Kuala Lumpur is the capital city of Malaysia. With a population of almost 8 million, Kuala Lumpur is by far the largest city in the country. Strategically located in the middle of peninsula Malaysia, it serves as the hub of commerce and travel, including Air Asia hub. This makes Kuala Lumpur an excellent destination. Not only is there a ton of great activities for families and kids within the city, but it also serves as a superb city to use as a launching point to other places. You can get great deals to places all over Malaysia and Southeast Asia from Kuala Lumpur. However, if you are taking a family trip to Malaysia then it would not be complete without seeing Kuala Lumpur itself. In this post we are going to lay out 19 things to do in Kuala Lumpur with kids.
Is Kuala Lumpur Safe to Visit with Kids
When it comes to visiting a place with kids we understand that the safety of your family is one of our top priorities. So, is Kuala Lumpur a safe city to visit with kids? The short answer is, yes. Malaysia is a very friendly country. The people are extremely kind and enjoy children. As a culture, safety is very important.
Kuala Lumpur is a safe city to tour and walk around in. In Kuala Lumpur there is a good sidewalk culture. That means there are safe places to walk along roads where you are separated from the traffic. Kuala Lumpur utilizes crosswalks, with working signals, to help pedestrians cross roads. Once you leave Kuala Lumpur and the large city the sidewalks and crosswalks decrease, but in the city they are great.
Because of the good sidewalks and crosswalks, we feel like Kuala Lumpur is a safe city to walk around with your kids. Many of the sidewalks around Kuala Lumpur are fine to use with strollers, but if you are getting in and out of taxis having a small stroller is best.
If you should encounter a problem or get sick, Kuala Lumpur has plenty of world class hospitals. If you have international health insurance, hospitals in Malaysia do often work well with insurance agencies. Of course you would need to check with the specific hospital and your health care provider, but generally things work smoothly. Kuala Lumpur, and all of Malaysia, has lots of pharmacies, so small medications and first aid supplies are readily available.
Best Time to Visit Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is a tropical city. This means that there is very little temperature changes throughout the year. Every day you can expect it to reach highs in the upper 80’s and low 90’s and at night to get down to the mid 70’s. That is highs around 32 degrees C and lows of 22.7 degrees C for those who think in metric.
It can rain any time in Kuala Lumpur, so if you come, expect it to rain. However, there are patterns of wetter months and drier months. The drier months are from April through September. The wetter months are from October through April.
The wettest month is November.
The hottest month is March, but we are speaking of only fractions of a degree here!
With all of that data, we recommend that the weather not be a factor when considering coming to Malaysia and visiting Kuala Lumpur with your kids. Because the weather is not a huge factor, adjusting your trip to fit your schedule is much more important when planning with kids.
How to Get Around Kuala Lumpur with Kids
Getting around Kuala Lumpur with kids is not very difficult. Kuala Lumpur offers a robust public metro system, RapidKL, which is great and easily usable even with kids.
RapidKL
RapidKL can get you to a lot of destinations around Kuala Lumpur. They have many different lines that network the city really well. The lines are color coded and the map is easy to follow. Check their website for all the stops on the RapidKL.
You can pay for the RapidKL metro system using tokens available for purchase at each station. You can also use Malaysia’s Touch-N-Go card, which you can top up with money and then tap the card. This allows you to avoid having to continue to purchase tokens. You can purchase a Touch-N-Go card at most metro stations, or at Watsons drugstores nationwide.
You can also purchase a MyCity 1 Day pass (15RM) or a MyCity 3 Day pass (25RM). If you are Malaysian citizen, you can purchase a 1-month unlimited pass, but it is not available for foreigners.
