15 Amazing Things To Do In Oslo With Kids Guide
Visiting Oslo with kids and want to find the best things to do?
We spent a wonderful long weekend in Oslo with our boys this summer when our month long road trip through Norway ended there. To finish the trip on a high we explored everything kid-friendly that Oslo had to offer with our kids. We’d already driven through the incredible fjords and stopped in places such as Bergen, Olden, Geiranger and Flåm.
Oslo is Norway’s capital city which has a rich and vibrant history that dates back to the Viking age. In recent years there has been a lot of development that has added even more points of interest for visitors of all ages. For us, it was a great place to visit with kids because there are so many great things to do in the city centre. And, it easy to visit because its just a short walk between most of the main attractions.
We’ve put together a list of the best things to do in Oslo with kids. It you see our ⭐T&T⭐ icon against an attraction then it’s been tried and tested by us.
Quick Guide To Visiting Oslo With Kids
- Spend time on Karl Johans Gate watching the artists and buskers
- Play on the waterfront by the Aker Brygge
- Explore the islands and beaches by ferry or guided boat tour
- Discover some of the interesting museums
Olso With Kids – Exploring the City Centre
What we loved about exploring Oslo is that there are so many great attractions just a short walk away from each other. We really enjoyed walking around the heart of Oslo spotting things as we went. You’ll usually see things that you wouldn’t see if you were going from attraction to attraction on the metro.
1. Discover the Akershus Fortress ⭐T&T⭐
The beautiful Akershus Fortress in Olso dates back to 1299. Alongside the fortifications, it also houses a fantastic medieval castle which dates back to the early 1300s. It has managed to survive several sieges until it was upgraded in the 1600s to royal residence. Since then it’s been expanded and then improved time and time again which is why it’s now so much bigger. The fortress even had a part to play in World War Two when it was surrendered by Oslo to the German forces before it was then finally liberated in 1945.
This is a great place to head to with younger kids as it’s just a short walk from Oslo Central Station. It’s free to enter the fort and it has one of the best views over the waterfront. Whilst there are a couple of museums there as well, whether you decide to visit them really depends on the age of your young kids. If you have younger kids like ours then you might prefer to enjoy the fortress fortifications on their own. We love visiting fortresses as part of our travels because playing games like fighting imaginary pirates or dragons makes them a lot of fun!
2. Take a walk along Karl Johans Gate ⭐T&T⭐
This is the main boulevard through Oslo city centre and is a good place to spend time with young kids. There is so much to see and do as you walk around exploring, not only wonderful historic buildings but also street entertainers and other visitors to the city.
Karl Johans Gate is 1.5km long straight street that connects the Central Train Station to The Royal Palace. It was designed in 1818 to be similar to the Champs-Élysées in Paris, and as you walk along you’ll feel its grandeur. Walking the street without a break only takes 20 minutes, however, it took us a while because you’ll pass some important buildings in Oslo and probably want to stop at them. The most famous is the Stortinget (Houses of Parliament), however, there are also lots of restaurants, cafes as well as designer shops to distract you. You should expect it to take an hour or two!
One of our favourite things was taking time to enjoy the street entertainment such as live musicians and artists. We love live music and there was so much to enjoy. Our eldest also really enjoyed watching a local artist, so much so that in the end we had a small painting done especially for us.
Top tip: At one end of Karl Johans Gate you’ll find the amazing bronze statue called The Tiger. It was put outside the Oslo Central Station to celebrate the city’s 1,000th anniversary. Both of boys loved seeing and touching it.
3. Exploring the Aker Brygge waterfront ⭐T&T⭐
Olso has a beautiful and vibrant waterfront called the Aker Brygge. It is a main attraction in Olso and is a great place to relax. And, also has lots of fun places to eat. Originally it was a shipyard however, it’s been remodelled into a more hipster area. As well as great places to eat we saw these fun floating saunas. Apparently you can book a slot in them and then cool off by jumping into the harbour afterwards.
The Aker Brygge is just one part of the 9km promenade. It starts from the Akershus Fortress and runs along to the Oslo Opera House and beyond. We spent some of our time watching the boats and ferries as they came into and out of the harbour. There was plenty of seating for us to use we relaxed in the sunshine!
If you have some time then you might want to visit the museums in the Aker Brygge area which include:
- Nobel Peace Center where you can learn more about the Nobel Peace Prize
- National Gallery which is part of The National Museum
4. Head to The Royal Palace ⭐T&T⭐
At the top end of the Karl Johans Gate you’ll find The Royal Palace. This is the official residence of the Norwegian Royal Family. All year round you can walk around and enjoy the stunning palace gardens. However, in the summer you’re able to book a space on a free guided tour inside the palace.
What is fun is that like in other European cities there is a lunchtime changing of the guard ceremony. The one in Oslo is daily at 1:30 pm, whatever the weather and lasts between 15-40 minutes. We were a little underwhelmed by the changing of the guard ceremony that we watched. That’s because it was finished in 15 minutes.
