Author Jeffrey Schwab
Photographer Jeffrey Schwab, Samil Kao, Taiwan Scene
Even with a toddler, life in Taipei is very conducive to using public transportation and the power of one’s feet. The city does not disappoint in its easily accessible and foot-friendly family-oriented locations to spend a morning or afternoon. Below are 5 recommended kid-friendly and public transportation accessible locations and activities for families exploring Taipei with toddlers.
＃Enjoyable Kid-Friendly Activities
New Taipei Metropolitan Park (新北大都會公園)
This park gives access to a sliding wonderland for families with young children. Located at the Sanchong(三重) station, the park is 7.6 km long, but the sliding area is within 5 minutes walking distance from the metro exit. With a collection of 31 slides of various scope, length, and design, as well as over 100 recreational facilities, this park is on the top of the list for easy-to-access outdoor activities with toddlers. Even the walk down to the slides gives children the option of utilizing a slide itself to descend to the expanding gravitational wonderland. Next to the river, there are open grassy spaces for picnics with restroom and diaper-changing facilities, first-aid, and food trucks. The only downside might be the lack of trees on a hot and humid day. Make sure to bring your sunscreen and hydrate!
Google Map：
Taipei Expo Park & MAJI Square (花博公園＆MAJI 集食行樂)
Within a 10-15 minute journey from central Taipei to MRT Yuanshan Station, you can easily access Taipei Expo Park, immersing yourself in tradition, knowledge, and cultural customs with your family. The Taipei Expo Park is an urban recreational facility comprising three typical park areas (Yuanshan, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, and Xinsheng), offering venues for various events, community gatherings, and expos.
Every weekend, a large farmer’s market (農夫市集) allows passersby to purchase the highest quality agricultural products directly from farmers.
Nestled in a corner of Taipei Expo Park, Maji Square features rolling street-food stalls, sit-down restaurants, exotic cuisine options (English, Indian, Korean, etc.), bars, and an area where parents can rent small remote-controlled cars for toddlers to experience driving.
This offers a great way to enjoy the holiday with your toddlers and family.
Additionally, within a 10-15 minute walk from the expo park, you’ll find the historic attraction Dalongdong Baoan Temple (大龍峒保安宮) and the Taipei Confucius Temple(孔廟).
📍Google Map：New Taipei Metropolitan Park
Taipei City Zoo ＆ Maokong（動物園＆貓空）
Easily accessible by way of Taipei’s ultra-clean public metro,Taipei City Zoo is at the end of the brown line and located amidst verdant forests of bamboo groves and surrounding endemic wildlife. Local squirrels, Formosan Blue Magpies, and egrets commonly join visitors to the zoo to get a glimpse of the other animals and humans milling about. According to the Taipei City government, the four main functions of the zoo are “conservation, education, research and recreation.” The zoo is quite large, covering 165 hectares, and it won’t be possible to see everything in a single visit. There is a shuttle that takes visitors from the entrance to the far end of the zoo, and you can even connect with the Maokong gondola(貓空纜車) to take you up to the top of the mountain. After a day at the zoo, visitors can enjoy a dinner at one of the many tea-themed restaurants in Maokong (be sure to try the tea-flavored ice cream!). The gondola ride will be a highlight, reminding all visitors that wildlife and the mountains are only a short ride away from home.
📍Google Map：Taipei Zoo
Indoor activity : Parent-Child Centers（親子館）
Taipei City has taken the need for spaces where parents and children can play together in an interactive and engaging environment while not having to worry about the rain or overbearing summer heat. These Parent-Child Centers are scattered throughout the city, some of them private, and others subsidized by the government. Although many of them are free, spots fill up, and you may need to book them in advance. Each one has a slightly different theme. After registering your child at one of the centers, have them add the information on the Taipei Pass app so you can book spots online in the future.
Download the Taipei Pass APP for easy use：https://apps.apple.com/us/app/%E5%8F%B0%E5%8C%97%E9%80%9Ataipeipass/id1518746263
＃Enjoyable Kid-Friendly Restaurants
Play-Themed Restaurants
Most (but not all) of Taipei’s Play-Themed restaurants come equipped with the ubiquitous “pool of balls” for toddlers to slide into, roll around, and harmlessly pelt passersby with during the visit. Parents can enjoy playing with children in the restaurant playgrounds, kids’ “workshop” or building areas, or have a more hands-off approach and simply enjoy the meals while children engage in the environment with other toddlers.
Farm Table (農人餐桌)
In collaboration with the organic market “Green and Safe,” Farm Table’s food provides fresh options. The play area is very much kitchen and organic lifestyle-centric with wooden toys that give a DIY kitchen workshop feel. On the same floor of this restaurant is a wonderful children’s book store, and within the same building is a Parent-Child Center.
Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 11:00am – 08:30pm
Address: 100, Taipei City, Zhongzheng District, Section 2, Chongqing S Rd, no.51,B1
Facebook Page: FARM TABLE
Rich Daddy Cafe & KIds(富爸爸餐飲會所)
You’ve gotta’ love the pool of balls! Although the playground area isn’t huge, the design is very economical, with easy access and proximity between the tables and the play area. The food is a bit more on the junky side, but the location is only a 3 minute walk from the Huashan Art District, great for exploring, filled with shops, cafes, street performers, and a grassy park nearby for early evening picnic.
Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 11:00am – 08:00pm
Address: 100, Taipei City, Zhongzheng District, Jinshan N Rd. no.1 2F
Facebook Page: Rich Daddy Cafe
Mr. Tree (大叔先生的家)
This one is located within walking distance of Guting(古亭） metro. With another gigantic pool of balls to slide into for your toddler inside the restaurant, Mr. Tree also gives the option of an outdoor play area with more of a treehouse feel, should the weather permit. It differs from the above two in that it is located in an individual single-story house, with a private garden and sandbox included. The outdoor area also comes equipped with an exercise area for children including a trampoline, treadmill, and stationary bike. The tree species are labeled and varied, and visitors feel like they are entering into a secret garden world. Located only 5 minutes walk from Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial, this one is definitely worth the visit.
Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 11:00am – 08:00pm
Address: 106, No. 38, Chaozhou St, Da’an District, Taipei City
Facebook Page: Mr.Tree