Cost
Non-Malaysian
MyCity 1 Day Pass - RM 10
MyCity 2 Day Pass - RM 18
MyCity 3 Day Pass - RM 25
Malaysian
MyCity 1 Day Pass - RM 6
MyCity 2 Day Pass - RM 11
MyCity 3 Day Pass - RM 15
Single Ride - RM 1 - RM 5 (dependent on distance for a single ride)
How to Pay
Cash to buy Tokens, Touch-N-Go Card, MyCity Pass
(MyCity Pass can only be purchase at select stations)
Age
Free: 5 and below
Child: 6-15
Adult: 16+
The metro system is a good beginning when it comes to getting around with kids. However, a lot of destinations you will want to go to could be a fair walk from the metro stations. If you are traveling with kids and do not want to walk as much, we recommend you use the Grab App.
Grab App
The Grab App is very useful in Malaysia. If you already have the Grab App from another country in Southeast Asia, it will work in Malaysia also. We have the Thailand version of the Grab App on our phones and have used it flawlessly for over a year of being in Malaysia.
Grab can be nice as it is often more cost effective than taking the metro, because you pay one price for the vehicle. On the metro you pay per person. Taxi services also can get you directly to the location you are wanting to go and not just close.
Will I Have Language Issues?
If you are planning a family trip to Malaysia, then it is important to know that Malaysia was once a British colony and English is widely spoken throughout all of Malaysia. Malay, Chinese, and English are all major languages in Malaysia, and you can get by with speaking any of them. Almost anywhere. So if you are reading this post, in English, know that you will be able to use English just about everywhere in Malaysia.
Our Family’s Top 21 Things to Do in Kuala Lumpur With Kids
As a family we have gone to tons of places in the city. We have been in Malaysia over a year at the time of making this list. This list comprises of some of our favorite things to do in Kuala Lumpur with kids. At the end, we will give you a few of the places we’ve visited that we feel are not worth going with kids, and why.
Also, if you are traveling around Malaysia, you can check out all our posts on many different destinations throughout Malaysia. Our family’s favorite thing in all of Malayasia to do with kids is to run wild at Legoland Malayasia!
Petronas Towers
The Petronas Towers are one of the most iconic buildings in the world. When they were constructed in the 1990’s, the Petronas Twin Towers were the tallest buildings in the world at a height of 450m (1483 feet). It has now been surpassed multiple times and no longer holds the record, but these towers remain majestic and are still one of the most popular places to see in Kuala Lumpur.
They still hold the record as the tallest twin towers in the world. The Petronas Towers is a must visit when it comes visiting Kuala Lumpur with kids. Getting family photos in front of the towers is definitely a must do when you are in Malaysia. Most people stand near the fountains which offer great views of the buildings.
The mall at the base of the towers is a great mall to explore with lots of different shops. The Lego shop is our kids favorite.
Cost
Free
Petronas Twin Towers Sky Xperience
While looking at the Petronas Twin Towers might be amazing, you do have the option to go up one of the towers. The towers are all offices so there is no option to actually enter the main section of the towers themselves without going on the Sky Xperience.
The Sky Xperience gives you access to the Bridge which connects the two towers, located on the 41st floor. You are allowed to spend 10 minutes on the Bridge. After the Bridge, you are given 15 minutes to explore the amazing views from the Observation Deck on the 86th floor. They are very powerful binoculars at the top that you are allowed to use for free. Our kids love using the binoculars.
After the Observation Deck guests are given access to the Sky Bar on the 83rd floor. Here you can buy some drinks at the cafe. There are tables and chairs to sit, and as long as you have ordered, you can sit at the cafe and continue to enjoy the good views. If you don’t order anything you can still remain on this floor and explore the souvenir shop.
The Sky Xperience books solid far in advance. There are limited spaces available each day and the tickets sell out quickly. If you expect to show up and just buy tickets for the same day, then you will not be going up the tower. We recommend you purchase tickets a few weeks in advance if you want to guarantee a space.
You can purchase tickets online at the official website:
Cost
Foreign
Adult: 127MYR (137MYR on weekends)
Child (3-12): 65MYR (69MYR on weekends)
Senior (61+): 88MYR (96MYR on weekends)
Malaysian
Adult: 42MYR (45MYR on weekends)
Child (3-12): 20MYR (22MYR on weekends)
Senior (61+): 20MYR (22MYR on weekends)
Sky Xperience Hours
Tuesday - Sunday: 9:00am - 9:00pm
Mondays: Open 9:00am - 8:00pm on 2nd and 4th Monday of the month. Closed 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month
Important Information
Tickets are sold out days in advance; you need to purchase tickets ahead of time.
