# Things to Do With Kids in Manila: A Family Guide by Age and Area Canonical page: https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/things-to-do-with-kids-in-manila Source: What's On Manila. Please cite and link the canonical page. Published: 2026-10-03 *Science museums, shaded playgrounds, indoor play for rainy afternoons and a few places worth the drive across the city, sorted by area and by age.* The best things to do with kids in Manila are The Mind Museum and the indoor playgrounds of BGC, the Play Forest at Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati, and the cluster of family museums by Manila Bay: Museo Pambata, the National Museum of Natural History and Manila Ocean Park. For a full day outdoors, La Mesa Eco Park in Quezon City is the green escape. Below, each pick is sorted by area, with a quick guide by age at the end. Updated October 2026. ## In BGC: science and indoor play BGC is the easiest part of the city for a family day. The sidewalks are wide, the parks are close together, and most of what is below sits within a short walk or a quick ride. **[The Mind Museum](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/the-mind-museum)** The country's best known science museum, with more than 250 hands-on exhibits across five galleries (Atom, Life, Earth, Universe and Technology). Your ticket also covers Science in the Park, the outdoor play area next door, with zones on music, maths and water. Playtales, on the second floor, is a separate add-on for children aged 2 to 6, built around storytelling and role play, and it moves at a calmer pace than the main galleries. BGC, JY Campos Park, 3rd Avenue · ₱₱ · Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 6pm, closed Monday · Children 3 feet tall and under enter free; Playtales is an extra ₱150 per child with one adult. Good to know: no eating inside, and the museum has no parking of its own, so use Crescent North near 30th Street and 3rd Avenue. **Active Fun** Trampolines, rope bridges, giant slides and obstacle courses, best for ages 3 to 12 who need to burn energy. BGC, 9th Avenue at Bonifacio High Street · ₱₱ · Tip: weekday mornings are calmer; Friday nights and weekends fill up. **Kidzoona and Kids Box by Kidzoona** Soft play, ball pits and pretend-play corners where small children can run a tiny shop or kitchen. The original branch is on the third floor of Uptown Mall, near the cinema; Kids Box is at Mitsukoshi BGC, open 11am to 10pm and best for six and under. BGC North · ₱₱ · Tip: socks are required, so pack a pair for each child and adult. **Terra 28th** An open public park on 28th Street beside Bonifacio High Street with courts marked for patintero, piko and luksong baka, the street games many parents grew up with, and a small library called the Learner's Pod. BGC · Tip: go before 10am or after 4pm; there is little shade at midday. ## In Makati: parks and a museum **[Ayala Triangle Gardens](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/ayala-triangle-gardens)** More than 20,000 square metres of tree-shaded lawn in the middle of the business district, with a playground called the Play Forest where children climb on structures shaped like a Philippine hornbill and a carabao. On Sunday mornings, Car-Free Sundays close Ayala Avenue to traffic, and the road fills with families on bikes and scooters. Makati · Daily, 6am to 10pm · Good to know: the gardens' rules say minors must be accompanied and supervised by an adult. **[Ayala Museum](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/ayala-museum)** Best for children 8 and up. The floor of 60 dioramas tells Philippine history as a series of small, detailed scenes, which holds attention far better than text panels, and the Gold of Ancestors gallery is a good first look at pre-colonial gold. Makati, Greenbelt Park · ₱ · Tip: book ahead, go soon after opening on a weekday, then let the children run in Greenbelt's gardens outside. **[Washington SyCip Park](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/washington-sycip-park)** A small, shaded park in Legazpi Village with flat paved paths, easy with a stroller and a sleepy toddler. Legazpi · Tip: pair it with a weekend morning in the village. See more in our [Makati neighbourhood guide](https://whatsonmnl.com/neighborhood/makati) and [BGC guide](https://whatsonmnl.com/neighborhood/bgc). ## Worth the drive: museums by Manila Bay These three sit close together near Rizal Park in Ermita. From BGC or Makati, plan on 45 minutes to over an hour by car, more on weekday afternoons, so make it one full day. **[Museo Pambata](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/museo-pambata)** The first children's museum in the Philippines, in the 1910 Elks Club building on Roxas Boulevard. It reopened in December 2024 after renovation, with new exhibits including a rock-climbing wall and a Bahay na Bato (old stone house) section. It is hands-on throughout and made for children to lead. Ermita, Roxas Boulevard corner South Drive · General admission ₱450; guided tour with storytelling and arts and crafts ₱650 · Friday and Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday 1pm to 5pm · Children under 2 enter free. Good to know: it is only open three days a week, so check the day before you set out. **National Museum of Natural History** Twelve galleries of Philippine plants, animals and rocks arranged around the Tree of Life, a tall structure under a glass dome in the central courtyard. Admission is free, and of the national museums it is the one that works best with kids. Ermita, Rizal Park · Daily, 9am to 6pm · Good to know: individuals and families walk