If you have the pleasure of children, you will know that keeping them entertained can be challenging. You can expect fabulous weather, and children are at the centre of family life in Spanish culture, so even if one of your precious ones is being difficult, the Spanish won’t bat an eyelid.
But that said, in my house, happy kids means happy adults. So before you jet off to Lanzarote for your family holiday, please read our guide on the Top 15 Things to do with Kids in Lanzarote.
Let’s deal with toddlers first. They are a nightmare to keep occupied on tours and activities. I’m sure you know how to entertain them better than I do, so I will concentrate on kids five years and upwards.
Timanfaya National Park
- Enjoy lunch cooked on an active volcano
- Learn about volcanos
- Watch a demonstration of the power of a volcano
A coach tour into a volcano may not seem the most obvious choice for kids’ entertainment, but I think you will be surprised. Kids know what a volcano is, but seeing one first-hand and the alien landscape will keep them enthralled.
There is a complete commentary on the tour buses to keep them informed. Still, if you brush up on the National Park, you can add a few extra titbits of information.
The displays of how the heat turns water into steam instantly and how dried grass bursts into flames are not only fun but also educational. A visit to Timanfaya National Park should be on the agenda if you are holidaying with the kids.
Information:
- Visiting Hours: 09:00 – 16:45
- Entry is €12 per adult and €6 per child (aged 7-12). There is a 20% discount for visitors arriving after 15:00.
Camels Rides
- Ride a Camel on an active volcano
- Learn about volcanos
- Watch a demonstration of the power of a volcano
While you are at the Timanfaya National Park, maybe take the kids on a camel tour. Camel riding is excellent for kids as little ones can participate no matter what age. If the kids are under 3, they can ride on your lap for free. Otherwise, they can share a dromedary with an adult if they are still relatively young.
Older kids get to ride a camel on their own, which is a pretty cool experience, given that they are riding on a volcano for 20 minutes.
The camels are well cared for and are used to human interaction, which makes the whole experience for kids even better. The cost is €11 per person, which is pretty decent for a 20-minute tour.
Information:
- Visiting Hours: 09:30 – 15:30
- Duration 20 Minutes
- The price is €11 per person – Kids under 3 go Free
Rancho Texas
- See a rare white tiger
- Have fun in the waterpark
- Enjoy a cowboy and Western night
Rancho Texas is part zoo, part water park and part country and western venue. They have a good range of animals and several animal displays.
The sea lion and dolphin show always generate laughs, and the birds of prey flying just above the crowd’s heads are a surreal experience for kids.
The waterpark never fails to entertain kids, and the restaurant serves reasonably priced good food.
Ranch Texas is an excellent place for a day out with the kids; I’m sure they will all be worn out at the end of the day. It is not the cheapest day out at €36 for adults and €24 for kids, but a family day of fun and education can’t have a price put on it.
Every Tuesday night, they have a Western show which would be great fun for the kids.
Oh, and did I mention the rare White Tiger in the zoo? Don’t miss it.
Information:
- Visiting Hours: 09:30 – 17:30
- 3 on-site restaurants
- Price is €36 for Adults and €24 for kids
Submarine
- Dive 30m below the Atlantic sea in a “real” submarine!
- View eerie shipwrecks.
- See a huge array of marine life swimming naturally
You can take the whole family on a unique underwater experience. This attraction is a real, purpose-built submarine designed to take 44 people 30 metres below the Atlantic Ocean in perfect safety and comfort.
You will see the marine environment like never before, and the kids will be amazed by the eels, barracudas, rays and the shipwreck. Yep, there is a shipwreck.
The submarine has huge windows to see everything. During the journey, it settles on the seabeds so you can have a photo opportunity with the captains in the cockpit.
At the end of the trip, everyone will receive a personal certificate of the experience, a nice souvenir for the kids.
Information:
- Check availability and times online
- Free shuttle bus from the main resorts
- Online price €53.10 per adult and €35.10 per child
Water Parks
- Great fun for kids of all ages
- Restaurants on-site
- Adults can relax while the kids play
Kids and water go together like, well, kids and water. I have never experienced any child not enjoying splashing around in a waterpark.
As mentioned above, Rancho Texas has one but three dedicated water parks exist. Aqualava and Dino in Playa Blanca and Aquapark on the Costa Tequise.
All of the parks have something different to offer, but every waterpark is a fun factory for kids.
Be aware that not all the parks are open all year, so check opening times. Aqualava is open all year round and is heated by geothermal energy, which is great for entertaining the kids out of season but also fantastic for the environment.
Aqualava has the only saltwater wave pool, and the Corsario Bay area is dedicated to even the tiniest of tots. Just beware of the giant octopus!
