City trips and energetic toddlers don’t always mix well. Two-year-olds will run wild around museums, refuse to eat anything that isn’t white and throw tantrums at the least convenient moments. Visiting Kuala Lumpur with a toddler can be difficult. The largest city in Malaysia is renown for crazy traffic, busy markets and spicy cuisine. Keep reading to find all the advice that you need to have a great stay in KL with toddlers and preschoolers.

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We moved to Kuala Lumpur with a toddler and a preschooler, last year. This post is the result of us spending hours and hours trying to find toddler-friendly restaurants, searching for fun family-friendly days out and parks where our little ones could run wild.

Despite the humidity and traffic, KL with a toddler is a lot easier than you think. We’ve done the research and had the adventures so let us share them with you!

Which sights to see in Kuala Lumpur with toddlers?

For us, the key to a successful day out with toddlers is always plenty of space for running around it, no noise restrictions and a chilled spot to relax in. Here are the sights in Kuala Lumpur that we think are the best to visit with toddlers and preschoolers. 

If you are travelling with older children, check out our epic post: Fun Things to do in KL with Kids: Insider Tips!

Our favourite sights to visit in KL with toddlers are:

KLCC Park 

The best place in the whole of KLCC to visit with toddlers is KLCC Park. A gigantic playground. Tick. Splash pool. Tick. An outdoor place to run around in and scream. Tick. 

Bonuses for parents are the amazing views of the Petronas Twin Towers from the playpark (the best way to combine pushing a toddler on a swing and sightseeing!) As well as easy access to Suria Mall and its expansive food court. 

Toddler Travel Tip: there are bathrooms right next to the playpark. The sound-and-light shows at the lake fountains are at 7.30 pm, 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm daily. Go whilst you’re still jetlagged if your toddler doesn’t normally stay up that late.

Petrosains Science Discovery Centre

Right inside Suria Mall in KLCC, this science centre is geared towards older children but has a small soft play area. The whole centre is very hands-on so toddlers will love pulling levers and pressing buttons as they run through. 

National Science Centre / Pusat Sains Negara

 

A little dated but very cheap to enter, this cool science centre has it all. Toddlers will love the play area in the central dome for under-4s, the fish tanks and the dinosaurs down by the main road.

At the bottom of the gardens is this wonderful (and normally deserted) splash pool. Remember to take your swimming gear!

KL Bird Park 

This is a popular half-day out in Kuala Lumpur with toddlers. This huge aviary is home to 100s of species of Asian birds. There is a great cafe on a site which serves decent food.  The twice-daily bird show will keep toddlers occupied and the auditorium is right next to the playground. We’ve been out many times and love going back. Check out the KL Bird Park website for opening hours and more.

Toddler Travel Tip: Little ones might find it a bit scary when birds as tall as they are, congregate on the paths… other toddlers will love chasing the birds away!

KL Butterfly Park

A small butterfly park near KL Bird Park in Tun Abdul Razak Park. It’s very hot and humid. If you can stand the heat, toddlers will love chasing the colourful butterflies and counting the giant koi. 

Sunway Lagoon

KL’s best water park mostly has water rides and slides for older kids but the artificial beach is great if you have a water baby. Use Klook.com to find special promotions.

Zoo Negara 

If you like zoos, then it’s worth taking the 20-minute taxi ride out to Zoo Negara. Here, there are plenty of interesting animals to keep toddlers occupied from native Malaysian orangutans to African zebras and giraffes. The highlight is the multi-million-pound panda enclosure where you can see pandas lounging around in luxury. Entrance isn’t cheap (unless you have a MyKad card so again check out Klook.com for deals and promotions.)

Farm in the City 

A great alternative to the zoo is Farm in the City – a Malaysian village-themed petting zoo. Here many of the animals are allowed to wander around freely and visitor encounters are encouraged. An amazing place for wildlife-obsessed toddlers. It is located in Seri Kembangan, 20 minutes drive from the city. Find out more on their official website.

Which sights to miss in KL with a toddler 

In every city, there are dozens of must-see tourist sights that well…just don’t work well with toddlers. Here are some of the places that we honestly don’t enjoy going to with toddlers but still love anyhow.

Bukit Bintang

We still haven’t worked out what all the hype is about in this busy touristy commercial area of KL. The streets are crowded with people and billboards. The main highlights seem to be shopping malls. Personally, unless you like shopping with your toddler, I’d recommend that you give this area a miss.

Jalan Alor Night Market 

I love the craziness and crowds in Jalan Alor, the city’s most touristy outdoor night market. I love sitting at a cramped plastic table eating seafood as tourists shove past me. It’s a great Southeast Asian food experience. But I never take my kids there – I’d have a heart attack with all the noise and street sellers.

