Switzerland has many themed activity trails for kids, which have fun activities scattered along the way. The trails usually have a theme like music, nature or the senses and use the activities to both entertain and educate.
Theme trails are a great way to teach kids how to hike, as the stations help kids focus on the fun instead of their tired legs. With trails like these, my kids can’t wait to go hiking every weekend. Here are our favorite theme trails for kids in Switzerland.
Contents
Bernese Oberland
1. Hasliberg Muggestutz Storybook Trail & Marble Run
This trail has play stations along the way that match up with the Muggestutz storybook, which tells about the magical dwarfs that supposedly live in the area. There are swings to simulate an eagle’s flight, a maze, a ladder up to a nest with a hidden treasure, and a pine cone drying station.
Plus little houses where the dwarves live, with tables set and laundry drying as if you just missed them. The activities are adorable and it’s a fabulous beautiful hike.
Hike: easy • 2 hours • 4 km one way • 10m up, 280m down
Cost: Cable cars from CHF 32-42/adult depending on where you start. Discount with SBB Half-fare & GA. Junior card accepted.
Details for Muggestutz trail
Also at Hasliberg, the Marble Run trail starts where the Muggestutz trail (described above) ends. This fun activity trail for children with 11 elaborate marble runs along easy downhill path, with mountain views and shady forest for hot days. Can add on a second theme trail and/or mountain top viewpoint for a full day.
Hike: easy • 3 km one way • about 1 hour • 20m up & 390m down • stroller ok
Cost: Starting at CHF 16/adult, depending on where you start. Discount for GA & SBB Half-fare. Junior cards accepted. CHF 3 for each wooden marble.
Details for Hasliberg Marble Run trail
2. Lieselotte Theme Trail (Grindelwald)
If you have children aged about 5-10 that need a little motivation to keep walking, you might try the Lieselotte theme trail. From Grindelwald, you ride a gondola up to Männlichen, where you’ll find a nice playground with a view and restaurants.
Then you hike down the mountain about an hour, visiting 13 stations along the way, including playing an alphorn and “milking” a cow.
Hike: Easy • 1h30 • 3.5 km • 600 m down
Cost: gondolas from Grindelwald CHF 49/adult, 30% off with guest card, 50% for kids (6-15) and various travel cards/passes.
See details for the Lieselotte theme trail.
3. Engstligenalp Globi Trails
The Engstligenalp mountain near Adelboden has three themed Globi trails. One visits the alpine dairies, one searches for crystals, and one searches for milk canisters with puzzles that help you discover a secret word. Along the way, we visited Globi’s stone mountain hut and searched for clues on the mountain with binoculars.
This high alpine valley is very beautiful and home to a very large waterfall that you can admire on the cable car ride up the mountain.
Hike: options from 1.5 to 4.5 km with a stroller option
Cost: cable car round trip CHF 32/adult, discounts for families, SBB GA, Half-fare, Swisspass, Junior card, etc.
Learn more about the Engstligenalp Globi Trails
4. Gstaad Adventure Trails
Gstaad has lots of fun amusements for children, including multiple alpine playgrounds and two adventure trails for children.
In the valley, children can do the easy “Saanis sound adventure trail” has 18 activity stations related to music and nature sounds. You can pick up a puzzle book (CHF 5) that children use on the trail to find a treasure chest and get a small reward.
Hike: easy • 2 hours • 4 km
Cost: free, optional CHF 5 for activity booklet
Near Zurich
For this post, I’ve selected just a few of my favorite theme trails near Zurich. But you can see lots more in Best Hikes near Zurich for Kids.
5. Toggenburg Tone Trail
The Toggenburg Tone Trail is the gold standard when it comes to theme trails, with over 20 interactive musical “instruments” scattered along this stroller-friendly trail. Your kids will be motivated to keep walking because you can usually either see or hear the next thing to kling, clank, or bang.
There are also a few playgrounds, lots of picnic areas, and restaurants along the way. All this in the beautiful Swiss alps, with dramatic mountain peaks and rolling hills filled with wildflowers.
Hike: 6 km one way (return with bus) • about 3 hrs with kids • 120m up & down • stroller ok
Cost: Adult CHF 32, Child CHF 18.50, under 6 free. SBB GA, Half-fare & Junior cards accepted.