Prices of the parks vary, but Aqualava is €22 for Adults and €15 for kids, although the weekly passes are excellent value.
Information:
- Aqualava is open all year
- 3 waterparks in Lanzarote
- Aqualava is €22 for Adults and €15 for kids
GoKarting
- Suitable for kids from 5 years
- Largest outdoor track in Europe
- High powered 80 km/h senior carts
What kid doesn’t want to be a racing driver for a day? Your choice comes down to Gran Karting or Lanzarote Karting. They have thought this through, have fantastic tracks, and have made karting accessible to everyone.
Starting with the youngest family members, they have two-seater karts. Some of the tiny tots can enjoy the fun in the company of a parent.
The 5 -10-year-olds have Children’s karts, 10-16 get access to junior karts, and at 16 years, you can test your skills in a seniors kart.
They also have competition karts if you really fancy being the next Hamilton or Verstappen. These high-performance karts are only available if the track marshalls think you have the skills. Challenge accepted!!
If you are not a petrolhead like the rest of the family, you can enjoy a drink or bite to eat at a restaurant overlooking the track. Both companies offer hotel collection and drop-off for free.
Information:
- Check availability and times online, as they can vary
- Free shuttle bus from the main resorts
- Adults’ carts from €20, and children’s carts from €10
Beaches
- A free fun day out
- Kids love a beach day
- A chance for the parents to relax as well
There couldn’t be a list of Things to do with Kids in Lanzarote without mentioning beaches.
Lanzarote has a beach for everyone, but if you have kids, you want facilities available, which rules out some places.
The best beaches for a family day by the sea are Playa Grande, El Jablillo and Playa Dorada.
These fabulous beaches have a different charm and are family-friendly and safe. They all have excellent facilities such as a children’s playground, toilets, showers, deck chairs, sunloungers and lifeguards.
Playa Grande has one of the eight blue flags awarded to Lanzarote beaches, ensuring cleanliness and facility availability. El Jablillo and Playa Dorada have perfect sandcastle sand.
All of these beaches have safe waters for paddling and swimming, so it is just down to your preference for a great family beach day.
Information:
- Some resorts have full facilities.
- Super clean Blue Flag beach
- Safe water and stunning sand
Biosfera plaza
- Great place to take bored kids
- Open-air cinema
- Mini golf and kids fun facilities
The plaza is not just a shopping complex but a leisure complex, perfect for bored kids. First, you have food; always good to have access to it when you have kids in tow. There are six restaurants, including noodles, pizza, Maccy D’s and Lost world jungle restaurant.
For entertainment, there is an open-air cinema showing blockbusters every night. They even have comfortable seats (in a cinema?) with a button to call the waiters. They have a full bar and snack menu, including hot popcorn buckets.
The Jurassic Kingdom Mini Golf will entertain the whole family. Suppose you fancy a bit of time off from the younger children. In that case, Biosphere Park is a dedicated space for kids’ leisure and outdoor games supervised by monitors.
There is a decent-sized supermarket to pick up a few treats for the kids, or a few bottles of wine, depending on how the day went.
Information:
- Often have special events and workshops.
- Shopping, 6 Restaurants and loads of leisure facilities
- Open daily from 10:00 – 21:00
Bowling
- Perfect for a rainy day
- Cheap way to entertain the kids for a while
- Bar serves great cheap cocktails
If the weather is against you, having an indoor backup plan is a good idea. Bowling and pool could be the answer. Head to Cesars Bowling & Billiard in Puerta del Carmen.
They have six professional lanes, and the prices are excellent. Bowling comes in at €10 for two games, and they have pool tables, video games, air hockey, darts and foosball.
If you haven’t got any socks, don’t worry, they sell them for €1.
The bar does some wicked cheap cocktails, and there is always some funky music playing. Bowling is a great way to kill a few hours without breaking the bank.
Information:
- Pool tables, video games and other entertainment
- Only €10 for two games
- Open daily from 12:00 – 24:00
Football
- Perfect for sporty kids from 5 years old
- Great way to give the kids some special time of their own
- Professional footballers as coaches
If your kids are mad about football, then The Game Elite Academy is undoubtedly something you should consider for them.
Run in conjunction with the THB Tropical Island in Playa Blanca is a football academy for 5-15-year-olds. The academy is led by current & ex-professional footballers and is available to all abilities and genders. The course operates from 10.30 till 3.00 and costs €44 per day.
The professional footballers will put the kids through their paces in a lively, fun and supportive atmosphere. So if you have a budding Ronaldo or Ellen White, it is a fantastic chance for them to further their interest whilst you get a break.
You do not need to stay at the THB hotel to enrol your kids.
