Best Things To Do In Amsterdam with Kids

Amsterdam is a city packed full of fun and interesting attractions for the entire family. The city might not be your first pick for a European family city break, but it should be. While Amsterdam has long been known for its red light district and drug culture, it is now attracting families seeking a fun and cultural experience. Here’s out guide to the best things to do in Amsterdam with kids.

EXPLORING AMSTERDAM WITH KIDS

GET ‘HANDS ON’ AT THE NEMO SCIENCE MUSEUM

Nemo is one of my favourite places to visit in Amsterdam with kids, especially if you are visiting Amsterdam with toddlers Nemo is the hands on Science Museum in the centre of Amsterdam and although there are lots of great museums in Amsterdam, this is in my opinion absolutely the best one for kids.

There are many hands on exhibits that kids will love. My little ones favourite is the exhibit that explores rain and waterfall. But be warned your kids are likely to get wet and will need a change of clothing so be sure to have that with you. However, there are some drying machines in case you forget.

Other highlights include the bubble exhibits and the interactive science show which explores cause and effect. Be sure to look for the show times when you enter the museum.

Nemo also offers great views of the city which you can visit even if you are not planning on visiting the museum. An added bonus is its free! Try and spot the windmills on the horizon if you can. There are also some outdoor free exhibits on the terrace and a lovely family friendly cafe on the inside.

By Leona at Wandermustfamily

TAKE A CANAL BOAT TOUR

A canal tour is one of the most popular tourist activities in Amsterdam and a very easy one to enjoy with kids.

Boats come in all shapes and sizes and you can choose an option that suits you best depending on time of the year and the age of your children.

In summer, you can opt for an open top boat: this keeps you close to the water, which can be fun for older kids, and is a wonderful way to spend a sunny day in Amsterdam. The city can be surprisingly warm and bright when the sun is out.

In winter, a closed top boat is a better choice: in the cold season, I recommend you try to go when the city light festival is on: it happens in November/ December and its light installations are wonderful from the water. We took this cruise with the Blue Boat company and it was excellent for the whole family, with a great guide to fill us in about Amsterdam’s main landmarks

Closed top boats are also excellent if you have smaller kids: they offer a contained space but still enough room to move around should they want to and they also have a bathroom on board as well as small cafes for nibbles and snacks.

By Keri at Little City Trips

VISIT ANNE FRANK’S HOUSE

Most people have read the Diary of Anne Frank, a young girl’s diary from the time her and her family spent in hiding during the Second World War. A visit to the Anne Frank House is a powerful and moving experience, and one which is best suited to older children. My youngest was ten at the time of our visit. A visit to the house takes you through the warehouse and storerooms above which the family hid, and into the rooms at the top of the house that provided their hide-out.

The family were in hiding for almost two years in a small loft space, throughout which time Anne wrote her diaries. The diaries are now on display within the house. Before the end of the war the hiding place was discovered and Anne and her family were taken to concentration camps. Anne’s father was the only one who survived the War.

When planning to visit the Anne Frank House it is essential to book tickets online. No tickets can be bought at the house itself. The house receives over a million visitors every year, so try and plan your visit for early morning or late afternoon, to escape the worst of the crowds.

By Nicky at Go Live Young

INDULGE IN CHOCOLATE HEAVEN AT THE CHOCOLONELY SUPER STORE

Right in the heart of Amsterdam, hidden away, is the ultimate children’s fantasy. A store dedicated to chocolate with free samples of over ten unique and tasty chocolate flavours. All the chocolate here is Tony Chocolonely’s, which is a fantastic chocolate brand that is produced in Amsterdam. This company goes beyond making tasty chocolate to working towards bringing an end to slavery in the chocolate industry. Although this is a place to go to for fun and tasty treats, it is important to support a company with strong ethics and pass these ideologies onto your children.

Tony’s Super Store has more than just free chocolate samples but offers a whole chocolate experience. This experience includes chocolate vending machines, a free photo booth, interactive videos and displays, and exclusive Tony’s items. Kids go crazy about this unique Amsterdam experience because the unique flavors and abundance of chocolate can feel like they walked into Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory!

The best part about this chocolate store is that it is suitable for children of all ages and is even enjoyable for adults. If you are a chocolate lover and want to taste some of the best chocolate in Amsterdam, you will love stopping here.

By Sam at Sam Sees World

LEARN ABOUT DUTCH HISTORY AT THE RIJKSMUSEUM

There are so many wonderful things to do in Amsterdam with kids. There are many museums, one of which is the famous Rijksmuseum.

Rijksmuseum, the Dutch Royal Museum, is definitely high on a list of the child-friendly places in Amsterdam. It’s suitable for kids of any age, but they are definitely going to appreciate it more somewhere from the age of about 4.

