Rio de Janeiro with kids

At a glance

The big places

BioParque do Rio. The city zoo inside Quinta da Boa Vista, São Cristóvão. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 9:00-17:00, last entry 16:00; the park warns that hours can change without notice. You can bring your own stroller, and strollers are also lent out while they last. Picnics are not allowed inside (there are snack bars), and tricycles, scooters, balls and helium balloons stay outside. For child tickets you may be asked for proof of age.

AquaRio. The marine aquarium at Praça Muhammad Ali, Gamboa, near the port. Open every day 9:00-17:00, last entry 16:00. The aquarium recommends buying tickets online in advance. Strollers are welcome and can be rented on site. Parking is small; the entrance is from the service road by Praça Muhammad Ali, next to the 450 Anos tunnel, not from the Marcello Alencar tunnel.

Jardim Botânico. Main entrance at Rua Jardim Botânico, 1008 (the 920 gate opens only on weekends and holidays). The Arboretum is open Thursday to Tuesday 8:00-17:00 and Wednesday 11:00-17:00. There is a playground, the Parque Infantil, and picnics are allowed only at its tables; eating elsewhere in the Arboretum is not allowed. The garden asks parents to keep an eye on children because of falling branches, toxic plants and animals, and may ask visitors to leave in strong wind. The Museu do Jardim Botânico (Thursday to Tuesday 10:00-18:00) is free with an online ticket (JBRJ, checked 29.10.2026). No pets except guide dogs.

Planetário do Rio. Rua Vice-Governador Rubens Berardo, 100, Gávea. The Espaço Galileu is aimed at children, and there are two domes for sessions. Check days and session times on the planetarium’s own site before you go.

Museu do Amanhã. Praça Mauá, 1. Thursday to Tuesday 10:00-18:00, last entry 17:00, holidays included; closed on Wednesdays. Tickets: R$ 40 full, R$ 20 meia, R$ 10 on the 10th of each month. Easy to combine with AquaRio on the same day. More in our Rio museums guide.

Quinta da Boa Vista. The large park in São Cristóvão that holds BioParque. Lakes with pedal boats and kayaks, the Glaziou gardens, grottoes and sports courts. São Cristóvão train and metro stations are close.

Other parks. Parque Lage (Rua Jardim Botânico, 414) has gardens, ponds, grottoes and playgrounds at the foot of Corcovado. The palace has been closed for restoration since May 2025; the state government expects it to reopen in April 2027 (O Globo, Diário do Rio). Parque Madureira in the North Zone has fountains, a skate track, courts and play equipment.

Indoor parks

Hot Zone. Two branches in Rio: BarraShopping and ParkShopping Campo Grande, with rides, simulators and arcade games. This is not a place to leave a young child: under-13s must be with a parent or guardian, under-15s only with an adult after 22:00, and 15-17s may stay until midnight. Hours differ between the Hot Zone page and the mall page, so check on the day.

Playcity. One branch in Rio, in the parking area of Shopping Nova América, Del Castilho (direct metro access). Tuesday to Friday 18:00-22:00, weekends and holidays 16:00-22:00; closed for maintenance on 10 November 2026. You pay with a rechargeable card (PIX, cash, debit or credit) or buy a named pass valid on all rides until 22:00.

Kids’ clubs where your child can stay

Animasom runs supervised play areas (“parquinhos”) in Shopping Leblon, RioSul, Shopping Tijuca, Via Parque and Metropolitano Barra. The Via Parque area is their largest.

• Age: children under 3 must stay with an adult; older children can stay on their own.
• Check-in and pick-up use facial recognition. At check-in you name the people allowed to collect the child.
• Time is charged per 30 minutes, and there is a day pass with unlimited in and out. No maximum stay is stated.
• Hours follow the mall, usually 10:00-22:00 on weekdays and 12:00-21:00 on weekends and holidays.
• XD (RioSul, Rio Design Barra) is for ages 5-15. Gamelab in Shopping Leblon (4th floor) has consoles and VR under supervision for ages 4-14, Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00, Sun and holidays 12:00-21:00.

