Neglect the brown cafes and crimson mild district, a metropolis break in Amsterdam with youngsters is ideal for households – and that features seeing Amsterdam with toddlers. No less than as soon as I reached the purpose have been I used to be (pretty) sure my daughter wouldn’t attempt to fall right into a canal.
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For those who’re additionally planning to see Amsterdam with a 2-year-old, it’s not even a difficult journey: there are additionally some low-cost – and fast – flight routes, together with low-cost airways, a direct practice from London with the Eurostar route, or a ferry to Hook of Holland or Rotterdam
So I’ve discovered a few of the finest issues to do in Amsterdam for toddlers… though sadly you’ll be able to now not climb over the I Amsterdam signal, which was eliminated in 2018.
Take a canal cruise
A good way to see Amsterdam with youngsters and expertise the canals with out strolling, it’s one thing that appeals no matter age you’re.
However should you’re in search of child-friendly Amsterdam concepts, there’s nonetheless a string of firms to select from, together with a hop-on, hop-off canal boat, a 75-minute highlights cruise and a pancake cruise on the Pannenkoekenboot.
Pancakes are all the time going to characteristic on a listing of issues to do in Amsterdam with a toddler in spite of everything!
The Vondelpark
Town’s most well-known park is a beautiful inexperienced oasis, excellent if you end up visiting in summer season and wish a shady retreat for youths to run off a little bit of vitality (or cool off from the town streets).
In addition to ambling alongside the lake and down the paths, there are issues to do within the Vondelpark itself – essentially the most kid-friendly of which is the large playground neglected by the Het Groot Melkhuis café.
For one more quirky exercise, chek out the Kinderkookkafe, the place the children put on the aprons and create their very own meals. Adults can assist should you’re visiting with toddlers or preschoolers, however it’s additionally a terrific possibility with barely older youngsters.
Sadly Ontdekhoek has now closed, a former favorite of anybody in Amsterdam with younger youngsters, ‘Discovery Nook’ had over 30 completely different experiments and actions for age 4+, designed to be carried out with out mother and father being concerned.
Trip a motorcycle
One of many most secure locations to cycle, half the town (perhaps extra!) appears to get round on bikes – in case you are on foot, it’s price attempting to work out the system pretty rapidly, so that you – or your toddler – isn’t wandering out in entrance of fast-moving bikes.
For those who’re in Amsterdam with youngsters who can’t experience, renting a bakfiets – a motorcycle with little trailer on the entrance – is an effective way to discover, though don’t overlook to lock them up should you do cease.
Nemo Science Museum
Amsterdam’s Science Museum is geared toward youngsters aged six to 16, though there are as many exhibitions and experiments to entertain pre-schoolers (and oldsters) as faculty age youngsters – so should you’re questioning what to do in Amsterdam with a baby, this could positively be on the record.
It was one of many largest hits of our journey, with so many issues to get arms on with, together with making big bubbles, experiments with sound, displays on the human physique but in addition reveals to observe plus areas geared toward teenagers and loads lot extra.
The sloping roof even turns into a seashore in summer season, with improbable views out over Amsterdam. Purchase a skip-the-line ticket on-line prematurely right here
Take a look at my evaluation of our go to on this submit too
Wondr Expertise
Who says youngsters are the one ones who get to play? The Wondr Expertise is well probably the most enjoyable issues to do in Amsterdam with toddlers AND adults, with all the things from Europe’s largest ball pit to a pool stuffed with marshmallows.
Add in confetti showers, a magical kaleidoscope, a thousand disco balls and fluffy karaoke cubicles, and it’s all designed to maintain everybody within the household grinning. There’s even a sea of teddy bears (rely me in!)
As a bonus, the SpongeBob Particular themed zone means you too can go to Bikini Backside, a assured hit with youthful youngsters who love the cartoon as you get to discover the world’s most well-known underwater metropolis first-hand.
Plus you’ll come away with free digital images utilizing the in-house skilled digicam system as a improbable memento – arrange in each room, you simply must activate them with a private QR code.
