List of miniature outdoor towns and roads for kids

December 14, 2023 8:23 AM

I dream of taking my child to a miniature outdoor city like Safetyville, Welleby Park, or the traffic playground in Copenhagen. Where are there more of these outdoor mini-towns / roads for kids? (I'm in USA but outside the US is of interest too!)
posted by beyond_pink to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (12 answers total)

Tiny Town is about 30 minutes west of Denver, CO. I went years ago with my nephews and found it delightful--I would have loved that place when I was a kid.
posted by shornco at 8:34 AM on December 14, 2023

Madurodam in the Netherlands
posted by XtineHutch at 9:01 AM on December 14, 2023

My nephews loved Traintown in Sonoma, California. It is charming, low-key, and the train ride is accessible! Other fun rides as well that are pretty affordable even in these crazy times.
posted by agatha_magatha at 9:26 AM on December 14, 2023

Safety Village, Northampton, MA
posted by carrioncomfort at 9:30 AM on December 14, 2023

My kids loved these too, so I've been to a few, though unfortunately I don't remember much about them other than liking them all ok.

Frisco Fire Safety Town in Frisco, TX.

And this one is indoors, but Kidzania is nearby, an entire mini city with busses, airplanes, stores, jobs etc all kid sized, and it's the only US location. The children's museum in Chicago has a smaller version. (also indoors).
posted by The_Vegetables at 9:43 AM on December 14, 2023

Safety City in Baltimore!
posted by attentionplease at 10:35 AM on December 14, 2023

There's the Verkeerspark Curaçao which to my surprise appears to be still operational 55 years on; at least it looks well-maintained and there's a Google Maps marker for it. Us school kids were taken there around age ten.
posted by Stoneshop at 11:35 AM on December 14, 2023

France Miniature! You might also find a few things of interest in this article.
posted by gudrun at 3:02 PM on December 14, 2023

Miniatures villages are a thing in Britain (see the end of Hot Fuzz). They're at a smaller scale and a bit more like a model railway layout than what you're describing, though.

I thought that place was the best thing ever as a kid.
posted by hoyland at 8:26 PM on December 14, 2023

Mini Europe in Brussels
posted by Threeve at 9:35 PM on December 14, 2023

Ireland: West Cork Model Railway Village, Clonakilty, Co Cork. 1:24 scale, 1940s vibe.
posted by BobTheScientist at 10:28 PM on December 14, 2023

Safety City in Knoxville, TN is open seasonally.
posted by workerant at 10:51 PM on December 14, 2023