For explorers of all ages
Kieler Woche for Children and Young People

The play area at Krusenkoppel is one of the highlights of Kiel Week 2026. Here, you’ll find a huge, open creative space where you can build, paint, get muddy and play to your heart’s content. This year’s theme is‘Secrets of the Night’ –find out what happens when everyone is asleep and discover the hidden treasures of the darkness. Every Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm, and on weekdays from 2 pm to 6 pm, you can create your own magical works of art using wood, clay, paint and wool. You can also look forward to exciting workshops, colourful painting activities, interactive theatre and children’s concerts.

📍 Düsternbrooker Weg 98

Have you outgrown the play area but still fancy some fun and action? Then the Playground in the Ratsdienergarten is your new place to be. Whether you love K-pop, read manga, enjoy skateboarding or are keen on cosplay, you can discover and experience it all here. Let your creativity run wild: Create cool street art with VR graffiti, let off steam with painting and crafts, or give free rein to your creativity with black-out poetry, where you can create little works of art using individual snippets of text. Free for everyone aged 10 to 17, daily from 1 pm to 6 pm.

📍Ratsdienergarten

Right next to the playground is the Junge Bühne – just the place to go if you fancy seeing some of Kiel’s up-and-coming talent. In the afternoons, children and young people bring the stage to life with acrobatic, creative and musical performances – there’s plenty of passion, movement and music from the city, for the city. And in the evenings, things get wild, loud and creative: look forward to concerts by up-and-coming artists, queer vibes, poetry battles and powerful sounds. There’s also something for those feeling peckish: snacks and soft drinks at pocket-money-friendly prices. 

📍Ratsdienergarten

Right next to the seal pool on the Kiellinie, a large adventure playground awaits you – perfect for all curious explorers! On the Geomar Meadow, you can experience the environment up close together with the Environmental Protection Agency, Offener Kanal Kiel and many other organisations. Whether you go live ‘on air’ with Offener Kanal, make lovely things from ‘rubbish’ or pick up practical tips on climate protection, zero waste and fair trade – here you can get involved, give things a go and learn loads!

📍Kiellinie, near Düsternbrooker Weg 20

The adventure area in the castle gardens offers you and your family plenty of fun and adventure. You can jump, slide, climb and run about to your heart’s content. If you’re a football fan, you’ll be in your element at the Football Park, and in the Electricity Workshop, open from Saturday to Thursday, you can carry out experiments with electricity all centred on the theme of renewable energy – here you’ll learn how electricity is generated, when an electric circuit is closed, and what we mean by ‘resistance’ when it comes to electricity. At the weekends, the Spielmacher children’s disco invites you all to sing and dance together.

📍Castle Gardens

During Kiel Week, the Sport- und Begegnungspark in Gaarden is transformed into a lively meeting place for young and old alike, brimming with creativity and fun. Here, exercise meets music, and taking part goes hand in hand with helping to shape the event – a place that brings people together and brings diversity to life. Look forward to a colourful world of outdoor games, free face painting for children, a hands-on circus, magic shows and live music. Whether it’s creative craft sessions, inspiring art workshops or exciting talks – everyone is welcome here to explore, try things out and learn something new together.

📍 Gaarden Sports and Community Park

Here, the atmosphere of a seaside funfair meets live music and juggling. At the Hörn, an adventurous site with thrilling rides awaits you: follow the scent of candyfloss, enjoy the view from the Ferris wheel or treat yourself to some roasted almonds. If you prefer a touch of nostalgia, Germaniahafen is the place for you. Here, alongside the fairground action, you can marvel at the old traditional sailing ships. DJs and regional live acts on the small Hörn stage set the right mood. And if you fancy a dance: on the first Saturday, there’s a children’s disco from the afternoon onwards.

📍 Kieler Hörn

The Kids Fun Park on the ‘Norder’ is a real hidden gem for anyone who loves action and creativity: there are loads of colourful bouncy castles ready and waiting, guaranteeing hours of jumping fun. But that’s not all. Fancy a bit of a makeover? Then head over to the face-painting area and, in the blink of an eye, become a tiger, a butterfly or a magical creature. Or how about giant soap bubbles that you can conjure up yourself? For anyone who loves digging, building and creating, there are also plenty of sand toys.

📍 Nordmarksportfeld

So much more than just a ‘puppet show’! Tucked away from the hustle and bustle, in Hiroshima Park on the Kleiner Kiel, lies a cultural gem. Award-winning puppeteers working in a variety of styles present enchanting stories in the afternoons, such as ‘Humboldt’s Little Nature Lesson’, ‘Fiete with a Twist’ or ‘Yolka, the Troll Girl’ – always child-friendly and brimming with imagination and attention to detail. On opening day, the performance of “The Princess on the Flower” will also be accompanied by sign language interpreters, so that everyone can truly enjoy the show.

📍 Hiroshima Park