Aviemore reindeer with kids

Choose the Paddocks & Exhibition if: you have toddlers or younger children; you need a pram or pushchair-friendly option; someone in your group cannot manage rough hill walking; or you want a shorter, easier reindeer viewing visit.

Choose the Hill Trip if: your children can manage a rough outdoor walk; you want the fuller reindeer experience; you have proper boots and waterproofs; and your group can use its own vehicle to reach the meeting point.

The Hill Trip includes a short hand-feeding session. Paddocks visits do not include hand-feeding or petting. Neither option should be treated as a petting-zoo experience.

Toddlers are a safer fit for the Paddocks & Exhibition. Under-4s are better steered towards the Paddocks, and February-April Hill Trips have a minimum age of 4, including children in carriers.

Ages 4-11 may manage the Hill Trip from May to December if they are confident walkers, but the operator recommends families with children in this age group avoid February-April and visit from May onwards instead. Older children and teens are a better fit for the Hill Trip if they are happy outdoors.

Babies may be free on tickets, but free pricing does not make the Hill Trip easy with a baby. Think about weather, carriers, toilets and the rough ground before booking.

At the time of checking on 7 May 2026, Hill Trip prices were Adult 17+ £28, Student/Senior 65+ £25, Child 3-16 £21 and age 0-2 free, with a booking/handling fee added.

At the same check, Paddocks prices were Adult £5.50, Student/Over 65 £5, Child 3-16 £4.50 and age 0-2 free, with a booking/handling fee added. Tickets are released 30 days ahead, and holiday and December dates can sell out quickly, so check the official booking page before travelling.

There are no public toilets at the Reindeer Centre and no toilets on the Hill Trip. Use Glenmore village toilets before your visit, especially with young children.

Plan as if baby changing and café facilities are not available, and bring the snacks, drinks and changing kit your children need.

The operator describes the Paddocks & Exhibition as accessible for all, but access information also mentions boardwalks, inclines and “most areas”. Treat it as the easier access option, not perfectly flat access.

Hill Trips are not wheelchair accessible and should not be treated as pram-friendly. Dogs and assistance dogs are not allowed on Hill Trips or in the Paddocks & Exhibition because dogs make reindeer nervous. Dogs are allowed in the shop only.

For a Hill Trip, children and adults need wellies or hiking boots with good tread, a waterproof jacket and warm layers. In colder weather, add hat, gloves and waterproof trousers.

The route can be muddy, wet, snowy, icy, steep or pathless depending on the season. The operator can refuse visitors with unsuitable clothing or footwear, and you may not receive a refund.

The Hill Trip includes a short hand-feeding session. Paddocks visits and Christmas Fun do not include hand-feeding.

Visitors should not pat, stroke or hug the reindeer. Tell children before you arrive that this is not a petting-zoo visit. It helps avoid disappointment if they are expecting to stroke or hug the reindeer.

For 2026, the official Christmas Fun page lists Paddocks-based festive visits on selected December dates, with reindeer, herders and Santa in his Bothy. Prices were still TBC at the time checked.

Treat Christmas Fun as a seasonal offer and check the official Christmas page before booking. Do not assume the Christmas format includes Hill Trip feeding or year-round details.

For a wider Aviemore day, pair this with the Aviemore and Cairngorms family guide or use Cairngorms National Park for broader trip-planning context. Loch an Eilein walk is a useful nearby outdoor add-on if your children still have walking energy.

Highland Wildlife Park is the bigger animal day alternative. Landmark Forest Adventure Park is the more play-led option. Strathspey Steam Railway is better if you want a contained Aviemore outing with less walking.