Symphony Lake Fountain Show (KLCC)
The Symphony Lake Fountain Show is located along the back side of the Petronas Towers. This fountain show is a highlight of the evening at the Petronas Towers and it happens every single night. They also have multiple shows throughout the night.
On the hour is the larger show that uses the fountain, lights, and music playing through the loudspeakers. These happened at 8:00, 9:00, 10:00.
On the half hour there is a smaller show that incorporates just the fountain and the lights. The shows with no music happen at 7:30, 8:30, and 9:30.
Most people congregate under the towers and watch the fountain show with the towers behind them. This works for the best views of the fountains and the show. However, the speakers are aimed toward the towers, so the music can be rather loud on this side. Views from the other side of the lake are also amazing as you can see the towers behind the fountain show. You will also have less people on this side.
Our children prefer the sides with quieter music and less crowds. They always want to make sure they will have a seat as the show goes for about 10 minutes.
Cost
Free
Show Times
With Music: 8:00pm, 9:00pm, 10:00pm
Without Music: 7:30pm, 8:30pm, 9:30pm
KLCC Park – Gardens, Playground, Splashpad
Behind the Petronas Towers you will find an amazing well maintained public park. This public park offers some amazing things, including a very nice running track for the jogging enthusiasts.
However, this park was designed with kids in mind. There is a wonderful splash pad located within the park for kids of all ages to enjoy. There are even public changing rooms available. Both the changing room and the splash pad are available free of charge.
To top the splashpad, there is an epic playground. It would be more accurate to say that there are multiple different playgrounds all built side by side, transforming the park into a maze of different and unique playgrounds. All in all there are about 2 acres of playgrounds to explore and enjoy. In order to maintain the playground, there are often a few that are roped off for repairs.
Our kids love being able to run from one playground to another as each has its own special equipment. We have found certain playground rides that we haven’t seen at any other playground around Kuala Lumpur.
The official hours of the KLCC Park are 10:00am – 10:00pm. However, this is a public park, and you can show up at 7:00am and be just fine to hop on the playgrounds.
The wading pool is open Tuesday – Sunday 10:00am-7:30pm. The hours of the wading pool are stricter. The wading pool is closed on Mondays.
Cost
Free
KLCC Park Hours
10:00am - 10:00pm
Wading Pool Hours
10:00am - 7:30pm (Closed Mondays)
Petrosains, The Discovery Center
Located on the top floor of the mall at the base of the Petronas Twin Towers you will find a science discovery center called Petrosains. Petrosains is an amazing science center. It is filled with so many different activities that will keep kids and adults entertained for hours. This is a hand on tactile experience with interactive displays.
We will list a few of our family favorite centers. There is an earthquake platform that has a bench you can sit on. You can then choose what magnitude earthquake you wish to experience, and it will shake the platform. Then there is the VR hang glider center where you get strapped into a hang glider gyroscope and put on a VR, then get to fly a course and test your skills. There are reaction tests, dinosaur exhibits, and race car driving simulators.
The age limitations for rides are listed by the ride, so you will need to check. We have found that in each area, there are attractions that both the younger kids and the older kids can do, so no one is left out of a particular section.
The Petrosains has a great option of offering a year pass. It is worth buying the pass if you plan to come a few times during your time in Malaysia. As we are living in Kuala Lumper having the year pass makes perfect sense! However, even if you are just visiting buying a season pass may be worth it. Petrosains, The Discovery Centre, is part of a network of museums and a pass here allows you free entry into a number of different science centers around the world.
