Things to Do in Potsdam with Kids: Our Top Family Tips

Is a Day Trip to Potsdam with Kids Worth It?

Yes, absolutely! Potsdam has not only plenty of green spaces and playgrounds, but also palaces with large gardens where little ones can run around to their hearts’ content.

On top of that, there are seriously great family attractions in Potsdam — like Filmpark Babelsberg and the Biosphäre, which also frequently hosts family festivals.

The Top 4 Attractions in Potsdam with Kids

Let’s kick things off with the four best places to visit in Potsdam that you can enjoy with kids.

Filmpark Babelsberg

Best age? 3 and up

Filmpark Babelsberg is a theme park dedicated to the world of television and film, offering a behind-the-scenes look at various series and movies.

It’s a real standout especially for kids, since you can watch stunt shows or a 4D cinema and explore plenty of other cool, interactive attractions.

Younger kids are also well taken care of, with Janosch’s World, Sandman World, and raft rides — the latter are especially fun around Halloween!

Tickets for Filmpark Babelsberg

• Adults: €25
• Children (ages 4–16): €18
• Children under 3: Free

Your best bet is to buy tickets online at the Filmpark Babelsberg website. Getting there early is worth it to beat the long lines.

Biosphäre

Best age? 2 and up

The Biosphäre Potsdam is a tropical greenhouse featuring exotic plants, animals, and interactive exhibits.

The butterfly house and the jungle trail are especially great for kids. But the little monkeys, guinea pigs, snakes, and spiders will also make kids’ eyes go wide.

When you need a break, the Biosphäre also has a tropical café and restaurant.

Tickets for the Biosphäre

• Family ticket (2 adults + up to 3 children): €39
• Adults: €18
• Children (ages 6–13): €11.00
• Children (ages 3–5): €7.00
• Children under 3: Free

In most cases, the family ticket is the better deal. It’s best to buy tickets in advance at the Biosphäre website — they’re a little more expensive at the door.

Park and Palace Sanssouci

Park Sanssouci and its namesake palace is one of the most popular sights in Potsdam.

The park is enormous, and with its many fountains, gardens, and sculptures, there’s plenty to see and loads of room for kids to run around.

The palace is a real highlight especially for you parents — but the kids will be wowed by the architecture too.

Tickets for Palace Sanssouci

There are several ticket options for Palace Sanssouci. We recommend buying a combination ticket — it also gets you into other palaces in Potsdam.

• Combination ticket family (2 adults + up to 4 children): €49
• Combination ticket adults: €22
• Combination ticket students (ages 7–18): €17
• Children under 7: Free

You can buy combination tickets at the SPSG website or on GetYourGuide:

Get the combination ticket for Palace Sanssouci

If you’re only visiting Palace Sanssouci, a single ticket is enough. However, you can only buy those on-site at the entrance.

• Palace Sanssouci adults: €14
• Palace Sanssouci students (ages 7–18): €10
• Children under 7: Free

Neues Palais

Best age? 6 and up

The Neues Palais is Potsdam’s largest palace, with lavishly decorated halls and guided tours. Particularly impressive is the Grotto Hall, which is made entirely of shells and stones.

It’s really easy to imagine how kings lived here — there’s even a royal elevator, and the architecture is truly stunning.

Tickets for the Neues Palais

The Neues Palais is included in the combination ticket with Palace Sanssouci. However, you’ll need to add a guided tour at the visitor centers of the Neues Palais on the day of your visit.

Alternatively, you can purchase individual tickets for the Neues Palais at the visitor centers — here too, you’ll need to book a time slot including a guided tour.

• Adults: €14
• Children: €10

Highlights in Potsdam with Animals

What’s something that always gets kids excited? Exactly — animals. Here are three great animal experiences in Potsdam that the whole family will love.

Falkenhof - Waldhaus Potsdam

Best age? 5 and up

A great family activity in Potsdam is a visit to the Falkenhof — a falconry with birds of prey shows. There are exciting demonstrations and you can get up close to the birds.

Tickets can only be purchased on-site and in cash. In summer, the Falkenhof is open on weekends; on weekdays, visits are only possible by appointment for groups.

Be sure to check the Falkenhof website ahead of time for prices, opening hours, and flight show schedules, as the information changes frequently.

Krongut Bornstedt with Peacock Enclosure

Best age? 3 and up

Krongut Bornstedt is a historic estate with animal enclosures. It was formerly the residence of Crown Princess Victoria — the daughter of Queen Victoria.

For kids, though, the clear highlight is the somewhat tucked-away peacock and bird enclosure. You can observe peacocks up close, and there’s a small playground and a café on site.

Admission is free. There is a small fee for the main building, but in our opinion it’s not worth it.

Good to know: Events are often held on weekends, but the playground and peacock enclosure are usually still open.

Alpaca Tour in Klein-Glienicke

Best age? 4 and up

A true under-the-radar pick in Potsdam for an outing with kids is the alpaca farm in Klein-Glienicke. You can book an alpaca walking tour or simply watch the alpacas from a distance through the fence.

The tour lasts one and a half hours and each person who wants to walk an alpaca pays €25. Accompanying guests pay €10. Advance registration is required.

You can find all the details at the HCH Alpakas Potsdam website.

