Tromsø with kids
Tromsø works well with children. The centre is small, nature starts right at the edge of town, and most of the tours you can plan with MyTripTo take kids of all ages. The thing to plan around is length: a 3-hour boat trip or a reindeer visit suits small children much better than a long evening chase.
Which tours take which ages
Tromsø Arctic Reindeer welcomes children of all ages on its feeding, sledding and camp dinner visits, and under-3s go free. A small child can sit with you in the sled. Snowshoeing with Reindeer is for ages 8 and up, and the long Aurora Wonder Night for ages 6 and up.
Brim Explorer takes children of all ages on all its trips, and under-3s go free.
Short Reindeer Sledding, Feeding & Sami Culture
Reindeer Camp Dinner & Northern Lights
Short trips or long days
With small children, the shorter trips are the easy ones. Brim Explorer's Electric Northern Lights Cruise takes 3 hours in the evening, and the boat has warm indoor space. Its daytime Arctic Fjord Cruise takes 4 hours and runs from February to April and in September and October.
The long days need kids who are happy to sit still for a while. Brim's whale trip takes about 9 hours, from early morning to late afternoon, with heated saloons and toilets on board. The Aurora Wonder Night lasts 8 to 9 hours, and a northern lights chase by minibus often gets back well after midnight.
Photo: Romain Charrier / Brim ExplorerElectric Northern Lights Cruise
Photo: Brim ExplorerArctic Fjord Cruise
Free places to play
Charlottenlund, a park just north of Prestvannet, is where local families go in winter: sledging hills, ice skating, lit ski tracks and shelters with fire pits to warm up at. In summer there are playgrounds, beach volleyball courts, a calisthenics park and disc golf baskets, and in late summer you can pick blueberries in the forest around it.
Telegrafbukta at the southern tip of the island has a sandy beach and buggy-friendly paths, and Prestvannet, the lake at the top of the island, has a flat loop you can walk to from the centre.
Charlottenlund Recreational Park
A beloved local recreation park just north of Prestvannet, ringed by forest trails and lit cross-country ski tracks.
Telegrafbukta & Folkeparken
A coastal park on Tromsøya's southern tip with sandy shore, sea views toward the fjords, and easy wooded walking paths — a favourite local spot for a relaxed stroll or sunset.
Prestvannet
A peaceful lake and nature reserve at the island's high point, circled by a flat, easy walking path popular with local families and birdwatchers.
Dark days and cold air
From about 27 November to 15 January the sun doesn't rise, and in the weeks around that the days are short. Plan outdoor play for the light hours around midday, and bring reflectors for walks in the dark, which children in Norway wear all winter.
Dress kids in layers: wool closest to the skin, a warm mid layer, and a windproof outer layer, plus a hat, mittens and warm winter boots. Tromsø Arctic Reindeer asks you to bring your own warm clothes and boots and has blankets in the sleds. Brim's boats have heated saloons but no suits or blankets on board, so dress kids for the outer deck.
Planning with children
When you add children and their ages in our planner, it leaves out tours they are too young for, so the plan only holds trips the whole family can join. It also keeps the days lighter when you choose a relaxed pace.
Questions
Is Tromsø a good place to visit with kids?
Yes. The centre is small, there's snow to play in from around December to April, and most tours take children of all ages. Pick shorter trips for small children and keep some time free for sledging and play.
Can children go reindeer sledding in Tromsø?
Yes. Tromsø Arctic Reindeer takes children of all ages on its feeding, sledding and camp dinner visits, and under-3s go free. A small child can sit with you in the sled. Snowshoeing is for ages 8 and up.
Which northern lights tours can children join?
Brim Explorer's 3-hour cruises and Tromsø Arctic Reindeer's camp dinners take children of all ages. The Aurora Wonder Night is for ages 6 and up, and a minibus chase usually runs late into the night. Nobody can promise the lights, so a short trip is the easier bet with small kids.
Can kids go whale watching in Tromsø?
Yes, Brim Explorer takes children of all ages and under-3s go free. It's a long day of about 9 hours, with heated saloons and toilets on board, so it suits children who are fine on a boat for most of the day.
What can kids do for free in Tromsø?
In winter, go sledging and skating at Charlottenlund, where there are also fire-pit shelters. In summer the same park has playgrounds, beach volleyball and disc golf. All year you can walk the flat loop around Prestvannet or go down to the beach at Telegrafbukta.
What should children wear in Tromsø in winter?
Layers: wool next to the skin, a warm mid layer and a windproof outer layer, plus a hat, mittens and warm winter boots. Add reflectors for walks in the dark.