14 Things For Kids To Do In Kolkata That Guarantee Enjoyment

The largest and oldest museum in India, this building is home to over a million objects spread across 35 galleries. These include everything from Egyptian mummies and antique sculptures to pickled embryos, 37 different kinds of opium, a whale skeleton, and jewels discovered inside a crocodile's stomach! The Asiatic Society of Bengal founded the museum in 1814. In 1878, the museum relocated to its current location after first occupying the Asiatic Society building. Walter B. Granville, who also designed the GPO and the Calcutta High Court, created the museum building. Exhibitions, talks, workshops, publications, and outreach initiatives are just a few of the events and activities that the museum hosts.

Google Rating: 4.5/5

Timings: 10 AM - 6 PM. Closed on Mondays.

Entry: INR 75 per person

Contact: 033 2252 1790

Website: indianmuseumkolkata.org

LBB Tip: Avoid weekends, as it gets heavily crowded. If you want to click photographs, you will need special permission. Do not carry huge backpacks as they are not allowed.

Join a cool city club to create butterfly homes, assist with habitat surveys, and rescue animals and birds. Hundreds of colourful butterflies are free to soar in Kolkata's specially created butterfly gardens! Similar to bees, butterflies are excellent markers of an ecosystem's health. Their existence demonstrates the diversity of a place. They are also useful markers of climate change. You can also assist the Nature Mates team by reporting biodiversity status, conducting in-depth studies, and rescuing animals. Since children are constantly looking for ways to do something different, volunteering at Nature Mates, which was founded in 1994 by a group of people who were passionate about the environment, seems like an excellent idea! They can assist in the rescue of a wide variety of animals and birds, including vultures, kites, barn owls, sparrows, crows, snakes, monitor lizards, turtles, civets, jungle cats, and mongooses.

Google Rating: 3.7/5

Timing: 11 AM - 8 PM. Closed on Sundays.

Contact: 094326 41597 or naturemates@gmail.com

Website: naturematesindia.org

Instagram: @nature_mates_nc

LBB Tip: Keep an eye out on their Instagram page. They post all the workshops, volunteering dates, and various nature-related events for everyone to see

A shelf filled with 3D-printed miniatures, robots, Lego sets, and other items. Kids up to the age of five can discover what do-it-yourself (DIY) means at MakersLoft. They attempt to distract the kids from the fact that today's kids spend over 7.5 hours a day on technology, which frequently replaces important opportunities for socialisation and hands-on activities. They encourage learning via self-discovery and teamwork with other children and qualified mentors in a ready-made space with loads of engaging resources, such as Lego, Google Cardboard, and 3D printers. Kids will engage in enjoyable STEM-related activities. Hacking radios, searching through broken lamps, and crafting jewellery from leaves and flowers are just a few examples. 

Google Rating: 4.6/5

Timing: 10 AM - 5 PM

Contact:  033 3534 3856

Instagram: @makersloft_kol

The Botanical Garden has a long history, being founded in 1786 by Colonel Robert Kyd, an army officer of the East India Company. As history says, it was mainly built for the identification of new plants for commercial purposes, such as spices and teak for trade. It is also credited with initiating a program for introducing improved food plants for the economic benefit of the people. The garden is home to over 12,000 specimens. But the great banyan tree at the Botanical Gardens is the main highlight here. It is around 255 years old and is considered to be the oldest citizen of the city. Covering about 14,500 sq m of land, it is the widest tree in the world. The Great Banyan has been in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the largest canopy and covering the widest circumference. And it keeps growing!

Google Rating: 4.4/5

Timing: 8 AM - 5:30 PM. Closed on Mondays

Entry Fee: INR 30 per person; INR 100 for foreign nationals

Contact: 033 2668 1466

LBB Tip: We recommend you carry water to stay hydrated. Please wear comfortable shoes since the space is huge and one has to walk.

