Play areas
If you find yourself getting a bit stir-crazy sitting at home with your little bundle of (often screaming) joy, consider popping your little one in their pram, and heading to a play area.
Børneboblen is a lovely little café on Amager with cushioned play areas, and age-appropriate toys. Entrance to the play room is 50 kroner, or 250 kroner for 8 entrances. The cafe area has high chairs, and the menu includes lots of baby- and child-friendly food options.
Little House is a chain of children’s play areas, which can be found in Frederiksberg, Østerbro, Amager, Valby and Sydhavn. They have a subscription-based membership, which as well as giving you access to the play areas, gives you access to yoga classes, Pilates, baby rhythmic classes, and more. If you’re simply looking for a space to let your baby play in, while you pretend to enjoy a cup of coffee, entrance costs 50 kroner per child during the week and 75 kroner during the weekend.
Bette Café in Carlsbergbyen is another baby-friendly cafe, with soft play areas, baby food on the menu, and good coffees for sleep deprived parents. Unlike Børneboblen and Little House, access to Bette Café’s play area is free.
All cafés have great changing facilities and are breastfeeding-friendly (as are most cafés in Copenhagen).
Free play areas
If you’re looking for play areas that don’t require you to get your bank card out, Copenhagen also has some fantastic free options.
Amagercentret, a shopping centre in the heart of Amagerbro has several options: a padded play area, a big ball pit, and a play area inside Børneloppen. All three options, as well as changing facilities, breastfeeding rooms, microwaves, and coffee-options, can be found on the first floor of the shopping centre.
Børnekulturhuset Amar is open every day and has soft play areas, highchairs for snack time, and changing facilities. On Wednesdays from 11am until 14pm there is an open play group (legestue in Danish) for kids to play with each other, and parents to have other adults to talk to.
Copenhagen’s Libraries are also a great place to go. Hovedbiblioteket and Tårnby Bibliotek both have cushioned play areas, while most other libraries also have toys and facilities for babies.
Baby classes at Absalon
Absalon is a great place for everyone - quite literally. Offering everything from ceramics courses, lino press workshops, themed bingo evenings, communal dinners, croquis, and more, there is almost no limit to the activities you can join. Their ethos is one of openness and inclusivity, so families and babies are almost always welcome in their common spaces, and baby-oriented events are an almost daily occurrence on their calendar. Go to baby rhythmic classes, postpartum pilates, baby yoga, or make a hand- and footprint plaque in their ceramics studio.
Copenhagen Library events
Copenhagen’s libraries are little gems which are dotted all over the city. They serve as havens for anyone who needs a break, are looking for a quiet place to study, need to take shelter from the rain, or want to get away from the confines of their own home with babies. The libraries also offer great baby-related events, many of which can be found in English: from baby rhythmic, to first aid courses, learning all about introducing solid foods to young babies’ diets, and bringing up multilingual children.
Baby bingo at Banegaarden
Banegaarden is a social gathering point located in nine old wooden barns, which can be found between Sydhavn and Vesterbro, nestled between the city's train tracks. They do many different events, such as open air film screenings during the summer, communal dinners, and viewings of big sporting events. Most Wednesday mornings they also host “Barselsbanko” - roughly translated to parental leave bingo, which isn’t quite as catchy. Enjoy a cup of coffee and a BMO (bun with cheese). If luck is with you, you may even be able to get your hands on some prizes.
Disco babies
Disco babies is a series of multi-sensory classes which focus on bonding and early development through music, movement and sensory play, creating a fun environment for babies and parents alike. Enjoy singing and music, as well as soothing baby massage to wind-down. Events are all in English.
Theatre for babies
If you’re passionate about theatre, this might be one thing you miss since welcoming your baby to the world. Although most plays, operas and ballet performances are typically reserved for adults, a few performances have been curated which are suitable from ages 6 months and up. Take a look at Untz Baby Untz and Ocean, both performed at Folketeatret in the city centre, if this sounds like something for you.
Babybio
Another pastime which becomes far more difficult with babies and toddlers is a trip to the cinema. However, a fantastic Danish concept has been around since the late 90’s: babybio, or baby cinema in English. Babybio allows parents to see blockbusters while leaving sleeping babies in their prams under observation by cinema staff. Should babies wake up, they are welcome in the cinema hall, where dimmed lights will be turned on, and the film’s volume reduced. Crying and whinging is allowed, as is breastfeeding. Babybio is available at several Nordisk Film Biografer cinemas (Resevoir, Fields and Falkoner Bio to name a few), Empire Bio in Nørrebro, and occasionally at Vester Vov Vov in Vesterbro.
Babysalmesang
Babysalmesang (baby hymn singing in English) is a much-loved musical activity for babies and new parents all across Denmark. Often taking place in local churches, wait lists for these classes can be long. Even for non-believers or agnostics, babysalmesang can be a fun way to enjoy music, rhythm and movement, and to meet other parents. English babysalmesang session can be found across the city, for example in Ørestad, Sydhavn, Vesterbro and Amager Strand.
Kunsthal Charlottenborg
The first Tuesday of the month, Kunsthal Charlottenborg, a modern art museum located just off Kongens Nytorv, dedicates its morning hours to new parents. The foyer is cleared and padded mats and seating is added. The museum also has changing facilities, as well as a kettle and a microwave for parents to use. Although prams can be brought into the museum, the exhibitions include many stairs, so parents are advised to bring a baby carrier.
Dinos Legeland
A real game changer for parents with babies with a lot of energy is Dinos Legeland, a huge, 4000 square meter indoor play area for children of all ages, located at the end of the M1 metro line in Vestamager. Dinos Legeland has a designated soft padded play area, with ball pits, slides, trampolines, padded climbing frames, and age appropriate toys for smaller kids. Entry is free to children below the age of 1, while adults pay 49 kroner.
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