Planning a family trip to Bali is one thing. Planning one that your kids will actually remember, and that you’ll actually enjoy, is another challenge entirely. The good news is that Bali genuinely delivers for families. It’s not just kid-tolerant, it’s kid-friendly in ways that surprise most parents who visit for the first time.
We’ve pulled together 5 of the best things to do in Bali with kids, covering everything from lazy creative mornings to early-start wildlife encounters on the north coast. Whether you’re travelling with toddlers or tweens, there’s a mix here that works across ages, budgets, and energy levels.
1. Get Creative at Klay Bar (Ceramic Painting in Canggu)
If you’re looking for something unique and relaxing, Klay Bar is one of the most underrated family-friendly activities in Bali.
This ceramic painting studio in Canggu offers a calm, creative space where kids and adults can paint their own pottery from mugs and plates to decorative pieces. After you have selected your piece you can draw your design onto the pottery and get creative with the painting. You will need a few days to get your finished product as the firing and glazing process can take between 3-7 days.
Why families love it:
- Encourages creativity (great break from screens)
- Suitable for all ages
- Calm, air-conditioned environment (perfect for hot or rainy days)
- You get a personalized souvenir to take home
The atmosphere is stylish yet welcoming, making it just as enjoyable for parents as it is for kids. You can also relax with some lovely drinks, make sure to try the mocktail spritzer passion fruit. They also have a kids menu with a delicious choice of food options for the whole family to enjoy.
Best for ages: 5 and up
Perfect for: Rainy days, relaxed afternoons and creative bonding time
Address Jl. Tanah Barak No.1a, Canggu, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
2. Splash Around at Waterbom Bali
No family trip to Bali is complete without a visit to Waterbom Bali, one of Asia’s top-rated water parks.
With everything from lazy rivers to adrenaline-pumping slides, it caters to all age groups. Buy your tickets in advance here to avoid long queues. You can also use our code TRAVELINGBAMBINOS5 to get 5%.
Show your tickets at the desk and you will be given a wrist band which you can top up with cash to be used for your lockers, towels and food. You can bring water with you but no snacks or food allowed from outside. Lockers are priced at 75k IDR (US 4.5$) for family lockers or 45k IDR (US 2.6$) for small lockers plus a 20k IDR deposit. Towels can also be hired for a small fee. There are plenty of eating places to choose from.
Waterbom tip: Around the park there are live screens showing waiting times for each slide. Use these to organise your day and hit the popular ones early before queues build up.
Highlights:
- Kid-friendly play areas
- Shaded zones and cabanas
- High safety standards
- Restaurants and family facilities
Best for ages: 3 and up. Toddler zones from age 3; bigger slides best from age 6.
Perfect for: Full-day family fun and hot days when you want to stay cool.
Address Jl. Kartika Plaza, Kuta, Kec. Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
3. Watch Wild Dolphins at Sunrise in Lovina
Lovina sits on Bali’s north coast, about 2.5 to 3 hours from the south. It’s a slower, quieter part of the island, and for families who make the trip up there, the sunrise dolphin tour is genuinely one of the most memorable mornings you’ll have in Bali.
You’ll head out before 6am on traditional wooden outrigger boats called jukung. The boats are small and low to the water, which makes the whole experience feel wonderfully close to the sea. The dolphins you’ll see are mainly spinner dolphins, and they’re active in the mornings as the fishing boats head out. On most days you’ll spot them leaping and spinning in the wake of the boats. It’s one of those moments that’s hard to describe to someone who wasn’t there.
Tickets cost roughly £13 per adult. Children aged 5 and under typically go free, though it’s worth confirming when you book. Book your Lovina dolphin watching tour here.
A couple of practical notes before you go: the boats are open, and the north coast can be breezy at dawn, so bring a light layer for the kids even if it feels warm when you leave the hotel. If any of your little ones are prone to motion sickness, the rocking on a small boat in open water can be an issue. It’s worth being prepared with medication if that’s a concern.