Details for Toggenburg Tone Trail…
6. Giants Forest at Elm
We love this new theme trail at Elm, with more than a dozen play stations that go along with the “Riesenwald” theme, aka “Giants in the Forest.” There is a giant xylophone, an over-sized picnic table and forest kitchen, an obstacle course, a suspension bridge, and much more.
Much of the trail is in the forest, but you still have great views of the surrounding mountains. It’s short and easy, sure to win over even the most reluctant little hiker.
Hike: 2.5 km loop • 1h30 with kids • 50m up/ 60m down • strollers ok
Cost: Adult CHF 18, Child CHF 9, under 6 free. No discounts with travel cards.
Details for Elm Giants Forest Trail…
7. Pizol Heidi Trail, Eastern Switzerland
The Pizol Heidi trail is an easy way to have a classic alpine experience with a child, with several play stations along the trail to help motivate your child to keep walking. The kids get a little trail passport that they stamp along the way as they complete the stations.
Hike: 4 km loop • about 2 hrs with kids • 120m up & down • strollers ok
Cost: Adult CHF 36, Child CHF 18, under 6 free. SBB GA, Half-fare & Junior cards accepted.
Details for Pizol Heidi Trail…
Near Lucerne
8. Engelberg Brunni Tickle Trail and Treasure Hunt
The Tickle Trail is an old favorite of ours and we go at least once a summer, always with friends. The main attraction is a very short sensory trail around a little pond, where you walk barefoot over surfaces like stones, sticks, bark, mud, and even cow pies.
Bring extra clothes-you will get wet! You can take a lift to reach the trail or hike there on the Globi Treasure Hunt trail, searching for treasure chests along the trail to solve a puzzle. There’s also a big playground, a trampoline, alpine slide, water play, etc. Your kids may never want to come home.
Details for Brunni Tickle Trail and Globi Treasure Hunt Trail
9. Engelberg Trübsee Smuggler’s Trail
Ride a gondola to reach this easy hike around a lake with mountain views. This trail has a smuggler’s theme, with stories and activities related to the history of smuggling over the mountain pass in this region. This is a great choice for smaller children that are learning to hike, as the trail is short and suitable for strollers.
Kids get a smuggler’s map where they record the hidden letters they find on the trail. They can return the completed map and collect a small prize. The trail ends at a big playground with slides, swings, climbing obstacles and even pony rides on the weekends.
Hike: easy • 1h30 loop • 3.3 km • 40m up & down
Cost: gondola CHF 36/adult, 50% discount for kids (6-15) and various travel cards/passes
Details for Trübsee Smuggler’s Trail
10. Mooraculum
The main attraction is this big alpine playground, with lots of interactive play stations educating children about nature, particularly the endangered moor. There’s water play, swings, slides, climbing stuff, obstacle courses, games, and a little scavenger hunt.
The short and easy theme trail has 18 stations focused on the senses and aspects of the moor. Enough to entertain a wide range of ages, including toddlers.
Hike: easy • 1h • 1.4 km loop • 20m up & down
Cost: Gondola return adult CHF 20, child CHF 10, under 6 free.
Details for Mooraculum trail…
Valais region
Zermatt has nice hikes for families, but no trails with fun activities for kids. And the whole Valais region only has one theme trail for kids that I’m aware of.
11. Kreuzboden Wellness & Yoga Trail
In the Saastal valley, the Kreuzboden mountain area has lot of amusements for kids. It has a big alpine playground with swings, zip line, climbing tower, bouldering wall, water play, a little pond, and a little petting zoo. They also have a short sensory trail with several interactive stations, a barefoot path and little suspension bridge.
Hike: easy • 30 mins loop • 1.2 km
Cost: Chair lift return Adult CHF 30, Child CHF 15, discount with SBB GA & Half-fare, free with Saastal guest card
See details for Kreuzboden Theme Trail
Ticino
12. Verzasca River “BoBosco” Trail for Kids
Kids roll wooden balls down a dozen elaborate marble runs along this easy trail along the Verzasca river.
