How to Explore Paris with Kids in Just 3 Days

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Planning a trip to Paris with kids? Find out what you can really do with 3 days in Paris, France. Scroll for all my top tips and itinerary.

This post on Paris with kids was written by family travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.

My husband and I have each been to Paris separately, and we’ve both been eager to visit again. Now that we have our two sons, we’re excited to explore Paris with kids this time! There are so many amazing cities to visit in Europe that it was hard to narrow it down.

This Spring, we decided to head to Europe with our kids for our first trip as a family of four. We went with family and friends to Madrid and Barcelona and enjoyed ourselves. And since we knew there were kid-friendly things to do in France, we headed there next.

Our last stop was Paris, which was the best way to end our trip! We were worried that Paris might not be the best city to visit with small children, but our fears were unfounded.

See what to do in Paris in 3 days with kids. Plus, find out how to make a day trip to Disneyland Paris.

Paris with Kids 3 Day Itinerary

DAY 1: PARIS GREETERS WALKING TOUR & PARIS BY TUKTUK

PARIS GREETERS:

We enjoyed a free 3-hour private walking tour of Boulogne (a suburb of Paris) through Paris Greeters. This was a great way to see how real Parisians live, and it was an excellent start to our wonderful trip.

We put the baby in our Tula baby carrier, and our 3-year-old rode in the stroller. Then, we drank coffee in a Parisian cafe, played in a neighborhood playground, explored a greenhouse, and had an epic conversation about family life in Paris versus the United States. This walk was just what we needed to kickstart our Paris adventure.

After that, we got the inside scoop about some of the best parks in Paris to explore with kids! We found several spots within walking distance that were perfect for letting the kids play.

Read the full scoop about the Paris Greeters walking tour.

After the walk, we enjoyed coffee at a cafe in Boulogne before packing to our flat via Paris Metro. This gave us time to use the bathroom, change a diaper, and reload our backpacks.

Then, we grabbed sandwiches and baguettes from the shop next to our flat and waited for our TukTuk driver to pick us up.

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PARIS BY TUKTUK TOUR OF REAL LIFE OF PARIS:

Our Paris by Tuk Tuk driver, Arnaud, was very knowledgeable about the city, and our 3-year-old had fun waving at motorists and pedestrians from the back of the Tuk Tuk.

Out of all their tours, we chose the one that focused on areas of Paris we hadn’t explored before. Arnaud zipped us through side streets, and we saw many neighborhoods most tourists don’t visit.

We could also drive on the sidewalks to avoid major traffic jams!

Exploring the city by Tuk Tuk was definitely an unusual thing to do in Paris with kids, and it allowed us to see sights that were just a stone’s throw from major attractions but often overlooked.

Read my full post about our Tuk Tuk tour of Paris.

We stopped at a scenic lookout, where my husband showed our 3-year-old how to take photos of the Eiffel Tower. We hopped back in and finished our tour by driving on major streets in the heart of Paris.

Arnaud dropped us at Saint Germaine neighborhood, where we grabbed an early dinner of beef bourguignon and steamed mussels.

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DAY 2: PHOTO SHOOT, ARC DE TRIOMPHE, SHOPPING & EIFFEL TOWER

FLYTOGRAPHER PHOTO SHOOT:

We had arranged for a Flytographer photo shoot at 7:30 a.m. It was insanely cold for Paris in April (it seriously felt like we were visiting Paris in winter), and we didn’t pack warm enough clothing. Save $25 on a Flytographer shoot!

We layered clothing on the kids and my husband and I wore souvenir jackets we picked up. Not exactly what I had in mind but the photo shoot itself was a good experience. Check out my Paris family photo tips!

Our photographer Olga was so sweet and personable! We got family photos at the Eiffel Tower, inside a warm cafe (which perked the kids up) and at the École Militaire.

Looking for a photo location? Check here for the best views of Paris.