Information:
- €44 per day or weekly available
- Only €10 for two games
- Courses daily from 10:30 – 15:00
Horse Riding
- Learn about horses, grooming and riding
- Suitable for 6 years upwards
- Any ability welcome
I can tell you from experience that two of the best things I did for my kids were to take them to horse riding and swimming lessons (not at the same time). They are both fun, athletic and fabulous life skills.
I’m not too fond of horses, but kids seem to lap up the horse’s love of attention and grooming, which teaches them about caring for animals.
Horses Lanzarote near Teseguite has horses and ponies suitable for all abilities and from 6 years upwards. A lesson involves collecting your horse, grooming, tacking up, riding class, un-tacking and grooming again and returning the horse or pony to the paddock.
All this fun for only €20.
If your kids want a bit more, they can go trekking for an hour for €50. They can participate even if they have never sat on a horse before. Giddy Up!
Information:
- Lessons for €20 and trekking from €50
- Horses and ponies to suit everyone
- Open daily from 09:00 – 17:00
Escape room
- You have 60 minutes to escape – can you?
- Choose from 3 scenarios – Criminals, wizards or Triassic Park
- Interactive and involves all team members
You are locked in a room with your family, relying on their intellect to solve the clues so that you can get to freedom. Sounds like hell not fun!
This live-action game is for between 2 and 6 players, and the minimum age to play is nine years. You only play with your group and not strangers.
Island Quest Escape Rooms have three adventures to choose from, including Master Criminals, Wizards and Triassic Park Visitors. To solve the puzzles, you must work together with your team to crack the codes, find hidden objects and escape the room.
You don’t need any special skills or abilities to solve the puzzles, but you will have to use your brain, which may rule some people out.
For example, for a family of 4, the total price is €70 for an hour to escape
Information:
- The minimum age to play is 9 years
- Groups of 2 to 5 people
- Open daily from 10:00 – 20:30
Mini Golf
- Purpose-built course
- 15 holes of family fun
- Good bar and excellent snacks
Although the Bioplaza has a mini golf course, it is part of a retail complex. The new Forbidden Temple Park Mini Golf in Puerto Del Carmen is a purpose-designed course with 15 holes to challenge anyone’s ability.
As always, the kids love mini golf as they get the chance to take on their siblings and parents as equals.
A round is a good value at €7 per person; if it is not your thing, you could just hang around the bar while the kids have fun.
It is open daily, and the bar is well stocked and offers a good range of snacks to keep the kids fuelled up for the day.
Information:
- Central Puerta del Carmen
- Only €7 per person/per round
- Open daily from 10:00 – 19:00
Rib Marine Safari
- Perfect for Nature lovers from 5 years up
- Watch dolphins playing
- Learn more about the ecology of Lanzarote
The Marine Safari is an excursion for nature lovers. In a private charter rib, the captain and guide will whisk you along stunning coastlines and crystal clear waters in search of Bottle Nose Dolphins, Short Finned Pilot Whales and Loggerhead Turtles.
The trip aims to educate you regarding the protected coastlines, and your pilot will be on hand to answer any questions. Although sightings are not guaranteed, it is worth the trip just on the possibility.
The trip lasts one and a half hours and costs €180 for up to 12 people in a party. Kids from 5 years are allowed and imagine the excitement of them seeing a pod of dolphins or a whale. Priceless!
Information:
- Up to 12 people in a group
- The price for a group is €180
- The excursion is approximately 1 1/2 hours
Fishing Trips
- Great outdoor fun
- Make perfect for family time together
- You won’t stop laughing
I can’t fish, and I’m totally useless at it, but I’ve enjoyed fantastic fishing trips with my kids.
Plenty of good companies are running fishing trips so that you can choose a suitable one depending on your family’s requirements.
If you would starve to death like me if you had to catch your own, choose a fishing trip that does it all for you. The best trips are when the skipper, or mate, who loads the hooks, tells you how deep to fish and helps you get your reel sorted when you tie it all into a giant knot.
The kids will love the “hands-on” part of understanding where fish come from as food, and the joy and bragging rights when they catch the biggest one are terrific fun.
Fishing is a fantastic family day out, and I guarantee you won’t stop laughing all day.
Information:
- Available throughout Lanzarote
- Prices vary on numbers and trip length
- Prices vary but are around €80 including bait, snacks and drinks
A Final word
Holidays with family and kids can be exhilarating and exhausting in equal measure. The key to everyone having a fantastic time is forward planning excursions and having a few in reserve if the weather changes.
Now you know the Top 15 Things to do with Kids in Lanzarote, you can book your holiday with the confidence that the whole family will have a fantastic break.
