21 Fun Things To Do In Penang With Kids (2020 Guide) + Food & Hotels

Seeking out fun things to do in Penang with kids? As a top tourist destination in Malaysia, Penang has a lot up its sleeve to engage all members of the family!

Explore Penang’s rich heritage and throw in some time for eating, shopping, outdoor activities or relaxing at the beach!

A Penang family trip need not be expensive or take up more than a weekend either!

Table Of Contents:

• Things To Do In Penang With Kids
• Best Places To Eat In Penang
• Best Place To Stay In Penang With Kids
• Getting Around Penang With A Local Tour Guide

21 Things To Do In Penang With Kids

We’ve got a line-up of family-friendly activities in Penang to get the ball rolling! There are multiple theme parks, museums, parks, farms and more!

Get The Kids All Tired Out (But In The Best Way)

Kids can easily spend a full day at any of these locations!

1. Adventure Zone Penang

2 hours is enough to have a fantastic time at the 10,000 sq ft indoor air-conditioned complex!

The wide variety of play equipment and custom-made UK slides will delight kids (and adults)!

2. Urban Playz Gurney Paragon

On the 4^th floor of Penang shopping mall Gurney Paragon Mall, is an outdoor pedal go-kart course and a indoor rope and obstacle course under Urban Playz.

Adults can ride the double go-karts with their kids!

Outdoor activities:

• Single and double go-karts cost RM10 and RM20 respectively for 20 minutes

Indoor activities (each at RM15 for 20 minutes except the obstacle course):

• Climbing gym
• Snook ball
• High rope obstacle course (RM15 for 3 rounds of play)
• Trampoline

3. ESCAPE Theme Park

Nestled in a natural environment, ESCAPE comprises of a water park as well as an adventure park!

They have plenty of rides and activities to suit young children and adults alike!

Adventure Park Highlights:

• 35m flying fox
• high elevation rope course
• trapeze station

Water Park Highlights:

• world’s longest waterslide
• Diving show

Explore Penang With The Kids

If the above suggestions still have you wondering what to do in Penang with kids, these are prominent Penang urban attractions that you can bring your kids to!

4. Visit Penang Museums With Kids

Museums are reliable family-friendly activities in Penang! And Penang has no shortage of interactive or unusual Penang musuems!

• Wonderfoods Museum
• TeddyVille Museum
• The Dark Mansion
• Toy Museum Heritage Garden

5. Penang Street Art

You’ll notice the queues in front of the more notable attractive Penang street art while exploring the heritage zone! These often have a 3D element to them!

6. Penang Avatar Secret Garden

You might ask what you can do at night in Penang with kids!

With a good view of the city, the nearby beach is good for a stroll until 7:35pm. When the colorful lights in the garden at the back of Thai Pak Koong Temple come on!

7. The Top Penang

For a one-stop location, The Top Penang has numerous entertainment facilities and activities in store for families!

You can buy tickets individually per attraction. Or buy a full-day pass!

Attractions (the main ones!):

1. Rainbow Skywalk – An open-air glass bridge that you can walk on to see Penang below your feet!

2. 7D Discovery Motion Theater – Immersive movie experience using virtual reality simulators
3. Penang Boutique Aquarium – A collection of different live fish to learn about their ecosystems

4. Ocean Explorer – Feel like you’re in the ocean through the use of high-resolution projectors!
5. Durian Museum – Fascinating exhibits
6. Tech-Dome –Over 100 well-executed science exhibits and informative staff

7. Jurassic Research Center – Outdoors; Has some life-size replicas.
8. Dino Gym – Play area for children under 10
9. The Gravityz – In case you ever wanted to hang off a building without compromising your safety!

8. Stroll Down Beach Street On Car-free Sundays

A weekly car-free event, Occupy Beach Street allows families to safely wander Beach Street.

Where there will be performances, food stalls, bicycle rentals, roadside car boot sales and adoption drives!

Bring Your Kids Out To The Parks, Playgrounds And Hiking Trails in Penang

Get the kids off their screens and out of their comfort zone once in a while! Nothing says family bonding time quite like being outdoors together!

9. Penang Hill And Funicular Tram Ride

Riding a tram will thrill the kids! And Penang Hill has nature walks and The Habitat!

Which has a canopy walkway and a sunset package including Curtis Crest and a guided night jungle walk!

10. Penang Botanic Gardens

Penang Hill hiking trails like the Moon Gate trail (1 hour one-way) typically start here.

See manicured gardens, local wildlife (e.g. dusky leaf monkeys), exotic plants and walking trails!

11. Penang National Park

At Penang National Park, trek through the jungle to remote white sand beaches!

See an unusual salt water and fresh water lake, a lighthouse and a turtle sanctuary (Pantai Kerachut). Camp overnight!

12. Penang Municipal Park (Also Formerly Known As Penang Youth Park)

It costs nothing to use the facilities at the 40-acre park.

There is a wonderful playground, shaded jogging tracks, a skate park and gym equipment! And swimming pools with shower facilities too!

Penang Temples & Historical Landmarks – History Lesson For The Kids (And You!)

Let your kids realize the wonder of history by taking them to see some historical attractions in Penang!

History is infinitely more interesting in physical form than from descriptions and photos in books!

13. Kek Lok Si Temple

Few  temples in Malaysia can match the majesty of Penang’s hilltop Kek Lok Si Temple!  It’ll take 1-2 hours to stroll around the temple complex!

From the main pavilion, go right to see the 9-storey pagoda!

Or go left for the giant Guan Yin statue with its own pavilion! In between are lovely prayer halls and gardens!

14. Clan Jetties Of Penang

Hailing from the 19^th century, these floating villages of Penang are still home to many Chinese families.

