There is no kid who wouldn’t be excited to hear they are traveling to a “floating city!” Venice is a wonderland for children of all ages! Even adults are sure to be wide-eyed as they arrive at their hotel via boat, after gliding past a mail boat, ambulance boat and Amazon delivery boat. We recently visited this Italian gem with our 4 kids, and although the sights, sounds and flavors are so family friendly, we made sure to build an itinerary that was family-focused. I have compiled a list of the 5 best things to do in Venice with kids!

These are kid-approved tours and activities that are guaranteed to add joy and fun to your Venice vacation.

I realized we have so much in common with the Venetians after passing this Amazon delivery boat.

Reach out to me for free Venice vacation planning, or contact one of the other experienced world-wide travel advisors at Kingdom and Cruise.

The 5 Best Things to Do in Venice with Kids

1. Learn How to Row!

Gondola rides are wonderful, but if you really want to make some priceless Venice memories, sign up for a gondola-rowing class and have your kids row you around Venice! This class with Row Venice was my favorite activity of our trip. As a family of 6, we split into 2 boats and rowed together, which was a nice opportunity to snag photos of each other! We had instruction time, then everyone took turns rowing. It was magical and eye-opening!

Even kids as young as 5 years old are allowed to try rowing by themselves! Younger kids may need some assistance.

Was it difficult?! Let’s just say I now have a great appreciation for the navigation skills of gondola rowers. Those canals are tight, the bridges are low and the boats and oars are long and unwieldy. You will have to put your whole body into it. I could be in great shape if I were a gondola rower.

You will learn your kids are more capable than you thought, so you should assign a new level of chores at home.

2. Make Your Own Venetian Masks

Coming in second on the 5 best things to do in Venice with kids list is a Venetian mask making workshop! The history of Venetian masks dates back to the 13th century when masquerading was a way to conceal identity to escape the class hierarchy. Your kids will definitely relate to a tradition of hiding who your are so you can partake in inappropriate activities without being caught.

Nothing to see here. The fox did it. How cute is this fox, though?!

We loved going to this beautiful studio next to a traditional Venetian mask shop. We picked our mask molds and set to work. Then, our instructor helped us add embellishments like feathers and gems. This was such a wonderful and memorable family activity.

This mask-making workshop was a morning well spent. There were lots of smiles and laughs while our creativity was hard at work.

3. Take a Walk and Find This Unique Bookstore!

We took a walking tour and came across some of the most unique treasures of Venice, including this one-of-a-kind bookstore! The Acqua Alta (High Water) Bookstore represents the reality of life in Venice with bathtubs and gondolas filled with books. When the waters rise, those books stand a chance!

Check out this clever and functional Venetian gondola book display!

We loved strolling through the shop filled floor to ceiling with books, postcards and other treasures – like stray cats! Don’t forget to take a walk out on the store’s “fire escape.” Their set of stairs leading to safety is made up of BOOKS! You are welcome to give them a try and snag your insta-worthy pics.

If you find yourself out here during a fire or flood, at least you will have something to read!

4. Meet a Venetian Artisan Puppet Master!

This tour to the studio of Roberto Comin, the last puppeteer in Venice, was the highlight of our trip. We stepped back in time when we entered the room filled with our favorite fairytale characters expertly crafted into puppets.

There were several renditions of Pinocchio, because…a real Geppetto works here!

The twinkle in Roberto’s eyes, his jovial way with our kids, plus the handcrafted swing in the studio made it clear – this career was like living in Neverland. Nobody had to grow up inside this workshop. We were introduced to some puppets, then we heard about Roberto’s unique process or fashioning puppets’ facial features out of wood pulp. Last (the best part), we got to try out these intricate puppets!

Roberto was so kind to teach us how to work the puppets. Owen seems like a ready apprentice.

This shop is difficult to find and you must make an appointment. Reach out for help planning a stop at this beautiful shop, l’Isola de Pinocchio. Roberto will warmly welcome you. He will even be happy to ship home any puppets you buy!

5. Take a Venetian “taxi” to Murano and Burano

While these islands are technically away from Venice, they are not too far away in the Venetian Lagoon. Catch a Venetian taxi boat, a vaporetto, and head to Murano and Burano!

Burano is like the cheerful pastel version of Venice.

There are tours that will take you to both of these places or you can visit on your own! Murano is know for its glass blowing artisans and Burano is known for its lace making artisans. The demonstrations on both islands are short but very cool to see. My kids enjoyed picking out some tiny glass figures as souvenirs. They were not as interested in the lace, but Burano is like Venice but more colorful! We all enjoyed strolling around the beautiful bright homes.

Finding some vivid houses to match our clothing was like a bonus Burano scavenger hunt.

These are just a FEW of the things we did as a family in Venice and the surrounding area. Kids can absolutely enjoy a trip to this city and many others in Italy! Have you been to Venice? What were some of your favorite tours and activities? If you haven’t been, don’t wait to visit the floating city. We travel advisors at Kingdom and Cruise are standing by to help you with your Italy itinerary!

By Kingdom and Cruise Travel Advisor, Alli Matthews