up to adults. And given it is located right next to the KLCC, parks and Petronas Towers, the location is spot on. I’d recommend heading in the morning and then grabbing lunch from the mall below and enjoying it around the fountains.    

Kristine Berry-Trow
Previous

Our favourite restaurants to eat with kids in Kuala Lumpur
Next

Top Tips for Visiting KidZania Kuala Lumpur: Make the Most of Your Day!