After our photo shoot, we had breakfast at a very pricey cafe near École Militaire (hint: if you only see businessmen eating somewhere, you might look for a different cafe.) But our kids were freezing, and we needed to thaw everyone out before heading back to the flat.

Then, we walked along the Seine river while our 3 year old slept in the stroller and our baby slept in the Tula until we got to our flat.

This almost felt like a mini-date as my husband and I could just enjoy Paris and chat uninterrupted. We got back to the flat, layered more clothes on everyone, and packed up our backpacks.

Find out what to wear in Paris in the Spring.

ARC DE TRIOMPHE:

From our flat, we walked to the Arc de Triomphe. They had a spot to park our stroller and invited us to use the elevator since we had a baby (in our Tula) and a preschooler.

I recommend getting skip-the-line tickets for the Arc de Triomphe.

We still had to walk 42 steps in a narrow staircase to get to the observation deck, but our 3-year-old managed easily.

The observation area felt very safe for our 3-year-old, and we let him explore.

My husband helped our preschooler look through the telescope to see the Eiffel Tower better. There was also an elevated spot for selfies.

We headed back down to the base of the Arc de Triomphe, and my husband took photos while my 3-year-old ran circles around me to expend some energy.

Read my full blog post if you’d like to know how to explore the Arc de Triomphe with kids.

We started to get hungry, so we strolled down the Champs-Élysées to find food. This is one of the busiest tourist areas, but we had a hungry preschooler with us.

We enjoyed crepes at a place right off the Champs-Élysées. We also used this time to plan the rest of our day.

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SHOPPING IN PARIS WITH KIDS:

We decided to go shopping so we wouldn’t have to worry about it on our last day. I had a long list of items to get at Monoprix and Monop, and family members had shopping lists for specific items and stores.

We ended up shopping for a few hours while the boys slept. We packed everyone on and in the stroller and realized we had to take a taxi back to the flat just to transport everything.

EIFFEL TOWER:

My husband was looking for Duck Confit, so we headed back out in search of this dish. He had checked Yelp and found a few places near our flat that were supposed to offer it, but none ended up having it.

We started walking toward the Eiffel Tower, hoping to find something along the way, but we had no luck. We arrived at the Eiffel Tower around 8:30 p.m. and explored its base. This is a free activity in Paris with kids. The line for the elevator was 45 minutes long, and we were getting cold.

I recommend getting priority access tickets to the Eiffel Tower to save time.

Our 3-year-old spotted the carousel across the street and was eager to ride it. We decided it would be a better memory for him than standing in the cold. He thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

I was hoping to see the Eiffel Tower light sparkle for the kids, but we weren’t sure when it would happen. We saw it sparkle about a minute after we got in our taxi to head back to our neighborhood.

While my 3-year-old and I were mesmerized, my husband lamented that he could have photographed it had we stayed just five more minutes! C’est la vie!

We had the taxi drop us off at a restaurant with a line out the door the first night we arrived. It was an awesome place that only served steak with an amazing sauce and french fries.

We sat down, and the waitress asked how we liked our steak. She then wrote it on the table and returned with freshly cooked steak and fries!

She kept refilling everyone’s plates with steak and fries, and it was amazing! When we couldn’t eat anymore, we wobbled back to our flat.

Heading to Provence and the French Riviera? Get a kid-friendly itinerary.

DAY 3: NOTRE DAME, SAINTE-CHAPPELLE, SACRE-COEUR, JARDIN DU LUXEMBOURG

NOTRE DAME & SAINTE-CHAPPELLE:

On our third day, we slept in a bit and then took the Metro to Notre Dame de Paris. We looked at it from the outside and debated waiting in line to look inside. I’d already seen the inside, but the rest of the family had not.

We decided, since it was our last day, to just enjoy it from the outside and continue on.

We walked a few blocks to Sainte-Chappelle. I remembered being in awe of this church on my first Paris trip, and my husband had never been. There was hardly a line, and we could park the stroller on the first level of the church.