Cost (Single Day)
Foreign
Adult: 35MYR
Child (3-12): 20MYR
Senior (61+): 20MYR
Malaysian/Resident
Adult: 22MYR
Child (3-12): 10
Senior (61+): 10
Cost (1 Year Membership)
Adult: 80MYR
Child (3-12): 35MYR
Family Pass (2 adults, 3 children): 170MYR
Petrosains Hours
Weekdays
9:30am - 5:30pm
Weekend
9:30am - 7:00pm
Aquaria KLCC
Our kids love aquariums. Just outside the Petronas towers you will find a wonderful aquarium. They have zones where you can touch various animals which the kids love. They also have different feeding times where you can watch the fish and animals being fed by amazing scuba divers. There is also a large tunnel that you can walk through and see various species of sharks and other cool fish.
The aquariums are large and there is a lot to see and do in this aquarium.
Cost
Foreign
Adult - RM 79
Child (3-12) - RM 69
Malaysian
Adult - RM 55
Child (3-12) - RM 45
Aquaria KLCC Hours
10:00am - 8:00pm
KL Tower Forest Eco Park – Hiking in the City
Right near the KL Tower, you will find an amazing mini forest reserve. Kuala Lumpur is a city that is desperately trying to keep and maintain its green spaces. The Forest Eco Park tops the list as one of our favorite green spots to go. They have many small hiking trails on this green hill which are fun for kids of all ages. But the highlight is the canopy walk. They have a wonderful walkway up in the trees that is loads of fun. Just enough sway to be fun but feel safe.
This is a perfect way to get awesome views of the city skyline, while simultaneously feeling like you are in the forest. We feel like this is the best place to get good views of the famous KL Tower. Often visiting the KL Tower is on peoples list of things to do in Kuala Lumpur, but we feel that it is best to not bother going there. You can see it well enough from the Forest Eco Park, and from all around the downtown area.
Cost
Foreign
Adult - RM 40
Child (6-12) - RM 5
Malaysian
Adult - RM 10
Child (6-12) - RM 1
TL Tower Forest Eco Park Operating Hours
8:00am - 5:30pm
Merdeka 118
One of Kuala Lumpur’s newer attractions is the Merdeka 118. The Merdeka 118 now dominates the skyline of the city. The building’s construction was completed in 2023, but as of 2025 the tower is not open to the public yet. Views from the ground are amazing as this 678.9m (2,227ft) building currently sits as the second tallest building in the world. (2025)
We were able to get to the top during a special event, and we can say that the views from floor 118 are amazing. There is something amazing about looking down on the Pentronas Twin Towers (which used to hold the title of the tallest buildings in the world). Also, there is a glass elevator that goes up to the 118th viewing floor.
Even though going up to the top is currently not open to the public, getting to the base of the tower and looking up at it is awesome with kids. Our kids love how tall and majestic it looks.
Kampung Baru – A Village within Kuala Lumpur
Kampung Baru is a unique side to the city of Kuala Lumpur and one we feel is important to take your kids to. Kampung Baru is the old quarter. Stepping into Kampung Baru is like stepping back in time to what Malaysia used to be like. What Kuala Lumpur was like before the big roads, shopping malls, skyscrapers, and infrastructure.
The best part of taking your kids to Kampung Baru is the fact that it is within walking distance from the heart of the city. You get amazing views of the Kuala Lumpur skyline surrounding you, while being in the ‘village’. If you have traveled, or will travel outside of Kuala Lumpur, what you see in Kampung Baru is like the Malaysia outside of the city.
Kampung means village in Malay, so it literally is the Baru Village within Kuala Lumpur. The best part is that the land is protected by the government and kept from being built up as a tribute to the past. So in the busy bustling city you can find the traditional Malay lifestyle. We feel like this is an opportunity you should not pass up with your kids.
While you are in Kampung Baru, the best thing is to walk around and see the traditional houses. There are a few nice cafes and street stalls that you can pick up some food and snacks along the way.
Saloma Bridge leading to Kampung Baru
The Saloma Bridge is an amazingly beautiful bridge. It acts as the main pedestrian walkway from the KLCC area into the Kampung Baru neighborhood. So if you are walking from the twin towers to the Kampung Baru you will have to walk over this bridge.
