10 Fun Playgrounds in Paris Near Top Paris Attractions

We recently got back from our first trip to Paris toting along two kiddos (3.5 & 6 months) and let me tell you what, we would not have survived without these playgrounds in Paris. It’s one thing to navigate a huge city like Paris on your own, and it’s a completely different thing to navigate Paris with two small ones.

I knew I didn’t want to be frantically searching the internet while in Paris with a toddler who was in dire need of some play. So, before our trip, I spent hourssss researching the best parks in Paris and the best playgrounds in Paris, trying to curate the perfect list of options.

While researching, I found it very difficult to find a Paris playground on Google Maps and the blogs I read seemed to highlight parks & playgrounds that were far away and more of a destination on their own (not what I was looking for).

What I was hoping for was a ‘walk past the Louvre on my way to a playground’ type of scenario. And that’s what I got!

With some serious in-depth internet searching, I found and curated the perfect list of parks right near all the top sights we were planning to visit in Paris.

And let me tell you what, those hours of playground research definitely paid off. We pretty much always had a new park in our pocket to dangle in front of our toddler to get us through the sightseeing we wanted to do (*the limited and precious sightseeing you get when traveling in Paris with a baby or toddler*).

We were able to visit main tourist destinations like the Eiffel Tower, outside The Louvre (not the inside- are you crazy?), and Sacré Coeur/Montmartre with our kiddos all while playing along the way.

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Quick List of the Best Playgrounds in Paris:

For those of you in a hurry, here’s a quick list of the playgrounds by area of Paris. We only had three full days in Paris and we visited ALL of these playgrounds (except one ). As you can see, that’s a high playground-per-day ratio 😂.

Playgrounds Near the Eiffel Tower:

• Eiffel Tower Playground # 1
• Eiffel Tower Playground # 2

Playgrounds Near the Louvre:

• Jardin Des Tuileries Playground & Carousel
• Jardin Nelson Mandela Playground & Terrain d’Aventures
• Colonnes de Buren/Les Deux Plateaux

Playgrounds Near Sacré-Cœur:

• Sacré-Cœur Playground & Carousel
• Square Suzanne Buisson Playground
• Square d’Anvers Playgrounds

Playgrounds Near Luxembourg Gardens:

• Luxembourg Gardens Playground & Sailboats

Our 3-Day Paris Itinerary:

Here is the general itinerary we followed during our time in Paris traveling with two kiddos (3.5 & 6 months). We learned during our trip to Amsterdam with kids and London with a toddler to plan for seeing one to two main sights plus visiting one to two playgrounds per day.

Maybe some people do more and maybe some people do less, but this seems to have worked best for us. Keep in mind that there were so many ice cream, slushie, and crepe stops along the way that aren’t listed here 😅.

DAY ONE (Eiffel Tower Area):

• Walk around the Eiffel Tower
• Play at the two Eiffel Tower Playgrounds
• Take a 1-hour Seine River Cruise leaving from the Eiffel Tower (a great way to see more of Paris with kids without tiring them out and the dock is SO close)

DAY TWO (Montmartre Area):

• Play at Square d’Anvers Playground
• Snack on goodies from Boulangerie Léonie
• Ride the carousel at the base of Sacré Coeur & play at the playground
• Take the funicular up to see views of Paris from Sacré Coeur
• See the artists at Place du Tertre
• Play at Square Suzanne Buisson Playground and wander some of the streets of Montmartre

DAY THREE (The Louvre Area):

• Start the day at Jardin Nelson Mandela playground(s)
• Snap pics and play at Colonnes de Buren
• Walk past The Louvre (be sure to get skip-the-line tickets if you are going to explore the Louvre, the line we saw was HUGE). Or, even better, book this Kids and Families Skip-the-Line Private Louvre Tour (how awesome would that be?)
• Relax in Jardin des Tuileries and play at the playground & ride the carousel
• Pick up galettes, crepes, and ice cream at Rosa Bonheur la Crêperie (in Jardin des Tuileries)
• See Monet’s Water Lilies exhibit at Musee d’lOrangerie
• Walk along the Seine River

If we had one more day, we would have visited Luxembourg Gardens to explore, play at the playgrounds and rent a toy sailboat.

Map of Paris Playgrounds Near Top Paris Sights:

*Use this interactive map to see where all the best playgrounds in Paris are near the top Paris tourist attractions*

In-Depth Paris Playground List:

1. Eiffel Tower Playground #1

Since pretty much everyone who visits Paris for the first time is going to swing by the Eiffel Tower, it’s definitely good to know your playground options in the area. And the great news is, there are actually two playgrounds right near the base of the tower but in two different areas.