From what we understand, the length of time changes each day. A big deciding factor of this, we read, is down to whether there is a marching band that day. If there is then the marching band makes the the ceremony last more than 40 minutes. Even though it was a bit underwhelming we did had fun people-watching.
5. Climb the Oslo Opera House ⭐T&T⭐
Oslo Opera House is home to the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet as well as their National Opera. Fun fact is that its main auditorium has enough seating for more than 1,300 people.
What draws tourists is the chance to walk up along the sloping ramp up which goes one side of the building. Because it is a great way to get a good view of Oslo waterfront and the surrounding Oslofjord for free. There’s also free entry to the building, which is great if you’re on a budget like we were. However, if you want to join one of the English tours then you should expect a small fee.
Nearby you’ll also find MUNCH Museum. This is dedicated to the famous Norwegian artist Edgvar Munch. There are several copies of his infamous The Scream to view. However, visiting this museum is probably more of a hit with older kids.
Oslo With Kids – Exploring the Museums
We’ve not quite got to the age where our boys are keen on museums yet. If there are free ones to visit, like the Deichman Bjørvika Library in Olso, then we’ll stop in to have a short explore. That way they’ll get more and more used to them visiting them. We met a few families during our time in Oslo and asked them which museums they would recommend for older kids. We’ve taken their suggestions and shared them with you.
6. Deichman Bjørvika Library ⭐T&T⭐
The Oslo Public Library also called the Deichman Biblotek. It is designed to look like a shelf of books where the top “bookshelf” is offset at a quirky angle. It’s an attractive building that has lots to offer, plus it’s free entry to visit which is always great if you’re travelling on a budget.
Inside there is lots do such as a space dedicated to children’s books and toys. As well as workshop spaces, a cinema, a cafe, and even space just to relax. If you ride the escalator all the way to the top then you’ll have a great view of the waterfront. The library is a great place to head if it’s a rainy day and don’t want to walk up the Olso Opera House for a waterfront view.
We decided to spend some time inside exploring the library. That’s because we our eldest hadn’t really been to many libraries before because we’re outdoors most of the time. He really loved having a look around the library. And, was particularly hooked on this specific art installation where you were able to watch an animation whilst at the same time listening to the artist’s interpretation of the plants “talking”. This is the perfect place to visit and hang out if you’re looking for somewhere to have a break inside.
Top tip: If you’re staying in Oslo with little then we’d highly recommend the Bjørvika neighbourhood near the Deichman Bjørvika Library. That’s because it has a great city centre play area here that you should try. We loved it because there is also a great bakery called Backstube Opera that serves fab coffee and tasty pastries!
7. Norwegian Museum of Cultural History
It is also known as the Norwegian Folk Museum or Norsk Folkemuseum. Its made up of over 160 historic buildings making it possibly the world’s largest open air museum. It has lots of activities and experiences that bring the space alive. You’ll get to see how they lived in various times in different parts of Norway. One of the most famous historic buildings is the Gol Stave Church. This is a beautiful building dating back to the 1200s.
If we have time for a museum then we’ll always try to visit an open-air museum or one that is interactive. Norway has quite a few high-quality interactive or open air museums to try. During our road trip we visited Viking Valley near Flåm with our boys and they loved it!
8. Fram Museum
This museum tells the story of Norwegian polar exploration using a polar exploration ship called the Fram. Fram was launched in 1891 and you can see the original ship in the museum.
This is an immersive museum experience with interactive exhibits which is grat for kids. During your visit you and your family can board the Fram. Once onboard you’ll get to see what it was like to travel on her all of those years ago. We hear that the room where she’s kept is kept at a very low temperature to preserve her. The chill in the air helps to also give an impression of what it would have been like all of those years ago heading to the polar region!
9. Viking Ship Museum
Sadly, this famous museum is currently closed and not due to reopen until 2027. It is famous for having three large well-preserved Viking ships called the Oseberg, the Gokestad ship and the Tune. We’d heard great things about it before we visited Olso. We especially wanted to visit because we sailed on a scaled replica of the Gokestad at the Lofotr Viking Museum. When it opens it would definitely be something to put at the top of any list of things to do in Oslo with older kids!
The nearby Norwegian Maritime Museum still remains open if you’re in the area and are looking for a historical museum to visit.
10. Kon-Tiki Museum
It tells the story of the adventures of Norwegian adventurer Thor Heyerdahl. He famously built a raft out of balsa wood and sailed across the Pacific Ocean it in 1947. Inside the museum, there is an interactive area where children can pretend that they are on the Kon Tiki which is a fun way of getting them engaged in the adventure!
Top tip: If you want to save money then you might consider buying the Oslo Pass. The Oslo Pass give you free admission to 30 museums and sites, plus unlimited free public transportation (including the airport express train). As well as discounts and offers at restaurants, tour companies, concerts, events and much more. If you’re are going to use public transport and love museums then it can work out as great value to buy an Oslo Pass.