It has scenic views of the skyline from the bridge. The bridge is shaped like a fancy tube and covered with glass. At nighttime the bridge lights up in all sorts of fancy colors and looks stunning. The bridge is oriented in such a way that the tunnel perfectly frames the Petronas Towers. Our kids enjoyed making silly poses and framing themselves in crazy ways on the bridge.
Batu Caves
Read more about the Batu Caves
Batu Caves is one of those places that is a great trip away from the city center. Located about 30 minutes north by car, the Batu Caves is truly a unique experience and fun for kids. It is an active Hindu temple, so go prepared to be respectful of the Hindus there.
Batu Caves is most known for its colorful steps leading up to the caves. Recently they have built a very large statue at the base of the stairs! At the top of the stairs you will be able to enter the cave. Inside you will find Hindu temples and shrines built within the caves.
The kids enjoy spending time climbing the stairs because they are covered with monkeys. The cave at the top is worth exploring too. At the bottom you will also find a large Hindu temple which you are allowed to look around and enjoy.
Cost
Free
The Batu Cave stairs and cave are free to the public. There are a few other caves and temples at the bottom which you can pay for to get more from your time at Batu Caves.
Taman Burung Kuala Lumpur – Kuala Lumpur Bird Park
The Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is a great family activity. The bird park houses many extremely large netted enclosures. Within these netted enclosures you will find tons of amazing birds flying around. Each enclosure has different birds that you can experience. They even had a few hornbills flying around and a few beautiful peacocks ambling about.
There are also some smaller areas dedicated for bird feeding. Our kids especially loved getting to hold food out for all the different kinds of parrots. The feeding of parrots happens all throughout the day, so you can always participate, and it is lots of fun!
The Bird Park also has an amphitheater, and they perform a special bird show two times a day (12:30pm and 3:30pm).
Cost
Foreign
Adult - RM 85
Child (3-11) - RM 60
Malaysian Citizen/Resident
Adult - RM 45
Child (3-11) - RM 20
Bird Park Hours
9:00am - 5:30pm
Kampung Kuantan Fireflies Park
Just on the outskirts of the city, close to the coast, there is a very unique experience available that kids just love. We know our kids enjoyed it a lot. That is the Kampung Kuantan Fireflies Park. It is located about an hour east of the city of Kuala Lumpur. The firefly park is actually a boat tour on a small river. In the evening the fireflies light up the trees along the river. There is a special tree that the fireflies like to congregate around and it creates a unique and fun experience.
It is sort of like natural Christmas trees. The fireflies are not as bright as we had originally expected them to be, they were actually rather dim. However, the sheer number of the fireflies was amazing. A peaceful boat trip looking at this natural phenomenon is one of the things you should not miss with your kids when you are in Kuala Lumpur.
Our boat driver was great in getting the boat up close to the trees so the kids could reach out and pick up a few of the fireflies.
While ticket reservations are not required, you can book a tour on Viator if you like having plans made ahead of time. Otherwise you can book when you show up at the location.
Cost
Foreign
100 MYR for 4-person boat
Malaysian
60 MYR for 4-person boat
Fireflies Park Hours
Hours 7:30pm-10:30pm
Open daily
iOi City Mall for Arcades
While not a cultural or specific to Malaysia itself, a trip to Kuala Lumpur would not be complete without checking out some of the awesome arcades and entertainment that the malls have to offer. One of our families’ favorite malls in Kuala Lumpur to go to with kids is iOi City Mall. It is actually ranked as the 3rd largest mall in the world (2024). Who know how they rank malls and how accurate the rankings are, but regardless the mall is big. It has an amazing arcade District 21 which kids really love. Besides arcades, iOi City Mall has bowling, ice skating, amazing cinemas (yes more than one), and play areas for kids.
If iOi City Mall is not close to where you are in Kuala Lumpur, then another notable mall that is great for kids is Sunway Pyramid which houses a theme park/water park.
Basically, Malaysians love malls. If you want an authentic Malaysian experience, then go to the mall with your kids. Grab some good food at the food courts and do some fun activities.