Positioned one metro cease from Central Station, or a experience on a the free ferry (plus a brief stroll), it’s straightforward to get to. Morning periods are sometimes quieter for youthful youngsters, and there’s a reduction should you e-book tickets prematurely – free for youths aged 2 and beneath.
Barbie: The Dream Expertise
In case your youngsters are large followers of Barbie, you’ll be able to’t miss a go to to Barbie: The Dream Expertise , solely in Amsterdam – and adults will love reliving a little bit of childhood too.
There’s lots for all ages, with greater than 2,000 sq. metres of enjoyable together with the prospect to step into life-size recreations of some iconic Barbie moments from throughout six a long time – slide down the Dream Home, drive Barbie’s camper van and fly to the moon (just about) alongside the way in which.
Simply let your imaginations run wild, and swap the on a regular basis world for the first colors and popping pinks of Barbie’s world.
For those who’re in search of a singular memento of your time in Amsterdam, you will get free digital images utilizing the expertise’s skilled high quality cameras within the rooms, or choose up some unique Barbie gadgets from the present store.
Proper subsequent door to Wondr, it’s straightforward to mix each experiences in sooner or later, and really straightforward to get to – the expertise is one metro cease from Central Station or a experience on the free ferry from Central, then a brief stroll. Youngsters are welcome in any respect periods earlier than 5pm, and there’s a youngsters’ menu on the Barbie Cafe to get pleasure from as effectively. Free for ages 2 and beneath.
Amsterdam artwork galleries with youngsters
One factor Amsterdam is known for is its unbelievable artwork galleries – and should you’ve assumed these must be off the record should you’re in search of issues to do in Amsterdam with a toddler, assume once more.
A lot of the metropolis’s main museums have youngsters’s excursions, or different methods to make it child-friendly. In fact, should you can time a go to to tie in with youthful toddlers’ naps, you get barely longer to wander round and absorb the artwork your self too.
The Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum has a guided excursions, a digital recreation in addition to ideas for households together with a 1km stroll by way of. Some are higher for various age teams however it’s a terrific place to start out.
The Van Gogh Museum
The Van Gogh museum has choices galore too, together with a treasure hunt, household guided tour, household guides, and even a travelling case with completely different actions for youths – though once more, many are geared toward age six plus. For those who’re forking out, you’ll be able to even get a personal family-friendly tour of the Van Gogh Museum or choose up one of many skip-the-line tickets and go at your personal tempo.
Take a look at my ideas for visiting the Van Gogh museum with a toddler the place I created a toddler-friendly treasure hunt utilizing the museum’s map and highlights – excellent for brief consideration spans.
The Rembrandthuis
For those who’ve set your coronary heart on seeing the Rembrandthuis, it has a particular audioguide for youths (geared toward six up) whereas it’s free for beneath sixes to enter should you’re planning a brief go to. Purchase tickets with free cancellation right here.
H’Artwork Amsterdam
H’Artwork Amsterdam (previously a part of the Hermitage museum) has youngsters’s routes by way of its exhibitions, in addition to treasure hunts, in order that’s nonetheless a chance if you’re planning issues to do in Amsterdam with toddlers.
There’s even an immersive Van Gogh and Rembrandt expertise, with under-fives going free if you wish to convey the artwork to life in Amsterdam for toddlers
Nationwide Maritime Museum
With the Dutch as soon as within the forefront of exploring the globe, studying extra concerning the seafarers of the Golden Age goes to seize even the quick consideration span of a toddler – who doesn’t fancy imagining themselves on deck in search of out new worlds?
One of many highlights is the life-size duplicate of the Dutch East India Firm ship Amsterdam, which you’ll be able to go searching to study extra about life aboard, together with colonial historical past.
It’s included in entry to the Nationwide Maritime Museum subsequent door, with loads of hands-on choices, a Doris the Diver exhibit aimed age 2+, to not point out an interactive life-size board recreation and an exhibition on whales, in addition to a 60-minute audio information which is useful to pick the higlights. Lots for all ages, should you’re visiting Amsterdam with youngsters who’re older too.
