Things to Do in Mijas with Kids — The #1 Family Activity on the Costa del Sol

If you're visiting Mijas Pueblo with kids, you want an activity that's fun for everyone — not just the children, not just the adults, but genuinely the whole family. Something where the kids are engaged, the parents aren't bored, and everyone walks away with a smile (and maybe chocolate on their face).

That's exactly what we do at Mayan Monkey.

A Real Chocolate Factory in Mijas Pueblo

We're not a museum. We're not a tasting room. We're a working chocolate factory at Plaza Virgen de la Peña 15, right in the heart of Mijas Pueblo. We open our doors every day from 10:30am for families to come in and make their own chocolate from scratch using organic, ethically-sourced ingredients.

Kids put on aprons, get their hands in melted chocolate, choose from over 50 toppings, and create something they're genuinely proud of. And then they get to eat it. Or take it home. Or both.

Which Workshop is Best for Your Family?

We run 10 different workshops, all suitable for ages 3+ (children under 3 attend free as helpers). Here are our top picks for families:

The Family Favourite: Weekend Wonder

If you're visiting on a weekend, the Weekend Wonder Workshop (1h, €24.95) is hands down our most popular family choice. It runs Saturday and Sunday mornings at 10:30am and packs a full hour of fun — chocolate bar making, an interactive chocolate story, a creative art activity, and custom packaging design where kids create their own box. It's the workshop families rave about in reviews, and at €24.95 per person it's incredible value. Suitable for ages 3+.

Visiting on a Weekday?

• Express Workshop (25 min, €19.95): Available every day. Create 2 chocolate bars choosing from milk, dark, or white chocolate with 54 toppings. Quick, fun, and the perfect length for little attention spans. Includes a guided "Secrets of Chocolate" museum experience and a reusable mould to take home.

Best for Mixed-Age Families

• Dragons, Donkeys & Butterflies (1h 10min, from €57): Our highest-rated family workshop. Kids paint chocolate dragons with edible paints, make donkey-shaped lollipops, and create cute butterfly bonbons. The mix of techniques keeps every age group engaged — little ones love the painting, older kids love the bonbon work.
• Deluxe Dragons, Donkeys & Butterflies (, from ): Everything above, plus a "Bean to Cup Journey" — roast raw cacao beans, crack and winnow them, and grind them into pure chocolate to make hot chocolate from scratch. Kids are amazed when they see where chocolate actually comes from.

The Ultimate Family Adventures

• Superhero's Chocolate Adventure (1h 30min, €89.95 adult / €109.95 child): Your child becomes the protagonist of their own personalised, printed storybook. They'll make bean-to-cup hot chocolate from scratch, create three layered chocolate masterpieces (a spider monkey, a cacao tree, and a quetzal bird), do science experiments, and finish with a treasure hunt that reveals their personalised book. The look on their face when they see themselves as the hero of the story? Priceless.
• Mayas and Messy Monkeys (1h 30min, €99.95 adult / €119.95 child): Our most comprehensive family experience. Everything — bars, bonbons, truffles, dipped fruits, chocolate face painting, a treasure hunt, and a personalised storybook starring your child. It's called "Messy Monkeys" for a reason. Bring a camera.

What Kids Love About It

• It's messy: Chocolate everywhere. Aprons. Over 50 toppings. Edible paints. It's the kind of creative chaos that kids live for.
• They're in charge: They pick the moulds, the toppings, the colours. Their chocolate, their rules.
• They make something real: Not a colouring sheet or a sticker — actual chocolate they made themselves.
• They take it home: Every creation goes home professionally packaged. It's the holiday souvenir they'll actually care about.

What Parents Love About It

Let's be honest — most "kids' activities" are things parents endure. This isn't one of them:

• You participate too: You make your own chocolate alongside your kids. No sitting on the sidelines.
• It's genuinely interesting: You'll learn about cacao origins, ethical sourcing, and why quality chocolate tastes different.
• It's the right length: 25 minutes to 2 hours depending on what you choose. Short enough that nobody loses interest, long enough to be a proper experience.
• No screens: For a whole session, nobody's asking for your phone. That alone is worth the booking.
• The museum: Most workshops include a guided "Secrets of Chocolate" museum experience, so there's an educational element too.

A Day in Mijas Pueblo

Our factory is right in the centre of Mijas Pueblo, one of the most beautiful white villages on the Costa del Sol. Here's how most families plan their day:

• Morning: Drive up to Mijas Pueblo (10 min from the coast, parking at the entrance)
• Mid-morning: Chocolate workshop at Mayan Monkey
• Lunchtime: Stroll through the village — whitewashed streets, hidden plazas, mountain views — and grab lunch at one of the restaurants on the main plaza
• Afternoon: Head down to the coast for some beach time — whether you're based in Málaga or Marbella, the drive back is easy

What People Say

Don't take our word for it. Families consistently rate us as the highlight of their Costa del Sol holiday. Common phrases from our reviews: "the kids didn't want to leave", "best activity we did all week", "the whole family loved it", and our personal favourite — "can we come back tomorrow?"

Practical Info for Families

• Location: Plaza Virgen de la Peña 15, Mijas Pueblo
• Ages: 3+ (under 3s free as helpers)
• Duration: 25 min to 2h 15min depending on workshop
• Prices: From €19.95/person
• Hours: Daily 10:30am – 6:00pm (until 9pm July-August)
• What to bring: Nothing — we provide everything including aprons
• Parking: Underground car park at the village entrance (well-signed from the main road)
• Important: Children under 8 must be accompanied by a ticket-holding adult. Only ticket holders in the workshop space.
• Tip: Book morning sessions for younger kids — they're at their best and hungriest!

Mijas Pueblo is a wonderful place to visit with kids — and because the workshop is indoors, it's also one of the best rainy day activities on the Costa del Sol. But what makes it unforgettable? Making chocolate together.