Masjid Putra (Putra Mosque)
While kids might not get the most out of going to visit a mosque, Malaysia is a Muslim country, and taking a trip to visit one of the famous mosques in Kuala Lumpur is a must do thing to do in Kuala Lumpur with kids. And Masjid Putra is a great one to go visit with a family. This is because this mosque is located along Putra Square, which is alongside many beautiful government buildings and is close to a few amazing city parks.
We will discuss the city parks later on in this post.
The Masjid Putra mosque is built out next to a lake, and the views of all the buildings, including the mosque itself is awesome. Why we like this one for kids is the fact that there is a small shopping complex adjacent to the mosque, complete with a nice playground for the kids. This gives the kids a chance to play on the playground while you can sit and enjoy views of the beautiful mosque.
There is no cost to visit the inside of the mosque. However, if you wish to visit the inside of the mosque please be advised that there are strict dress codes. Fortunately, if you are not dressed appropriately they do offer special robes for you to wear. You will also be required to scan a QR code to register your visit.
Cost
Free
Putra Mosque Hours
Saturday - Thursday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Friday
9:00am - 11:00am, 3:00pm - 6:00pm
(Non-Muslim visitors cannot enter during daily prayer times)
TRX City Park Playgrounds
TRX is a fancy mall located within walking distance from the Petronas Towers. Our family was able to walk, and it took around 20 minutes. With small kids we do not recommend making the walk. A Grab taxi would be best.
TRX offers an amazing free playground and splash pad located on the roof of the mall. It is designed for preschool aged kids but offers enough for older kids also. An extra bonus on coming here is that they have water fountains around the playground, so you can fill up your water bottles for free and stay hydrated.
Cost
Free
Taman Botani Putra Jaya (Putra Jaya Botanical Gardens)
The Putra Jaya Botanical Gardens are amazing to do with kids. There are many mini gardens to explore. They have a fern garden, bugenvila tunnel, kitchen herb garden, and a small canopy walk, and much more. The paths surround a small lake that gives a nice view of the government buildings.
All the paths are well marked and easy to walk, or use a stroller. There is a bike rental shop near the main entrance that you can rent bicycles from to help explore the park. They have different sizes of bikes, from singles and doubles, up to family sized quad-bicycles. Our family enjoyed renting a large family sized bike. We all got to petal, and we took turns being the one to steer the bike.
Bike Rental Cost / per 30 minutes
Single Framed Bikes
Single Bike - RM 10
Double Bike- RM 20
Triple Bike - RM 30
Two Framed Bikes
Family Twin Bike - RM 30 (fits up to 3 or 4)
Family Bike - RM 35 (fits up to 6)
There are also nice cafes and restaurants at the park. One of the highlights for many people at the Putra Jaya Botanical Gardens is to visit the Moroccan Pavillion. Mostly a photo opportunity spot, the Moroccan Pavillion is right near the main entrance and most of the restaurants. It is worth seeing the beautiful Arabic Architecture as it is beautiful, and while the kids might not want to see a pretty building, it might just make a great family photo.
Cost
Free
Botanical Garden Hours of Operations
7:00am - 7:00pm
Open Daily
Taman Wetlands Putra Jaya (Putra Jaya Wetlands Parks)
Also located in the Putrajaya area, near the Botanical Gardens and the Masjid Putra Mosque lies a wetlands. These wetlands are part of a green movement from the Malaysian government. The area was once a palm oil field used for commercial production. In the late 1990’s it was transformed into the largest man-made wetlands in Malaysia. Now it boasts a large number of birds, fish, and plant life. It has become a haven for bird watching around Kuala Lumpur.
We feel like the wetlands in Putra Jaya is one of those things to do in Kuala Lumpur with kids if you enjoy bird watching. Not only do they have an abundance of migratory birds that come here naturally, the wetlands also has a beautiful flamingo lake. The lake has a few flamingos, which is fun for the kids to see.
Near the entrance to the park they have a very large and tall observation tower that you can climb up and get a wonderful view from up high. We felt seeing birds was better down near the marshy water on the walkways, but the tower was a great vantage point to get started.
