Turks and Caicos Top Things to Do for Kids
The natural environment of the Turks and Caicos is the ideal playground for families with children. Along with unrivaled calm beaches, there are beautiful wetland and coastal environments filled with marine and bird life to explore, as well as exciting water sports to try.
The terrestrial environment of the Turks and Caicos is pretty safe, so go out and explore! There are no poisonous snakes here, and the most dangerous insect anyone could likely find is the common paper wasp. There are a few plants that can cause rashes if touched (coral sumac and manchineel), but both are easy to identify. See Dangerous Plants, Insects, and Animals.
The sun can be quite intense, so be sure to pack sunscreen for your kids. Alternatively, you can easily buy it in the local shops. The Turks and Caicos also has a collection of babysitting and childcare services, as well as kids camps and clubs that are hosted by some of the local resorts and water sports companies.
Discover the Incredible Beaches
The primary attraction in the Turks and Caicos is its beaches, and there’s a wealth of incredible and varied beaches to discover. Some of the beaches on Providenciales stand out as being especially great for kids, due to their shallow and calm water.
The sheltered Taylor Bay Beach near Chalk Sound National Park on Providenciales is one such coast. The ocean at this south coast beach is shallow, calm, and a little warmer than what you will find on the north coast at Grace Bay Beach and Leeward Beach.
The secluded Turtle Tail Beach is another great spot with similar conditions to Taylor Bay. Several small rocky islands are found off the coast, too. While they aren't quite as shallow, the famous Grace Bay Beach, Bight Beach, and Leeward Beach are still great beaches for children, boasting wide beaches with white sand that's perfect for sandcastle building and waters that are generally calm year-round.
Go Snorkeling
Snorkeling is a must-do activity when you're visiting the islands, and it's a sport that parents and kids can participate in together. There are many great locations to explore, including several easy-to-access reefs that start directly off the beach.
The Bight Reef is a great place to start. This reef is located in central Providenciales and is home to a vibrant community of colorful reef fish, corals, and more, many of which you can find at its shallowest points. The surrounding lush seagrass also hides starfish, eagle rays, and turtles. Since the Bight Reef is a popular snorkeling location, there's always someone around in case of an emergency.
Smith’s Reef is another beautiful spot for snorkeling, and is a larger and more complex network of reefs and coral heads found near Turtle Cove. The outer reefs of this system are a little too far out for young kids, but there’s still plenty to see right off the beach.
Go on a Boat Cruise
Booking a boat charter is one of the top-rated activities, and there’s a tremendous range of vessels, destinations, beaches, and snorkeling reefs. Most charters are great for kids, and many of the popular tour boats offer water slides, wake tube riding, beach BBQs, and more.
Half Moon Bay, which is an extensive sandbar that has filled in between two uninhabited islands, features an exquisite beach on its north side and a shallow and sheltered lagoon to the south. There are beautiful coasts to explore, an unparalleled beach, trees for shade, and friendly Turks and Caicos Islands rock iguanas scurrying about.
Water Cay, Pine Cay, and Fort George Cay are also very popular places to visit, and collectively have miles of deserted beach to discover. Visiting these islands is a great way to give your children memories to last a lifetime.
Most excursions include refreshments, lunch, and snorkeling.
Ride Aboard the Semi-Submarine
Children can discover the amazing reefs and marine life that live symbiotically in the archipelago aboard the Undersea Explorer, a semi-submarine operated by Caicos Tours. The Undersea Explorer is a large and stable boat with a central hull that goes well below the water’s surface. It has an air-conditioned cabin that has large observatory wraparound windows. The vessel was engineered in Australia specifically for viewing the Great Barrier Reef, and likewise is perfect for the Turks and Caicos bay reefs.
Tours visit the coral heads near Turtle Cove, Smith’s Reef, and Babalua Beach. Sightings vary, yet may include green and hawksbill turtles, stingrays, eagle rays, reef fish, nurse sharks, conch, starfish, and much more. The company also offers a Mermaid Adventure tour, where kids get the chance to see a real-life mermaid swim past the submarine and wave to them.
See Iguanas
Little Water Cay is a small uninhabited nature reserve and island that’s located near Leeward on Providenciales. It is the best place in the country to see the docile and unique Turks and Caicos Islands rock iguana.
These large lizards are endangered due to their very limited range, so visiting Little Water Cay gives your kids the rare chance to see a threatened species in its native environment.
Many boat cruises to the Caicos Cays and kayaking, paddleboarding, and eco-tours stop at Little Water Cay, so if you’re already planning on doing one of these activities, it’s probably not necessary to make a separate trip to the island.
Sign up for a Kids Camp
Kids camps are a great way for your children to meet other kids, experience and learn about the local wildlife, and see beautiful and interesting locations in the Turks and Caicos. A few local companies host organized meetups for a range of water sports, eco-adventures, and historical and cultural activities. The agenda of course depends on the children’s age, the season, and some other factors, yet often includes kayak or paddleboard eco-tours, hiking, and snorkeling.
Some camps focus on helping your children learn a skill or obtain a certification, such as swim training or PADI Open Water scuba diving certification.
