The vacations are over, but during the weekend, many parents still wonder: where to take the kids in São Paulo? To help, we’ve put together a guide to free outings for children, so you can make the most of your little ones’ free time in an affordable way. Take note:
Free outings for children in SP
Catavento Museum
This incredible museum aims to bring the public closer to the scientific world, with various attractions that delight children and adults alike. You can explore life in the galaxies, the evolution of human beings and learn more about today’s society in a playful, immersive and fun way.
And the best part: admission is free for everyone on Tuesdays. So how about taking advantage of the vacations to visit the space with the kids?
📍 Palácio das Indústrias: Parque Dom Pedro II, Avenida Mercúrio – Centro
Circus World
Next, a free outing in SP that children will love is the Circus World. The venue offers circus shows that are accessible to the whole family, and to enjoy them, you just need to pick up your tickets an hour in advance at the local box office. Check out the full program on this site.
📍 Avenida Cruzeiro do Sul, 2630 – Carandiru
CERET Park
Summer is here, so how about taking the kids swimming to beat the heat? An accessible option is the swimming pool at the Centro Esportivo, Recreativo e Educativo do Trabalhador (CERET), which is the largest public swimming pool in Latin America.
The park also has sports courts, picnic tables, a skating rink and more! To take advantage of the space, all you have to do is register quickly on the CERET website, the steps for which we explain here.
📍 Rua Canuto de Abreu, s/n – Tatuapé
Parque do Carmo Planetarium
This planetarium is considered the most modern in South America. It offers free activities for the whole family, who will be able to see the most intriguing secrets of the universe up close. Keep an eye on the weekly schedule on Instagram!
📍 Rua John Speers, 137 – Itaquera
Bike KIDS and Family Tricycle
BikeTourSP, which organizes bike rides along Avenida Paulista, offers two special events for children. One of them is Bike KIDS, which takes children up to the age of 8 on a tour of the city while their guardians accompany them by bike. Then there’s the Family Tricycle, an option for those who don’t know how to pedal.
The tours usually take place on Sundays. The tours are free, but a donation of 2 kilos of non-perishable food is encouraged.
📍 Departure from Top Center Shopping
Parks in São Paulo
It may sound basic, but an unmissable free outing in SP with the kids is certainly a walk in the park. After all, as well as plenty of green space for the little ones to burn off some energy and get in touch with nature, most of them have picnic tables and playgrounds. The parks below, for example, have playgrounds:
- Horto Florestal Park;
- Villa-Lobos Park;
- Villa-Lobos Park;
- Ibirapuera Park;
- Youth Park.
Museums and cultural spaces
It’s never too early to teach children a taste for culture! São Paulo is the city with the most museums in Brazil, so we couldn’t fail to mention it here. Check out some of the cultural options below :
- CCBB
- Itaú Cultural
- Caixa Cultural
- Paço das Artes
- Masp (free on Tuesdays and Friday evenings)
- Pinacoteca (free on Saturdays and the second Sundays of the month)
- Immigration Museum (free on Saturdays)
- Afro Brasil Museum (free on Wednesdays)
- Soccer Museum (free on Tuesdays)
- Museum of Indigenous Cultures (free on Thursdays)
In addition, many other museums in São Paulo offer half-price admission for students and/or free admission for people with disabilities.
Villa-Lobos Park Library
For little readers, one of the must-see attractions in São Paulo is the Parque Villa-Lobos Library. The space has thousands of books for all ages, as expected, but also an electronic games room, playroom, skateboard, bike rack and even rubberized mats for babies. A cultural and super fun outing!
📍 Avenida Queiroz Filho, 1205 – Alto de Pinheiros
Children’s City (Itu)
The metropolitan region of São Paulo also has several options for free outings for children. One tip is Cidade da Criança, in Itu, just 1.5 hours from the capital. The space is totally geared towards little ones, with a playground and toys for ages 6 and up. It also has a mini city, toilets, a snack bar and even a Tarzan House!
📍 Rua França, 102 – Vila Roma Brasileira
Water parks
Still on the subject of the metropolitan region, did you know that there are 3 free water parks just 1 hour from São Paulo? That’s right, you don’t have to spend a lot to give the kids a refreshing afternoon! Check out the options:
- Espaço das Águas (Jundiaí)
- Parque da Criança (Indaiatuba)
- Planalto Park (Carapicuíba)
Here you and your children can enjoy waterfalls, swimming pools, pedalos, a green maze and toboggans, for example. All very close to the capital, making it a great tip for hot days!