Wereldmuseum
This Museum of World Cultures is concentrated on individuals from across the globe , so it’s nice for capturing youthful youngsters’ consideration, in addition to introducing them to another cultures and what connects us all.
The previous Tropenmuseum mixed with two different Dutch museums to turn into the Wereldmuseum in 2023, and the Wereldmuseum Junior is likely one of the extra uncommon Amsterdam youngsters’s sights to maintain in your record too.
The main target is about getting arms on: seeing, touching, experiencing and collaborating with a purpose to get even the youngest guests fascinated about holding an open thoughts concerning the world, how we’re all linked and subjects together with local weather change.
It’s additionally locations like this which make me say an emphatic sure to anybody asking, is Amsterdam good for households?
Purchase tickets with free cancellation for the Wereldmuseum
Artis Royal Zoo
You possibly can’t beat a day taking a look at animals should you’re a toddler – and this zoo, in one of many greener leafy components of central Amsterdam has greater than 900 completely different species of animals.
Together with an aquarium and a petting space, you’ll be able to spot all the things from giraffes to gorillas, to not point out elephants, lions, lemurs, penguins and extra.
There are actions and talks all through the day, and you may take a guided tour, however half the enjoyable is ambling round at your personal tempo watching the animals. Whichever you select, there’s lots to entertain anybody visiting Amsterdam with child or toddler right here.
You can too head in to the planetarium as a part of your go to. The aquarium, which can be usually included within the ticket worth, is at the moment closed and as a result of reopen in spring 2026. Get skip-the-queue tickets, with free cancellation as much as 24 hours beforehand should you purchase on-line.
Take a look at my evaluation of our go to to Artis Royal Zoo with a toddler
Uncover Amsterdam Noord
Hop on the free ferry which runs to Amsterdam Noord, one of many metropolis’s largest inventive hubs.
As soon as an industrial space, wander round and also you’ll uncover road artwork galore – excellent should you’re in search of issues to do with youngsters in Amsterdam that can swimsuit toddlers and older siblings, as even littler ones will love the brilliant colors.
It’s one other good spot to cycle, or should you’ve bought a youthful toddler in a buggy, to stroll as they watch the world go by.
Go to the KattenKabinet
Amsterdam specialises in some very quirky museums, and should you’ve bought a small animal lover within the household, the KattenKabinet – or Cat Museum – is a enjoyable possibility.
Devoted to all issues cat, there’s artwork that includes a string of cats, together with works by Picasso, Rembrandt and Toulouse-Lautrec, but in addition varied different cat-themed objects from posters and drawings to images and sculptures, together with historic Egyptian cat statues.
Better of all, there are a number of real-life cats who dwell there. You probably have toddlers who prefer to seize, it’s price figuring out that they don’t all the time prefer to be petted or stroked, so it’s price setting any expectations (and holding a brief rein on enthusiastic small cat lovers).
Amsterdam with toddlers… issues to postpone till they’re older
And when my daughter’s older? There’s an extended record of issues to do in Amsterdam for youths when you’ve left the toddler years behind too, to not point out an entire string of nice day journeys from Amsterdam with youngsters.
A go to to The Anne Frank Home is certainly for older youngsters, however nothing brings current historical past fairly as vividly to life as this desperately shifting place.
Or on a lighter be aware, there are quirky museums and sights galore in Amsterdam – dive in to immersive artworks at Nxt Museum, the STRAAT Road Artwork Museum
For extra tips about the perfect issues to do in Amsterdam with youngsters, take a look at my household information to the town, the perfect day journeys from Amsterdam, in addition to my evaluation of the I Amsterdam card…
*First revealed 2014, up to date 2025*
PIN FOR LATER: THINGS TO DO IN AMSTERDAM WITH TODDLERS
Principal picture/Rijksmuseum/Rembrandthuis/Nationwide Maritime museum images courtesy Depositphotos, Wondr/Spongebob/Barbie Dream Expertise courtesy of the attraction, all others copyright MummyTravels
Disclosure: This submit incorporates paid content material and affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I could obtain a small fee. All opinions stay my very own.
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