Barbados with Children

Forget all inclusive kids clubs - get them out and about exploring the island and the culture of Barbados! It’s a small island with a huge heart — and it offers that rare mix of adventure, relaxation, and a strong sense of safety that us parents love. Whether it’s spotting monkeys in the trees, swimming in crystal water, or sipping on fruit punch with sandy toes, every day here feels like it holds a little bit of magic.

Here are some of our children’s favourite experiences so far...

La Cabane Kids Club

We often start our Sundays at La Cabane, a super cool beach restaurant and bar that has a relaxed, stylish vibe on Batts Rock Beach. It’s the kind of place that makes you feel instantly relaxed — open-air, laid-back, and right on the sand. Without fail they deliver something new every weekend, their Kids Club sets up with super chilled no pressure crafts, games, and beach activities, so our children can join in for as long as they want while we sip coffee and enjoy their delicious breakfast menu. It’s an easy mix of grown-up calm and child-friendly fun on a Sunday morning which is exactly what you want as a parent. Oh and if you're lucky you may even spot a super hero while you're there, my son was over the moon to meet Batman and Superman at the same time!

Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary

Tucked away on the south coast, this beautiful sanctuary is calm, green, and full of gentle adventure for children. The reptile house was an instant favourite (yes, you can actually hold a snake!), and the bird aviaries are pure magic — feeding the bright, tropical birds was easily one of the highlights of our visit. We accidentally opened their brand new Little Explorers Zone, coincidentally we arrived as they finsehed it so our kids were the first to play in it, it's a sweet, shaded play area with a climbing frame, slide, and chalkboard that our kids absolutely adored. Beyond that, wooden boardwalks weave through tranquil lagoons where you can spot herons, crabs, and fish. It’s peaceful, educational, and deeply wholesome — the kind of place that slows everyone down in the best possible way.

Barbados Wildlife Reserve

This one’s always a hit. The reserve is a haven to many of the island's wildlife and enjoys daily visits from the Green monkeys who come religiously for lunch at 2 pm, they will roam freely around you and you’ll also spot the tortoises, deer, peacocks, and iguanas along the paths. It’s small enough for little legs (our four-year-old managed easily), and there’s a real sense of discovery as you wander. You can even spot the resident Cayman in one of the watering holes, but fear not he doesn't just roam free!! This little outing is inexpensive and won't take more then an hour or so so it can be slotted into an afternoon without any fuss.

The Boatyard

For a proper beach day with a splash of excitement, The Boatyard in Bridgetown is hard to beat. The kids were straight onto the ocean trampoline and slide and there is also a rope swing which no one braved this time but have promised to attempt on our next visit! Your day pass includes money towards your food and drink, sunloungers for the whole family, use of all the water inflatables and even a snorkelling boat trip to see the shipwrecks and turtles just down the bay! We couldn't believe that so much was included in our day pass (wrist band). They don't take bookings so make sure you rock up early, its a full day out and you will love every minute of it! They even have shower facilities for when your heading home and want to de sand the family before they all pile into the car!

Chefette

No Barbados trip is complete without a stop at Chefette. It’s a local institution — a bit like the island’s answer to McDonald’s, but better. There’s something wonderfully simple about sitting with a local fast food meal or a roti while the kids play in the mega playground area, ours always make friends with everyone and all end up playing a mass game of tag with children of all ages, it's a joy to watch! It’s quick, it’s affordable, and it’s part of the local rhythm. The kids always ask for it at least once (okay, more then once).

Beaches

Of course, you can’t talk about Barbados without talking about its beaches. We’ve spent many lazy days at the beach where the children will never tire of collecting shells, building sandcastles, or spotting little fish in the shallows. The west coast beaches are calmer for swimming, while the south coast has a bit more energy for boogie boards and wave jumping. It's wise as a parent to choose a beach club so that while they are doing these sweet little activities you can be relaxing on a sun lougers with a drink in hand! Beach clubs we love offering such parental experiences are Savvy on the Bay, Bikini Beach and Thunder Bay.

Haymans Market

As a family we just love Haymans Market, it’s a modernised sugar factory which now houses food stalls, local crafts, music, shops, market stalls, salons, cafes and bars all with a real community feel. The kids love the bubble tea, the little park and the big gigantic screen that shows everything from music videos to movies and sport. They also host clubs and activities such as children's gymnastics, yoga, salsa classes and much more. During holiday periods they will always pull something magical out the bag for families to enjoy such as their famous 'Halloween Haunt' and an unforgettable visit from Santa! They always showcase what they have coming up on their socials so you can be sure not to miss out on anything.

Animal Flower Cave

At the northern tip of Barbados, this spot feels wild and wonderful. The cave opens right out onto the Atlantic, with natural pools where the light filters in blue and green. The walk down is manageable (even for smaller children with a helping hand, we first took ours when the girls were only 2 and 4), and the reward is breathtaking. Our girls loved spotting the sea anemones that give the cave its name. They have shops to browse and breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean and even a park! It's enclosed so the kids can run free whilst you cool down in the shade with a cold drink! There’s also a restaurant on the cliff with one of the best views on the island — we could have stayed for hours.

St. Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway

The heritage railway is a must while in Barbados, it's a steam train that winds through the sugarcane fields up to Cherry Tree Hill. The views are stunning, and the gentle chug of the engine feels straight out of another time. The kids could stand on the front of the carriage as the train weaved around the track and they got to turn the locomotive around at Cherry Tree Hill for our return journey, they have since extended the tracks further so we will definitely need to go for a ride again to check it out.

There is so much to see and do on the island and the thing I like the most is that the children's activities here are more rustic and wholesome, no big water parks, no eyesore theme parks, just simple family fun that will bring you together and promote family time and children being children, freely enjoying the nature that surrounds them.

Below are some places we have yet to visit but ones that are most certainly on our list...

Harrisons Cave

This place is not age appropriate for our youngest so doesn't suit us as a family, he can do some things but not all (I think the minimum age is 6 for everything) which would ruin the flow of a day out for us but the zip lines and activities all look great, albeit expensive!

The Dome Drive-In Cinema

I came here in the 80's and 90's as a kid and have very fond memories! We are biding our time so we can take the kids to see Wicked 2 when it comes out in November, but I honestly can't wait to take my family, oh the nostalgia!

Atlantis Submarine

Again I have been here as a child but we have not yet taken ours, perhaps due to the price, there are 5 of us and these things can get costly, but having said that I remember it being really good and I know my son will love it!

Harbour Lights Dinner Show

We have been saving this for when our friends come to stay and are very looking forward to the experience, I have heard great things so will report back!!

Paradise Nature Park

This looks brilliant and we are keen to visit so perhaps we will next weekend... we try to do a different island activity each weekend if we can.

Travelling with children in Barbados is a joy. The island is small enough to explore without long drives, locals are endlessly kind to families, and there’s always somewhere beautiful to pause and play. Whether your kids are climbing rocks, spotting fish, or simply running along the sand, Barbados has a way of slowing everything down — helping you see the world through their eyes again.