Oslo With Kids – Parks and Beaches
11. Frogner Park and Vigeland Sculpture Park ⭐T&T⭐
Frogner Park is the largest park in the city centre of Oslo and only 20 minutes using public transport from Aker Brygge. Along with having a large green park it’s also got some other great things to do there which are great for kids in Oslo. You’ll find it has a huge kids playground, a lake, a cafe and a manor house that is now a museum. The park also has a public swimming baths which are open in the warm summer months which is made up of two swimming pools as well as a kids pool and also a slide.
Top tip: If you have little kids with you, then Frogner Park is home to Norways biggest playground and shouldn’t be missed!
Vigeland Sculpture Park
Frogner Park is also very famous in Oslo for being the home of the Vigeland Sculpture Park. It has more than 200 bronze statues by Norwegian artist Gustav Vigeland and is the world’s largest sculpture park with works by a single artist. The sculptures are human figures in all sorts of settings and positions, some are of women holding children whilst others will have you second guessing what exactly they are doing (if you get what we mean!).
One of the most famous is of a crying young boy called “Angry Boy”. You can find him on the bridge and you’ll spot people regularly stopping to pose by holding his hand. Just a heads up that a visit to Vigeland Sculpture Park is probably better for older kids.
12. Explore the Fjords by boat in Oslo with kids ⭐T&T⭐
A fun way to spend a few hours in Oslo is to get out onto the water to see the city from a different perspective by discovering Oslofjord and its surrounding islands. Whilst it’s a lot less dramatic than the Western fjords such as Geirangerfjord, it’s still a beautiful area to explore and learn more about. There’s a good variety of boat tours that you can pick to join, such as cruise style boats as well as wooden sailing yachts, and some which even have meals and music included.
In the hot summer months the shores of Oslo get particularly busy when the ferries head out to the nearby islands as locals and visitors head there to relax and swim in the sunshine. If you’re on a budget, like we were, then taking one of the ferries is a great way to explore Oslofjord if you don’t want to pay for a guided boat tour. They’re cheaper because they’re part of the public transport network, so you’ll just pay a single fare for the entire 45 minute ride which takes you past all of the islands. During our stay, we did the loop on our first day and then the following day took a ferry over to Hovedøya island for a few hours to swim and play on the beach.
Top tip: You can find the ferry times easily on the Ruter website.
13. Enjoy a beach or two in central Oslo with kids ⭐T&T⭐
Oslo city centre has an incredible amount of beaches to choose from, some that lie along the waterfront and other that are accessible by a short ferry ride. It was a hot weekend when we visited so we decided that we needed to make sure our plans in Olso included some cooling off time each day.
Bygdøy beaches in Oslo with kids
There are a few great beaches that you can head to it you’re in Bygdøy visiting any of the nearby interesting museums, the two best beaches as Huk Beach and Paradisbukta Beach.
Hovedøya beaches in Oslo with kids
One of the easiest and loveliest beaches to reach from the waterfront at Aker Brygge is to take the ferry over to Hovedøya Island which is just 10 minutes away. There’s plenty of toilets, a little cafe and a shop too. If it’s a really sunny day then you’ll want to get there early because there isn’t much space to set-up your towels and by 11am the grass that I’m crouching on in the photo below was fully packed with families! Our photo was taken at 10am.
Note: As you walk from the ferry to the beach you’ll pass some pretty ruins. The original building, a monastery, was built in the 1100s, sadly by 1532 it had been pillaged and was then burnt down.
Oslo With Kids – Beyond Oslo City Centre
14. Holmenkollen Ski Jump Museum
Holmenkollen Ski Museum was founded in 1923 and is the world’s oldest skiing museum. It’s incredible because some of the artefacts go back over 4,000 years – believe it or not, they even have skis from the Viking age! We didn’t head up there ourselves, it was on our list, however, we ran out of time. If you’re into skiing, museums and great views then this is definitely a fun place to head to with kids in Oslo.
15. Hit the rides at Tusenfryd near Oslo with kids
If you’re looking for some high energy fun in Oslo and your kids love theme parks, then look no further than Tusenfryd which is Norway’s largest amusement park. What makes it really appealing is that it is less then 30 minutes away from Oslo city centre – so you can easily tag it onto a weekend once you’ve done the more historical and cultural elements as as treat for your kids. It’s got more than 30 attractions to enjoy, as well as swimming pools and slides for if it’s a really hot day!
Final Thoughts On Oslo With Kids
We had a fantastic time in Oslo as there are so many great things to do there with kids! If you’re on a budget then you can check out some of the free things such as walking around Karls Johan Gate. If you’re into museums then you can explore the Bygdøy peninsula which has several award winning and famous museums such as Fram and Kon-Tiki to try.
We particularly loved that you can easily take a ferry around the islands and hop off for a quick (if not slightly cold) swim! There’s loads to see and do, and we really hope that you have an awesome time there with your kids!
