Palma and Mallorca are wonderfully easy with children: shallow, gently shelving beaches, a big modern aquarium with a walk-through shark tank, marine-animal parks and water parks, a real circular castle to explore, and a century-old wooden train that turns a trip into the mountains into an adventure. Many of the best family days out are a short bus ride from the city, and the mild climate makes outdoor plans reliable. Here are the top things to do with kids, with ages, prices and tips.
€25Palma Aquarium
Area
Playa de Palma
Ages
All ages
“Book the online 'combo' with lunch or the shark snorkel for older kids to make a full morning of it.”
€26Marineland Mallorca
Area
Costa d'en Blanes
Ages
Under 12s
“Check the daily show times on arrival and plan your visit around the dolphin and sea-lion displays.”
€30Katmandu Park
Area
Magaluf
Ages
Ages 4–14
“The quirky upside-down 'House' and mini-golf suit younger kids; buy the multi-attraction pass for value.”
€30Aqualand El Arenal
Area
S'Arenal
Ages
All ages
“Arrive at opening to beat both the crowds and the queues for the big slides on hot days.”
€25Sóller Train & Tram
Area
Plaça d'Espanya
Ages
All ages
“Kids love the open-sided vintage tram down to the port — sit near the front for the sea approach.”
€4Bellver Castle & Woods
Area
Es Terreno
Ages
Ages 5+
“Let kids explore the round courtyard and moat, then picnic in the pine woods with the bay views.”
FreePlaya de Palma Beach Day
Area
Playa de Palma
Ages
All ages
“The shallow, gently shelving water and beach playgrounds make it one of the easiest beaches for toddlers.”
Palma with kids in detail
1.Palma Aquarium
The Palma Aquarium is one of the island's top family days out and a dependable rainy-day rescue, sitting near the resort strip of Playa de Palma just east of the city. Children are drawn straight to 'Big Blue', among the deepest shark tanks in Europe, where sand tiger and bull sharks glide overhead through a walk-through tunnel and behind a vast viewing window. Beyond it, 55 tanks recreate a journey through the world's oceans, from Mediterranean rays and seahorses to vividly coloured tropical reef fish, with daily feeding sessions and talks that keep younger visitors engaged. Outside, subtropical gardens, a jungle house and a dedicated toddler play zone spread the visit across a couple of hours and give little legs room to roam. Older, confident children can even book a supervised snorkel or dive in the shark tank. Buy tickets online for a useful discount and to skip the queue, and reach it easily by EMT bus. It pairs perfectly with a relaxed beach afternoon on the same stretch of coast, making a well-rounded family day.
Hours
Daily 10:00–17:00/18:00 (seasonal)
Price
From €25 adult, ~€17 child (cheaper online)
Getting there
EMT bus 25 or 35 to Platja de Palma; ~10 km east of the centre
Insider tip: Book the online 'combo' with lunch or the shark snorkel for older kids to make a full morning of it.
2.Marineland Mallorca
Marineland Mallorca, on the coast near the smart marina of Puerto Portals, is a long-running marine and exotic-animal park geared firmly at families with younger children. Its headline attractions are the dolphin and sea-lion shows staged through the day in seafront pools, alongside a shark tank, a tropical aquarium, penguins, parrots, reptiles and a small collection of exotic birds and animals. There's also a modest water-play and pool area to cool off in summer, plus picnic spots and cafés, so a visit can comfortably fill a morning or more. It's an older-style attraction and worth managing expectations — it's not a vast theme park — but the shows and animal encounters land well with under-12s, and the compact, walkable layout suits families with buggies. Show times are limited and scheduled, so check them on arrival and plan around them to avoid disappointment. It sits about twelve kilometres west of Palma in the resort belt, reached by bus or car, and combines easily with the beaches and marina of Portals Nous. Book online to save on the gate price, and note it closes over the winter.
Hours
Daily ~10:00–17:00 (seasonal; closed in winter)
Price
~€26 adult, ~€18 child (cheaper online)
Getting there
At Costa d'en Blanes near Portals Nous, ~12 km west; bus 104/106 or hire car
Insider tip: Check the daily show times on arrival and plan your visit around the dolphin and sea-lion displays.
3.Katmandu Park
Katmandu Park is one of the quirkier family attractions on the island, an amusement park in the resort of Magaluf built around a striking upside-down house that has become a local landmark and photo magnet. Inside and around it, the park packs in a mix of light-hearted attractions: 4D cinema experiences, adventure golf, interactive treasure-hunt games, water-splash rides and various themed play zones, all wrapped in a fun, slightly kitsch Himalayan-explorer storyline. It's aimed squarely at families with primary-school-age children rather than thrill-seeking teens, and the emphasis is on interactive, imaginative fun rather than big roller coasters. Multi-attraction passes bundle the various rides and experiences together for better value than paying individually. It sits in the heart of Magaluf, about eighteen kilometres from Palma, so it's easiest reached by car or resort bus, and it can be combined with a beach day or the nearby water parks. As with much of the resort belt it operates seasonally and closes over winter. For a change of pace from beaches and animal parks, its offbeat, colourful attractions make an entertaining half-day out with younger kids.
