Amsterdam with Kids: Best Activities & Tips from Parents

Why Amsterdam Is Worth It with Kids

• There are genuinely lots of attractions you can enjoy in Amsterdam with kids, plus cool activities designed especially for children.
• Amsterdam is extremely family-friendly and therefore an ideal destination for families with kids.
• The public transportation is excellent and easy to navigate.
• There is plenty to do in Amsterdam even when it rains — including with kids.
• Amsterdam is easily reachable by train or by car.

The Best Activities & Attractions with Kids in Amsterdam

NEMO Science Museum

• Perfect for: Children ages 3 and up
• How much time to plan: at least 4 hours
• Cost: €17.50, free for children under 3
• Online ticket: NEMO Ticket

Before we had kids, we never really realized that pretty much every major city has a science museum.

Since then, we’ve visited science museums with our kids in several cities besides Amsterdam. You can find more information here: Cape Town with Kids, Lisbon with Kids, Valencia with Kids, and Paris with Kids.

They were all genuinely great. But the science museum in Amsterdam is really on another level.

There are 4 floors in total — the higher the floor, the more challenging the exploration and hands-on activities. And “hands-on” isn’t just a buzzword here — the entire museum is interactive.

On the 5th floor there’s also a large restaurant with a panoramic view of the city.

When the weather’s nice, you can also head up to the seriously cool rooftop terrace. We didn’t get to enjoy it ourselves, since we happened to visit on a rainy day.

That said, the NEMO Museum is a fantastic activity in Amsterdam when it rains.

Also read our detailed review:

Maritime Museum

• Perfect for: Children ages 2 and up
• How much time to plan: 1–2 hours
• Cost: €18.50, free for children under 12, €8.50 for ages 13–17
• Online ticket: Maritime Museum website

The Maritime Museum isn’t an attraction designed specifically for kids, of course. But we feel that without children in tow, there’s so much else to see in Amsterdam that this one is really more of a family destination.

So if you’re visiting Amsterdam with kids, we highly recommend the Maritime Museum. It’s especially great on a rainy day. It’s also very conveniently located right next to the NEMO Science Museum.

We headed straight from breakfast at Bakers and Roasters (delicious — be sure to book online in advance) to the NEMO Science Museum, took a lunch break on the rooftop terrace, and then walked over to the Maritime Museum.

Inside the museum building there are two dedicated themed rooms for kids. The Doris the Diver room (ages 2+) is a small indoor playground, and in The Tale of the Whale room (ages 6+) kids can marvel at a giant whale and learn about these ocean giants.

Our standout at the Maritime Museum with the kids was definitely the VOC ship moored in front of the museum. The kids had an incredible time exploring the replica of the East Indiaman Amsterdam: cannons, hammocks, cabins with small beds, the deck with a steering wheel, and a small climbing course in the ship’s hull. Really cool!

You can buy tickets online on the National Maritime Museum website or, like us, simply at the door.

WONDR Experience

• Perfect for: Children ages 2 and up
• How much time to plan: 1–2 hours
• Cost: €27.95, free for children under 2
• Online ticket: WONDR Website

The WONDR Museum isn’t really an attraction exclusively for kids. Without children, we probably never would have thought to go. That said, there were actually plenty of people there without kids.

But let’s first quickly explain what the WONDR Experience actually is — because we honestly weren’t sure what to expect before our visit.

You walk through a series of rooms, each offering a different photo backdrop or a different experience. The idea is to have fun and take cool photos.

In most rooms you can scan your QR code (which comes with your ticket) to trigger a selfie. You can view your photo right on the screen and download it for free at the end.

You can take as many photos as you like. In two of the rooms there was also a photographer who took some additional shots of us.

There are 14 rooms in total. We genuinely had a fantastic time and, looking back, we’re really glad we did this with the kids. On top of all the fun, we also came home with some truly great family photos and memories from our city trip to Amsterdam.

At €28, the admission price is no bargain. Children under 2 get in free, but children ages 3 and up pay full price — except during Kids Time, when kids up to age 10 pay €8 less.

We strongly recommend going during Kids Time, and ideally right at opening time in the morning. We arrived at opening at 10 AM, which meant it was still fairly quiet and we had most rooms completely to ourselves.

Kids Time runs every Saturday and Sunday until 1 PM, Wednesday from 12 to 4:30 PM, and every day during school holidays until 1 PM.

Bottom line: The admission price is steep, but since we also walked away with some genuinely cool family photos, we think it’s totally worth it.

