Neglect the brown cafes and crimson mild district, a metropolis break in Amsterdam with youngsters is ideal for households โ and that features seeing Amsterdam with toddlers. A minimum of as soon as I reached the purpose have been I used to be (pretty) sure my daughter wouldnโt attempt to fall right into a canal.
advert/accommodates paid content material and affiliate hyperlinks*
When youโre additionally planning to see Amsterdam with a 2-year-old, itโs not even a difficult journey: there are additionally some low cost โ and fast โ 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 Iโve discovered among the greatest issues to do in Amsterdam for toddlersโฆ though sadly you may not climb over the I Amsterdam signal, which was eliminated in 2018.ย
Take a canal cruise
An effective way to see Amsterdam with youngsters and expertise the canals with out strolling, itโs one thing that appeals no matter age you’re.
However for those whoโre searching for child-friendly Amsterdam concepts, thereโs nonetheless a string of firms to select from, together with a hop-on, hop-off canal boat, a 75-minute highlights cruiseย with free stroopwaffel and a pancake cruise on the Pannenkoekenboot.
Pancakes are at all times going to characteristic on a listing of issues to do in Amsterdam with a toddler in any case!
The Vondelpark
The townโs most well-known park is a stunning inexperienced oasis, good if you end up visiting in summer season and want a shady retreat for youths to run off a little bit of power (or cool off from town streets).
In addition to ambling alongside the lake and down the paths, there are issues to do within the Vondelpark itself โ probably the most kid-friendly of which is the massive playground neglected by the Het Groot Melkhuis cafรฉ.
For an additional quirky exercise, chek outย the Kinderkookkafe, the place the youngsters put on the aprons and create their very own meals. Adults may help for those whoโre visiting with toddlers or preschoolers, nevertheless itโs additionally a terrific choice with barely older youngsters.
Sadly Ontdekhoek has now closed, a former favorite of anybody in Amsterdam with younger youngsters, โDiscovery Nookโ had over 30 totally different experiments and actions for age 4+, designed to be carried out with out mother and father being concerned.
Experience a motorcycle
One of many most secure locations to cycle, half town (perhaps extra!) appears to get round on bikes โ if you’re on foot, itโs value attempting to work out the system pretty shortly, so that you โ or your toddler โ isnโt wandering out in entrance of fast-moving bikes.
When youโre in Amsterdam with youngsters who canโt experience, renting a bakfiets โ a motorcycle with little trailer on the entrance โ is an effective way to discover, though donโt overlook to lock them up for those who do cease.
Nemo Science Museum
Amsterdamโs Science Museum is aimed toward kids aged six to 16, though there are as many exhibitions and experiments to entertain pre-schoolers (and oldsters) as college age youngsters โ so for those whoโre questioning what to do in Amsterdam with a toddler, this could undoubtedly be on the checklist.
It was one of many greatest hits of our journey, with so many issues to get palms on with, together with making big bubbles, experiments with sound, reveals on the human physique but additionally exhibits to observe plus areas aimed toward teenagers and rather a lot lot extra.
The sloping roof even turns into a seashore in summer season, with unbelievable views out over Amsterdam. Purchase a skip-the-line ticket on-line upfront right here
Take a look at my assessment of our go to on this publish 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 the whole lot from Europeโs largest ball pit to a pool filled with marshmallows.
Add in confetti showers, a magical kaleidoscope, a thousand disco balls and fluffy karaoke cubicles, and itโs all designed to maintain everybody within the household grinning. Thereโs even a sea of teddy bears (rely me in!)
As a bonus, the SpongeBob Particular themed zone means it’s also possible to go to Bikini Backside, a assured hit with youthful youngsters who love the cartoon as you get to discover the worldโs most well-known underwater metropolis first-hand.
Plus youโll come away with free digital photographs utilizing the in-house skilled digital camera system as a unbelievable memento โ arrange in each room, you simply have to activate them with a private QR code.
Situated one metro cease from Central Station, or a experience on a the free ferry (plus a brief stroll), itโs simple to get to. Morning classes are sometimes quieter for youthful youngsters, and thereโs a reduction for those who e-book tickets upfront โ free for youths aged 2 and below.
Barbie: The Dream Expertise
In case your youngsters are large followers of Barbie, you mayโt miss a go to to Barbie: The Dream Expertise , solely in Amsterdam โ and adults will love reliving a little bit of childhood too.
Thereโs loads 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 many years โ slide down the Dream Home, drive Barbieโs 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 Barbieโs world.
When youโre searching for a singular memento of your time in Amsterdam, you will get free digital photographs utilizing the expertiseโs skilled high quality cameras within the rooms, or decide up some unique Barbie objects from the reward store.
Proper subsequent door to Wondr, itโs simple to mix each experiences in at some point, and really simple to get to โ the expertise is one metro cease from Central Station or a experience on the free ferry from Central, then a brief stroll. Children are welcome in any respect classes earlier than 5pm, and thereโs a youngstersโ menu on the Barbie Cafe to get pleasure from as properly. Free for ages 2 and below.
Amsterdam artwork galleries with youngsters
One factor Amsterdam is known for is its unbelievable artwork galleries โ and for those whoโve assumed these should be off the checklist for those whoโre searching for issues to do in Amsterdam with a toddler, suppose once more.
