Best Things to Do in Amsterdam with Kids

The great cliches of travel to Amsterdam, The Netherlands’ first city, are firmly adult-oriented: coffee shops, populated almost entirely by bored-looking tourists, and the Red Light District, a mecca for stag nights.

Yet, with its canals, trams, bicycles and easy walkability, Amsterdam has plenty to offer families, particularly those with older children. Here’s a few of our top things to do in Amsterdam with kids.

Eat Frietjes

Frietjes is the Dutch word for fries and, like the Belgians just across the border, the Dutch eat their frietjes with mayo. Super-crispy on the outside, meltingly soft in the middle, frietjes are fries as they’re meant to be eaten.

Go to NEMO

With everything from Heath Robinson machines to bubblemakers for littlies, and an eye-opening teens section that spans the gamut from spots to sex and drugs, Amsterdam’s science centre, NEMO, right on the harbour front, is endlessly fascinating. The rooftop is home to deckchairs, fountains and water play, making a brilliant break if the science gets too much.

Visit the Van Gogh Museum

The Van Gogh Museum, with more Vincent Van Gogh artworks than anywhere in the world, not to mention treats by Gauguin, Monet, Manet and more, is a must-visit for most people stopping in Amsterdam. A quiz trail for kids, and interactive exhibits on colour theory and more, make the art more than palatable for younger visitors – booking online is vital at busy times.

Take a Canal Cruise

Low-lying Amsterdam, like Venice, is built around a system of canals, and a canal tour on a low, flat barge is a great way to get a sense of the city centre as a whole, and its unique architecture. An hour is about enough for most children.

Ride a Bike

There are more bicycles than people in Amsterdam and, with its network of bike routes, its parks and its bike lanes, bicycle can be a great way to get around – particularly for older children. Note that helmets aren’t standard issue, and traffic in some parts can be hard to negotiate.

Explore the Rijksmuseum

Home to great works by Dutch masters including Vermeer and Rembrandt, as well as early Gothic artworks, the newly refurbished Rijksmuseum is a must-visit. Kids will love the sculpture garden, with its trick fountains and Henry Moore artworks, as well as curios such as an exhibit of weirdly shaped Dutch drinking horns. Again, it’s worth booking online.

See the Anne Frank House

The attic where Anne Frank and her family survived almost all of the war, before their final capture in 1944, is preserved as a museum, and makes a chilling, emotional visit for any child – particularly if they’ve read the Anne Frank diary. The building is small, and queues are long, so booking well, well in advance is a must at most times of year.

Visit a Windmill

While most Dutch windmills are far outside the city, the Sloten Windmill is a working mill that’s open to the public and easily reachable by bus or tram. There are guided tours, explaining the mill’s working, as well as art exhibits and more.

Go Skating

One of the joys of visiting Amsterdam during winter, particularly in years when it’s cold enough for the canals to freeze, is whizzing along the frozen waterways of the city. Even when temperatures stay relatively warm, it’s possible to skate on purpose-built ice rinks in spots like the Museumplein and Leidseplein.

Enjoy!