Tehran is a very family-friendly city. Children are welcome almost everywhere, restaurants stay open late, and parks fill up with families every evening. For parents who have moved here, the bigger questions are schools, childcare and how to keep children busy through the long summer and the smoggy winter weeks. This guide to Tehran with kids brings together all of our coverage for families, from international schools to playgrounds, museums and days out.
International schools. Foreign families in Tehran mostly choose one of the embassy-linked schools, which teach in their own language and follow their home country’s curriculum. We have guides to the German Embassy School, the French School, the Italian School, the Russian School, the Korean School, the Indian School and the Pakistani School. Admission rules vary, and some schools do not take Iranian or dual-national pupils, so contact the school or the relevant embassy early.
Childcare. Many working families employ a nanny. Our guide to hiring a nanny in Tehran covers the basics, and our article on hiring a Filipino nanny explains the legal risks of employing foreign domestic staff.
Days out. Our day out with the kids is a good starting point. Milad Tower has an observation deck and, in our guide to the Milad Tower complex, plenty more, including the Karbazia kids’ centre. The Tehran Book Garden is far more than a bookshop, with a large children’s area and science exhibits. Theme parks with a difference include the Jurassic Park, the Human Park and the Recycling Park, and Ghazali Cinema Town is a film set of old Tehran.
Parks and outdoor fun. Park-e Shahr is cheap and central, Ab-o-Atash Park has fountains children can run through, and Saei Park is shady in summer. At Chitgar Lake, try the Freefall slide and eat at Bam Land. The Birds Garden, the National Botanical Garden and Honar Lake are good for younger children, and for a weekend escape, Lavasan is close by. Our full guide to Tehran’s parks has more.
Rainy-day and indoor activities. For bad weather and smog days, try bowling, karting, escape rooms for older children or the best cinemas. Honar Hall stages children’s theatre, and the Balloonia playhouse café lets parents sit down while little ones play. The Gonbad-e Mina Planetarium and the International Dolls Museum are favourites, and our guide to museums in Tehran suggests many more.
Sport and activities. Older children can learn to ride at one of the best horse riding clubs, and mothers and daughters can swim at the top women-only pools. Our guide to sports complexes covers clubs with classes for children.
Shopping for children. See our guide to three streets for children’s clothes, and for books in English and Persian, the top bookstores in Tehran.
New to the city? Our guides to the best expat neighbourhoods and the cost of living will help you plan the move.