This first Eiffel Tower playground has two, small play structures (plus sand) which is a bonus for kiddos who can’t ever get enough sand. It’s surrounded by benches sheltered by bushes and trees meaning you can usually find some shade or rain cover (either scenario is possible in Paris).

And the best part (for parents) is that you have Eiffel Tower views right from the playground. So you can still feel like you are experiencing Paris, even though you’re kids are playing at a park (but I mean what do you expect when traveling with young kids?).

This playground is rated for ages 2-6 so older kids may not love them. However, no worries, because just across the way you’ll find another playground near the Eiffel Tower that the older kids might like (more on that next).

2. Eiffel Tower Playground #2

Before our trip to Paris, I had heard about the previous playground near the Eiffel Tower (the one I talk about above), but this playground was a totally new find while exploring! This is a playground also super close to the Eiffel Tower but it’s rated for ages 7-11 so the older kids may enjoy playing here more.

And even though this one is rated for older kiddos, our 3-year-old didn’t have any problems playing here. This park is also located right near the base of the tower, has loads of benches and is surrounded by bushes and trees.

Plus, right next to the park is a small concessions shack selling hot dogs and other goodies if you are looking for a snack while you play and relax.

You’ll find this playground also located near the base of the tower but on the opposite side of the large grassy area. Check out my map for the specific location.

This is technically rated as a playground for ages 7-11, but our 3-year-old didn’t have any problem playing. The playground is surrounded by bushes and trees making it a cozy nook to get out of the sun and away from the crowds.

3. Jardin des Tuileries Playground & Carousel

Wandering through Jardin des Tuileries was by far one of our favorite things we did in Paris. This area is located right near the Louvre and across the street from the Seine. After seeing the Louvre (from the outside… no way we were going in with two, tiny kids) we wandered through Jardin des Tuileries and made our way to this adorable Carousel next to an awesome playground.

You may run into the occasional carousel while in Paris, and my recommendation is to let your little ones take a ride whenever they ask. However, the two carousels that we rode in Paris required cash so be sure to keep some on hand just in case!

One ticket cost €2.50 which I feel is a reasonable price for a fun little moment in Paris.

And the best part is, right next to this picturesque carousel is an awesome park with super fun things for all ages. The center structure in the park is technically rated for ages 7-11 but our three-year-old climbed right up to join in on the action. It has an epic ladder up to a rope-covered tunnel leading to a long, tall slide.

Plus there are many different play areas around the park which had kids playing who could barely walk up to pre-teens. For example, a teeter-totter, a super fun spinning disc you can lay on, small obstacle courses, and more.

We played at this park for probably an hour and could tell that other groups of kids had been there for a very long time as well. There are lots of options for shade, comfy seats, and even a water spout for drinking nearby. This playground near the Louvre definitely needs to be added to your itinerary!

Located just past this playground is the Musée de l’Orangerie which is the one museum we went to during our time in Paris. It’s home to Monet’s beautiful Water Lilies paintings displayed in unique round, white rooms created just for these works of art.

Also, a short walk away is a delicious and cute creperie called ‘Rosa Bonheur la Crêperie’. We got yummy galettes (mine was goat cheese with veggies) and, of course, a Nutella crepe and ice cream for the little one.

4. Jardin Nelson Mandela Playground

Of all the play areas in Paris we visited, this playground at Jardin Nelson Mandela was definitely the cutest Paris playground equipment we found. My daughter (and I) loved all of the adorable designs. Like the fun rope bridges, small painted caves, and balloon sculptures just to name a few. Plus, you can relax with views of a Medieval cathedral!

This playground is located just an 8-minute walk from both the Centre Pompidou and the Louvre making it a great playground in downtown Paris to add to your itinerary. What’s better than a playground near the Centre Pompidou AND The Louvre?

Like so many parks in Paris, this one had plenty of seats and shade for parents and so many different play areas for the littles to explore. We spent probably 45 minutes at this play area in Paris, but we could have stayed longer.

There were lots of other kiddos for ours to play with plus she enjoyed exploring all the nooks and crannies on her own.

This park at Nelson Mandela Gardens is rated for ages 2-6, but if you are with older kids there is an epic park for them right nearby. More on that park below.

5. Jardin Nelson Mandela Terrain d’Aventures

Located near the previous park mentioned, this Nelson Mandela gardens park looks absolutely epic. We were bummed because it wasn’t opened when we passed by, but we did stop and admire it from beyond the small gate.