During the school holidays there are free children workshops organised there (so, it could be useful to check the list of Dutch school holidays before your visit).

There are so many fantastic exhibits that are interesting to kids. On the ground floor, there are many ships models. Some of them have animated characters projected onto them, so kids can see how a typical day on a boat looked like during times gone by. On the second floor, in the ‘Gallery of Honour’, there are numerous paintings depicting children, and it’s interesting to see how they dressed, played and sometimes misbehaved on them. On the third floor there is a real aircraft from the First World War.

If at some point you feel like needing a break, you can visit the Picnic Room’where you can relax, eat the food you’ve brought with you and draw a little bit.

Rijksmuseum is a beautiful place to visit with children, and it should not be missed during your stay in Amsterdam. For more information about the things to do at the Rijksmuseum with kids, take a look here.

By Tea at Culture Tourist

DISCOVER ALL THINGS CHEESE AT THE AMSTERDAM CHEESE MUSEUM

Amsterdam has a plethora of world-class museums, there’s no doubt about that. There are plenty of fun activities for kids, as well. The Amsterdam Cheese Museum is a perfect combination of the two! It’s educational, fun, and delicious.

I’ve always felt the Amsterdam Cheese Museum is a super underrated destination. If your kids like samples of multicolored cheeses, cute cow statues, and interactive museums, I think they’ll agree with me! It is a two-story building, filled with mouthwatering samples of every kind of cheese you can imagine. The best part? It’s completely free.

The Amsterdam Cheese Museum is conveniently located across the canal from the Anne Frank House, so there’s a chance you’ll be in the area anyway at some point on your Amsterdam vacation. It’s really appropriate for kids of all ages, though youngsters may enjoy the cheese sample floor more than the museum floor. That said, the museum displays themselves are actually really interactive and kid-friendly, full of props and photos teaching visitors about cheese-making in Holland.

Every cheese you sample, from the smoked gouda to the spicy brie, is for sale. I can think of no better place to whet your appetite, pick up souvenirs, and learn some quirky history with the kids!

By Kaisa at Glam Granola Travel

READ A BOOK AT OPENBARE BIBLIOTEKE

For our kids, the highlight of our family weekend in Amsterdam was our stop at the Openbare Biblioteke, the city library.

This is a lovely space especially for toddlers and younger children and it is easy to visit. Access is free, which means you can easily pop in without much planning, and its central location makes it easy to reach, wherever your accommodation in Amsterdam happens to be.

The closest landmark is the Central Station: from there, you can walk to the library in less than 5 minutes and the building is stroller friendly.

The library itself is vast and airy and the children section is on the ground floor. Here you have a rows of children books (many in English and several picture books), couches to read and rest, a tepee for playing, kids kitchen utensils and a ‘lookout’ to catch a bird’s eye view over the library.

As well as books, the library has something very special: a two metre high wooden house for… mice (toys, not real ones)!

The house is behind glass and it is to see rather than touch but it is incredible: it has rooms, stairs, hallways: my children but also us adults were mesmerised, the detailing is out of this world!

By Marta at Learning Escapes

VISIT THE REMBRANDT HOUSE MUSEUM

If you’re looking for a nice, educational place the whole family can enjoy while in Amsterdam, the Rembrandt House Museum might be exactly what you’re looking for. This is one of the best places to visit in Amsterdam and one of the best small museums in the Dutch capital, first and foremost due to all the wonderful Rembrandt paintings and the great atmosphere.

But if you’re visiting with children, even the smallest members of your family will be delighted to discover the fun workshops organised here daily. I mean, wandering around the 17th Century house where one of the most famous painters ever lived and worked for a big part of his life is great, but if you want to learn some practical skills, the etching and painting workshops are just perfect.

The whole museum can be seen in roughly one hour, so no one will get bored. But the interactive experiences will make everyone’s time a little nicer. There’s even an engaging discovery trail that helps kids come across things they wouldn’t otherwise notice. Plus there are the audio guides that are suitable for adults and the little ones alike.

The museum is located in Waterlooplein, close to the Red Light District and can be reached by tram and metro. Once you’ve finished your visit, you should head east, where you’ll find some of Amsterdam’s hidden gems, including the Maritime Museum, which is another kid-friendly place.

Laura at Travelers Universe

WATCH A MOVIE AT THE TUSCHINSKI MOVIE THEATRE

I vividly remember the first time I visited the beautiful Tuschinski movie theater: I was 10 years old and spending a weekend at my aunt and uncles in Amsterdam. They always treated me and my little sisters as two little princesses during these weekends and we did lots of fun things in Amsterdam for children.