Our tip: Definitely buy your tickets online in advance — you’ll save another €2 per ticket. WONDR tickets are also available on GetYourGuide with the option to cancel for free up to one day in advance — however, Kids Time tickets are not available there. So if you want to go during Kids Time, your best bet is to buy tickets directly on the WONDR website. The regular admission price is the same on both.
Also read:

Barbie: The Dream Experience

• Perfect for: Kids of all ages
• How much time to plan?: approx. 1–1.5 hours
• Cost: from €25 (children ages 3–10: €19)
• Online ticket: Barbie: The Dream Experience

Right next to the WONDR Experience, a real treat awaits Barbie fans and families: Europe’s only official Barbie experience!

At Barbie: The Dream Experience you can dive into Barbie’s hot-pink world and explore 12 different, interactive themed rooms with cool photo spots.

Just like at the WONDR Experience, you’ll get professional digital photos that you can download for free as a keepsake.

Expect a trip through Malibu, a hair salon with a ’90s vibe, the iconic pink Corvette, and even Barbie’s horses. A childhood dream come true for kids and grown-ups alike.

It’s also worth stopping at the Barbie Café, which offers a special kids’ menu. And if you still have energy after that, browse the Barbie Shop with its exclusive merchandise.

Good to know: From Amsterdam Centraal you can get to Barbie The Dream Experience super quickly on the free ferry, or take the metro just one stop.

This is Holland

• Perfect for: Children at least 1 meter tall
• How much time to plan: approx. 1 hour
• Cost: €23.50, ages 4–12: €19.50
• Online ticket: This is Holland website

This is Holland worked out perfectly for us because it was unfortunately pouring rain. We combined it with our visit to the A’dam Lookout, since This is Holland is right next door.

During the 5D Experience you fly over Holland’s most famous landmarks, complete with the scent of tulips and sprays of water. Children must be at least 1 meter tall to participate.

Plan about an hour in total, since you should arrive 15 minutes before your time slot and the experience itself takes around 40 minutes. It consists of three parts: two informational shows about the Netherlands and then the 5D flight experience, which lasts nine minutes.

We were a little disappointed that the presentation is entirely in Dutch. There are English subtitles though, so you can still explain things to the kids.

Our son wasn’t really bothered by it, since he was more focused on the experience itself anyway.

Tickets are a few euros cheaper online than at the door — you can buy them in advance on the Visit Holland website.

Our tip: Right in the building next door is the small café The Coffee Virus – A Lab. They serve excellent coffee, cake, and lunch at fair prices.

Lego Store

• Perfect for: Children ages 2 and up
• How much time to plan: 1 hour
• Cost: free

Honestly, toy stores don’t usually make it onto our list of fun things to do in Amsterdam with kids.

This time, though, we had really rotten luck with the weather — it rained all day long, from morning to evening. When it was really coming down in buckets, the Lego Store happened to be right around the corner.

And it actually wasn’t bad at all. The kids had a great time and spent ages looking at all the sets on the shelves. There were several hands-on stations that even our two-year-old daughter enjoyed.

And yes, both kids got a small Lego or Duplo set.

A well-meaning tip: Only buy a small set that the kids can unbox and build at, say, a restaurant.

With bigger sets, there’s a real risk that Amsterdam suddenly loses its appeal and the kids want to spend the next day in the hotel room building their Lego instead.

A'DAM Lookout

• Perfect for: Kids of all ages; children must be at least 1.20 m tall for the swing
• How much time to plan: 1–2 hours
• Cost: €18.50, free for children under 3, ages 4–10: €10.50
• Online ticket: Official website

Admittedly, the A’DAM Lookout observation platform on the A’DAM Tower isn’t one of the typical classic Amsterdam attractions, like the Rijksmuseum or the Anne Frank House.

But if you’re doing things to do in Amsterdam with kids, we can’t recommend the A’DAM Tower highly enough.

Your best bet is to grab your tickets online in advance so you don’t have to wait in line on arrival.

There’s no minimum age for the A’DAM Lookout. For the “Over the Edge” swing, kids must be at least 1.20 m tall — and this is checked very carefully at the entrance.

Our kids were both still too small for it, but they still had a blast. Even riding up in the elevator was an experience. The ceiling of the elevator is transparent, and as you ride up you can watch a light show.

If you’re not sure whether your baby or kids will be into that and would rather take an elevator without flashy light effects, just ask at the front desk. Our kids (ages 2 and 5) thought it was amazing.

The elevator takes you up to the covered observation deck. There, kids can roam freely and take in the views of Amsterdam. Our 5-year-old had a great time with the free telescopes, which even had a zoom button.

On this level there’s also a VR roller coaster that children ages 6 and up can “ride.” Tickets can be purchased on-site. We tried the VR roller coaster through Amsterdam and we’re not entirely sure it’s really suitable for kids starting at age 6. You wear a VR headset that fits very snugly and blocks out all light completely. We thought it was cool, but it was our first time trying anything like it and we have nothing to compare it to.

