Discover 7 Fun Things to Do With Kids in Liverpool

The Beatles. The rivalry between Liverpool and Everton football clubs. The River Mersey and the picturesque Royal Albert Dock with its slew of restaurants, shops and entertainment venues. The UK's highest number of museums and art galleries outside the capital. Merseyside's historic port city is famous for many things, and together they make it one of the most exciting cultural destinations in northwest England. There's an astonishing amount of things to do with kids in Liverpool, too, whether you’re more interested in toddler-friendly imaginative play centres or exciting exhibits and stadium experiences suitable for older kids.

Families can enjoy Liverpool’s rich musical heritage at The Beatles Story, an award-winning museum that tells the story of the city’s most influential band. And while adults and older kids will appreciate the recreations of iconic Beatles locations – including The Cavern Club and Abbey Road Studios – and the wealth of original memorabilia on display, younger kids will have the most fun in the Discovery Zone. Open on weekends and throughout the school holidays, it includes a giant floor piano, 1960s-themed arts and crafts, and a mini Cavern Club where future rock stars can take to the stage.

Essential Info

• Best for: Ages 5+
• Address: Britannia Vaults, Royal Albert Dock, L3 4AD
• Hours: Daily from 9am to 5:30pm (winter) or 6:30pm (summer)
• Price: £20 per adult, £11 per child, under 5s free

The city is just as famous for its Premier League football teams as it is for its musical influence. Families can explore Liverpool’s football legacy with a behind-the-scenes experience at Anfield Stadium, The Reds’ home ground. On your tour of the landmark sports venue, you’ll get to walk the Players' Tunnel, sit in the Managerial Dugout and stand in the team’s dressing and press conference rooms. Fans will also be impressed by the Liverpool Football Club Museum, where they can see all of the club’s major trophies displayed together. For an added sense of atmosphere, Matchday Tours can be arranged at a small extra cost.

Essential Info

• Best for: Ages 5+
• Address: Anfield Road, Anfield, L4 0TH
• Hours: Different slots available daily
• Price: From £16 per person

If you’re looking for free things to do with kids in Liverpool, check out The World Museum, a grand columned building that houses an astonishing array of galleries and interactive exhibits. Here, children can come face-to-face with Egyptian mummies, discover over 40,000 artefacts representing cultures from around the world and travel through space and time with a planetarium show. There’s even an aquarium with real-life sharks, rays and tropical fish. Special events, including behind-the-scenes tours and temporary exhibitions, make this one of Liverpool’s best educational museums for an exciting day out with the kids.

Essential Info

• Best for: All ages
• Address: William Brown Street, L3 8EN
• Hours: 10am to 4pm, Tuesday to Sunday
• Price: Free, with a charge for some special exhibitions

It’s no secret that the weather can be unreliable in northwest England, and the Quirky Quarter is one of the best indoor things to do in Liverpool with kids when it’s raining. It’s home to a host of challenges, interactive experiences and illusions, some of which will have you crying with laughter, others of which look great on your teens’ Insta feed, and still more that will have younger kids open-jawed with wonder. Examples include upside-down rooms, mirror mazes, invisible floors and exhibits that shift your perspective so that the smallest in your group becomes the biggest.

Essential Info

• Best for: All ages
• Address: The Arch, 142 Duke Street, L1 5DR
• Hours: Varies by date, check online
• Price: £15.50 per adult, £9 per child, under 5s free

If you’re looking for wet weather things to do in Liverpool with toddlers and younger kids specifically, look no further than Imagine That! Designed to expand the imagination, the play centre’s themed zones include a Science Area with everything from bubbles to radio-controlled cars; an Outdoor Area with a giant sandpit and fossil excavation site, and a Slime Area with daily science shows. The Imagination Village is a particular highlight, with miniature shops, a theatre, a pet rescue and much more for roleplay fun. Look out for hands-on holiday workshops too.

Essential Info

• Best for: Ages 1 to 10
• Address: 26-32 Faraday Road, L13 1EH
• Hours: Varies by date, check online
• Price: £8.95 per adult, £17.95 per child, £13.95 for under 3s, under 1s free

One of the most unique cultural experiences in Liverpool for families with children is a tour of the historic Williamson Tunnels. The tunnels were commissioned by eccentric businessman Joseph Williamson in the first half of the 19th century and consist of a convoluted network of vaulted passageways and deep pits. It’s not certain why the tunnels were built, but exploring them while hearing all about the different theories is a thrilling subterranean adventure activity for any child (or adult). Looking for a hotel nearby? Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village is a six-minute walk from the tunnels and offers an all-day restaurant and family rooms with elevated city views.

Essential Info

• Best for: Ages 5+
• Address: The Old Stableyard, Smithdown Lane, L7 3EE
• Hours: Hourly tours from 10:30am to 3:30pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
• Price: £5 per adult, £3 per child

Located a 15-minute drive southeast of the city centre, Sefton Park is a glorious 80-hectare green space offering plenty of outdoor things to do with kids in Liverpool. Carpets of bluebells and daffodils charm in spring, there’s a boating lake and a playground for hours of fun in summer, and a glass-roofed Victorian Palm House for getting your nature fix when the weather turns colder. The park also hosts some of the best seasonal festivals and family events in Liverpool, including a fireworks display in November and autumnal Park Nights, during which kids can play floodlit sports such as archery, football, tennis and cricket for free.

Essential Info

• Best for: All ages
• Address: Sefton Park, L17 1AP
• Hours: 24 hours, Monday to Sunday
• Price: Free

While this family-friendly guide focuses on the best things to do with kids in Liverpool city centre, there’s plenty more to discover in the surrounding area. If you have a little more space in your itinerary, take a 30-minute drive out to Knowsley Safari, a zoo near Prescot where the animals roam freely. Or, explore the opportunities offered by Mersey Ferries, including River Explorer Cruises that take in the historic buildings of the Liverpool and Wirral waterfronts; and boat tours across the river to Eureka!, a science centre designed especially for younger kids. Get ready to make lasting family memories by choosing your excursions now.