Brussels with Kids: Waffles, Superheroes, and a Giant Atom

Belgian Comic Strip Center (Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinee)

This museum dedicated to Tintin, the Smurfs, and dozens of other Belgian comic heroes is genuinely thrilling for kids ages 6 and up. The building itself is a Victor Horta Art Nouveau masterpiece, and

Grand Place

Start the morning at Brussels' jaw-dropping central square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site ringed by gilded Gothic guild houses. Kids love spotting the gold details on each building and hearing the stor

Maison Dandoy

Duck into this legendary Belgian biscuit house founded in 1829, just steps from the Grand Place, for speculoos cookies and waffles fresh off the iron. Order the Brussels-style waffle at the tearoom up

Neuhaus Chocolatier

Stop into the original 1857 Neuhaus shop in the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert arcade for a praline-making demonstration and to pick up a box of handmade Belgian chocolates. The covered 19th-century sh

Brasserie de l'Atomium

Grab lunch at this casual brasserie located inside the Atomium complex, which serves Belgian classics like stoofvlees (beef stew with fries) alongside simpler kids' options. It is convenient, reasonab

Atomium

This iconic 102-meter steel structure built for the 1958 World Expo is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world and a genuinely fun place to explore with kids. Ride the panoramic escalators

Mini-Europe

Right next to the Atomium, Mini-Europe packs 350 scale models of European landmarks into a single park, from the Eiffel Tower to the Acropolis, all built at 1:25 scale. Kids love running ahead to find

Parc de Laeken

Walk off lunch in this sprawling royal park surrounding the King's official residence, where wide paths, open lawns, and the striking Chinese Pavilion give kids room to run. In spring the adjacent Roy

Parc du Cinquantenaire

Walk five minutes from the Natural Sciences Museum into this grand park anchored by a triumphal arch, where families picnic on the grass and kids climb the stone steps for city views. The park connect

Le Pain Quotidien (Chatelain location)

This beloved Belgian bakery chain was founded in Brussels in 1990 and the Chatelain neighborhood location captures the original communal table spirit perfectly. Order the tartines with local cheese an

Musee des Sciences Naturelles (Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences)

Home to the largest display of Iguanodon dinosaur skeletons in the world, this natural history museum is a must for any kid who has ever gone through a dinosaur phase. The Dinosaur Gallery alone fills

Place du Chatelain Market and Surroundings

On Wednesday afternoons the Place du Chatelain hosts one of Brussels' best neighborhood markets, with local produce, street food stalls, and artisan goods that make for excellent last-minute souvenir