Bowling with Kids in Zürich

Bowling may not seem exciting but I think once or twice a year, it can be just the right diversion for your family, especially on a cold winter day. Plus the photo opps are great, with all those retro colors and funky bowling shoes. Here’s our favorite bowling alley for families and some tips for bowling for kids.

In the Zürich area, we like Fun Bowl Stockmatt at in Affoltern am Albis, about a 20 min drive from Zurich. It’s clean, friendly, and festively lit, a comfortable place for families. Since our last visit, they’ve renovated the place adding a pirate theme, which sounds fun. I’ll report back again after our next visit.

Prices vary depending on the day and time. On a Saturday, it was 6CHF per game per person (kids same price) and 2CHF/person for shoe rental. It’s slightly cheaper on weekdays.

It’s never been crowded when we’ve been, but we’ve only been there in the afternoon, not an evening. It’s also a good spot for birthday parties (remember to take a pic of the birthday kid holding a ball with same number as their new age).

Birthday parties

They offer three birthday packages from CHF 10-15 per person. The packages include one round of bowling and shoe rental, plus drinks, food and cake depending on which package you choose. You cannot bring outside food, but we were allowed to bring our own cake.

If you want additional bowling rounds, you pay the normal round fee per person. Older kids will probably want 2 rounds. The birthday child bowls for free within 7 days of their birthday. Each bowling lane fits up to 6 kids. You can book this package any day between 14:00 to 18:00.

Tips for bowling with little kids:

Lane bumpers. Most places have lane bumpers for kids. At Fun Bowl, they were called “Kinderwand” (aka kid wall). You can ask the attendant to program the lane to only put up the bumpers when the kids are up and put them back down for the adults’ turn.

Bowling balls. All the bowling alleys we’ve been to in Switzerland have balls as low as 5 or 6 pounds, which is light enough for a four year old to at least roll between their legs. Now that I think of it, it’s funny that the balls are labeled with pounds, not kilos. I was using a #10 ball (yes, I’m weak), and I’m pretty sure that was no 10 kilos.

Bowling shoes. Some places we’ve been only have bowling shoes size 30 and up. But little kids are usually allowed to bowl in their regular shoes or socks.

Time. It took us about 45-60 mins to play one round with two adults and two kids. My kids are usually up for two games.

Age. I think 5 years old is a good age to start, when they have enough concentration and strength to last a whole game. I took my son when he was three and four and after a few frames he was running around the alley, completely uninterested.