It seems like this is usually a staffed playground where only kids aged 7-11 are allowed to enter and they enter without their parents (interesting, right?). Plus, they are only allowed to play for 55 minutes but the entrance is free (like in a typical park).

I’m not totally sure what the opening hours are. They seem to change based on the day of the week and season and unfortunately, the Terrain Aventures website I found didn’t have any current information. But maybe it will when you look!

My guess is if you show up generally in the middle of the day to early evening it should be open.

6. Luxembourg Jardin Playground & Sailboats

This is the one area of Paris I really wish we could have visited but we just didn’t have time for. Luxembourg Gardens is a large area with gardens, statues, tree-lined promenades, ponds, and more. And, of course, the Luxembourg Gardens playground is found there as well.

I’ve heard there is a huge playground where you can spend hours playing. Plus there is a puppet theater, pony rides, and more.

And the thing I really wanted to do was to rent a little sailboat with my kiddo! You can rent one in 30-minute increments for around €4-5 (which seems like the perfect amount of time for a young one’s attention span).

7. Colonnes de Buren/Les Deux Plateaux

Okay, technically not a playground, but it basically is. One of my favorite stops in Paris was the Colonnes de Buren also known as Les Deux Plateaux. This is an awesome open-air art installation located across the street from The Louvre making it a very central place to visit.

I’ve been seeing Colonnes de Buren pop up more online as a very ‘Instagrammable’ spot in Paris. But in reality, it’s one of the most fun places for kids in Paris (plus you can get cute pics)!

Our daughter was catching a ride in her stroller, however, at the first sight of black and white striped columns she shouted, ‘Let me out!’. She knew exactly what to do with them 😂!

She hopped out and began running at top speed jumping on and off every column, playing tag, pretending to be a statue and more. Plus, she even wanted to pose for a picture (which rarely happens). Needless to say, I highly recommend swinging by this awesome art installation to let your kiddos run around and play.

8. Sacre-Coeur Playground & Carousel

If you’re headed up to see the gorgeous views of Paris from Sacré-Cœur you pretty much can’t miss this adorable carousel and small park because they are located right at the base of the stairs.

The carousel cost us €2.50 a ticket (cash only) and it’s got to be one of the most picturesque carousels in all of Paris… I mean look at Sacré-Cœur in the background!

The playground is pretty small and rated for ages 2-6, but it’s a playground nonetheless! I think coming across ANY playground is better than no playground. It does have a slide and fun things to climb on. Our kiddo mostly wanted to play pretend at this playground, but it helped her be entertained and get some wiggles out either way.

Sidenote, if you are heading up to Sacré-Cœur, consider skipping the almost 300 stairs (who wants to do that with kids) and instead take a ride up the funicular!

Our daughter loved the funicular rides, we went up and down multiple times over our 3 days in Paris. It’s easy peasy and we never had more than a 2-3 minute wait.

9. Square Suzanne Buisson Playground

This playground is located just a 5-minute walk from the adorable Place du Tertre area of Montmartre where there are picture-perfect cafes and artists set up. However, as much as I enjoy strolling for the sake of strolling, our toddler was ready to get some more energy out (that is after eating ice cream and crepes).

But thankfully this park is super close and also is right on some cute streets of Montmartre which we enjoyed exploring. Plus, there are toilets (always a bonus).

We were the only ones at this playground since it’s just off of the route most tourists take. Usually my kiddo likes meeting new friends at parks, but this could be extra nice if your little ones are needing some extra quiet down time.

10. Square d’Anvers Playgrounds

We felt 100% like locals at this playground near Montmartre and we loved it. One of our favorite times during our trip was hanging out one evening at this park and being absolutely surrounded by Parisian families spending time together before bedtime.

Plus, peeking out over the playground equipment is an epic view of Sacré-Cœur! Playing at this playground near Sacré-Cœur was our first time seeing the beautiful basilica and it was pretty shocking.

This square has both a large play area for kids ages 2-6 and a large play area for kids ages 7-11. They have all of the traditional playground equipment you’d be looking for like a slide, stairs, climbing areas, things to sit on and bounce etc.

Also, from the boulangerie across the street (Boulangerie Léonie) we got a crazy good baguette and the best pain au chocolate we had our entire time in Paris (and we bought a lot). Sooo I highly recommend swinging by to pick up some goodies before or after the park.

And those are my top recommendations of places to play with kids in Paris! I hope this list is as helpful to you as it was to us so that we could have the best time possible traveling in Paris with a toddler and baby. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below- I’m happy to chat and help out in any way I can 🙂

Check out these other posts, I know you’ll love them:

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