Check out the Evolution of Life collection at Science City! Here, life-size animals that move, growl, and come to life with amazing lighting, sounds, and special effects are on display. See dinosaurs like the T-Rex, Stegosaurus, and Velociraptor, traverse freezing winds and volcanoes, and experience life in the Jurassic era for real. They can explore cosmic scales in the Power of Ten exhibit, marvel at rare marine creatures in the Freshwater Aquarium, and be delightfully fooled by mind-bending visual tricks in the Illusions gallery. Oh, and they can geek out watching these little insects flutter from flower to flower in the Live Butterfly zone, which is a vast botanical paradise. It's like being in a nature documentary!

Google Rating: 4.4/5

Timing: 9 AM to 8 PM

Entry Fee: INR 65 to INR 105

Contact: +91-33-2448 6815/6824

Pro Tip: Want to plan an entire day out at Science City? We got you covered here! 

One of the most visited museums in Kolkata is the Nehru Children's Museum, which opened to the public in 1972. The museum, which is devoted to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, is a children's paradise and has a sizable collection of dolls. The museum was founded to educate children through casual learning, a concept that was conceived by the visionary statesman, Late Shri Jugal Srimal. The museum's four floors are separated into four sections — the Mahabharata Gallery, the Ramayana Gallery, the Toys Gallery, and the Dolls Gallery. Here, you can admire the enormous collection of dolls that have been gathered from 88 different nations, with both Western and Oriental roots. The Nehru Children's Museum also offers entertaining seminars, drawing competitions, and even kid-friendly classes in addition to its wonderful collection. This unusual treasure is a must-see if you're in Kolkata because it's the only one of its kind in the city.

Google Rating: 4.4/5

Timings: 11 AM - 7 PM. Closed on Mondays.

Entry Fee: INR 10 for under 16 years; INR 20 for 16 years and above

Contact: 033 2223 1551

Website: nehrumuseum.com

The statues are incredibly lifelike. A range of local heroes, worldwide celebrities, and Indian martyrs are included in the display. One can make a full day out of it because it's ideally positioned across from Eco Park and has a canteen on the top for refreshments. Take pictures with the wax figurines like Chota Bheem, Spiderman, Messi, Shah Rukh Khan, and more. Mother's Wax Museum is unquestionably worth a visit, regardless of your preference for wax museums or your desire to discover something new in Kolkata!

Google Rating: 4.4/5

Timings: 12:30 - 7:30 PM

Entry fee: INR 250

Contact: +91-(0)33-23247243

Website: motherswaxmuseum.in

LBB Tip: Make sure to visit the ghost room and laser light room.

Being the largest park in Kolkata, Eco Park is the newest attraction in New Town, Action Area II. The entire park will take nearly four to six hours for you to stroll around. And a few more hours if you want to take part in every activity they offer, like the seven wonders of the world, lovely gardens, and much more. You can spend an hour on a boat excursion here. You can rent a bicycle and even ride a toy train. The park changes with the lights at night, producing a mystical ambiance. Adventure sports like rock climbing and zip-lining, as well as kid-friendly activities, are all there!

Google Rating: 4.5/5

Timing: 11 AM - 7 PM

Entry Fee: INR 30 for entry, INR 150 to INR 300 for boat rides, and INR 50 to INR 200 for other activities.

Website: ecoparknewtown.com

Pro Tip: Please enter through Gate 3 if you plan to see the Seven Wonders. Here's everything else you can do here! 

The only boat museum in India will make you notice several things at once. There is a display of little boats that used to travel the Bengali rivers. It is one of four one-room galleries on the ground floor of the Institute of Cultural Research, which is situated in Kankurgachhi, a bustling district on Kolkata's eastern outskirts. 46 miniature replicas of various Indian boat models are on display at the Boat Museum. Every boat has a unique appearance and was built for a specific purpose. You'll have to guess what each one was used for, though, unless you know Swarup Bhattacharyya, who researched these boats and assisted the Rajbangshi boat-makers from Dakshin Dinajpur in building them! A few boats, including Kosa and Balam, are also from eastern Bengal, which is now Bangladesh. A Keralan rice boat is also available. Rabindranath Tagore enjoyed travelling by boat. He would write plays and poems in the peaceful environment while they sailed for days. He occasionally even used these vessels to host visitors, and there is a model of one such vessel here called the Padma.