Of these, the majority of tourists will visit the vibrant Chew Jetty and calmer Tan Jetty.

15. Fort Cornwallis

Fort Cornwallis is where Captain Francis Light of the British East India Company first came ashore to form a settlement!

See the surviving cannons, gunpowder storerooms, a flagstaff and a lighthouse!

Other Historical Places:

• Khoo Kongsi Temple Penang – See Exquisite Architecture At This Heritage Gem
• Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (The Blue Mansion) – Relive The Peranakan Glory Days
• Penang Peranakan Mansion – Make A Trip To This Worthy Historical Museum

Let The Kids Interact With And Learn About Animals

It’s rare that city kids have an opportunity to interact with animals other than common household pets.

Give them this chance by visiting some of these animal-friendly places in Penang!

16. Entopia By Penang Butterfly Farm

Entopia is a research and education center with a strong drive to introduce the public to the world of insects!

The center is larger than it looks and houses thousands of butterflies and other small critters!

17. Penang Bird Park (At Mainland)

Observe over 300 species (including ostriches) at this 5-acre bird park in Butterworth – the largest in Malaysia!

The bigger birds are kept in free-roaming enclosures but most are caged.

18. Penang Aquarium Batu Maung

Batu Maung is a fishing village with an aquarium (Akuarium Tunku Abdul Rahman) that has 25 tanks containing marine life like eels, stingray, coconut crabs, jelly fish, sea turtles and snappers!

19. Saanen Dairy Goat Farm

It’s free to visit the Saanen Dairy Goat Farm and see the milking process.

Visitors can also pet and feed the well-kept goats and other friendly domestic animals at the small farm in a rural area of Penang!

Read more: 13 Best Things To Do In Georgetown Penang

20. Countryside Stables

Like the goat farm, Countryside Stables is in Balik Pulau.

Other than the riding horses, you can bring your kids here to see and feed many types of horses! They have donkeys and deer too!

Try Arts And Craft With The Kids

Encourage your kids to discover their creative side with some hands-on activities! Penang has all sorts of workshops and classes!

21. Batik Painting At Rozana’s Batik

An hour of this class allows you to attempt a hand at this difficult craft!

Participants can make their own design or follow a template to bring back as a one-of-a-kind souvenir painting!

Read more: 13 Best Penang Souvenirs – What To Buy In Penang

Best Places To Eat In Penang (Kid-friendly)

Eating out with the entire family doesn’t have to cost much if you stick to local fare! And you should, Penang food is delicious!

Don’t forget to treat yourself to a Penang cafe too!

1. Cocoon Kids Café

Somewhere in George Town is a café that caters just to kids and their parents!

There are quality toys, a play area with a trampoline, slide and a sandbox!

2. Gurney Drive Hawker Centre

Delegate an adult in your group to keep a watchful eye on your kids as you meander through the stalls of Gurney Drive Hawker Centre!

A Penang food haven you should not skip!

Read more: Things To Do At Gurney Drive Penang (Complete Guide) – What To Eat, Hotels Nearby & Malls

3. Chulia Street Night Hawker Stalls

From evening onwards, Chulia Street transforms into a roadside hawker center!

With stalls selling popiah, apom, wanton mee, muah chee, chee cheong fun, lor bak, satay and more!

Read more: 11 Best Night Market In Penang – Monday To Sunday (Especially #5)

Best Place To Stay In Penang With Kids

Accommodation is not an aspect you want to overlook for your family trip!

We are recommending the following hotels for their family-friendly rooms and facilities! In order of value-for money to luxury!

1. Tropicana 218 X Airlevate Suites

10 minutes’ drive from George Town, this modern apartment has everything you need!

A kitchenette, dining and living space too! Facilities include a pool with city views and a children’s playground!

2. The Bayview Beach Resort

Get an attractive quality-price ratio at this hotel with its expansive family rooms and almost seaside location!

You can walk to the beach where there are many water activities to try!

3. Holiday Inn Resort Penang

Big families will love the multi-level pools, spacious rooms and breakfast!

The hotel is close to the beach with eateries around as well as the Batu Ferringhi night market!

Read more: 13 Best Breakfast In Penang – With Local, Western Cafe & Halal Options

4. Hard Rock Hotel Penang

Luxurious kid-friendly suites, beautiful surroundings, multiple swimming pools with slides, evening live performances and a tasty breakfast buffet at Hard Rock Hotel will win your family over!

5. Shangri-la’s Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa

Family rooms at Rasa Sayang are huge with comfortable beds and a bath tub!

The pool and breakfast spread will certainly please your family too! And the beach is next door!

Read more:

• 15 Best Hotels In Penang For An Unforgettable Stay (From Budget To Luxury)
• Top 11 Penang Luxury Resorts (To Choose When Travelling To Penang)
• Top 11 New Hotels In Penang
• 11 Best Homestays In Penang

Getting Around Penang With A Local Tour Guide

It’s a bit of a hassle to arrange public transport when you’re travelling with kids! And safety can be a concern too!

A private tour service like RayTheTour will ensure that the family travels together!

Having a flexible itinerary gives you free reign to travel at your convenience too!

Other pros of our service:

• Comfortable transport – we use MPVs and vans
• Friendly local guides who can speak English or Chinese
• Pick up and drop off anywhere in Penang during your tour
• We arrange tours in Ipoh, Cameron Highlands and Taiping too!
• No hidden costs

Book us on WhatsApp and Facebook!

Conclusion

Have a fun day with the family by adding a few of these things to do in Penang with kids to your ever-growing Penang itinerary!

There are outdoor and indoor activities to suit every age!

Planning ahead will help contribute to a smooth-sailing family trip! Better still with a private tour service to handle the logistics!