The Best Parks and Playgrounds in Potsdam

When the kids are completely over sightseeing, there’s only one solution: head to the playground.

Here are our top picks for the best parks and playgrounds for kids in Potsdam.

Volkspark

Best age? All kids

Parks are always a win on city trips with kids. The Volkspark is a true paradise for children — it has not just one but several great playgrounds.

Our favorite is the water playground: a 900 sq m wading pool with small islands — seriously awesome in summer! There’s also a fountain area and a café with snacks and ice cream. And yes, there are restrooms too.

Another top pick is the giant slides in the Volkspark, because they are truly GIANT. There are even slides that parents will enjoy. Fair warning — they’re really fast.

But for the little ones, there are smaller and slower slides too.

Admission to the Volkspark costs a small fee of €1.50. You can find more pricing info at the Volkspark Potsdam website.

Playground on Freundschaftsinsel

Best age? All kids

Freundschaftsinsel is a small island on the Havel river, connected to the city center by a bridge. At one end of the island, there’s a lovely, large playground with lots of climbing structures, slides, and swings.

Also really fun: at a small boat rental on Freundschaftsinsel, you can rent swan paddle boats.

Sicilian Garden

Best age? 3 and up

The Sicilian Garden is located in Sanssouci Palace Park and, with its many hedge-lined pathways and fountains, is perfect for running around and playing hide-and-seek — your kids will love it.

Nearby, there’s another great stop: the historic Sanssouci Mill. You can visit it too and get a glimpse into historic technology.

Tickets cost €5 for adults and €4 for children. A guided tour is the best way to understand how the mill works.

Activities with Kids in Potsdam in Rainy Weather

Most things to do in Potsdam with kids are most fun when the sun is shining — but if you hit bad weather, that’s no problem at all.

Here are our best recommendations for family activities in Potsdam on a rainy day.

Extavium Potsdam

Best age? 4 and up

The Extavium is an interactive science museum for kids — and a really cool rainy-day activity! The museum features all kinds of experiments to participate in and learn from.

At a thermal image selfie wall, for example, you can “freeze” a thermal image and photograph it. Or at the marshmallow pump, you can see how a foam candy behaves in a vacuum.

Adults and children each pay €14. You can find more info at the Extavium website. We’d suggest doing a guided tour of the museum — though it’s not required.

Katjes Fabrik

Best age? 3 and up

Sweet tooth alert! In Potsdam you can visit a Katjes candy factory and get a behind-the-scenes look at candy production plus free samples — yum!

Admission to the Katjes Fabrik is free. Keep in mind that there’s no production on weekends, so it’s better to visit on a weekday.

Natural History Museum Potsdam

Best age? 2 and up

The exhibits at the Natural History Museum Potsdam revolve primarily around animals. It’s especially nice for kids since the museum is on the smaller side — you won’t get overwhelmed with information.

It’s also a great outing with young children — the aquarium in particular is really cool for the little ones.

Adults pay €4 and children pay €2 — children under 6 get in free.

Extra Tip: Guided City Tour of Potsdam

If you mainly want to explore the classic highlights of Potsdam, we’d recommend doing a guided city tour. Matti offers private tours through Tours of Berlin that he tailors individually to each group — perfect for a day in Potsdam!

And since Matti has a child himself, he knows exactly how to make his tours engaging for kids too.

Book a guided city tour of Potsdam with kids

Family-Friendly Hotels in Potsdam

Elisapart – Apartments am Sommerschloss: Affordable apartments close to Park Sanssouci and the Havel. Family rooms are available here as well.

Waveboard Hotel & Boardinghouse: Super stylish hotel right on the Tiefer See. Since it’s an apart-hotel, there’s plenty of space for the whole family.

Hotel Villa Monte Vino: Centrally located hotel in Potsdam with a delicious breakfast. Private parking is also available.

Great Cafés & Restaurants with Kids in Potsdam

• Tomasa Potsdam: lovely restaurant with a great playground in its own outdoor area. Especially recommended for breakfast — you can sit outside while the kids play.
• Alexandrowka Haus 1: delicious, rustic Russian restaurant with a wonderfully quirky interior. You’ll be greeted by the witch Baba Yaga on the balcony, and in the garden there’s a small TV with children’s chairs showing old Soviet cartoons.
• Café Miss Green Bean: an incredibly kid-friendly café with a Duplo set and other toys for children.
• Café Midi: a laid-back café with delicious cake inside a youth and community center. With a large playground and plenty of children’s books, it’s designed with families in mind.
• Lokal Potsdam: home to the most delicious and colorful cakes in the city.

Practical Tips for Potsdam with Kids

To wrap things up, here are a few practical pointers for your trip to Potsdam with kids.

What tickets do kids need for public transportation?

Children under 6 ride free of charge.

Children between the ages of 6 and 14 pay €1.90 for a single fare in the Potsdam AB zone and €4.20 for a day pass. All the major attractions in Potsdam fall within this zone.

Our tip: Potsdam is within the Berlin fare zone. If you’re making a day trip from Berlin, you can travel to Potsdam with Berlin zone C tickets.

Is Potsdam easy to navigate with a stroller or travel buggy?

Yes, absolutely. There is one caveat, though: some older East German Tatra trams with steps are still in service. However, they are scheduled to be retired in 2025 and replaced with accessible low-floor trams.