One level up is the open-air observation deck with the “Over the Edge” swing. Kids can roam freely up there too. For the swing, you receive a time slot and then join the queue. You’re very securely strapped in with a harness and then get 60 seconds of swinging over the edge. Jenny loved it — then again, she’s a fan of anything adrenaline-related. She says it was less intense than she expected, though.

In the building there’s also a burger restaurant, and there’s a great combo ticket — Lookout + Burger Menu on GetYourGuide (cancelable up to 24 hours in advance).

In the basement there’s also the A’DAM VR Game Park. We didn’t try that, so unfortunately we can’t give you any specific tips.

The A’DAM Lookout is located in Amsterdam Noord. From Amsterdam Centraal, the free F3 ferry toward Buiksloterweg takes just two minutes to get you to the other side. Just like the observation platform itself, the ferry is also fully accessible.

Our tip: Right next to the A’DAM Lookout is the 5D cinema attraction Visit Holland, where you fly over Holland’s most famous landmarks. More info on that can be found further down in the article.

Moco Amsterdam

• Perfect for: Children ages 3 and up
• How much time to plan: 1 hour
• Cost: €21.95, ages 7–17: €16.95, children under 6: free
• Online ticket: Moco Amsterdam Ticket

There are tons of great museums in Amsterdam, but visiting one with two young children usually isn’t the most relaxing experience.

We decided to visit the Moco anyway and it actually worked out really well. At the entrance we asked if there was anything we needed to know, and the answer was: “No, we’re very family-friendly and everything is allowed.”

So we zipped through the exhibition, taking brief looks at the art together. The video installations and light installations in particular were a big hit with both kids.

We spent about 30 minutes inside the museum itself and then another 15 minutes outside in the garden, where there’s a large horse sculpture, among other things, that you’re allowed to climb on.

So if you’re in Amsterdam with kids and want to enjoy some modern art together as a family, we wholeheartedly recommend Moco Amsterdam.

Even More Ideas for What to Do with Kids in Amsterdam

We’ve been to Amsterdam quite a few times, but with the kids we only had three days to experience the city. Unfortunately, it rained on two out of three days, so we mainly did indoor activities with the children.

We had plenty more ideas saved for our family trip to Amsterdam, though. We’ll list them all here for you. We don’t have any firsthand experience with these, sadly.

If you’ve already visited Amsterdam with kids and know of any other cool activities for children, feel free to leave us a comment.

Parks and playgrounds in Amsterdam:

• Vondelpark: playground, Groote Melkhuis restaurant with playground, Kinderkoofkafé
• Oosterpark: playground
• Westerpark: Boerderij Westerpark, playgrounds, natural playground Het Woeste Westen just north of the park

Museums:

• The Upside Down Museum (Tickets)

Animal attractions:

• Kinderboerderij De Pijp (petting zoo)
• Artis Zoo (Tickets)
• Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam (Tickets)

Canal cruises:

• Kids Cruise by Blue Boat (Tickets)
• A canal cruise in Amsterdam, such as the pedal boat canal cruise (Tickets)
• Hop-on/Hop-off boats

For teenagers:

• Anne Frank Museum

Hotel Tips: Where to Stay in Amsterdam with Kids

We chose the Bob W in Amsterdam Noord and absolutely loved it.

The hotel is in Amsterdam Noord, which means we had to factor in a bit of travel time to get to the city center. But it really wasn’t a big deal.

You’re either a ten-minute walk from the NDSM Wharf ferry stop, from where the free ferry takes about ten minutes to reach Amsterdam Centraal. The ferries run every ten minutes.

Or you take a 15-minute bus ride to the Noorderpark metro station. From there it’s just one stop to Amsterdam Centraal.

Also read how public transportation in Amsterdam works

The Bob W operates completely without a front desk. When you book, you receive a code that gets you everywhere: the entrance, your hotel room, the laundry and locker room, the parking garage, and more.

But you can reach someone via WhatsApp at any time and get help right away.

This time we drove to Amsterdam, and since parking in Amsterdam isn’t exactly straightforward, we needed a hotel with parking. Beneath the hotel is a parking garage (max. height 2.10 m), where we could park for €17 per day.

The hotel has two room categories for families with children. The Superior Studio (23 m²) and the Deluxe Studio (31 m²) both have a double bed and a separate sofa bed.

Breakfast is not available as an add-on, but there is a rooftop café in the building.

The nearest supermarket is about a ten-minute walk, right at the ferry to the city center. There are several cafés nearby — we went to Brunchdale (see our restaurant tips in this article).

Book Bob W Amsterdam Noord

More accommodations in Amsterdam with kids

Also read:

Restaurant Tips for Amsterdam with Kids

We love city trips in general, but what we love most of all is eating our way through cities. And that’s something we refuse to give up when traveling with kids.

On the contrary. We often use good food as motivation. The search for the best pizza or the best ice cream in Amsterdam just happens to take us through beautiful neighborhoods we want to see anyway, or past well-known landmarks.