If you’d really like to go to a night market and don’t have a babysitter, try one of the quieter ones like Glutton Street in Pudu or Lot 10 Hutong, a sanitized indoor version with good quality food stands.

Berjaya Times Square Theme Park

This indoor theme park complex is aimed at older kids. As every single shopping mall in the whole of KL has a soft play / indoor playground, there’s no need to really take a toddler here. They’ll be too little to go on many of the rides. 

Places to visit during naptime

Some cool, quiet places to stroll around during naptime include the Museum of Islamic Arts and the National Museum.  Both are very interesting (for adults) and easy to push strollers around. Both museums also have cafes if your little one wakes up hungry and thirsty.

Activities to do in Kuala Lumpur with toddlers

The shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur are absolutely brimming with activities for toddlers and young children. Local families love to keep their little ones away from the sun and the mosquitoes so air-conditioned malls are the perfect place. Here are some of the best activities to do in Kuala Lumpur with toddlers:

Indoor Playgrounds KL

I often wonder if Kuala Lumpur could win a competition for the highest concentration of indoor playgrounds (aka soft plays) anywhere in the world. It is definitely a contender. 

Every shopping mall will have a few different activities for children ranging from simple and free to use indoor playgrounds with a few slides and monkey bars to gigantic branded soft areas which can cost upwards of 30 RM for entrance. 

My kids’ favourites are:

Jungle Gym in Atria Mall and Bangsar. Both have toddler-only areas.

Kids E World at high-end The Gardens Mall

Star Light Kids at Avenue K opposite the Petronas Towers

Dreamworld Playland and Kiddomo at The Starling Mall

Play Cafes for toddlers in KL

Play cafes are popping out around Kuala Lumpur. These are regular cafes designed to appeal to families with young children. They normally have a small play area that children can enter as long as food and beverages are purchased in the cafe. Some of our favourites are Little Owl Cafe in Publika and Bucket B cafe in IPC, Mutiara Damansara. Play cafes are a more relaxed alternative to indoor playgrounds.

Swimming Pools

If your hotel doesn’t have a swimming pool and your toddler loves a splash around, there are municipal and private pools open to the public around Kuala Lumpur. On weekdays, you can use the swimming pool (with water slide and play area) at The Club in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya. A fun alternative is a day out at Out of Africa, an African-themed restaurant that looks over a local swimming pool with a toddler splash pool. 

Parks to visit in Kuala Lumpur with a toddler

Despite the mosquitoes and the humidity getting outdoors in Kuala Lumpur with your toddler can be great fun. There are lots of parks around – not all of them very well-maintained. In our opinion (and our children’s) the very best parks for little ones are:

KLCC Park right in the heart of the city with amazing views of the Petronas Twin Towers and a truly humongous playground.

KL Forest Eco Park. Right at the foot of Menara KL is a lovely little free play with several wooden canopy walkways connecting viewing towers. Toddlers love running over these bridges and it may be difficult to keep up with them!

TTDI Park is where expats and locals go for some time in nature at the weekend. About 20 mins drive from KLCC, there are great restaurants nearby. We love the Common Man Coffee Roasters and K2. There is a basic playground and a little stream to paddle or fish in.

You will definitely see lots of monkeys at TTDI park and sometimes, you can spot metre-long monitor lizards swimming across the lake. If you have a stroller or back carrier, venture up on to one of the trails that run above the park. 

The Waterfront at Desa Park City is the ultimate expat hang-out spot. Located in a private community, this is a very safe and welcoming park popular with local dog owners (think chihuahuas, not stray dogs!) There are several al fresco restaurants, lots of fish to feed in the lake and a playground. 

Perdana Botanical Gardens has another giant playground as well as a quirky bamboo playhouse and several beautiful lakes. 

Park safety in KL with toddlers: unlike parks in Europe, you can very likely to encounter wild animals such as monkeys, lizards, spiders and snakes. Keep at eye out and be wary. Play equipment can be poorly maintained and rusty so check it before your toddler plays on it.

What to bring to Kuala Lumpur for a toddler

Kuala Lumpur is a major international city with every modern convenience that you can imagine. Below are a few additional items that you may want in your diaper/ nappy bag when you visit Kuala Lumpur with a toddler.

Mosquito repellent and sun protection

It is a good idea to wear mosquito repellent when out and about in KL with toddlers. There are sometimes dengue fever outbreaks at certain times of the year and it is definitely not something you want your toddler to catch on holiday. 

Malaysia is hot and sticky all year round. Toddlers often don’t want to keep their wide-brimmed hats on but make sure you have one especially if spending time outdoors. Good quality sunscreen reapplied often is a must. Kids’ sunglasses can also be useful in the midday sun.

