Whilst Kuala Lumpur is not the most expensive capital city in the world, there is of course the opportunity to spend a lot of cash. But there is also so much free stuff to do in the city, from parks to street food markets, to lapping up the skyline. Here’s a list of our favourite FREE things to do in Kuala Lumpur for families.

City Park at TRX, The Exchange

There are so many malls in KL and most of them are not just for shopping but they have food courts and entertainment for family. The City Park at TRX Exchange is no different and is the newest addition to KL’s mall scene. The city park is 500 acres of rooftop gardens, walkways and play areas. There is even a rainforest walk, all of which is accessed via the 4th floor from the mall.

As well as all the walkways to explore, there is a play cave, adventure play park, splash park and water play section, all located in the centre. It is new, clean, safe and great fun for kids of all ages – this definitely goes down as one of the best parks in Kuala Lumpur. Next to the water play there is a small amusement centre with fun cars to rent which the kids can drive around themselves on the rooftop walkways. The city park is free to visit but the cars are £5 for 10 minutes – they even have sensors to avoid crashes or you can drive in the cars with the kids.

The Petronas Towers and Suria KLCC Light Shows

The Petronas Towers and Suria KLCC Light Shows. These iconic towers are the centre of K-L. We didn’t actually go up the towers but we enjoyed them in different ways. Each evening the pools surrounding the Petronas Towers come alive with the most amazing fountain and light shows – the colours, the music, the water dancing. It does get busy but we never had trouble finding a good spot for a sit and to watch, and we went several evenings during our trip as it was such a hit. The night time light shows are on at 8pm, 9pm and 10pm.

The Lake Gardens

The Lake Gardens or KL’s Botanical Gardens. Once acclimatised to the heat and humidity of KL, the Lake Gardens are great for kids. There are ponds with some huge fish and terrapins which can be viewed over the various bridges and viewpoints. The Gardens are extensive and great for exploring with plenty to capture the attention of young eyes and minds.

There is plenty of space for running around and burning off energy. With topiary dinosaurs to bamboo houses and rainbow trees, it isn’t only the amazing children’s playground in the centre of the park that makes it worthy of a visit. It also gives some different view of K-L, there’s plenty of trees for shade, cafes and kiosks for refreshment breaks, and the paths are uber pushchair friendly.

KLCC Park

KLCC Park. This is an absolute must visit for any family visiting K-L. At the foot of the Petronas Towers is a huge expanse of pools and play areas for children to enjoy. However, don’t make the same mistake as we did and rock-up on a Monday as it is closed!! Every other day of the week, children can enjoy hours of free fun. The splash pools are knee-deep with fountains and various water features to be enjoyed. Remember a nappy for babies and toddlers as otherwise they do get evicted from the water by the various ‘security guards’.

You can combine the splash park with some time on the biggest children’s playground in K-L, with plenty of climbing frames, slides, houses, swings and adventure courses for children aged 2 – 12  there’s something for everyone. And whilst the children play, adults can enjoy the shading spots and views of the Petronas Towers. One word of warning, the plastic climbing frames and slides can get VERY hot in the heat so plenty of water and shorts over dresses are probably a good idea for little ones!

China Town, Petaling market and K-L Central Market.

China Town, Petaling market and K-L Central Market. For a few hours of mooching, shopping and eating, you could combine all of these three sights in a few hours. There’s the usual tourist-tat and souvenirs on offer, a huge choice of eateries with a host of different cuisines, and a great vibe for exploring the streets and lots of things for little eyes to spot along the way.

Within K-L central market, our two through enjoyed the new food hall where we enjoyed a great feast for less than £20 for the 4 of us and everyone could choose what they wanted to eat. A lot of locals frequent this area which we always see is a great sign as somewhere good to go, and our little ginger-headed boy attracted a lot of attention from the locals! There’s also some great wall art as you wander back towards Merdeka Square from the market (5 minute walk). You can walk along the “River of Life” which is traffic free and has some good views of colonial KL.