Save time with Sainte-Chappelle skip-the-line tickets.

It was just as gorgeous as I remembered. Our 3-year-old kept saying, “Wow!” and our baby just kept staring at the beautiful stained glass. There were chairs available, so I sat with the kids while my husband took photos.

We were all getting a bit hungry, so we walked across the street to a cafe for an early lunch. I thoroughly enjoyed my Croque Madame sandwich and shared it with our preschooler. The spirits were good, so we planned the rest of our day.

SACRE-COEUR, MONTMARTRE

We took the Paris Metro to Sacre-Coeur and walked up the back streets to get there. That’s when our son spotted the little train that tours around, and he decided we HAD to ride it.

At the front of Sacre-Coeur, we discovered the next train would leave in 35 minutes, giving us time to explore the church and enjoy the beautiful panoramic view of Paris.

Too tired to climb to the Dome for an even better view, we boarded the train as our 3-year-old worried it would leave without us.

The little Montmartrain toured us around Sacre-Coeur, Montmartre’s artsy area, and Pigalle’s burlesque area. We saw the famous Moulin Rouge and many lingerie stores. Our 3-year-old fell asleep during the 35-minute ride, an unusual but fun thing to do in Paris with kids.

We then rode a little gondola down to the base of Sacre-Coeur, saving us many steps. We grabbed crepes and drinks at the base and headed to the nearby park.

It was late afternoon, and the park was filled with French children nibbling on sweet treats before playing. Our son noticed the carousel and was eager to take a spin, giving our baby his first carousel ride, too.

JARDIN DU LUXEMBOURG:

Next up was Jardin du Luxembourg. We tried to take the Paris Metro there, but the train wasn’t moving at the connecting station. It was insanely crowded, and my husband almost had his wallet stolen. We quickly got out and looked for a taxi.

At Gare du Nord, things felt sketchy, so we walked a few blocks and then grabbed a taxi to Jardin du Luxembourg. This was one of my favorite stops in Paris and a perfect spot for the whole family to unwind.

My son had been excited to “do the boats” for months after seeing them in a guidebook for Paris with kids. As we entered the garden, he spotted the boats in the pond and gleefully shouted, “Mommy! They have the little boats here!”

For just 3.5 euros, we rented a vintage toy boat for 30 minutes. This is a cheap and fun activity for young kids. We arrived just before they closed, and our son was in pure heaven for those 30 minutes!

We also hit the sandbox area afterward, and our 3-year-old played with French children who were kind enough to share their sand toys.

For our last dinner in Paris, we were determined to find Duck Confit and found a place near Jardin du Luxembourg. We enjoyed our meal and grabbed a taxi back to the flat to pack.

Paris with Kids Tips

WHERE TO STAY IN PARIS WITH KIDS

We rented this Paris flat through Airbnb, which was a 10-minute walk from the Arc de Triomphe. It was much cheaper than any hotel I could find near a Metro stop and attractions.

We were on the 6th floor and while there was an elevator, we could only fit three people total (with no bags.) My husband usually sent me up with the kids first, and then he’d take the stroller and backpack with him second.

I liked that there was a microwave and fridge so we could eat a bit in the flat. It was also near a taxi stand, which was helpful when we headed to the airport with all our luggage.

Check out this Paris neighborhood guide to figure out where to stay.

KID-FRIENDLY RESTAURANTS IN PARIS

We found that almost every restaurant we visited assumed we’d want a hamburger and french fries for our 3-year-old. This was a bit frustrating as our son usually tries new foods and doesn’t eat hamburgers at home.

But, once it was offered, he seemed to think that was his only choice, and he primarily just ate french fries.

I’d recommend sharing whatever you order with your preschoolers if they want to taste new foods.

We found fresh squeezed orange juice (at a range of prices) at almost every cafe and restaurant, and our 3-year-old loved it. You can squeeze it yourself at Monoprix for a fraction of the price and drink it at your flat.