in; groups of 20 or more must book ahead online. **[Manila Ocean Park](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/manila-ocean-park)** The walk-through ocean tunnel holds the attention of even very small children, and the park has more marine exhibits beyond it. Ermita, behind the Quirino Grandstand · ₱ · Weekdays 10am to 6pm, weekends and holidays 9am to 6pm · Tip: buy tickets online on the park's site to skip the queue; children 2 feet and under enter free. ## A day outdoors: La Mesa Eco Park **[La Mesa Eco Park](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/la-mesa-eco-park)** Real green space at the edge of Quezon City, run as a conservation and watershed education park. Its newly opened Phase 2 has a picnic area, a lagoon, an amphitheatre and ponds. Bring food, a mat and insect repellent. Quezon City, 1 to 2 hours from BGC or Makati depending on traffic · Entrance ₱50 for visitors who are not Quezon City residents, from August 2026 · Tip: arrive early in the morning, before the heat. For more open-air days just outside the city, see our [weekenders guides](https://whatsonmnl.com/weekenders) and [Antipolo and Rizal](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/antipolo-rizal-art-hikes). ## By age: a quick guide **Toddlers (1 to 4).** Playtales at The Mind Museum (from age 2), Kids Box by Kidzoona, and the Play Forest at Ayala Triangle Gardens. Short visits of 60 to 90 minutes work best, and mornings beat afternoons. **Ages 5 to 10.** The main galleries and Science in the Park at The Mind Museum, Museo Pambata, Manila Ocean Park, Active Fun, and the street-game courts at Terra 28th. **Older kids (10 and up).** The National Museum of Natural History, the dioramas at Ayala Museum, Car-Free Sundays on bikes, and a picnic day at La Mesa Eco Park. For a teen who wants to move, our guides to [bouldering and climbing](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/bouldering-climbing-manila) and [lap swimming](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/lap-swimming-manila) list places that take younger climbers and swimmers. ## Where to eat with kids near BGC Most families end up at a food hall or a big, bright cafe, where noise is normal and the menu has something plain. In BGC, **Kiwami Food Hall** on 29th Street has a range of Japanese counters under one roof, so a picky eater can usually find something. **Wildflour** in BGC is spacious, with high chairs and a kids' menu, and the bakery counter works as a reward. **Manam**, for Filipino comfort food served to share, has a kids' section on its menu at its BGC branch. The Mind Museum's Canopy Plaza outside is the place for a packed snack. ## Before you go - **Heat.** Plan outdoor play before 10am or after 4pm. Afternoon rain is common from June to October, so keep an indoor option close by: The Mind Museum, Active Fun and the malls of BGC North are all near each other. - **Weekdays vs weekends.** Weekday mornings are the quietest time almost everywhere. School groups visit museums on weekdays too, so arrive at opening time. Weekends bring more families but also more pop-up events on Bonifacio High Street. - **Opening days.** The Mind Museum is closed on Mondays, and Museo Pambata opens only Friday to Sunday. The National Museum of Natural History is open every day. - **Strollers.** BGC and Ayala Triangle Gardens are flat and paved. The bayside museums are fine inside but the walk between them is hot, so bring a light stroller and water. - **Booking.** Buy Mind Museum and Manila Ocean Park tickets online ahead of a weekend or school holiday. - **Socks and ID.** Indoor playgrounds ask for socks for everyone. Bring ID for discounts, and a QCitizen ID if you are a Quezon City resident going to La Mesa. - **Getting around.** Grab is the easiest way to move between areas with children. Parking in BGC is in paid buildings, not at the attractions. For more ideas, see [things to do](https://whatsonmnl.com/things-to-do), [Halloween with kids](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/halloween-for-kids-manila-2026) for this month, and our plan for the [Undas long weekend](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/undas-long-weekend-manila-2026). ## Questions people ask ### Is KidZania Manila still open? No. KidZania Manila in BGC closed permanently on 31 August 2020, after the pandemic lockdowns. For pretend play today, try the shop and kitchen corners at Kidzoona and Kids Box, or Playtales at The Mind Museum, which is built around storytelling and role play for ages 2 to 6. ### What can I do with a toddler in BGC? Playtales at The Mind Museum is designed for children aged 2 to 6, and Kids Box by Kidzoona at Mitsukoshi BGC suits the same age. For outdoor time, Terra 28th and the lawns around Bonifacio High Street are flat and easy with a stroller. ### Are there free museums in Manila for kids? Yes. The National Museum of Natural History, beside Rizal Park, charges no admission and is open daily, 9am to 6pm. At The Mind Museum (children 3 feet tall and under), Manila Ocean Park (2 feet and under) and Museo Pambata (under 2 years old), the youngest children enter free. ### Is The Mind Museum open on Mondays? No. The Mind Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 6pm, and closed on Mondays. If Monday is your only free day, the National Museum of Natural History is open every day. ### What can kids do in Manila when it rains? Head indoors in BGC: The Mind Museum, Active Fun and Kidzoona are all within a short ride of each other. Manila Ocean Park and the National Museum of Natural History are also mostly indoors if you are already near the bay.