Amsterdam with Kids
A ship-shaped science museum, six playgrounds in one park, and a swing over the city’s rooftops, the version of Amsterdam that actually works with children in tow.
Amsterdam’s reputation as an adults-only playground is genuinely unwarranted, the city is well-organised, clean, and scattered with hundreds of playgrounds and family-friendly museums. Here’s how to spend the time on what actually works with kids.
NEMO Science Museum
A properly brilliant, hands-on science museum housed in a dramatic ship-shaped building near Centraal Station, five floors covering light, sound, water and electricity, built for ages 2-16. The rooftop plaza adds a free splash zone in summer and sweeping city views regardless of whether you pay for entry.
Vondelpark
Amsterdam’s answer to Central Park, nearly 50 hectares with six play areas, ponds, and an open-air theatre running free children’s shows on summer Saturday afternoons. Rent bikes to track down the sculptures scattered through the park, or simply bring a picnic and let the kids run.
A canal cruise
An essential Amsterdam experience with kids, covered boats work well in colder months, open ones in summer, and several companies run family-focused trips including pancake cruises built specifically around kids’ taste buds. It’s also the easiest way to cover ground once little legs have had enough walking.
Artis Amsterdam Royal Zoo
The oldest zoo in the Netherlands, properly well set up for families, zookeeper talks, feeding times, and specialised workshops throughout. Combine it with Micropia next door, a museum dedicated entirely to microorganisms, one of the more unusual and memorable stops on this list.
A’DAM Lookout
A glass-ceilinged elevator ride to a rooftop observation deck with panoramic views over the city, and Over the Edge, Europe’s highest swing, sends braver family members careening 100 metres over the building’s edge. A genuinely thrilling, slightly different way to see Amsterdam from above.
If the weather turns
NEMO and Moco Museum both work well as full indoor days, Moco’s video and light installations are a real hit with younger kids despite being a contemporary art gallery. The Amsterdam Public Library’s children’s floor, with reading nooks and a puppet stage, offers a quieter, free backup too.
Eating with kids
Foodhallen, an indoor food market inside a former tram barn, holds over 20 stalls under one roof, a genuinely easy solution for picky eaters or a group that can’t agree on one restaurant. Dutch pancakes are a reliable, popular choice almost everywhere, and stroopwafels make for an easy on-the-go treat between stops.
A few practical notes
Amsterdam’s public transport is excellent and easy to navigate, worth relying on it over cycling with young kids given how busy the streets get with trams and cars. Many major museums, including the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum, offer free entry for under-18s.
That’s everything I’ve got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government’s latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
