The best attractions for children on rainy days
When there’s rain, snow, or just unpleasant weather outside, spending time with your kids can become a real challenge. But that doesn’t mean that days spent indoors are boring! Poland offers a lot of fascinating places that can become an arena of unforgettable adventures for the whole family, regardless of the weather.
Here are our ideas for family escapades that will delight both the young and the slightly older explorers.
Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw
This is a place where science meets fun. Thanks to interactive exhibits, children can take their first steps in the world of science, experiment and discover the secrets of the universe, physics, biology and chemistry. The Copernicus Science Centre is not only a great place to learn through play, but also a winner of the Polish Tourism Organisation’s certificate, which is an additional confirmation of the high quality of its offer.
Hydropolis in Wrocław
“Everything starts with water” is the motto of this interactive multimedia museum dedicated to water, its role in nature, seas and oceans as well as in the human body. The museum is divided into 7 thematic zones. In the spring and summer season, a surprise awaits guests at the entrance: Europe’s longest so-called water printer, i.e. a wall of water that’s over 40 metres high, on which a variety of patterns and inscriptions are displayed.
Another place that’s not boring during inclement weather is the Baltic coast. What to do with your child when it rains, you may ask. There are plenty of options. Gdansk and Gdynia invite you to hop on board some amazing ships. The Sołdek and the ORP “Lightning” delight not only fans of the seafaring life. For those seeking entertainment near the Tri-City, in Reda there is a unique water park with… sharks. Yes, you read it right – you won’t find a slide like this anywhere else. The illuminated tunnel you slide through passes through a tank with live sharks brought to Reda from faraway Sri Lanka. Water fun with some of the most dangerous predators in the world swimming by on the other side of the transparent wall will give you serious chills.
Discovering the secrets of the deep sea without having to get wet? Gdynia Aquarium offers just that! Tanks with exotic fish, shark feeding shows, as well as educational exhibitions on the protection of the marine environment are just some of the attractions that await young explorers.
In central Poland there are several large attractions for whole families. One of them is the largest covered water park in Europe called Suntago (located 50 km from Warsaw), where you will feel like on holiday somewhere in the sun. It has as many as 18 different pools and 35 themed slides. It’s almost impossible to try them all out on a single day.
Mandoria City of Adventures
For some indoor excitement near Łódź, head to the town of Rzgów to explore Mandoria – City of Adventures. It is the largest covered family amusement park in Poland, with merry-go-rounds, roller-coasters, water bikes, a slide and a huge playground.
Orientarium in Łódź
In Łódź itself, one of the top attractions is the Orientarium, which opened less than 2 years ago. In this part of the Łódź Zoo, there are 35 species of land animals and 180 species of fish. The India zone is the kingdom of elephants. The ocean and coral reef feature an underwater tunnel where 7 tanks hold over 3 million litres of water, inhabited by, among others, the only bowmouth guitarfish specimens in Poland, unique zebra sharks and majestic stingrays with tails so long they’ll make your head spin.
Underground attractions
You can spend time with your kids actively and in an interesting way not only underwater, on the water, but also underground. Awarded with the Gold Certificate of the Polish Tourism Organisation, the Guido Mine and the Queen Louise Adit in Zabrze perfectly combine fun with learning. There are more than 10 km of underground tourist routes at the disposal of visitors, including the longest underground boat ride in Poland.
Another underground place of note is the Historic Silver Mine in Tarnowskie Góry. Inscribed on the UNESCO list, the mine has also won a PTO Gold Certificate. Those who seek one-of-a-kind adventures will be satisfied here. Visiting the mine you will learn, among others, who were the local gwareks and what methods they used to extract the treasures that nature had left them. Of course, there is also the famous underground water route, where you travel in little boats.
Gold Mine in Złoty Stok
In Lower Silesia, head for the Stołowe Mountains to discover the treasures of the Gold Mine in Złoty Stok. It is a true underground centre of education and entertainment. In the Gertrude Adit you can see what 16 tonnes of gold looks like and perhaps even meet the wandering ghost of Gertrude. And one of the most interesting attractions is the 300 m long underground route, which can be covered only on board an orange tram.
The Museum of Toys and Play in Kielce
Everyone, regardless of age, will find something to their liking in this fun place. The museum offers not only exhibitions of historical toys from different corners of the world, but also interactive zones where children can play with contemporary toys, and participate in various activities, such as “Bird’s Breakfast”, “Rocking Horse” or “On the Wings”.
Funzeum in Gliwice
It is a place that combines education and entertainment in an unforgettable way. A multisensory museum that will take you on a fascinating journey through the world of colours and light, it consists of two main parts: the Exhibition of Lights and the Exhibition of Colour. What will you find in the latter? You will get to know every hue of the rainbow inside out including its impact on our well-being. Each room is a separate adventure, where you will explore the secrets of colours, and more than 30 different walls will become the perfect background for fun family photos. The last room is a place where you can become a creator of colours, mixing them and creating unique combinations.
Each of these places offers more than just shelter from bad weather. These are spaces where children can develop their passions, learn new things and just have fun. Spending time with children when it rains does not have to be a challenge. Just a little creativity and the willingness to explore new places will turn every rainy day into an amazing adventure.