1. Family-Friendly Sweden
Traveling in Sweden with a toddler made me realize just how family-friendly the country is, with imaginative parks, exciting attractions, and almost guaranteed high chairs at every restaurant.
2. An Abundance of Amenities for Families
Alexander Skarsgård, Ikea, meatballs, Abba, and reindeer aren’t the only reasons to love Sweden, especially if you’re a mom or dad to a little one. Ubiquitous high chairs, changing tables, and playgrounds are a few other things traveling parents might fall in love with in the Scandinavian country, as I did recently while road tripping around the heart of Sweden with my husband and our 18-month-old daughter.
3. Child-Centric Culture
I knew ahead of time that Norse nations had a reputation for their wonderfully generous parental leave programs. When I visited Oslo years ago, I was impressed to see dads leisurely walking their babies around mid-morning, mid-week, and entire young families hanging out in parks on a Tuesday. In Stockholm, too, you can’t throw a binky without hitting a stroller. But I was still surprised to experience firsthand just how well Sweden caters to little ones and, let’s be honest, the parents whose lives are being made easier.
4. Free Strollers at Airports
I thought I was dreaming when I stumbled bleary-eyed off the plane in Stockholm and saw a giant stack of complimentary umbrella strollers within 10 yards. I was carrying our 24-pound daughter, Indah, after flying 11 hours overnight from Los Angeles, and this felt like a mirage. But it was real: Swedavia airports provided us strollers to use for free from the time we landed to the moment we left the airport. I was so happy that sleepy Indah was in that stroller as we waited almost an hour in the immigration line.
5. Playground Wonders
Through our 10 days touring southeastern Sweden, I continuously felt like things were master-planned by attentive parents. We drove through small towns, some with only a single restaurant (often, a pizza-kebab eatery), but virtually everyone had a playground. These were not run-of-the-mill plastic playgrounds; they were original and creative. There were sandboxes with diggers, pirate ships, trains, tire swings, colorful houses, and massive spiraling slides.
6. Engaging Museums for Kids
Ditto at the fascinating Torsby Finnskogscentrum museum and Skogskyrkogården, a historic cemetery and UNESCO World Heritage Site. There, on a baby-sized stool, Indah happily had herself a tea party with a stuffed owl and several badgers while us adults ogled the architecture.
7. Dining Around Sweden
From cool pizza places (P-za) to fine-dining establishments (Bofors Hotel) to lakeside fish shacks (Antes Hamnbod), high chairs abounded, making us feel comfortable and welcome to bring our toddler everywhere. Plus, padded stainless steel changing tables were in virtually every restroom I entered, showcasing the commitment to family comfort.
8. Accommodations for Families
In Stockholm, we had a giant-by-European-standards room at the wonderfully located Story Hotel Riddargatan — JDV by Hyatt, complete with space for our daughter to play. We enjoyed the breakfast spread filled with kid- and adult-friendly options, and Indah looked adorable in the Scandinavian minimalist high chair.
9. Seamless Transportation
Getting around the city is a breeze — some of our Uber drivers even surprisingly pulled out baby seats. All buses, streetcars, and trains allot space for pregnant women and those with young kids, and subway stations are clean and welcoming, each boasting original murals, art, and installations, adding a cultural layer to the transportation experience.
10. Imaginative Play Areas
Fans of Pippi Longstocking and kids with big imaginations will go crazy for Junibacken, an engaging children’s museum that’s like the Scandinavian literary version of Disneyland — with free chocolate milk on the way out. Indah was captivated and would have happily spent days exploring every inch of the play worlds devoted to author Astrid Lindgren’s theatrical stories.
11. Embracing Nature in Sweden
Out in the countryside, I appreciated the well-marked hikes that meant we always knew exactly the length (and difficulty) of each walk. Indah adored running across endless grass with no traffic in sight, among nature and wildlife, creating memories that would last a lifetime.
12. Magical Moments at Skansen
A major highlight came when Indah reached out and giddily touched a reindeer’s velvety antlers while at Skansen, the world’s oldest open-air museum. I realized at that moment that it was the first time I’d seen a reindeer myself, and Indah’s joy was truly contagious.
Conclusion
In Sweden, it felt natural, easy, and accepted to be traveling with our child, which is not always the case around the world. For me, seeing the country through my child’s eyes helped reclaim some of the magic of travel, making it a uniquely enriching experience for our family.