You can also rent bicycles to get around the wetlands, but we opted not to get bikes as we wanted to walk quietly around and see the birds.
Cost
Free
Taman Wetlands Hours
7:00am - 7:00pm
Open Daily
Bike Rental Costs / per 1 hour
Weekday
Single Bike - RM 10
Single Bike + baby carrier - RM 12
Weekend
Single Bike - RM 12
Single Bike + baby carrier - RM 14
Walk the River of Life – Heritage Trails
The Heritage Trails is actually an amazing thing to do in Kuala Lumpur with kids. It is always our go to place for anyone who is visiting Malaysia. The trail consists of numerous historical landmarks that are all within walking distance from each other. The trail starts along the spot where the Gombak and Klang River meet right by Merdeka Square (Independence Square). It follows the river for a while, loops into the city and takes you along some major historical buildings. The route is pretty well marked with signage about the different buildings and places you come to. There are a bunch of places to see along this route, but these are our family favorites.
Sultan Abdul Building
The Sultan Abdul Building is an old British officers building in the heart of the old downtown. It is known for its clock tower and Islamic dome shaped bulbs at the top of the building. It has recently been under renovations (2025), but it is beautiful to see from the outside. The clock tower, which looks similar to London’s Big Ben, looks great in contrast to the towering Merdeka 118 in the background.
Merdeka Square
Merdeka Square is where Malaysia declared independence. It is very important in Malaysian history and a trip to Kuala Lumpur with kids would not be complete without a stop to Merdeka Square. Merdeka Square is a large grassy field that houses an enormous flagpole with an enormous Malaysian Flag. On one edge of Merdeka Square you will find the Royal Selangor Club. Although the name has changed multiple times, this club is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Asia, being founded and in continual use since in 1884.
Fun Fact. The Flagpole in Merdeka Square is one of the largest flagpoles in the world. The flagpole is impressively large, but the kids are going to love running around the field the most!
St. Mary’s Cathedral
Located along one side of Merdeka Square you will find St. Mary’s Cathedral. The current building was constructed in 1894 and has been a house of worship continually ever since. In 2014 it was given the status as a National Heritage building of Malaysia. Visitors can enter the church and look around any time it is open, without cost. If you are visiting over a Sunday know that there are many services throughout the day and you are welcome to join, but not tour the cathedral during these times. The visitor center is still open during services. Sunday Services: Holy Eucharist (7am, 9am, 11am)
Cost
Free
St. Mary’s Cathedral Visitor Center Hours
9:00am - 5:00pm
Open Daily
Favorite Kid Friendly Foods and Family Friendly Paces to Eat in Kuala Lumpur
When it comes to taking a family trip to Malaysia, you cannot do it without introducing your kids to the wonderful food that Malaysia has to offer. After having lived in Malaysia for over a year, our family has our go to places we like to eat at when we are out and about.
Nasi Kandar
If we are going to eat food when we are out and about finding a Nasi Kandar restaurant is almost always our first choice. The reason is because it is just about the cheapest way for our family to eat out in Malaysia. Nasi Kandar restaurants serve Malaysia-Indian food. The foods in these restaurants are Halal.
As a family we rely on the cheap roti (bread) options to fill us up. They offer more extensive menus as well, usually offering options like fried rice, tandoori, various curries, rice, and fried noodles. They also have amazing dessert roti’s which are a huge hit with the kids.
Kopitiam
Kopitiams are the equivalent of street stalls. Usually, Kopitiams are made up of many individually owned stalls, each serving a different kind of food. They are almost like privately owned food courts. The owner of the Kopitiam sells the drinks and owns operate all the seating.
Our family enjoys eating at Kopitiams because we can each order what we want. Each stall will bring the food to the table you are sitting at, and you usually pay when they deliver the food to your table. The foods at most Kopitiams are Malay/Chinese. This means that you can find some Kopitiams that serves non-Halal foods.
Soft Serve Ice Cream
No family trip to anywhere is complete without ice cream. We love eating ice cream when we are traveling. Nothing changes the mood of kids who are tired better than ice cream. Ok, we will be honest, nothing changed the mood of parents who are tired better than ice cream.