Hours
Daily in season ~10:00–18:00 (closed winter)
Price
From ~€30; multi-attraction passes available
Getting there
In Magaluf, ~18 km west of Palma; bus 106 or hire car
Insider tip: The quirky upside-down 'House' and mini-golf suit younger kids; buy the multi-attraction pass for value.
4.Aqualand El Arenal
Aqualand El Arenal is Mallorca's biggest water park, set just behind the long beach at S'Arenal near Playa de Palma, and it's a guaranteed hit on a hot summer day with children of all ages. It offers the full range of attractions: adrenaline slides like the near-vertical Kamikaze and the twisting Devil's Tail for older kids and adults, gentler tube rides and a relaxing lazy river for cruising, wave and splash pools, and well-designed shallow zones with mini-slides and water features for toddlers and younger children. Sun loungers, lawns, shaded areas, cafés and picnic spots make it easy to base yourselves for the day, and lifeguards staff the main pools. It gets busy in peak season, so arriving at opening helps you enjoy the popular slides before the longest queues build and claim a good shady spot. It's around fifteen kilometres east of the city, reachable by EMT bus or car, and operates only through the warm months, roughly May to October. Buy tickets online in advance to save money and time. For family water-park fun near the city, it's the standout choice.
Hours
Daily in season ~10:00–17:00/18:00 (May–Oct)
Price
From ~€30 adult, ~€23 child (cheaper online)
Getting there
At S'Arenal near Playa de Palma, ~15 km east; EMT bus 23/25 or hire car
Insider tip: Arrive at opening to beat both the crowds and the queues for the big slides on hot days.
5.Sóller Train & Tram
The historic Sóller railway and its connecting tram make a wonderfully child-friendly day out that feels like an adventure rather than a chore. Children are captivated by the century-old wooden train, which rattles and whistles its way from the middle of Palma up through orange groves, tunnels and a dramatic viaduct into the mountains — a proper old-fashioned train experience with polished wood, brass fittings and open windows. At Sóller, the fun continues on the vintage open-sided tram that trundles down through the town and the citrus valley to the seaside at Port de Sóller, where kids can run about on the beach and promenade, watch the boats and have lunch before the return journey. The whole outing is scenic, low-effort and car-free, ideal for families who want to reach the beautiful Tramuntana without a hire car and winding roads. It leaves from a charming old station on Plaça d'Espanya. Book ahead in summer, take a morning departure to allow time to explore, and let the journey itself be the highlight of the day.
Hours
Several departures daily from Plaça d'Espanya
Price
~€25 one way, ~€32 return; +€8 tram
Getting there
Departs the Ferrocarril de Sóller station on Plaça d'Espanya
Insider tip: Kids love the open-sided vintage tram down to the port — sit near the front for the sea approach.
6.Bellver Castle & Woods
Bellver Castle is one of the most kid-pleasing sights in Palma, because it looks exactly like a castle should — round, moated, turreted and set on a wooded hilltop with commanding views. Children love exploring the unusual circular design: the ring-shaped central courtyard with its two tiers of arcades, the walkways along the walls, the detached keep and the moat that once defended it, all easy to scramble around and imagine into medieval life. The city history museum inside is modest and won't hold small children long, but the building and its ramparts do the work, and the 360-degree views over Palma, the harbour and the sea are a reward for everyone. Just as valuable is the surrounding Bosc de Bellver, a shady pine forest laced with easy walking and jogging paths that's free to roam and perfect for a family picnic away from the summer heat. Entry to the castle is a bargain €4 and free on Sundays. Take the bus up the hill to save the climb, then combine the castle and the woods for a relaxed, inexpensive half-day with children.
Hours
Tue–Sat 10:00–18:00/19:00, Sun 10:00–15:00; closed Mon
Price
€4; free Sun; woods free
Getting there
EMT bus 46/50 up the hill, then a short walk; ~3 km west of the centre
Insider tip: Let kids explore the round courtyard and moat, then picnic in the pine woods with the bay views.
7.Playa de Palma Beach Day
For a straightforward family beach day close to the city, the long golden sweep of Playa de Palma is hard to beat. Stretching for several kilometres east of the centre through S'Arenal, it offers soft sand and shallow, gently shelving water that stays safe and calm for a long way out — ideal for toddlers and younger children to paddle and splash. A wide palm-lined promenade backs the whole beach, dotted with playgrounds, ice-cream stands, cafés and beach bars (balnearios), so there's shade, snacks, toilets and everything a family needs within easy reach, and lifeguards patrol in summer. Sunbeds and parasols rent cheaply, and pedalos and other watersports are available along the front. Being so well served and accessible by EMT bus, it's the most practical beach for families based in Palma who don't have a car, and it sits right by the Palma Aquarium and Aqualand water park, so you can combine a morning attraction with an afternoon on the sand. It gets busy and lively in peak summer, but its facilities, gentle water and easy access make it a reliable, low-stress family choice.
Hours
Always open; lifeguards and facilities in summer
Price
Free; sunbed + parasol ~€12/day
Getting there
EMT bus 25 or 35 from the centre; ~10 km east of Palma
Insider tip: The shallow, gently shelving water and beach playgrounds make it one of the easiest beaches for toddlers.