Hike: easy • 2h30 • 5.5 km one way • 10m up, 210m down
Cost: CHF 9 for the wooden marble, plus bus fare for one way trail
Learn more about BoBosco trail
13. Locarno Cardada Treasure Hunt
Children get a treasure hunt booklet and use it to find seven animal footprints scattered around the Cardada play area and viewpoints. There’s also a short barefoot sensory path and fun playground. To reach this mountain, you ride a funicular from Locarno, then a cable car up the mountain.
Hike: easy • about 1h • 1.2 km
Cost: From Locarno, about CHF 44/adult. SBB GA, Half-fare & Junior Card accepted.
Learn more about Cardada Treasure Hunt
Graubünden region (southeast Switzerland)
14. Lenzerheide Globi Trail
Globi hosts this educational theme trail that has 13 posts along the way, including a barefoot path. Lots of picnic areas with mountain views. Great choice for families.
Hike: easy • 2h30 • 6 km • 130m up, 170m down
Cost: Chair lift return Adult CHF 18, Child CHF 9
See details for Lenzerheide Globi Trail
15. Swiss National Park Bear Trail
This trail has nine interactive stations along the trail, that teaching you about bears. Our favorite station was where each block of wood represents the weight of a bear at a certain age. My boys loved trying to lift and push the various blocks. There are several picnic spot with grill pits and lots of nice spots along the river to lounge.
Details for Swiss National Park Bear trail…
Need more ideas? See all our theme trail reviews here.
14 Responses
Hi,Tanya,really look forward to receiving Swiss Family Fun,thank you.Twice I have taken my family from home in Scotland to visit AstroPleides,above Vevey ,with the intention of walking the Parcours Claude Nicollier-twice we have failed!First time we did reach Blonay,but certainly not on an official trail!Last week we seemed to do a circuit of the mountain,ending up in Lally.This in spite of experienced hikers with phones!Signposts seemed a bit lacking for Switzerland.Which hiking map would you recommend for this area,we are intent on third time lucky!Really enjoyed the very interesting,informative astronomical display up there and the views though.
Hi Alice. I tried that trail many years ago and also found it not well signed and difficult to follow. Sorry, but I don’t have any other advice for that trail.
Hi! Are there any good trails for kids that you can just drive to the trailhead, park, and not have to take a cable car or gondola? It seems very expensive for 5 people. Thanks!
Yes, I agree that the cable cars for a whole family can be expensive. Remember that children are half-price and children under 6 are free. If you have a Junior Card, then children under 16 are also free. For no-gondola kid hikes, it depends on the region. Near Zurich: Sihlwald Forest Discovery Trail, Frick Sensory Trail, Zugerland Sensory Trail. The Zugerberg Zugiblubbi trail is not super expensive and you can sometimes drive up the mountain and skip funicular. Just search these hike names on my site to find them. If you need other regions, let me know.
Are there any of these trails near interlaken or Lucerene
Yes. the Muggestutz trail is near Interlaken. Many of the others are near lucerne. You can see the address in each hike post.
We enjoyed the Heidi trail again this week. My kids love racing around looking for the goats and the scenery is a nice treat for everyone. We went all the way to the top this time to check out the panorama and there was already a good amount of snow. So we played around for a while then came back down to conquer the goats and the fall colors. It was a great day. Thanks for all your work you make our adventures possible!
Yes, I agree. I had the Heidi trail already on other top ten lists, so I didn't include it here. I might swap it in though. It's a classic.
Maybe you want to add the Heidi-Trail as well. The Pizol Area offers many hiking trails, starting with this easy and short one, there is also the 10 lakes trail and some for 2 or more days.
all saved on my google maps 🙂
This is a great list, I can see my son loving a lot of these and he definitely fits the description of “lazy kid” when we try to go hiking! I think the most we've made it with him is about 100 meters! We will have to try some of these trails out!
Just what we need at this time of year! And horray that my children can all walk the trails now. Thanks so much
Those look like awesome places to go to, thank you for sharing!
If you're looking for more ideas in order to get your kids outside, you may want to try www.geocaching.com – so many great ones all over!
This list is perfect for my girls! You have so many great new lists! With spring here, we need to get going!