Searching for the best pizza and the best ice cream works in pretty much any city — in Amsterdam we also threw in the best pancakes and the best fries.

IJver Amsterdam: Restaurant with a Play Corner

We stumbled upon the IJver by chance on our first evening while walking through the NDSM Wharf in Amsterdam Noord.

We had originally planned to go to Noorderlicht or Pllek, both of which are right on the water with plenty of space for the kids to run around — but the kids spotted the play corner in the restaurant as we walked past and that settled it.

The IJver is located right inside one of the large warehouse halls, but also has outdoor seating. In addition to the play corner, there was a shelf full of board games and two old-school arcade machines.

And most importantly: the food was really good too.

Breakfast in Amsterdam

We could have made breakfast ourselves in our room at the Bob W, and the hotel also has a rooftop café that serves breakfast.

But we decided to seek out some great cafés in Amsterdam instead — and there are plenty to choose from.

Our picks were:

De Bakkerwinkel Centrum

Right in the middle of the red-light district in Amsterdam’s city center. An absolute local favorite for us. Incredible breakfast, super family-friendly, fair prices, and perfectly central.

We had read that there was a kids’ corner there. Unfortunately it no longer exists. But that wasn’t an issue at all. The staff was wonderfully kind, there was a kids’ breakfast on the menu, and high chairs were available too.

We called ahead to reserve a table the day before, but on a weekday morning shortly after opening there were still plenty of free tables. The café only started to fill up around 10 AM.

Bakers & Roasters

We chose this café because it’s very close to the NEMO Science Museum and the Maritime Museum.

We booked a table online the evening before, which was a good call. If you arrive right at opening time in the morning, you can still get a table without a reservation, though.

B&R is a New Zealand café with Brazilian influences.

Either way: absolutely outstanding and a strong recommendation if you want to have breakfast in Amsterdam.

Brunchdale

This brunch café was conveniently located right around the corner from our Hotel Bob W in Amsterdam.

There was a really cute kids’ corner, a kids’ menu, and the children got their hot chocolate in cups with little mouse ears and their breakfast on kids’ plates.

The food was delicious, the staff was incredibly kind, and everyone was happy.

Eating Pancakes in Amsterdam

Pancakes, pannekoeken, or American pancakes — Amsterdam has many truly excellent restaurants that serve nothing but pancakes.

We went to the café Blin Queen and loved it. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was very cozy, high chairs were available, and everyone was very friendly.

We had also saved the following pancake restaurants:

• Choco Delight. They also serve waffles and ice cream, but the seating is less comfortable.
• Pancakehouse Upstairs. A super charming café with teapots hanging from the ceiling. But it’s very small and cramped, and you have to climb a steep staircase. It’s probably a fun experience with older kids or ones who like sitting quietly (do those exist?).
• Pancakes Amsterdam. Very close to Amsterdam Centraal. They serve pannekoeken and American pancakes, with vegan, gluten-free, and lactose-free options.

Eating Pizza in Amsterdam

We opted for lunch at Magia Pizza & Wine. The pizzeria is not far from the Museumkwartier, and since we were planning to visit the Moco Museum in the afternoon, the location was very convenient for us.

The pizzeria has both indoor and outdoor seating, though it’s not huge. It was no problem getting a table inside, the pizza was excellent, high chairs were available, and everyone was very welcoming.

Eating Fries in Amsterdam

The Dutch get a lot of things right, but one thing they’re truly exceptional at is fries.

Normally fries don’t make it onto our restaurant wish list when we’re planning a city trip. But for our kids, fries — along with pizza, burgers, and ice cream — are basically a food group.

The bad news is: once you’ve had a proper serving of fries in Amsterdam, you’ll find yourself wondering why fries back home so often just don’t measure up.

But if you’re in Amsterdam with kids, it’s absolutely worth trying them.

During our weekend in Amsterdam, fries made multiple appearances and they were all excellent. But the best were the fries from t’Pareltje.

A tip for anyone who doesn’t want fries: Directly across the canal there’s a truly excellent Lebanese spot called The Lebanese Sajeria, serving Manakish (rolled flatbreads with your choice of filling) to go. The kids were happy with their fries and we were happy with our Manakish.

Eating Ice Cream in Amsterdam

Ice cream is always a good idea, as everyone knows. One (or two) ice creams a day, keep the doctor away — you know how it goes.

Our kids have been known to walk quite a few kilometers in pursuit of the best ice cream in a city. It gives us a chance to take in the sights at a leisurely pace — and they don’t even notice when we take the occasional detour. Win-win!

This time we only had the chance to try one ice cream shop — Sotto Zero Gelatorbar — but it was genuinely excellent and conveniently located on our route between the Museumkwartier and the Rokin metro station on the way back.

Practical Tips for Experiencing Amsterdam with Kids