Amsterdam with Babies, Toddlers and Kids - tips from a local

Jul 25

We have lived in Amsterdam for over 3 years and have tons of kid friendly tips & tricks! Check out some below. We are always happy to help you plan a family friendly trip to Amsterdam so reach out for more information.

Playgrounds/Parks:

Vondelpark has 3 playgrounds. 1 is a public playground connected to de Vondeltuin which is a cafe. Groot Melkhuis is a cafe with a playground in the back. There is also another playground with a splash pad.
Saraphatipark has 2 playgrounds - one for toddlers and one for older kids.
Herenmarkt Playground is very scenic and near several tourist sites.
Amstelpark has a mini amusement park with activities for kids
Terrasmus is a playground with cafe in Erasmuspark

Restaurants:

Pizza - we recommend Mangia or Pizza Beppe
Canalside dining - for kid friendly bites we recommend bitterballen and fries
Pancake Cruise or any pancake spot
Ladybird - fried chicken and Mac & cheese
Focacceria
Dignita
Flo’s Bagels
Staring at Jacob

Hotels:

The Conservatorium offers spacious rooms and beds for kids.
The Sofitel offers apartment style rooms and connecting rooms.

Activities:

OBA Oosterdok (library near Centraal Station - entire bottom floor dedicated to kids and rooftop restaurant)
Canal cruises
NEMO - science museum with options for all ages & rooftop splash pad
ARTIS (zoo)
Zaanse Schans (windmills)
Zandvoort Beach & restaurants (kids can run free!)
Candy castle (if they really need to get energy out and it’s cold/rainy)
Amsterdamse Bos (forest with petting zoos, pancake house, biking and trails, and cherry blossoms in spring)

Playhood (brand new role play center that is Amsterdam themed plus make your own pizza!)
Maritime museum (haven't been but will go soon! supposed to be great!)
Nijntje Museum in Utrecht - super cool for toddlers

Biking: It is possible to rent a cargo bike (bakfiets) but it is important to know that the biking culture is very different here. If you are not used to riding a bike in traffic, you should spend time walking around and observing bike rules before attempting to rent a bike.