One of these activities was going to a movie. But even as a little girl, I was more impressed with the Tuschinski building than by the movie itself! Not surprising, as Tuschinski is considered to be one of the most beautiful cinemas in the world. The main foyer is absolutely grand, with beautifully decorated ceiling, large multicolored lamps, plush carpets and broad stairs case leading to the cinema area. There are six film rooms, each with their own character and design.

Tuschinski will definitely be a hit with your kids, if not because of the impressive surroundings for the simple fact that all kids love to go to the movies! Suitable for kids 4 years and older. Please pay attention to the film ratings and choose a movie suitable for your kids.

Watching a movie at Tuschinski will be a cinema experience your kids won’t easily forget! Tuschinksi can be found in the Reguliersbreestraat, in the city centre of Amsterdam.

By Lotte at Phenomenal Globe Travel Blog

EXPERIENCE THE HIGHEST SWING IN EUROPE AT A’DAM LOOKOUT

The A’DAM Lookout is a unique vantage point in Amsterdam that will impress kids and adults alike. The adventure already starts in the elevator where a futuristic lightshow builds up suspense as you whizz upwards. Once you’ve reached the rooftop of the 100 metre high building, you’ll enjoy a magnificent view over the skyline of Amsterdam. You’ll be able to spot the historical center behind the IJ river, the harbour area and rural areas north of the city. There’s also a rooftop restaurant if you’d like to enjoy a drink or a meal with a view.

The most exciting feature of the A’DAM lookout is Over The Edge, a two-person swing balancing over the edge of the tower. Being the highest swing in Europe, it is no wonder that it has quickly become one of the most popular tourist attractions of Amsterdam. A 5 euro fee applies if you want to try it.

Whereas the swing might be a bit too intimidating for kids, especially for the little ones, the viewpoint in itself is already a very impressive experience. You can always pretend to be balancing off the edge in front of the greenscreen. These photos are then quickly edited in a fun way, so you can take home a souvenir of you and your kids supposedly sitting on a rooftop ledge.

By Sophie at Bitten By The Bug

LEARN ALL ABOUT VAN GOGH AT THE VAN GOGH MUSEUM

One of our kids favorite things to see in Amsterdam was the Van Gogh Museum. While most kids would dread going to another museum and not find it entertaining, the Van Gogh Museum does a great job of drawing kids in. How? By giving the kids headphones and sending them off on a scavenger hunt!

One of the great things about the Van Gogh Museum, is it offers a family friendly guided tour with headphones. Our kids loved it because they felt independent and were able to listen on their own pace. The information was very informative for the kids and explained the art on a level they could understand and engage in the paintings. They loved finding the numbers for each painting and then hearing more about it. There is something so special about seeing your kids stand in front of the famous sunflowers and learn about the life of the painter.

The family guided tour is suggested for kids age 6-12 and cost and additional €5 for adults and children under age 12 are free. Admission to the museum is €19 for adults and anyone under age 18 is free. We took advantage of the IAMSTERDAM card. If you plan to visit more museums during your stay it will save you some money. Be sure to check the website for special kid friendly events like crafts days and workshops. Book your ticket online to reserve your spot during peak times. You can plan to spend about 1-2 hours to see everything. Overall a great experience for the family.

By Crystal at Brown Family Travels

BEST TIME  TO VISIT AMSTERDAM

Amsterdam can be visited throughout the year. Summer is peak time and at this time of year you’ll find the cafes buzzing with people and many open top boats causing the canals.

Visitor numbers are lower throughout the winter months. At this time of year, museums will be far less crowded, cafes will have moved indoors and the canals may offer the opportunity for ice skating.

PLACES TO STAY IN AMSTERDAM

Amsterdam has a wealth of places to stay. There is a good range of family friendly accommodation ranging from hotels to apartments, and even boat hotels!

Prinsenhuis Apartments these family-sized apartments sleeping up to four people are located in the heart of historic Amsterdam on the well known Prinsengracht canal. It is easily walkable to the famous Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and to the Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein areas from here.

‘T Hotel  this hotel is located in a 17th Century canal house, about 300 metres from the Anne Frank House. Amsterdam Central Station is a 15 minute walk from the hotel. Family sized rooms are available.

Amsterdam ID Aparthotel Family sized apartments (sleeping up to 6) in this conveniently located hotel just a six minute train ride into central Amsterdam.

Duinrell in Wassenaar is another accommodation option and is in fact where we stayed on a recent trip to Holland. This holiday park is located a 45 minute car journey from Amsterdam (use park and ride in Amsterdam as the city centre is not car friendly) and has many different sized duingalows and lodge tents for families, as well as a campsite.

Have you been to Amsterdam with kids? What are your favourite things to do in the city? Please let us know…

FOR MORE EUROPEAN CITY BREAKS READ:

Top 12 Things To Do In London with Kids

Top 10 Things To Do In Stavanger with Kids

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