NURSING A BABY IN PARIS

I wasn’t sure about the reaction I’d get nursing my 6-month-old son in public. I had heard that it’s unusual to see French women nursing their babies (and I never saw anyone else breastfeeding in Paris.)

I’m usually pretty discrete, so I wore nursing tops but didn’t use a nursing cover. I didn’t get any weird looks and felt comfortable nursing on the Paris Metro, cafes/restaurants, and parks.

PACK YOUR OWN FORMULA AND BABY FOOD

My youngest son is breastfed, but I got the stomach flu early in the entire trip, and my milk supply dropped.

Thankfully, I had brought some formula with me to help supplement. When we ran out, we checked the supermarket for more and were surprised only to find flavored formula (chocolate or vanilla.)

I was also shocked to find baby food pouches that were 5x more expensive than the U.S.

I had been hoping to try French food for my baby, but at those prices, I refrained. I’d recommend packing your own formula and baby food.

BRING A LIGHTWEIGHT STROLLER

We were really 50/50 on whether to bring a stroller to Paris. We usually wear our baby in a carrier and our 3-year-old has no problem walking around all day.

However, my husband and I both were glad to have it.

After walking all over Madrid and Barcelona, our 3-year-old was tired and needed breaks in the stroller.

Plus, he was able to nap while we were out and about. Carrying the stroller up and down the Metro stairs was a bit cumbersome, but we made sure to keep the stroller storage area empty so we could quickly fold it up.

When we went shopping, it was great to load our bags on the stroller and then taxi back to our flat.

Many restaurants also held our stroller at the front or advised us where we could store it while we ate.

PARIS SOUVENIRS FOR KIDS

We found that many attractions had a machine of souvenir medallions available for 2 Euro each. Our 3-year-old loved these.

He not only enjoyed the process of actually buying the medallion, but he loved holding it and looking at the pictures on it. He started looking for the machines everywhere we went, and it was kind of like a fun scavenger hunt.

I’d also recommend visiting Monoprix for affordable food souvenirs (like cookies, dijon mustard, chocolate, etc.) and Monop’ for fantastic beauty/health items and the cutest baby/children’s clothing.

POTTY TRAINING IN PARIS

We had our 3-year-old wear Pull-Ups when we were touring around Paris.

There were often lines at the bathrooms at attractions (expected), and most restaurant restrooms seemed to be down spiral staircases that took a while to get to with a preschooler.

By wearing the pull-ups, we saved ourselves from changing our clothes for each outing.

We didn’t use Pull-Ups for the first half of our trip, and we went through almost all the pants we had brought without having an opportunity to wash/dry them.

Is Paris with kids a good idea?

I definitely recommend Paris as a great destination for families with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. The French people were so nice to us!

Three days is just not enough to explore. If we had a few more days, we would have spent half a day at Jardin d’Acclimation in Boulogne, got tickets to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, eaten ice cream at Berthilon at Ile Saint Louis, rode The Big Wheel at Place de la Concorde, and taken a Seine boat cruise.

We didn’t go to museums this trip because we’re hoping to return when the kids are older. This will give us a good excuse!

Kid-Friendly Tours of Paris

If you’d like to join an organized Paris tour for kids, here are the ones I suggest:

Kids and Families Skip-the-Line Private Louvre Tour in Paris

The best way to experience the famous Louvre Museum in Paris with kids is with a private tour. Choose either a 2 or 3-hour tour with an experienced tour guide. This private tour will be tailored to your family’s interests.

Skip-the-Line Versailles Palace Day Trip for Families from Paris

This tour is perfect for families with young children. It’s 3.5 hours long and includes fun activities to keep kids engaged. Plus, you can skip the line. Kids will love exploring the beautiful gardens at Versailles Palace.

Paris by TukTuk offered us a complimentary tour for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Things to do in Paris with Kids

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Paris by TukTuk is the Ultimate Way to Sightsee with Children
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Paris-Themed Holiday Gift Guide for Children
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