Activities for children aged 6 to 9 in the canton of Vaud: our outing ideas

At 6 to 9, children are no longer content to discover: they want to do. Climb, pedal, aim, time themselves, finish a course. It is the age when a successful outing is measured by what they achieved, not by what they saw.

Good news: it is also the age when the canton of Vaud becomes very generous. Children can walk for two hours, swim, manage a full day and cope with a train journey. Here is our selection, sorted by mood.

What changes from age 6

Three shifts:

• Stamina. Two to three hours of walking become possible, including some climbing. So does a full day.
• Minimum ages. From age 6 to 8, many activities finally open up: intermediate treetop courses, escape games, solo summer toboggan runs, cave visits.
• The need to succeed. A course to complete, a score to beat, a puzzle to solve. It is the best motivator at this age, far more than a guided visit.

Activities where you score points

The “game with a score” format is unbeatable from 6 to 9.

• Minigolf de Bellerive in Lausanne — by the lake, the perfect late-afternoon outing. See all our minigolf courses in French-speaking Switzerland.
• Summer toboggan runs: from age 6 to 8 depending on the site, children ride down alone and want to go again. Our summer toboggan runs.
• Treetop courses: green and blue levels are accessible from age 6 at most parks. Our adventure and treetop parks.

Walks with a hook

At this age, walking works very well — as long as something is happening.

• The Chauderon gorges in Montreux — a genuine mountain hike from age 7, with waterfalls, steps and walkways. You can come back by train or funicular, which goes down very well.
• La Tine de Conflens in La Sarraz — ten minutes’ walk to a rocky amphitheatre where two rivers meet in two waterfalls. Free.
• The nature trail in the forêt des Arses in Rougemont — the “discovery hunt” format that works perfectly at this age.

See also our gorges and waterfalls as a family and our themed nature trails.

Water, the 6–9 version

You are no longer after the paddling pool but the slide, the diving board and something to steer.

• The outdoor pool in Yverdon and Le Parc pool in Morges — pools where you really swim.
• Pully-Plage — a pool with its feet in Lake Geneva.
• Pedalos in Lausanne (Ouchy and Vidy) — from age 7 to 8, children really do the pedalling. See all our pedalo spots.
• Bellerive beach in Grandson on Lake Neuchâtel, or Préverenges on Lake Geneva. Our guides: Lake Geneva beaches and Lake Neuchâtel beaches.

Castles and history, without the boredom

Six to nine is the golden age for castles: children have the imagination, and the game trails offered on site give them a role. The canton of Vaud has several, including Chillon by the lake. See our castles to visit as a family in French-speaking Switzerland. To extend the day, the Chillon beach in Veytaux is a small free cove at the very foot of the castle.

Underground and underwater: the visits that stay with them

• Caves and mines: most are accessible from age 6, with a helmet and lamp. It is often the strongest memory of the year.
• Aquariums and vivariums: the ideal format for a day of uncertain weather.

The train as part of the adventure

At this age, the journey counts as much as the destination. The Rochers-de-Naye rack railway from Montreux is guaranteed to impress. Our car-free train and boat outings bring together the best options in the canton.

And in the mountains, the deer park in Leysin or the Leysin ice rink, open all year round, round off a day at altitude nicely.

First escape games

Many rooms in Vaud open from age 8 with an adult. At 8 to 9, children genuinely contribute to solving the puzzles and love the countdown. Our guide to escape games for children details the minimum ages, room by room.

Rainy days

• Interactive museums, where you handle things instead of looking at them: the format that works best from 6 to 9.
• Indoor play parks: trampolines, climbing, play structures.
• Our selections what to do when it rains and a rainy day in Lausanne.

Wednesday afternoons and birthdays

Two key moments at this age, each with its own guide: our Wednesday afternoon ideas and our addresses for a children’s birthday party in Lausanne.

By region of the canton

• La Côte: between Nyon and Rolle · Gland · Terre Sainte
• Morges: Morges as a family
• Lausanne: free activities in Lausanne
• Jura vaudois: Saint-Cergue
• Le Pays-d’Enhaut: Rougemont and Le Pays-d’Enhaut

And for everything else, all the activities in the canton of Vaud.

And for other ages?

Our neighbouring guides: 3–5 years in the canton of Vaud, 6–9 years in French-speaking Switzerland, 10–12 years and 12–16 years. To plan a holiday period, see the Vaud school holiday dates.

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