Google Rating: 4.8/5

Timing: 10 AM - 5 PM

Entry Fee: Free

Contact: 033 2320 7623

LBB Tip:  Also on exhibit is a facsimile of a Harappan Boat Amulet discovered in Mohenjo-Daro!

Space Jump's debut has given the neighbourhood of Alipore a new family-friendly attraction. The multi-level, 25,000-square-foot facility has a range of activities catering to all ages, from toddlers learning their first steps to pre-teens practising fighting skills. This hotspot is divided into four zones and is heavily focused on maintaining safety. Older children can explore four levels of slides, hurdles, and other features, while little toddlers can enjoy a padded play area with pretend-play settings, LEGO stations, tiny slides, and ball pools. The Sky Rider zipline, sky cycling, a large wave slide, dodgeball mats, trampolines, and more are available for kids to try, depending on their height.

Google Rating: 4.7/5

Timing: 11 AM - 9 PM

Price: INR 1,000 onwards for Trampoline Park on weekdays; INR 1,250 on weekends; INR 800 for Soft Play area during weekdays and INR 1,000 onwards on weekends 

Contact: 09836110666

Instagram: @spacejumpkolkata

Entering the Snow Park instantly transports you to a magical winter wonderland, complete with waddling penguins and snowflakes falling from the roof. The immersive experience offered by The Snow Park immerses you in an alternate universe of snow and ice, away from the oppressive heat of Kolkata. Because of its massive compressor and superior insulation, the Snow Park maintains a very low temperature—the lowest recorded reading was -6 degrees Celsius. Pose with 3D ice idols, slide down freezing slopes, shoot snow in blaster battles, and dance at the Disco on Ice. From ice skating and igloos to snow football and Swiss sledges, it's a fun adventure for kids of all ages!

Google Rating: 4.2/5

Timing: 11 AM - 8 PM

Price: INR 399 per hour 

The Fun Planet is Salt Lake’s answer to a rising need for age-no-bar gaming parlour. Most soft play places in the city have an upper age limit, which can separate siblings who are not in the same age group. This place has a wide variety of gaming consoles that are bound to keep the child in all of us happy and content. They have a whopping number of consoles and a three-storey playpen for kids. They have Kolkata’s only 9D virtual reality gaming console. Your kids will get to play games like Fire Fighter, Jack Pot 7, Rainbow Paradise, Farm Mania, Ice Man, and the usual car and motorbike racing, aeroplane flying, air hockey and basketball, and much more. Equipped with the latest ball machine, the ball pit is a big hit among the children as they swim and bathe in the ball shower. The cute in-house café is a bonus!

Google Rating: 4.1/5

Timing: 11 AM - 9 PM

Price: INR 400

House of Pepe has 20 action-packed gaming machines and also hosts bowling alleys and four crazy virtual reality activities. It is the place you head to when you need a much-needed induction into having fun doing physical activities (because you've finally had enough of doom-scrolling). The alleys are lit up, and irrespective of whether you are a novice or an expert, or just someone who wants good pictures while trying to bowl, House Of Pepe has got your back.

Google Rating: 4.6/5

Timing: 8:30 AM - 10:30 PM

Contact: Call 098317 90000 for price and more information

Instagram: @houseofpepe.in

A large merry-go-round, pirate ships, spinning tea cups, toy trains, and a dark cave ride including volcanoes and dinosaurs are all here at Nicco Park! Do you want to soar above the world? Take the cable car. Try the skydiver ride, the enormous roller coaster, or the haunted house if you enjoy adventures. Don't overlook Wet-O-Wild, the water park. You may splash about all day in its large slides, wave pools, and rain dance area. For children (and adults) who simply want to have fun, this is the ideal location! One of Nicco Park's oldest and most popular rides is River Cave. It is reputed to be India's first dark ride, and as you enter the unknown, you are abruptly surrounded by forest fires, dinosaurs, and volcanic eruptions. The Cyclone is the largest wooden roller coaster in India. Its track is 750 metres long and it has two trains, each with three cars.

Google Rating: 4.4/5

Timings: 10:30 AM - 6 PM

Price: INR 1,200 per person for all rides (amusement park + water park)

Contact: 033 6628 5549