Best Things to Do in Amsterdam for Families with Young Kids
Home · Amsterdam · Families with Young Kids
From the classic ARTIS and NEMO Science Museum, to lesser-known spots worth adding to your trip.
★ 4.5 · 37,379 reviews
Spend a day at ARTIS, Amsterdam's 19th-century zoo in the middle of the city. Wander shaded paths past chimps, zebras and elephants, then add the aquarium and planetarium.
★ 4.5 · 38,045 reviews
Head to NEMO Science Museum, the green ship-shaped landmark on Amsterdam's waterfront. Run your own experiments in the chemical lab, catch a live science show, then finish with views from the rooftop terrace.
★ 3.9 · 931 reviews
Take a dip at Noorderparkbad, Amsterdam-Noord's budget-friendly public pool. Swim laps or splash in the recreational areas, and let the kids try the outdoor slide on a sunny day.
Best season
★ 4.6 · 1,288 reviews
Swing into Klimpark Fun Forest, a treetop adventure park in Amstelveen. Work your way through climbing courses graded from gentle to demanding, ride the zip lines, and let kids hunt for the letters that unlock the game.
★ 4.6 · 8,206 reviews
Spend an easy hour or two in Amstelpark, a sprawling green space in Amsterdam-Zuid. Greet the farm animals, ride the little train, test the maze and settle on a lawn for a picnic.
★ 4.2 · 4,747 reviews
Swing into the 12-Hole Glow-in-the-Dark Mini-Golf in central Amsterdam, where ultraviolet light turns a pirate-and-ocean course into a glowing playground. Play twelve holes in about 45 minutes and see who in your group keeps the lowest score.
★ 4.4 · 2,436 reviews
Lace up at Jaap Eden Ice Rink, where Amsterdam skates on both outdoor and indoor ice. Glide around the ring suited to your level, take a lesson if you are new, and warm up at the on-site café.
★ 4.7 · 12,112 reviews
Take off at This is Holland, a 5D flight ride in Amsterdam-Noord. Soar over Dutch landmarks while wind and mist play against your face across three immersive rooms.
★ 4.6 · 18,943 reviews
Escape the city in Amsterdam Forest, a huge woodland just south of the centre. Cycle or walk the shaded trails, rent a boat on the water and visit the organic farm along the way.
★ 4.7 · 61,545 reviews
Spend time in Vondelpark, the elegant 19th-century heart of Amsterdam's green life. Stroll or cycle past ponds and lawns, then settle in for a picnic while the city relaxes around you.
★ 4.4 · 1,700 reviews
Discover the River Cruise With All-You-Can-Eat Dutch Pancakes, a laid-back trip along Amsterdam's IJ. Pile your plate from the buffet while passing EYE, Central Station and the A'DAM Lookout.
★ 4.5 · 6,891 reviews
Wander into Oosterpark, Amsterdam-Oost's lively local green space centred on a pond and its birdlife. Follow the loop path past sculptures and fountains, then settle on a bench or watch children splash in the wading pool.
★ 4.6 · 2,938 reviews
Slip into Beatrixpark, a graceful 1930s city park in Amsterdam-Zuid. Follow the landscaped paths past the pond, picnic on a quiet lawn and let children splash at the wading pool.
★ 4.4 · 20,921 reviews
Settle into a covered boat for the 75-minute Classic Canal Cruise. Glide past canal houses and bridges with audio stories in your language, while children follow their own pirate-themed commentary with binoculars and a booklet.
★ 4.7 · 6,649 reviews
Enter Micropia, Amsterdam's museum of the invisible world of microorganisms. Peer through microscopes you control yourself and learn how microbes shape everyday life.
★ 4.5 · 13,616 reviews
Explore the National Maritime Museum, a former naval storehouse with a glass-roofed courtyard on Amsterdam's waterfront. Board the replica 18th-century merchant ship and try virtual voyages across the interactive exhibitions.
★ 4.6 · 2,865 reviews
Step into Park Frankendael, a former estate in Amsterdam-Oost built around a 17th-century manor house. Drift between wooded paths, the allotments and the reed-edged pond, then pause at a restaurant in a historic building.