The site does not say which documents the child needs or whether you must stay in the mall. Ask at the desk.

Restaurants with a play area

From an O Globo guide (9 October 2026):

• Rio Brasa, Lagoa (Av. Borges de Medeiros, 829) and Barra (Av. Ayrton Senna, 2.541): play park with monitors for children up to 10; under-4s go in with an adult.
• Vamo, Lagoa and Barra: play structure with a slide (on the veranda in Lagoa, outdoors in Barra).
• Giappo, Jockey: indoor kids’ area.
• Armazém Cardosão, Laranjeiras (Rua Cardoso Júnior, 312): playground and sports court next door. Tue-Fri from 17:00, Sat-Sun from 12:00.
• RaizNutéla, Maracanã (Rua Dona Zulmira, 130): paid playroom with a monitor on the 2nd floor.

In Via Parque Shopping, Barra, the restaurants Oliva and Lorelai Cucina Mediterrânea (2nd floor) have a kids’ corner.

Malls with family services

BarraShopping has Barra Kids with monitors, family rooms with changing tables and a nursing room, strollers on loan (up to 1 year 11 months and 15 kg) and ID wristbands for ages 2-10 at the SAC desk. NorteShopping has Praça Kids in the food court, a 300 m² playground and a family room. RioSul has a changing room, family toilet and strollers. Full list of malls, hours and metro access: Rio shopping malls.

Car seats

Under Resolution CONTRAN 819/2021, children under 10 who are shorter than 1.45 m ride in the back seat in a restraint suited to their age:

The resolution lists exceptions, among them public transport, rental vehicles and paid individual passenger transport during the service. In practice, a regular taxi or app car may arrive without a seat. Tell us ages and weights, and we book a car with the right seats.

Documents for children

• Resolution CNJ 131/2011 applies to Brazilian children living in Brazil. A child travelling with both parents needs no court authorisation; with one parent, the other parent’s notarised consent is needed (two originals, one stays with the Federal Police).
• The U.S. State Department notes the rule does not formally apply to foreign children, but the Federal Police have sometimes held children travelling without both parents. It advises written consent and the birth certificate.
• Children with Brazilian citizenship need the consent of each absent parent in Portuguese, certified by a Brazilian notary or a Brazilian consulate. Letters in English or certified by a foreign notary are not accepted.
• The UK FCDO (updated 28.10.2026) gives the same advice to non-Brazilian children travelling without one or both parents and recommends carrying the original or a notarised copy of the birth certificate.

Sun and heat

• Ministry of Health: avoid direct sun from 10:00 to 16:00, offer water to children often because they may not feel thirsty, use a wide-brimmed hat, and never leave a child in a parked car. Heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, nausea or headache means a visit to the nearest clinic.
• Brazilian Society of Paediatrics (SBP): babies under 6 months should not stay long in the sun; keep them in shade with hats and clothing. From 6 months to 2 years use mineral filters only, from 2 years children’s sunscreen. Protect them in cloudy weather too; wet clothing loses about half its protection.

Hospitals and clinics: Rio hospitals and consulates.

Beaches with children

We do not rate water quality. The state environment agency INEA publishes bathing water bulletins for each beach: check the one for your beach on the day, and skip swimming right after heavy rain. A calm beach day with kids is also possible on Paquetá Island.

How we help

We plan family days around nap times and the heat: a private guide and driver in your language, a car with the right child seats, tickets for BioParque or AquaRio booked for your date, and short routes with breaks. For a full trip plan, see Rio family trip.

What to tell us in your request

• Dates and where you stay
• Number of children, ages and weights (for car seats)
• Stroller or not
• What the children like: animals, water, science, play areas
• Language for the guide
• Your WhatsApp number