Must-carry toiletries

Bathroom facilities in Malaysia vary enormously. Shopping malls usually have baby-changing facilities and some have nursing rooms. You can even find cubicles with adult and toddler toilets side by side in some of the better malls.

However, many toilets outside malls are not particularly clean. There is usually a mix of squat and sit-down toilets. If you’re potty training pot for sit-down ones. There is normally a picture on the outside of the door. Often, you need to collect toilet paper before you go into the cubicle. In case you forget or there is none, pack some tissues, baby wipes and hand sanitizer in your day bag.

Little ones can often get heat rash in the tropics. It looks worse than it is. Try to keep your toddler cool by dressing them in lightweight, breathable clothes. Camomile lotion may help cool down a prickly heat rash and prevent scratching. That said, shopping malls, cinemas and restaurants crank the air-con up so also pack a cardigan or hoodie for them.

Water bottles 

I once read (no idea where) that 80% of tantrums are caused by dehydration. Rather than find out if this statistic is true or not, just keep the little ones really well-hydrated. Carry lots of water and tempt toddlers with cartons of juice and chocolate milk.

There are very few drinking foundations around and the water from them often tastes strange. Unfortunately, you will probably end up buying plastic bottles of water unless your accommodation has a water filter or dispenser. 

Don’t worry if you forget anything. The 3 main pharmacies chains are Guardian, Watsons and Caring. Every mall has at least one, if not more, of chemists. 7-Elevens and MyNews shops which are on almost every street corner also stock some basic toiletries and medications.

Where to buy diapers/ nappies in Kuala Lumpur

The major supermarket market chains in Kuala Lumpur are Jaya One, the Village Grocer, Tesco, B.I.G and Hero. All these supermarkets stock a good range of diapers, baby wipes and other baby care items. You can buy Pampers and Huggies although I’ve found the Japanese brands and Tesco own-brand to be just as good and a lot cheaper.

Where to stay in KL with a toddler 

Finding toddler-friendly accommodation in Kuala Lumpur doesn’t have to be a hassle. We generally use either Airbnb or Booking.com to find suitable accommodation when visiting KL with toddlers in the past. 

Airbnb to find family-friendly accommodation options. Make sure that you set the ‘Type of Place’ that you’re searching for to ‘Entire Place’. Then click on more filters where you can select ‘crib’, ‘highchair’ or ‘washing machine’ as you need. You can also filter by price, location and accessibility. 

Booking.com is our go-to hotel booking website. I personally prefer to use it on a laptop or PC as it is easy to filter than on a mobile. Search Kuala Lumpur on your chosen dates. Use the filter menu on the left-hand side to narrow your search down. Depending on what you are looking for you can filter by ‘swimming pool’, ‘family rooms’, ‘washing machine’, ‘kitchen’ and even whether or not, it has a ‘children’s playground’.

Top family-travel tip: when travelling with toddlers, it really pays to spend a few minutes looking closely at the accommodation’s photos. Look for things that could be dangerous like open staircases and unsafe balconies.

What to eat in Kuala Lumpur with toddlers

Malaysian cuisine is typically spicy. Toddlers normally aren’t so keen on food with a lot of flavours but after almost two years here our little ones are really beginning to enjoy local cuisines. Here are some of their favourites:

Roti Pisang, Roti Telur or Roti Susu (fried flatbreads filled with banana, egg or sugar) are available in most Nasi Kandars and canteens. We love this simple breakfast/ snack meal. They are usually very cheap too. Adults can try Roti Canai, a plain roti served with curry or daal sauce for dipping. 

Satay sticks – simple skewers of chicken, beef or lamb. Check the peanut sauce isn’t spicy before dipping. Available in hawker centres.

Maki rolls – sushi is everywhere in KL and our little ones love simple cucumber, salmon or omelette maki rolls. Our favourite sushi chain is Zanmai. 

Bao – we love these soft squishy stuffed rolls. They can have all kinds of different fillings from red bean to curry. We usually look for vegetarian ones. Use a chopstick to poke a hole and let the steam out before handing to your toddler. They are available in hawker centres, convenience stores but our favourites are at Din Tai Fung, the famous Taiwanese restaurant found in Suria, Mid Valley and 1 Utama.

Where to eat in Kuala Lumpur with toddlers

Don’t worry if your toddlers won’t try any unfamiliar Asian food, Kuala Lumpur is full of chain restaurants and cafes. You can find anything and everything from McDonald’s to Nando’s. Some of our favourite chain restaurants are:

The Social – a great selection of Asian and Western dishes in beautifully decorated restaurants with outdoor seating areas. There is a good children’s menu with lots of choices. Very family-friendly. There are branches in Mont Kiara, Desa Park City and TREC.

