Amsterdam is a city we love and a trip with kids in Amsterdam is always fun. With plenty of canal side walks and loads of activities there’s so much to do in Amsterdam kids won’t want to go home. It’s also really beautiful to look at meaning a wander through the streets is such a delight. Here’s our top tips for all the fun in Amsterdam for kids and how to have a successful Amsterdam family holiday. Read through our guide for a big blast of inspiration or skip through the sections in our index below for our ultimate guide to Amsterdam with kids.
Read more: Our guide to the Netherlands with kids
*AD / This post contains affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I may also have been compensated or gifted in this post by attractions or accommodation options. To read more please see my Disclosure Policy.
Table of Contents
Our guide to Amsterdam with kids: Inspiration
Read all about our sweetest summer in Netherlands trip which also featured Amsterdam. Our blustery spring trip to the Netherlands also saw us on a family trip to Amsterdam.
Amsterdam’s best sites & experiences
When you’re considering a city break with kids Amsterdam is packed full of fun things to do and see. These are some of our favourites sites and experiences –
- Cycle through the canals
- Eat pancakes
- Visit the amazing NEMO science centre
- Visit the Anne Frank House
- Eat frites with Dutch mayonnaise
- Take a tram
- Burn off energy in Vondelpark
- Visit the Artis Royal Zoo
- Enjoy the art at the Van Gogh Museum
What to do in Amsterdam with kids
Travelling with children Amsterdam will provide countless entertainment options but some of our favourite times are wandering the pretty canals and looking at the houses alongside the water.
It’s so picturesque to walk around and with so many little shops and cafes to tempt you in as you go. It’s a city to take your time over.
Here are our top picks for sites to wander to.
NEMO
This is one of our favourite places in Amsterdam for families, absolutely jam-packed with fun.
Watch your little ones harness the power from the sun to make electrical items work, make real experiments and find out what makes teenagers so grumpy.
We loved the end of the day show as well where you can watch the chain reaction happen in front of your eyes.
An afternoon, or ten, of fun here.
Get your skip-the-line tickets here.
The Anne Frank House
We feel that this is an important place to visit children at an age you deem appropriate.
It really is such an emotive building, somewhere to really feel the history and to never forget.
Buy tickets in advance to miss the queues.
Find out more at their website here.
Take a river cruise
Seeing the city by its waterways really is a wonderful way to see Amsterdam.
This cruise takes an hour and 15 minutes and will give you a brilliant overview of the city without having to wear out little legs.
Find out more and get your tickets here.
Het Scheepvaartmuseum, Maritime Museum
Just along the river from NEMO the Maritime Museum is a great space.
The museum is split into three sections. We loved the whale section (although some of it was heartbreaking but not too obviously graphic for little ones) and all the reasons we need to love and protect these gorgeous creatures.
We also really enjoyed the life in the Golden Age section with its talking images bringing it to life.
But the main draw has to be the huge recreation of the 17th century ship The Amsterdam in the dockyard outside.
Learn how to fire a cannon and see if you can lift the cargo below decks.
Get your skip-the-line tickets here
ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo
This zoo is wonderful, really well set out with plenty of space for the animals and the visitors and sums up family friendly Amsterdam.
It’s a great place for rainy days too with huge indoor spaces for butterflies and birds.
This is a wonderful day out which all ages will love.
Get your skip-the-line tickets here.
Other things to do
If you’re working out if Amsterdam good for families then the answer is a resounding yes.
As well as all the above there’s also Pannenjoejenbook (pancake boat) to take through the canals, Vondelpark with all of its playgrounds (and free theatre shows on a Wednesday), The Van Gogh Museum (who have a guided tour for 6-9 year olds and a scavenger hunt amongst others), Rijksmuseum Museum amongst many others.
Read more: Great day trips from Amsterdam
The best places to stay in Amsterdam with kids
If you’re looking for an Amsterdam family vacation there are some fantastic places to stay from canal boat AirBNBs to hotels shaped as windmills.
In the city we stayed in The Albus Hotel which was really central and had family rooms we could all fit in to. It was the perfect base from which to explore the city and had little touches like Nespresso machines in the room and huge rainforest showers.
We also loved staying at holiday style parks on the outskirts of the city, particularly Landal Esonstad. One of the best holiday parks near Amsterdam.
See more places to stay in Amsterdam here –
Where and what to eat in Amsterdam with children
The food in Amsterdam and across the Netherlands is perfectly family friendly.
There are countless stalls to stop and get hot frites with lashings of the unique creamy Dutch mayo.
There are also plenty of places to pick up pancakes which is another Dutch staple you have to have when you’re in the city.
Some of our favourite other snacks are drop (a salty liquorice), delicious stroopwaffles – a caramel filled thin waffle you warm up on your hot drink and Appelflappen – tasty apple doughnuts.
Some of our favourite restaurants in the city are –
The Pancake Bakery, Amsterdam – Amsterdam with kids
When you come to Amsterdam you absolutely have to have pancakes and you might as well have the best.
This restaurant is just down from the Anne Frank House and situated in a beautiful 17th century building.
And the pancakes are epic.
Huge portions and every combination imaginable. And the kids will be very happy.
Read our full review of The Pancake Bakery Amsterdam here.
Wok to Walk
We love this chain – cheap and easy food ready to suit everyone from vegans to carnivores.
Their food is delicious and fast – you just may not find a seat to eat inside.
This is always a restaurant we seek out when we’re in the city.
Find out more here.
Pancakes Amsterdam – Amsterdam with kids
Another great pancake chain, Pancakes Amsterdam is well worth looking at for massive savoury and sweet creations.
You can’t have too many pancakes and this is another wonderful place to visit.
Find out more here.
Getting around Amsterdam
We took the boat, the Stena Line overnight Harwich to Hook of Holland ferry which is a great way to travel.
The boat was so comfortable and as we had our car with us it meant it was easy for us to travel around the Netherlands.
Amsterdam is around an hour and a half from the Hook of Holland. You can also fly or take the Eurostar.
By travelling by boat we were able to take our car but if you don’t the public transport system in Amsterdam is fantastic with buses, trams and metros.
This is also a great city to cycle around of course and you can hire bicycles or even take your own on the ferry. It’s a city that’s also easy to wander around by foot which we spent a lot of time doing.
If you are going to travel by public transport then consider buying acard, they last from between one and seven days and can be used on trams, buses, ferries and the metro.
Find our more and pick up your tickets here.
Keep in mind that parking in Amsterdam is very expensive. If you are taking your car consider leaving it at one of the Park & Ride car parks out of the city.
Amsterdam with kids Top Tips
- There are a number of tourist cards to help cut down on costs – The Amsterdam City Card gives you three days worth of unlimited public transport, free entrance to a number of museums and attractions and also discounts at restaurants. Find out more here.
- If you’re not going to get a tourist card then check on line before you visit. Particularly places like the Van Gogh Museum and The Anne Frank House which you would definitely benefit from organising the tickets online beforehand as their queues are legendary.
- Please let us know if there’s anywhere we’re missing off, or if our reviews help your plans and answer the question “is Amsterdam family friendly?”. We love to hear from you.
Enjoy planning your trip to Amsterdam with kids. Check out our guide to the Netherlands with kids for more to do in this fantastic country.
