Tenerife is easy with kids if you stay in the south, between Los Cristianos and Costa Adeje. That's where you'll find the beaches with breakwaters, both water parks, the whale-watching boats that are back within an hour and a half, and near-guaranteed sunshine in winter. The north has Loro Parque and the scenery, but its beaches have bigger waves and more cloud.
What spoils a holiday is rarely the place itself; it's a limit nobody told you about: a 1.20 m child who can't go on the slides you promised, a baby who isn't allowed on the cable car, or a family of five that won't fit in one taxi. Here they are, sorted by age.
Our picks
1
The big day out for anyone over 1.25 m
Ten times number one on Tripadvisor, according to the park itself; measure your children first, because below 1.10 m they're limited to the kids' areas and the wave pool.
2
For all ages
Loro Parque lets you bring your own food, hires out pushchairs, and the ticket doesn't expire.
3
Whales in an hour and a half
A short trip from Los Cristianos, close to where the pilot whales live: back before the little ones get bored or seasick.
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Travelin' Lady: Eco Yacht Whale & Dolphin Safari + Swim
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4
For anyone who gets seasick
The submarine travels below the waves, with no rolling, and takes children from age 2, with a child fare up to 14.
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Southern Tenerife: 50-Minute Submarine Dive
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5
A first sea adventure
A three-hour kayak and snorkelling trip on the south coast. Departures from Los Cristianos take children from age 6 sharing a kayak with an adult; check the age on the listing.
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Age by age: what they can and can't do
Babies and under-3s
They go free at Siam Park and Loro Parque, and at Aqualand up to age 2. What they can't do: the Teide cable car (not allowed for under-3s because of the altitude) and the submarine (nobody under 2 on board, no exceptions). Some of the speedboats from Los Gigantes don't take under-2s either. With a baby, see Teide by car, stopping at the viewpoints.
For swimming, head for the south's beaches with breakwaters and the children's pool at Bajamar, in the north. On the bus, under-4s travel free if they don't take up a seat.
Ages 3 to 5
Now they can go up in the cable car, on a child ticket costing €21.50 return (€43 for adults). At Aqualand they pay the "toddler" rate (€16) and there are children's areas for kids up to 1.45 m; at Siam Park, Sawasdee and The Lost City have no minimum height. At Karting Club Tenerife, in Arona, there's a two-seater kart so a 3- to 5-year-old can drive with an adult: €22 at the ticket office or €18.70 online for a 12-minute session.
Ages 6 to 11
This is the best age for Tenerife. The kayak trips from Los Cristianos take children from age 6 (sharing a kayak with an adult if they're under 10), the horse-riding stables in Arona from 6, and the jet ski circuit carries passengers from 6. For karting, there's a "Pony" kart for ages 6 to 9 in Arona and a junior kart for ages 7 to 13 who are at least 1.30 m at Karting Las Américas. On the Teide buggy tours, children ride as passengers from age 7 or 1.20 m.
For stargazing, take note: the Teide Observatory visit and nearly all of Volcano Teide's night trips don't take under-8s; the exception is Teide By Night, with a child fare up to age 11. And the daytime observatory visit is free for ages 8 to 16 (adults pay €21).
12 and over
At Siam Park and Loro Parque they pay the adult price from age 12; at Aqualand, from 11. At Siam Park, the minimum height for the Tower of Power isn't clear: the official page mixes up height and age, and the figures going round don't match. If your child is around one and a half metres tall, don't promise it until you've been through the measuring post in the queue. At Aqualand, Gravity requires 1.40 m and a weight between 60 and 150 kg, so the odd slim teenager misses out.
You can drive a jet ski from age 18; at 16 or 17, only with written permission from a parent and a copy of their ID card or passport. At the dinner shows, Music Hall Tavern admits children from age 4 and Scandal only over-16s.
The theme parks: Siam Park, Loro Parque, Aqualand and Jungle Park
| Park | Child | Own food | Getting there without a car | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Siam Park (Costa Adeje) | €32 (3–11) | no | free bus from Las Américas, Los Cristianos and Costa Adeje | 1.10 m and 1.25 m on almost everything; towels on sale, €19.90 |
| Loro Parque (Puerto de la Cruz) | €32 (3–11) | yes | free train from Plaza de los Reyes Católicos | pushchair hire €5 a day plus deposit |
| Aqualand (Costa Adeje) | €29 (5–10); €16 (3–4) | yes, no glass | free bus in the morning | free parking; 1.20 m on the big slides |
| Jungle Park (Arona) | €29 at the gate | yes, no glass | free bus at 09:30 and 10:55 | birds of prey show only at 12:30 |
Two savings that really are worth it. The Twin Ticket for Loro Parque and Siam Park costs €78 per adult and €57 per child: a family of two adults and two children saves €34 compared with buying separately, and you get 15 days to use both parks. And the 2 Parques ticket for Aqualand and Jungle Park costs €51 on the official website, against €69 if you buy the two tickets separately.