Antipodean – mostly inside shopping malls, these down-under ‘themed’ cafes sell delicious Western breakfasts, lunches and cakes. There is no children’s menu but lots of kid-friendly options. There is a branch at Mid-Valley but the branches at Atria Mall and in Bangsar have children’s play areas. A huge bonus!

For a great Malaysian experience, visit a hawker centre/ night market. Here, as you can order different items from different stands you may well be able to create a toddler-friendly meal.

Local Nasi Kandars are also great for cheap meals. Order a simple roti and iced milo for a toddler whilst you sample some tasty local dishes.

Toddler Safety Tip: If you do visit a night market with a toddler, please make sure that they are safely in a stroller or a back carrier. Vendors often have their fires and gas cookers right on the pavement. Keep an eye on your little ones’ hands all the time.

The markets can also get very busy. You do not want to lose your toddler there, trust us. Also, most markets have simple plastic tables and chairs. Our toddlers have fallen off this kind of chairs more times than I can remember. 

Where to buy your toddler’s favourite snacks in Kuala Lumpur

If your toddler is refusing food at mealtimes. All these busy restaurants can be overwhelming, make sure that your daypack is well-stocked with their favourite goodies.

While convenience stores stock lots of crisps and chocolate bars, visit a supermarket to buy snacks imported from Australia, the UK or the States. Jaya One and B.I.G supermarkets are great for finding recognisable brands – although at imported prices! Yes, you can even find Paw Bears.

How many days to spend in KL with toddlers

Kuala Lumpur is a great Southeast Asian transportation hub with dozens of budget airlines serving the whole region. Whilst a 2 or 3-day stopover will give you more than enough time to see the city’s main attractions, KL is a very affordable place to stay a little longer. 

Flying somewhere else in Malaysia from Kuala Lumpur, check out our toddler-friendly guides to some of Malaysia’s tourist hotspots.

What do to in Penang in 3 days: Family-Friendly Malaysia

5 Fun Things to do in Langkawi with Kids and Toddlers

A sample Kuala Lumpur with toddler 3-day itinerary

A simple and relatively relaxing 3-day itinerary with a toddler could look like this:

Day 1: KLCC Park and the Petronas Towers. Visiting either Aquaria KLCC or Petronas Discovery Centre in the afternoon. If you can stay until after dark for the light-and-sound show.

Day 2: Perdana Botanical Garden and the KL Bird Park (or KL Butterfly Garden) all located in Tun Abdul Razak Park (as referred to as Lake Gardens). 

Day 3: Grab your stroller or baby carrier and walk from Merdeka Square, past Masjid Jamek and Central Market into Chinatown. In the afternoon, either visit an indoor playground at Avenue K or Sunway Putra mall. Alternatively, hop in a Grab car to experience the memorable Batu Caves.

This basic itinerary gives toddlers plenty of running around and outdoor time as well as showing the adults in the group some of the very best of Kuala Lumpur.

How to get around KL with a toddler easily and safely

By foot

The distances in central KL can easily walkable – the pavements may not be. The pavements in central Kuala Lumpur are notoriously uneven with deep, open drains along the curb. Not the easiest for traversing with strollers. Walk carefully and watch out for motorbikes zipping around corners or up pedestrianised streets when you cross.

Many major roads have few crossings and you’ll see tourists and locals alike dashing across like lemmings. With a toddler, it is always best to walk to a crossing even if it’s miles away. There are elevated walkways in central KL (some even enclosed) use them whenever you can.

By Road

Firstly, don’t do what the locals do and put the baby in front of you on the front of a motorbike without a helmet and take off at 50mph. I get the shivers every time I see it. 

Instead, we highly recommend using Grab cars to get around Kuala Lumpur. You will need to download the Grab app on to your mobile phone. You can then use it to book private cars to take you wherever you wish to go. Toddlers do not need to use special child safety seats in Malaysia or even wear a seatbelt. However, you would be wise to travel with a portable car seat. 

By public transport

Using the local MRT and komuter trains is a relatively easy experience. If you’re using a stroller, not all stations have lifts, so you may need to carry the stroller up several flights of stairs. 

Moving to Kuala Lumpur with toddlers

If you’re moving to Kuala Lumpur with a toddler, lucky you! When we moved two websites that I found very useful were:

Happy Go KL for lots of articles on where to live/ the best schools etc

Ibu Family Organisation who run playgroups and social activities throughout Kuala Lumpur for families with under-fives.

There are also several Facebook groups like Out and About in KL with kids that post regular information on toddler-friendly events in the city.

Of course, if you’re moving here and need any more advice feel free to drop us an email.

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