Water sports company Big Blue Collective hosts a kids camp experience for a few weeks every July for children between the ages of 10 and 15. Their camp combines a great range of educational and fun activities, including snorkeling, cliff jumping at West Caicos, wetland eco-tours, and much more.
Ride Horses on the Beach
Horseback riding on the beach is very popular with all ages. There are several stables that offer horseback riding on the beach on Providenciales. Provo Ponies, the oldest and best-known stable in the Turks and Caicos, operates in the Long Bay region of Providenciales.
Much of the typical ride takes place on the beach, and there’s the option to wade out into the amazing and shallow turquoise waters of the beautiful beach with your horse. Provo Ponies is well-equipped for rides with kids, with gentle ponies and horses and knowledgeable and experienced guides.
Do a Wetland Eco-Tour
A guided clear kayaking or paddleboarding eco-tour is an amazing way to experience the unique tropical environment. It offers an all-too-rare chance to see marine wildlife in its natural habitat.
Green turtles, stingrays, starfish, conch, baby lemon sharks, and nurse sharks are common sightings in the nature reserves. The red mangrove habitat islands of Mangrove Cay and Donna Cay in the Princess Alexandra Nature Reserve are found close off Providenciales.
Also within paddling distance is the iguana sanctuary of Little Water Cay (Iguana Island). The iguanas that live there are large herbivorous lizards that are quite approachable, so it’s easy to get a close-up view of these interesting animals.
Learn a New Water Sport
The Turks and Caicos is a safe and incredible destination for picking up a new water sport, with great sailing, swimming, kiteboarding, diving, and wakeboarding lessons available.
Provo Swim School offers swim instruction for all ages, and also specializes in infant self-rescue training. This course gives babies, toddlers, and young children the skills and confidence to float, swim, and survive in the water.
Sailing is a very popular activity with both local and visiting kids. Hobie Cats are the most common vessels to sail and many resorts have at least one or two of these little catamarans. The Provo Sailing Academy has several different types of Hobie Cats, Picos, and Laser sailboats, all of which are unsinkable and easy to sail.
With modern kites and gear, kiteboarding has become easier than ever for beginners to pick up. Most kids can get on the water after only a few hours of professional instruction.
Try Parasailing
If you want to see a bird's-eye view of Providenciales with your kids, book a parasailing excursion. Parasailing is a great activity for all ages. All parasailing takes place off the north coast of Providenciales at Grace Bay and the Bight Beach. There’s an incredible range of sights, including the intricate barrier reef, the beach, clear turquoise water, the resorts, cruising boats, and even possibly JoJo the Dolphin.
Most parasail boats are set up to have up to three passengers per flight—the kids can go together, or you can join them.
Go on a Clear Boat Eco-Tour
Kayak and paddleboard eco-tours are quite popular in the Turks and Caicos, as the islands are home to spectacular marine wetlands. However, not everyone can paddle on their own efficiently. One alternative and unique tour is the clear boat eco-adventure tour provided by Turks Ventures. The vessel is a small clear boat powered by a silent electric motor with seating for six guests. The clear boat allows you to see below the surface, and its small size permits it to go to places most other vessels can’t.
Clear boat tours visit the beautiful Princess Alexandra National Park near Mangrove Cay. The main tidal channel into the cay is lined with lush red mangroves, and turtles, jellyfish, stingrays, baby sharks, and fish are common.
See the Corals Feed
If you're looking for an interesting educational experience for your children, consider watching the weekly coral feeding at the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund office. This conservation group has a lab with several tanks of live corals from around the islands, as well as a microscope you can use to look at coral specimens and sand samples from across the archipelago. Corals are fed by staff every Wednesday around 2:00 PM, and the Reef Fund's conservationists are happy to answer questions about the local reefs and show children natural treasures from around the islands.
Walk a Potcake
The Turks and Caicos and Bahamas have their very own breed of dog: the Potcake. Potcakes are mid-sized dogs that are a mix of terriers and other breeds that were introduced into the tropical Atlantic in the late 1700s and 1800s. They may even share ancestors with the small, barkless hunting dogs introduced to the Caribbean region by the Lucayans long ago.
Potcake Place is a non-profit rescue charity that offers visitors and locals the chance to walk adorable Potcake puppies on Grace Bay Beach. The charity is located at the Saltmills Plaza in Grace Bay, and its primary goal is to place stray local dogs in caring homes. Fair warning: you may very well end up with a new pet if your family visits Potcake Place.
Attend an Event
Throughout the year, there are several annual events held in the Turks and Caicos Islands that are great for kids. The Valentine's Day Cup is a model sailboat race where beautiful handmade miniature Caicos Sloops compete in shallow water. It takes place at the calm and beautiful Bambarra Beach on Middle Caicos. This is a popular event for people of all ages, and it’s common to see both old and young racing their model sailboats.
Another event that welcomes kids is the Race for the Conch open water swimming competition on Providenciales. The June event features a 100-meter (328 ft) kids race for children under 10, with extensive support paddleboarders and event staff to keep swimmers safe. Entry is only $15, and kids have the chance to win a conch medal or trophy.
For a full list of events, see Turks and Caicos Events.
Great Tours and Activities for Kids