If you’re planning a few days in north Bali around the dolphin tour, Munduk Moding Plantation is a lovely base for families and worth reading our honest review before you book.
What to know before you go:
- Tickets cost roughly £13 per adult; children aged 5 and under typically go free
- Boats depart before 6am, so plan to leave your accommodation by 5:30am at the latest
- Bring a light layer for the kids as the north coast can be breezy at dawn
- If any of your children are prone to motion sickness, come prepared as the small boats rock in open water
Best for ages: 4 and up
Perfect for: Early risers, wildlife lovers, families exploring north Bali
4. Take a Family-Friendly Cooking Class Near Ubud
A Balinese cooking class is one of those activities that sounds like something parents enjoy more than kids, and then turns out to be the thing the kids talk about for weeks afterwards. Getting hands into spice pastes, learning what goes into a sambal, tasting dishes you made yourself. It clicks for curious kids in a way that’s hard to predict.
Classes vary quite a bit in format. Some start with a visit to a local market where you pick up fresh ingredients before heading to the kitchen. Others skip the market and go straight to cooking, which works better for younger kids who might run out of patience. The experience we’d point families toward is the 9 Dish Balinese Cooking Class and Market with Transfer near Ubud, priced at around £14 per person with hotel transfer included. It covers a solid range of dishes and the kitchen setup is genuinely hands-on, not just watching someone else cook.
Book the 9 Dish Balinese Cooking Class here.
What’s included in the recommended class:
- 9 Balinese dishes, made hands-on rather than just watched
- A visit to a local market to pick up fresh ingredients before cooking
- Hotel transfer included in the price
- Priced at around £14 per person
Best for ages: 5 and up
Perfect for: Food-curious families, rainy mornings
5. Make Your Own Silver Jewelry in Ubud or Celuk
Skip the souvenir shops and do something that results in an actual piece of jewellery your child made with their own hands. Silver workshops in Bali are guided by Balinese silversmiths using the same traditional techniques that have been practiced in villages like Celuk for generations. No experience is needed at all, and most workshops include up to 7 grams of silver in the price, enough for a small ring, pendant or simple bracelet.
Celuk, Bali’s silver village about 10 minutes south of Ubud, is the best place to find these workshops. You’ll also find good options in central Ubud itself if you’d rather stay close to the town. The process involves real tools and fine metalwork, so it suits older children who can concentrate and follow careful instructions. It’s not a good fit for under-eights, but for kids aged 8 and up it tends to be genuinely absorbing, and the piece they take home means something because they made it themselves.
Why kids love it:
- They make a real piece of jewellery with their own hands, not a kit or a craft activity
- Guided throughout by Balinese silversmiths using traditional techniques
- No experience needed at all
- The finished piece goes home with them as a souvenir that actually means something
Best for ages: 8 and up (tools involved)
Perfect for: Families with older kids, creative kids, anyone who wants a souvenir with a story
While you’re in the Ubud area, it’s worth combining the workshop with a visit to one or two of Bali’s temples. Our guide to the best temples in Bali covers the ones genuinely worth the detour.
Planning Your Bali Family Trip
These 8 activities give you a solid mix of days out across Bali, from the beaches and water parks of the south to the creative workshops of Canggu and Ubud, and all the way up to the north coast for wildlife encounters most families don’t think to plan. If you want help putting it all together into a proper trip structure, our 10-day Bali itinerary is a good starting point and covers logistics, travel times between areas, and day-by-day suggestions.
Where you base yourself matters more in Bali than in most destinations, because the island is bigger than it looks and travel between areas takes time with kids in tow. If you haven’t settled on a base yet, our guide to the best areas to stay in Bali breaks down the neighbourhoods honestly, from Seminyak and Canggu for families who want convenience, to Ubud for those who want something quieter. The best family trips we’ve heard about from readers aren’t the perfectly planned ones. They’re the ones where a cooking class went slightly sideways, or where the kids spotted the first dolphin before the adults did. Give them the experiences and let the memories take care of themselves.
