Amsterdam is a fantastic city. And that is why I already live here for 14 years and don’t want to move. Ever. Sometimes people ask me why I want to life with my kid in a big city. Why not!? There are so many fun things to do with kids! Nature is always close with lot of big parks and a 30 minutes car ride from the beach. So many theatres, (creative) clubs and museum. It is impossible for a child to get bored here! And with this blog I want to prove to you why every kid should live in Amsterdam, or visit it with their parents! I give you 50 reasons!

FUN & PLAY

Kids and animals are always a good idea! So what better to do than go to the Zoo! 1. Artis. The neighbourhood around there is also nice to walk around after you go to the zoo. Amsterdam is famous for their lovely canals (Did you know thee are more in Amsterdam than Venice?) Canals. There are different ways to see Amsterdam from the water. For example by water bike or an electric boat. But a fun way for kids is to take 2. a cruise over the canals with BlueBoat. Kids get their own special audio tour! If you prefer dry land, maybe you would like exploring Amsterdam while peddling and should 3. rent a bike at one of the many bike shops. Check if they have bikes for kids too and they always have bike seats for kids if your kids are too small for their own bike. Amsterdam is a city but green is always near. Go to the famous 4. Vondelpark with different play areas (Groot Melkhuis) for kids and in the summertime there is a little pool to cool off in. They also have a cool 5. Open Area Theatre (Vondelpark openlucht theater) where they play shows for kids during the summer months. 6. Amstelpark is also a big park with a lot of entertainment for kids. If you want to cool off during the hot summer then try 7. Beatrixpark – it is the place to go with two pools for kids. At the 8. Westerpark they have also a kids’ pool and there are animals + a ‘Nature Playground’. Once a month you can go to the 9. Sunday Market also at Westerpark, which is fun for the whole family. There is entertainment for kids, food, live music and lots of cool stuff to buy (art, toys, crafts, fashion). The whole 10. Westergasterrein, where the Westerpark is situated is a must because of the industrial buildings and nice places to eat. Another interesting area is the 11. NDSM-Werf. It is fun to go there by one of the free ferries and feel the industrial and creative vibe over there. For kids it is a place to run around and explore! Some places in Amsterdam are fantastic when the sun in shining. For example the 12. Sloterplas area where you can go if you are into water sports. 13. Blijburg is Amsterdam’s City Beach and 14. Amsterdamse Bos there is an fun place for kids to play with water and you can go 15. canoeing! Or go to 16. Fun Forest, the Climbing Park there. Unfortunately the following places are not accessible every day because of the Amsterdam weather, but if you are in Amsterdam during the winter period, you must go to the 17. Ice rink at Museumplein. A beautiful place! If you are better on ice skates, go to the 18. Jaap Eden Baan where you skate on a professional ice rink. If it rains really hard (and that is possible in Amsterdam!) and you want to play, you can go to 19. Tun Fun. An underground play ground. Or another special place; 20. De Hollandse Manage where you can watch the horses and the beautiful building.

CULTURAL

If you have kids that are a little bit older, than it is fun to take them on a cultural tour in Amsterdam. There are lots of nice museums that are especially fun for kids, for instance 21. Science Museum Nemo, 22. Tropenmuseum Junior and 23. Scheepvaart Museum (where you can enter a huge VOC schip). There are also the big and well known museums like 24. Rijksmuseum and 25. Stedelijk Museum. They have special weekend tours, which you can join with the whole family. During the weekends there are lots of fun workshops for kids. If you like music, most of the time on Sundays, there are special concerts for kids at the 26. Concertgebouw. In 27. Theater de Toverknol and 28. Theatre de Krakeling there are different plays for kids off different ages. Another nice place to visit is the 29. Central Library (OBA). There is a special section for kids with lots of nice books, area’s to play and always lots of nice things to do like workshops, movies and theatre. If it’s a rainy day, catching a movie in the beautiful 30. Tushinsky Theatre is also a good idea.

SHOPS

Shopping with kids is not very relaxing. But we have good news! In Amsterdam it’s possible! Recently 3 super cool concepts stores for kids opened in Amsterdam. You can find the best clothes for kids there, cool toys, books and furniture. In all three concept stores there is a big area for kids to play while moms can hang out with magazines and a cup of coffee of have lunch. In the Central/West area there is the 31. Mini Chi Chi Club. In area the Pijp you can find 32. Blender Kids Conceptstore en when you are in south go to 33. Mini Markt. If you are looking for some nice kids book, check 34. De Kinderboekwinkel and for some good old (wooden) toys check out the amazing toy store 35. Goochem. For second hand clothes 36. Old West is the best choice. One of my favourite shops for kids clothes is 37. Big & Belg, they have two shops in Amsterdam. And in 38. Mint Mini Mall, 39. Unicorn Boutique and 40. Imps & Elfs/Keet in Huis you will never leave empty handed!

FOOD

After playing, visiting museums, shops or walking through Amsterdam just must have built up an appetite! Not every place in Amsterdam is suitable for kids. But in these 10 places your kids are more than welcome! For example in 41. De Vondeltuin at the end of the Vondelpark. Or if you are in the Amsteramse Bos, go to 42. Boerderij Meerzicht where you can eat pancakes and visit the animal farm. If you visited the Zoo Artis, than 43. Plancius is a good choice. It is across the zoo and kids get their own menu and lots of games. Kids will love pancakes! There is a special Kids Pancakeboat called 44. De Pannenkoekenboot. You will combine a boot ride with pancakes! 45. Nel is in the middle of Amsterdam at Amstelveldje. A beautiful place surrounded with canalhouses. You can order a coffee and bring it to sandbox where your kid can play. 46. The IJkantine in the north area has a special kidscorner and in the weekends there are cultural activities. If you need a hotel, 47. Hotel Arena is a good option. Besides the fact that it is a nice hotel it has a terrace at the back with a play hut. 48. De Huiskamer van Rembrandt has lots space outside to play and is at the corner of the big Rembrandtpark. 49. Belcampo is the coffee corner of the library The Hallen. It has a very big play area with lots of magazines and you can visit The Hallen as well, I love this place to get a drink and food. 50. Pllek is my favourite place in Amsterdam! You have a fantastic view over Amsterdam, the kids can play in the sand while you have lunch of watch the sunset and agree that Amsterdam is one of the best places in the world!

For more tips in Amsterdam, check: www.netherlands-tourism.com

gerelateerde berichten:

SRPRS.ME; DESTINATION UNKNOWN! MIJN ERVARING. OP VAKANTIE IN EIGEN STAD BIJ BOAT&CO INDOOR OVERNACHTEN IN EEN VINTAGE CARAVAN OF STRANDHUISJE IN AMSTERDAM VIND BIJ CAMPSPACE EEN UNIEK BUITENAVONTUUR