| Platform | Product | Rating | Price | Where to book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | Siam Park Entry Tickets | 4.5 (18,886) | €44 | See on GetYourGuide |
| Tiqets | Siam Park: Entry Ticket | 4.5 (3,687) | €44 | See on Tiqets |
| Headout | Siam Park Entry Tickets | 4.7 (1,183) | €44 | See on Headout |
| Official site | Siam Park official online shop | — | €44 | Official website ↗ |
Adult prices checked on 2 October 2026. They can change with the date; each platform confirms the final price.
A Siam Park ticket costs €44 everywhere, including at the official ticket office. What changes is the cancellation policy: on GetYourGuide you can cancel free up to 24 hours before, on Headout up to 48 hours, and on Tiqets you can't cancel or change at all. With children, who fall ill without warning, choose one with free cancellation.
Calm beaches and pools for children
The calmest beaches are the man-made ones in the south, with pale sand and breakwaters: Las Vistas and El Camisón in Los Cristianos, Playa de Los Cristianos inside the harbour, Torviscas and La Pinta in Puerto Colón (with inflatables) and Fañabé, which has a children's area. In the west, Playa San Juan has a children's area and lifeguards. In the north, Las Teresitas is 1.3 km of sand behind a breakwater, and San Marcos (Icod) and La Arena (Puerto de Santiago) have black sand but calm water.
Don't take small children to El Bollullo, Benijo, El Socorro or Martiánez: the tourist office itself warns of heavy surf or currents at all of them. More detail in Tenerife's beaches.
Where the sea isn't suitable, there are pools. Bajamar has two large seawater pools and a children's one, with ramps and handrails. Lago Martiánez, in Puerto de la Cruz, has three children's pools and entry costs about €4 per child, sunbed included. The Parque Marítimo in Santa Cruz opens in winter with just one pool, and the children's pool closed for maintenance: check before you go.
Pushchairs, car seats and getting around
- Bus: the pushchair can stay open if the bus has a wheelchair space and it's free; if not, fold it and hold your child.
- Taxi: most take four passengers at most, children included, and the ones at the rank hardly ever carry a child seat. A family of five needs a minivan or two taxis.
- Private transfer: Hoppa includes the first child seat free. We compare the options in airport transfers.
- Hire car: Cicar includes child seats and boosters at no extra cost.
- Loro Parque hires out pushchairs for €5 a day plus a deposit.
Teide with kids
The cable car climbs to 3,555 m. It doesn't take under-3s, under-16s must be with an adult and, according to its access rules, you need closed shoes with a grippy sole: in sandals or flip-flops you won't be allowed on. At the top you can only stay for an hour without a summit permit. In winter, the average January low at Izaña (2,369 m) is around 1 °C: bring a proper coat.
With small children, a gentler alternative is to drive up to Roques de García and the park's viewpoints. The full guide is in Teide.
Whales and boat trips with kids
The short trips from Los Cristianos, an hour and a half to two hours long, are the best for children: they reach the pilot whales sooner and come back before boredom sets in. Bring a cap, sun cream, a warm layer and something for seasickness. For a child who gets seasick, the Amarilla Marina submarine (formerly Marina San Miguel) travels below the surface with no rolling, takes children from age 2 and charges a child fare up to 14.
No boat can guarantee you'll see animals, and swimming with wild dolphins is illegal: if anyone offers it, be wary. All the options are in whale watching.
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How old do you have to be to go up the Teide cable car?
Three. Under-3s aren't allowed up because of the altitude, under-16s must be with an adult, and the child fare (ages 3 to 13) is €21.50 return.
How tall does a child need to be for the slides at Siam Park?
Most of the big slides require 1.25 m, and a few, such as Mekong Rapids or Naga Racer, 1.10 m. Below that height, children are limited to the kids' areas and the wave pool.
Do children pay on the bus in Tenerife?
Under-5s travel free if they don't take up a seat. From 5 they pay: the free child card for ages 5 to 9 is only for Tenerife residents.
What's the best beach in Tenerife for babies?
The calmest water is at Playa de Los Cristianos, inside the harbour, and at the beaches with breakwaters at Las Vistas, El Camisón and Torviscas. The natural beaches in the north have bigger waves.
Where should you stay in Tenerife with kids?
In the south, between Los Cristianos and Costa Adeje: you'll have the calmest beaches, the free buses to the parks and the whale-watching boats just a few minutes away.
Can you take food into the parks in Tenerife?
Yes at Loro Parque, Aqualand and Jungle Park (no glass at the last two). At Siam Park, bringing in food and drink isn't allowed.
