Outdoor
Amsterdam’s top tourist attractions are surrounded by some excellent playgrounds. In fact, there are over 400 in the city making them one of the most popular family activities in Amsterdam. Make your family visit to even more enjoyable by allowing the kids to let off steam by mixing up your sightseeing with visits to these family friendly playgrounds.
Nearly all of Holland’s large towns and cities have a children’s farm or kinderboerderij as they are called in Dutch. They are unique venues where visitors can come into close contact with animals. There they can discover what it feels like to stroke the animals and also experience the sounds and smells of the farm. Petting zoos are uniquely equipped to introduce children and adults to the farm animals. A perfect choice if you’re looking for things to do in Amsterdam with children for a few hours.
Artis was founded on 1 May 1838 but access to Artis was only available to a select group. In 1920, the zoo opened to the general public. Today, Artis has more than 900 species of animals. Kids will love the Planetarium which shows special films in the curved 628 m² dome. Other attractions include the Aquarium, Insectarium and a Butterfly Pavilion – the largest of its kind in the Netherlands. In addition, children can play in the zoo’s cool playground whilst adults relax under the trees or on a terrace with a coffee.
The canal tours company Stromma offer Pedalos (paddle boats) for hire. These “canal bikes” can be rented daily from three locations; Leidseplein, Rijksmuseum, Westerkerk (Anne Frank House). It opens daily at 10:00 am, and closing times can vary depending on the weather. This activity is great fun for families and a cheaper option for taking your children on a standard Amsterdam canal cruise. Photographers will also get a better chance to take time and compose their shots.
Amsterdam has a great cycling culture and infrastructure, but it is a busy city, so you and the children must be reasonably proficient at exploring the city centre on a bike. There are plenty of parks and open spaces for you to practice and gain some confidence before venturing out. There are bike rental companies all over the city – MacBike has a wide range of bikes and accessories which are suitable for family trips.
The Ship Museum in Amsterdam may not be one of the most obvious children’s attractions in Amsterdam, but its interactive programme is both entertaining and educational. Kids will love stepping on board the East Indiaman ship and looking into the captain’s cabin, the galley and the crew quarters. They will see how sailors lived and worked in the Golden Age and learn what meals were served on board!
Located at the back of Amsterdam station, GVB passenger ferries take you across the river IJ to NDSM Wharf, EYE Film Museum & IJplein. This is a lovely trip on a sunny day, giving you a chance to get away from the hustle & bustle and explore some less touristic parts of the city. The crossings are both frequent and free!
Molen van Sloten is the only windmill in Amsterdam which is open to the public daily and is situated on the outskirts of Amsterdam. It is a functioning “polder-mill” which was rebuilt in 1848 and manages the water levels. The windmill was a favourite subject of Rembrandt. His father was a miller, and it’s where he met his wife, Saskia. An audiovisual presentation on Rembrandt takes place in the attic using wax figures of Rembrandt and several of his characters.
Indoor
Klimmuur Centraal in Holland’s capital provides an extensive and very popular indoor climbing facility. The main climbing wall features a recessed wall portion of about 8 meters high and a more challenging solid overhang, where you ascend to 16 meters high. A second room at the centre contains a series of inter-linked boulders for climbing. Klimmuur Centraal has an open-air feel thanks to the sliding roof, which opens in warmer weather.
Marnix has two pools: a competition of 25 by 12.5 meters and an additional teaching pool which is 20 by 10 meters. The design of these pools makes you feel connected to the canal outside, thanks to large windows and a shared water level. You can almost imagine yourself swimming in the open water between the boats and ducks! The pools are equipped with massage jets, jet streams, a movable bottom and a drowning detection system. The baths make use of an environmentally friendly salt solution keeping the chlorine smell and stinging eyes to a minimum.
The Aloha Bowling offers two fun family activities; bowling & laser-gun games. It’s located just a couple of hundred meters from Amsterdam Central Station near the library. There are age restrictions on both activities; for bowling, children must be at least six years old and for the laser game, age eight and above. Slightly further out from the centre near Amsterdam RAI is the Knijn bowling venue which also has a great restaurant.
Although most of the movies will be in Dutch, some will have films with audio in English – just look for OV (Originele Versie) after the film title. The larger cinema multi-screen complexes such as de Munt near Muntplein and Arena by the football stadium are most likely to offer English language films. Also, look out for the family discount ticket!
Open-air ice skating is one of the most popular wintertime family activities in Amsterdam. During the warmer seasons it possible to skate indoors at the Jaap Eden baan, an ice rink located in the east of Amsterdam.
Visit the world-famous Madame Tussauds exhibition right in the heart of Amsterdam on Dam Square. This attraction offers its customers a unique experience allowing them to stand alongside famous celebrities, sports stars & world leaders. Furthermore, from the top floor, you have a wonderful view of Dam Square!
A humorous horror-themed attraction taking you on an 80-minute tour through Amsterdam ’s most dark history. You will experience a combination of live actors, rides, gripping storytelling, and state of the art special effects. Suitable for teenagers & adults.
Simonehoeve is an authentic Dutch cheese farm and clog factory located about 20 minutes from Amsterdam in Volendam. The traditional crafts of cheese and clog making can only be seen in a few places in the Netherlands. A visit to De Simonehoeve is a truly cultural experience, with demonstrations of clog making and tastings of Edam & Gouda cheese included for free.
The Postcard Experience allows you to record a short postcard-style movie in front of a green screen. Images of Holland and Amsterdam are added, and you can share the finished product with friends and family by email or any other social media. A unique and creative way to send your “Greetings from Amsterdam” message to friends back home!
The three church towers of Oude Kerk, Zuiderkerk & Westerkerk offer a spectacular perspective of the city from their viewing platforms. The Westerkerk tower is perhaps the most suitable for family visits and is suitable for children from ages 6 and above. The towers are closed to the public during the autumn and winter months.
Museums
Although not strictly a museum, Nemo is one of the best choices if you’re looking for kid-friendly activities in Amsterdam. For every visitor of all ages, there are fun-packed activities helping you understand more about science, technology and the world around you. The rooftop cafe with panoramic views over the harbour & the city is an added bonus!
Hotels
Located on Amsterdam’s river Amstel is The Bridge Hotel has rooms with great views of the river and the Magere Brug. A peaceful location compared with the hustle and bustle of the centre but still within walking distance of the main sites. The hotel has bikes available for hire and a located 5 minutes from the Metro.
Situated right next to Centraal train station the Ibis Amsterdam Centre hotel is ideally placed for visitors relying on public transport. Even though the area is quite busy with trains & trams, the rooms are well soundproofed so you’ll get a good nights sleep!
Hotel Vondel is a boutique hotel with unique authenticity and old charm located in a row of seven 17th century townhouses near Vondelpark and the city’s main museums.
The American Hotel (also referred to as the Hampshire Eden) is located on Leidseplein, a busy square, and easily reached from Centraal Station by tram. Very close to the Museum quarter with Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum. There’s also a canal cruise stop right next to the hotel or pedalos boats for the more adventurous. Also, the same hotel which was featured in the movie The Fault in Our Stars.
Food
Pancake house
Vapiano
Children’s Cook Café
Kid-friendly IJ-kantine at NDSM-werf
We did, however, do a similar experience with the same company in Rotterdam and it was loads of fun. Cruising around the harbour for 75 minutes while having all you can eat pancakes is fabulous, but mix into that a kids ball pit in the bottom of the boat and this activity has the family fed, the adults touring and the kids playing. Triple win!