Luckily, Kuala Lumpur has two amazing ice cream chains that are amazing and everywhere. They are Ai-Cha and Mixue. Both offer large soft serve ice cream for RM 2! These are go-to places for our family.
Local Fruit
Lastly, when you are in Malaysia, you need to eat the different fruits available that are in season. We actually try and do this to any country we go to. We love to eat the fruits that are in season.
The fruits in Malaysia are delicious. And there are always fruits available no matter what season you visit. Some of our family favorite fruits in Malaysia are: mangoes, salak, rose apple, and various types of bananas.
Hop on Hop Off Bus
If you are not keen to make your way around town yourself, Kuala Lumpur does offer a hop on hop off options. In order to make good use of the hop on hop off tours with kids you will be starting at the SG Wang Plaza where the route begins. The hop of hop off is a good way to see the city if you do not want to put a lot of effort into the planning. You have the option to buy a 24 hour or a 48 hour ticket. This gives you either 24 hours or 48 hours to hop on and off at each location.
Buses come about every 30 to 40 minutes. They run from 9:00am until 6:00pm. Because the buses do not come very often we feel like this is a good option if you just want to ride around town and not get off all that often. See their website for a full list of the stops on this bus. They do offer a family pass which is awesome.
Cost
Foreign
Adult - 24hr RM 76 / 48hr RM 114
Child (5-12) - 24hr RM 38 / 48hr RM 57
Malaysian
Adult - 24hr RM 38 / 48hr RM 57
Child (5-12) - 24hr RM 19 / 48hr RM 29
Family Pass (2 adults and 2 children)
Family Pass Foreign - RM 210
Family Pass Malaysian - RM 105
Hours
9:00am - 6:00pm
Things We do NOT Recommend to do in Kuala Lumpur with Kids
With so many things to do when you visit Kuala Lumpur we know it can be overwhelming to decide what you should see and what you should leave out. After all you cannot possibly see everything the city has to offer. We have lived in Kuala Lumpur for over a year and here are a few popular destinations that we do not feel are worth going to with kids.
KL Tower
The Kuala Lumpur Tower is an extremely popular building to go and visit. You can go up the KL Tower and get great views of the city. However, we feel that you can get wonderful views of the Kuala Lumpur skyline from other places around the city, and taking a special trip up the tower is not worth it.
You can get great views of the KL Tower from the KL Tower Forest Eco Park (mentioned above). Seeing the KL towers up close from the outside is enough.
Central Market
Central Market is one of those famous historical shopping centers in downtown Kuala Lumpur. If you are planning a family trip to Malaysia and spending time in Kuala Lumpur means shopping, then the Central Market is a great place to go. Our family is not much for shopping at souvenir shops and overtly tourist places. If we do go shopping, we prefer to see how the locals shop and go to those locations. That being said, if you want something Malaysian to bring home with you, Central Market does offer a lot of selection.
This is exactly the sort of place we try to avoid. It is crowded with tourists and things tend to be overpriced. We have gone a few times to the Central Market, and there is a museum inside the market that talks about the history of the market and its importance. Our daughter who loves museums and all the educational things really enjoys the museum in the Central Market.
Petaling Street
Petaling Street is a toss up. It is one of those places that we felt like we had to go to at least once because everyone goes there. It did not have family friendly vibes there and as it caters more to non-family clientele. If crowded shopping and small alleys are what your family enjoys then go here. Our family does not enjoy that so much.
Final Thoughts on Things to do in Kuala Lumpur with Kids
This list of things to do with kids in Kuala Lumpur is obviously not a comprehensive list. There are many more things to do when and if you should come to visit Malaysia. And while Kuala Lumpur is a MUST when visiting, there are many other parts of Malaysia that you should consider visiting. A trip down to Melaka offers a rich taste of culture and is a great child friendly destination. Heading up to Cameron Highlands for some beautiful mountains and to Kapas Island on the east coast for very off the beaten path family friendly beaches.