You are planning your family trip to Buenos Aires. You’ve got the plane tickets, your hotel reservation, and your luggage ready to go…Yet something’s missing. Planning a family trip can be a bit of a challenge, especially with kids. You need to be organized and make sure that everybody is having a good time.
You would be surprised by how much there’s to do in Buenos Aires! If you’re up for spending time together as family, you cannot miss the ideas I’m about to give you! What’s even better is that you can have a blast and not spend a single penny.
Want to know how? Keep reading to find some locations you can visit for zero pesos, but lots of enjoyment guaranteed!
1. Centro Cultural de la Ciencia (Autonomous City of Buenos Aires)
Located in Palermo, this must-see location celebrates curious minds from an artistic and playful approach. The Centro Cultural de la Ciencia is essentially a space where children can learn as well as participate in the wondrous world of science. From Thursday to Sundays, there’s a wide range of activities and workshops in which kids and adults can engage: 3D printing, storytelling, laboratory practices, experimenting with cyanotype, making musical instruments, creating sound mixes, exploring the ocean, and more!
In Centro Cultural de la Ciencia all kinds of experiments are possible! Ideal for boosting your kids' curiosity.
Though all activities are free of charge, workshops have limited seats. So, if there’s one your kid would really love to go to, you should sign up online before your visit. Always check out the schedule ahead of time to see what activities are available during the extension of your trip. You can do so here, as well as the bookings by clicking on each square.
Ticket: Free
Address: Godoy Cruz 2270, Palermo. Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (Polo CientÃfico Tecnológico).
Timetable: Thursday through Sunday (in January and February) from 12 pm to 7 pm; Friday through Sunday (rest of the year) from 12 pm to 7 pm.
2. República de los Niños (La Plata)
If you want your kids to learn about the cultural aspects of Argentina, this is the place for you. Inaugurated in 1951, República de los Niños (Children’s Republic) was the very first themed park in Latin America. Conceptually, this is a children-sized replica of an actual city displaying 35 institutions (church, courthouse, theatre, airport, hotels, restaurants, and more.) Its architectural aesthetic even holds similarity to Walt Disney’s Disneyland, which opened later in 1955, allowing the emergence of rumours saying that this was the inspiration for Orlando’s most famous resort.
You can expect to see circus artists performing in the streets of República de los Niños.
This recreational space showcases the way in which the world of adults works in a way that is comprehensible for kids with the added benefit of giving them a sense of independence as well as giving the parents the guarantee that their children are safe.
Ticket: Free (though the access to some rides, such as the train, the airplane, and the ship is paid). For further inquiries, check out the website, or reach out via mail.
Address: Camino General Belgrano, esquina Calle 500. Manuel Gonnet, La Plata.
Timetable: Monday through Sunday from 7 am to 10 pm. | Rides open at 10 am on weekends, and at 12 pm on weekdays. Restaurants are open from 9 am to 6pm on weekdays, and from 9 am to 8 pm on weekends.
3. Tecnópolis (Villa Martelli, Province of Buenos Aires)
Tecnópolis is a public art exhibition that celebrates technology, science and industry. The resort has seven areas, each one representing a field, such as art and culture, nature and sustainability, media and film industry, to name a few, where both children and adults can participate.
Kids will learn about scientific and technological advances as well as cultural and political aspects of the country, like the Constitution and the Congress. Moreover, the park holds a wide variety of shows for all ages. You can even bring a blanket and have a picnic while you listen to music and see the artists perform.
Choose your own adventure. From climbing or skateboarding to construction workshops, all activities are for free.
The schedule for all the activities and events available may vary depending on the time of the year. Make sure you check out Tecnópolis’ official website.
Ticket: Free
Address: J.B. de la Salle 4500, Villa Martelli – C.P. (1603) Buenos Aires, Argentina
Timetable: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and holidays from 4 pm to 10 pm.
4. Museo del Juguete (San Isidro, Province of Buenos Aires)
This is not a regular museum. Museo del Juguete (Museum of Toys) actually allows visitors, both kids and adults, to interact with the exhibition and play around the establishment. What makes it so special is that for 70 years it worked as a home of children whose parents couldn’t care for them. Later on, when the owners couldn’t take in any more residents, they decided to make it a museum as a commemoration of the joyous days of infancy, and why not, the inner child as well.
Repairing and creating new toys are often kids favourite activities
The house has a reception, four rooms —one for each generation— where you’ll find board games, figurines, comic books and collectible toys of the most iconic characters of all times, and a massive garden where the hosts will hold different activities for all the families visiting, such as water games, races, and more! Don’t forget to check out the upcoming events on the website. This exhibition of toys invites kids to play and make new friends, as well as adults to remember their days as infants. And most importantly, it creates an opportunity for parents and kids to bond.
Take a quick look at what a day in the Museo del Juguete looks like here: https://www.museodeljuguetesi.gob.ar/un-video-sobre-el-museo/
Ticket: Free (though visitors may make a monetary contribution)
Address: Gral. Lamadrid 197, Boulogne (Partido de San Isidro).
Timetable: Wednesday through Friday from 11 am to 5 pm, and weekends from 1 pm to 5 pm. Closed on Monday and Tuesday. | The garden will remain closed on rainy days.
5. Granja Don Benito (Escobar, Province of Buenos Aires)
In the rural area of Buenos Aires there’s a farm called Granja Don Benito, where everyone can visit to spend a day out. Some of the animals you’ll find are cows, goats, donkeys, horses, ducks, chickens, and more! All of them were rescued from abusive homes or neglectful owners and that is why the farm doesn’t offer rides to the public: to teach love and compassion for animals.
Granja Don Benito is the perfect place for kids to learn about rural life, animal care and the agricultural industry. During your visit, you can also have a picnic or buy food at the local gastronomic stations and also enjoy the annexed attractions, like the Aerial Park.
Only some kilometers away from BA you will find a whole different atmosphere where kids and nature can interact.
Though the tickets are not free, they are cheap, so you still get to do something fun for very little money. The access to Kids Park and Aerial Park, as well as the food for the animals is paid separately.
Ticket: The ticket is free for kids under 3 years old, retirees and people with disability. The ticket for everyone else is really affordable.
Address: Avenida Mendoza e Independencia 1623, Ingeniero Maschwitz, Escobar.
Timetable: Wednesday through Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm.
BONUS: Paseo de La Historieta (Autonomous City of Buenos Aires)
Similarly to Leicester Square in London, Buenos Aires also pays homage to some of the most iconic local cartoon characters. Scattered throughout the neighbourhoods San Telmo, Puerto Madero, and Monserrat, you’ll find the statues that commemorate the stories that have made Argentina’s people tremendously happy during their childhood: Mafalda, Gaturro, Clemente, Patoruzú, and many more.
Make sure you take a picture with Quino's Mafalda, the cutest rebel known worldwide.
After grabbing a bite, you can take a stroll and locate the different characters hidden in the city, maybe even make it a game of who can find the most statues, and take pictures with them.
Check out the official site of Buenos Aires’s City to see the full list of all the characters and their location to make sure you don’t miss any of them!
As you can see, Buenos Aires has what it takes to make everyone happy. From science exhibitions to farm animals, rest assured that you will find the perfect place for your kid to have the best time ever! Always make sure to check out the websites to see all the upcoming events in order to have an organized schedule and something new to do every day during your visit.
I hope you like my picks for you. Let me know if you’ve already been to one of these locations before, or if you have any other recommendations for other travelers to visit!
Emily.
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