★ 4.4 · 1,661 reviews
Escape to Park de Oeverlanden, a protected lakeside nature area in Amsterdam Nieuw-West. Follow woodland paths past grazing Highland cattle, watch for rabbits and birds, and cool off at one of the swimming beaches.
★ 4.4 · 3,403 reviews
Cross over to Noorderpark in Amsterdam-Noord for a green break far from the tourist crowds. Stroll the meandering paths, let the children loose on the playgrounds or splash pool, and stop at a cafe.
★ 4.8 · 4,996 reviews
Discover the Traditional Dutch Stroopwafel Making Workshop, a hands-on hour with Amsterdam's best-known sweet treat. Roll, press and fill your own XL stroopwafels, then eat one warm with a coffee or tea.
★ 4.3 · 33,044 reviews
Pose with the stars at Madame Tussauds Amsterdam, a wax museum in the city centre. Move through themed galleries of celebrities and historic icons, each set up for close-up photos.
★ 4.6 · 10,015 reviews
Go behind the scenes at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, home of Ajax in Amsterdam-Zuidoost. Walk to the pitch-side area, look into the dugout and step inside the Ajax dressing room, with an audiovisual or guided visit.
★ 4.5 · 5,369 reviews
Step into Ripley's Believe It or Not on Dam Square, a four-floor museum of the strange and surprising. Walk through the Space Tunnel, see a Berlin Wall fragment and finish with a drink at the top-floor café.
★ 4.4 · 2,560 reviews
Cruise out from the Anne Frank House on an electric boat with an opening glass roof. Watch the canal ring slide past from your seat or the open rear deck, with commentary in your language.
★ 3.9 · 6,478 reviews
See Amsterdam at your own pace by hopping on and off buses and boats whenever you like. Listen to commentary in your language and step off at any stop that catches your eye.
★ 4.3 · 3,132 reviews
Hop aboard the Comfortable City Canal Cruise and see Amsterdam from the water in a heated boat. You will pass merchant houses, warehouses and the Skinny Bridge while commentary explains the canal-belt history.
★ 4.3 · 21,680 reviews
Board a heated sightseeing boat near Central Station, the Anne Frank House or the Rijksmuseum. Spend an hour on the canal ring as GPS-timed commentary names the merchant houses, churches and bridges you pass.
★ 4.6 · 1,025 reviews
Unwind in Flevopark, a leafy green escape in Amsterdam-Oost. Picnic on the lawns, follow the jogging paths under the trees and cool off at the big outdoor pool in summer.
★ 4.8 · 23,120 reviews
Play inside WONDR Experience, an artist-built wonderland in Amsterdam-Noord. Wander through surreal, colourful rooms, strike poses in photo booths and discover the SpongeBob section.
★ 4.5 · 5,303 reviews
Slip into Rembrandtpark, a peaceful green stretch of Amsterdam Nieuw-West that locals favour over busier parks. Circle its small lakes along tree-shaded paths, with plenty of quiet corners for a picnic or a long walk.
Amsterdam · 🎭 Entertainment
ARTIS
4h
Amsterdam · 🎨 Museum
NEMO Science Museum
2h30
Amsterdam · ⚽ Sport
Noorderparkbad
1h30
Klimpark Fun Forest Amsterdam
Amsterdam · 🌳 Nature
Amstelpark
1h
12-Hole Glow-in-the-Dark Mini-Golf
Jaap Eden Ice Rink
This is Holland
Amsterdam Forest
2h
Vondelpark
Amsterdam · 🍽️ Food
River Cruise With All-You-Can-Eat Dutch Pancakes
1h15
Oosterpark
Beatrixpark
75-Minute Classic Canal Cruise & Snack
Micropia
National Maritime Museum
Park Frankendael
Park de Oeverlanden
Noorderpark
Traditional Dutch Stroopwafel Making Workshop
Madame Tussauds Amsterdam
Johan Cruijff ArenA Tour with Guide
Weirdest Museum: Ripley's Believe It or Not
Canal Cruise from Anne Frank House
Amsterdam · 🧭 Tours
Hop-On Hop-Off Bus and Boat
3h
Comfortable City Canal Cruise + Audio Guide
Canal Cruise from Anne Frank, Rijksmuseum or CS
Flevopark
WONDR Experience
Rembrandtpark