A lot of the metropolisโs main museums have kidsโs excursions, or different methods to make it child-friendly. In fact, for those who can time a go to to tie in with youthful toddlersโ 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 suggestions for households together with a 1km stroll by way of. Some are higher for various age teams nevertheless itโs a terrific place to begin.
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 totally different actions for youths โ though once more, many are aimed toward age six plus. When youโre forking out, you may even get a personal family-friendly tour of the Van Gogh Museum or decide up one of many skip-the-line tickets and go at your personal tempo.
Take a look at my suggestions for visiting the Van Gogh museum with a toddler the place I created a toddler-friendly treasure hunt utilizing the museumโs map and highlights โ good for brief consideration spans.
The Rembrandthuis
When youโve set your coronary heart on seeing the Rembrandthuis, it has a particular audioguide for youths (aimed toward six up) whereas itโs free for below sixes to enter for those whoโre planning a brief go to. Purchase tickets with free cancellation right here.
HโArtwork Amsterdam
HโArtwork Museum (previously referred to as the Hermitage Amsterdam) has kidsโs routes by way of its exhibitions, in addition to treasure hunts, in order thatโs nonetheless a risk whenever youโre planning issues to do in Amsterdam with toddlers.
Thereโs even an immersive Van Gogh and Rembrandt expertise, with under-fives going free if you wish to carry 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 in regards to the seafarers of the Golden Age goes to seize even the brief consideration span of a toddler โ who doesnโt fancy imagining themselves on deck searching for out new worlds?
One of many highlights is the life-size duplicate of the Dutch East India Firm ship Amsterdam, which you’ll go searching to study extra about life aboard, together with colonial historical past.
Itโs 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 select the higlights. Loads for all ages, for those whoโre visiting Amsterdam with youngsters who’re older too.
Wereldmuseum
This Museum of World Cultures is targeted on folks from across the globe , so itโs nice for capturing youthful youngstersโ consideration, in addition to introducing them to another cultures and what connects us all.
The previous Tropenmuseum mixed with two different Dutch museums to change into the Wereldmuseum in 2023, and the Wereldmuseum Junior is likely one of the extra uncommon Amsterdam kidsโs sights to maintain in your checklist too.
The main focus is about getting palms on: seeing, touching, experiencing and collaborating so as to get even the youngest guests eager about protecting an open thoughts in regards to the world, how weโre all related and matters together with local weather change.
Itโs 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 mayโt beat a day taking a look at animals for those whoโre a toddler โ and this zoo, in one of many greener leafy elements of central Amsterdam has greater than 900 totally different species of animals.
Together with an aquarium and a petting space, you may spot the whole lot from giraffes to gorillas, to not point out elephants, lions, lemurs, penguins and extra.ย
There are actions and talks all through the day, and you’ll take a guided tour, however half the enjoyable is ambling round at your personal tempo watching the animals. Whichever you select, thereโs loads 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 also 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 for those who purchase on-line.
Take a look at my assessment 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 metropolisโs greatest inventive hubs.
As soon as an industrial space, wander round and also youโll uncover avenue artwork galore โ good for those whoโre searching for issues to do with youngsters in Amsterdam that can swimsuit toddlers and older siblings, as even littler ones will love the brilliant colors.
Itโs one other good spot to cycle, or for those whoโve received 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 for those whoโve received a small animal lover within the household, the KattenKabinet โ or Cat Museum โ is a enjoyable choice.
Devoted to all issues cat, thereโs artwork that includes a string of cats, together with works by Picasso, Rembrandt and Toulouse-Lautrec, but additionally varied different cat-themed objects from posters and drawings to photographs and sculptures, together with historic Egyptian cat statues.
Better of all, there are a number of real-life cats who stay there. In case you have toddlers who wish to seize, itโs value realizing that they donโt at all times wish to be petted or stroked, so itโs value setting any expectations (and protecting a brief rein on enthusiastic small cat lovers).
ย
Amsterdam with toddlersโฆ issues to postpone till theyโre older
And when my daughterโs older? Thereโs an extended checklist of issues to do in Amsterdam for youths when youโve left the toddler years behind too, to not point out a complete string of nice day journeys from Amsterdam with youngsters.
A go to to The Anne Frank Homeย is certainly for older kids, however nothingย brings latest historical past fairly as vividly to life as this desperately shifting place.
Or on a lighter word, there are quirky museums and sights galore in Amsterdam โ dive in to immersive artworks at Nxt Museum, the STRAAT Road Artwork Museum
For extra tips about one of the best issues to do in Amsterdam with youngsters, take a look at my prime picks, in addition to my household information to town, one of the best day journeys from Amsterdam, and my assessment of the I Amsterdam cardโฆ
*First revealed 2014, up to date 2026*
PIN FOR LATER: THINGS TO DO IN AMSTERDAM WITH TODDLERS
Foremost picture/Rijksmuseum/Rembrandthuis/Nationwide Maritime museum photographs courtesy Depositphotos, Wondr/Spongebob/Barbie Dream Expertise courtesy of the attraction, all others copyright MummyTravels
Disclosure: This publish accommodates paid content material and affiliate hyperlinks โ any purchases you make are unaffected however I’ll obtain a small fee. All opinions stay my very own.
LIKED THIS? SIGN UP FOR MY EMAIL NEWSLETTER