JUNE 2022
In April 2022 we spent a long weekend camping in Berlin. I expected to be in Berlin at the peak of cherry blossom season, but unfortunately the early blossoms had just gone and the deep pink cherries had not yet popped. So that meant we had to other activities than I originally planned to do. Luckily, Berlin was very kid friendly and we had an amazing time despite the cold weather. In this blog I will tell you about all the original activities we did with our little toddler (no we did not go to the zoo and the aquarium).
Camping in Berlin
I generally love to stay in a real city campsite, but didn’t love the city campsite in Berlin (Stadsoase Berlin). The campsite was located closely to a U- and S-bahn, so that made access to the main sights very easy, so that was a plus. However, the manager of the campsite was not very nice and the arrival and departure times were very strict, causing us to be very inflexible. Most of the campsite was rocky and the showers were a bit uncomfortable, which was not ideal with a toddler. I definitely would not recommend this campsite.
Kid friendly activities
I was surprised at how kid friendly Berlin was. It was like this city was made for kids, with a playground on every corner. There are so many colorful sights, so it is a guaranteed hit with kids! This list is my no means complete, as we were limited in our activities due to very cold weather. In summertime Berlin really comes alive, with people flocking to the Spree and the Badeschiff to get a swim. I have been to Berlin several times during summertime and I always found it a particularly lovely time to visit.
Prenzlauer Berg
I found Prenzlauer Berg especially kid friendly, but maybe I am biased because this was my favorite area in Berlin. There are many informal restaurants and terraces in this neighborhood and there were so many playgrounds. No need for reservations as there are so much, fun restaurant options to choose from. During the weekend you can also find markets in this area, which is usually a fun activity for kids as well!
East Side Gallery
This part of the wall is beautifully painted over with colorful murals. The sidewalk was perfect for the stroller. Hugo loved the first few murals and then continued sleeping all the way into Friedrichshain. There is no entrance fee and you can visit all day.
Holzmarkt
We spotted this creative group of restaurants, cafes and a bakery at Holzmarkt when we were on our way to the East Side Gallery. Holzmarkt is a typical Berlin style location, a bit scruffy with lots of weird decorations, so it is perfect to visit with kids. Hugo found so many things to play with when we stopped here for coffee and cake and I didn’t have to worry about him breaking anything. I am sure this spot is even more lovely in summer time, as it also features a terrace at the Spree.
Reichstag
I didn’t expect to find the Reichstag very kid friendly, but I must admit that it is a great activity with kids. You need to book your (free) visit a little bit in advance via their website. We were welcome very kindly and accompanied to all the elevators to make our visit as smooth as possible. Bringing in a stroller was no issue at all. Hugo really enjoyed himself looking at all the mirrors and the ceiling of the Reichstag. You can have a good look of the Dome if you go to the terrace, this was also a good spot where he could roam freely and safely. Baby changing facilities were good as well.
Jewish Memorial
It would be disrespectful to let Hugo play at the Jewish memorial, so we didn’t do that. However it was interesting to walk through the memorial with a stroller, so I included it in this list anyway.
Teufelsberg
A devil’s mountain doesn’t sound kid friendly, but it was an interesting spot to visit with kids. I wouldn’t let Hugo roam free in this location as it was quite dirty and in some places there were pieces of glass in the grass. However, the streetart was pretty great and kept him entertained! The Teufelsberg is a former field station that was used to spy on the enemy during the cold war. You will find a little museum with WW2 items, which I found pretty interesting, while the remaining part focuses on street art.
Tempelhof
There used to be an airport near the city center of Berlin called Tempelhof, however it was closed in 2008 and now its surroundings are used as a public park. I expected the buildings to be more publically accessible and was a bit disappointed when I discovered that wasn’t the case. However it is an enormous car free park, very windy and Hugo loved exploring it!
Gedachtniskirche
The original church that stood here was severally damaged during WW2 and so a memorial was constructed here. This is one of my favorite buildings of Berlin (though it is located in a very ugly part of town) and also a good one to visit with kids. The blue windows are spectacular and will keep the most spirited kid entertained.
Cherry blossoms
I am not kidding, Hugo loves cherry blossoms! He has been on so many little cherry blossom adventures with me, that he starts clapping when he sees a good colorful blossom. We visited around half April and due to the late snow, this was just a bit too early to see the Kwanzan cherries in bloom. They were about to pop, but unfortunately not ready yet when we visited. Berlin has several “Kirschblutenallees”, but it wasn’t meant to be for us this year.
