Amsterdam With Kids
Amsterdam is one of our favorite first cities to take kids. It’s compact, easy to navigate, beautiful and — perhaps most importantly — the Dutch seem to understand that parents still want to go out and do things.
The Short List
The places we’d build the trip around
Amsterdam's great urban park, with playgrounds, adjacent cafés and huge open green spaces.
Experience Amsterdam by floating through canals and learning its history. All while enjoying a drink and some gouda cubes? Yes please.
Modern art, Banksy, immersive exhibits and a pace that works surprisingly well with kids. Free for kids under 13.
Amsterdam's secret weapon for families: free neighborhood children's farms filled with goats, sheep, rabbits and other animals. When everyone has had enough of sightseeing, go see some goats.
This one is for adults and older kids. But an essential experience walking through the preserved canal house where Anne Frank and her family hid during World War II.
The prettiest part of Amsterdam to wander without much of a plan. Canals, independent shops, tiny cafés and enough playground stops to keep everyone moving.
Amsterdam began as a 13th-century fishing village on the Amstel River — and grew into one of the richest cities in the world during the Dutch Golden Age, fueled by global trade and the Dutch East India Company.
The city you see today was shaped by both wealth and constraint. Canal houses were built tall and narrow because taxes were based on facade width — a quirk that created Amsterdam's signature look. Beneath the streets, thousands of wooden stilts support buildings in soft, waterlogged ground. Over time, they shift — giving many homes their subtle, leaning charm.
Quick History:
A WEEKEND IN AMSTERDAM
A long weekend in Amsterdam with kids, based around De Pijp and the canal belt. You could easily spend a week in this charming city, but this gives you a good first taste without trying to see everything.
A small caveat: Amsterdam, as we’re sure you know, is home to De Wallen or The Red Light District. Our itinerary doesn’t take you to it. If you wish to go, remember: in the evening photography is strictly forbidden and it’s definitely not a comfortable place for children after dark.
FRIDAY
ARRIVE → EXHALE → EAT SOMETHING
CHECK-IN
Check into your hotel and lose the bags. If you've read our other guides, you know we've learned that kids like to settle in. Give them a chance to unpack their stuffies, make themselves at home and be loud and unstructured for at least an hour, it will save you later. Use the time to shower, charge your phone, grab an espresso or head to the bar for a drink.
DINNER | DE PIJP
Walk or tram to De Pijp for dinner. The neighborhood is dense with good, unfussy restaurants that welcome kids.
If you want classic Dutch food, Loetje De Pijp (~€15–25/person) is a classic Dutch brasserie with steak, fries and good salads. It has been feeding the neighborhood for decades. If you want something smaller and family-run, Café-Restaurant 't Heemelrijck (~€15–25/person) feels more like a hidden gem, with Dutch comfort food in a cozy, slightly old-fashioned atmosphere.
If the kids are lobbying for pasta, you’ve got options. Casa Nostra (~€12–20/person) is a tiny, warmly lit Southern Italian spot that locals love. The pizza is flavorful and the pasta is made in-house. Book ahead if you're arriving Friday night. Spaghetteria (~€15–20/person) is likely where you’ll find a table first. Buzzy, easy and filled with locals. The tiny menu changes frequently, the service is prompt and the food is delicious.
ADDITIONAL OPTION | Franggo
(~€10–20/person) This Portuguese grilled chicken spot is understated and excellent. Get a full chicken dinner and some extra sides. Protein in their tiny bodies? Check. Fries to guarantee calories consumed? Yep. Fun drinks imported from Portugal or Africa for mom and dad? You bet. (And don’t forget the Piri Piri sauce for the adults!) We love this for a first night meal, if you’re exhausted and need a simple, delicious and authentic dinner.
SATURDAY
DE PIJP → MUSEUMPLEIN → VONDELPARK → NOORD
MORNING | ALBERT CUYP MARKET & A PETTING ZOO
Grab a coffee and get the kids something to nibble on from your hotel lobby, then start the morning at Albert Cuyp Market (free), Amsterdam's biggest street market, it runs the length of a long city block and sells everything from fresh herring to vintage linens, but you're here for one thing: the Stroopwaffles, made fresh and handed to you warm, the caramel center melted and perfect. Get there early before the crowds thicken.
Next, walk a few minutes over to Kinderboerderij De Pijp — free, Tue–Sat 11am–4:45pm An urban petting zoo that your children will love. Expect goats, sheep, rabbits, plus craft activities on weekends. The entrance is a little hidden — walk past the roundabout and look for the path.
LATE MORNING | MOCO MUSEUM
From there, walk fifteen minutes west to Museumplein. Skip the Rijksmuseum line (save it for a trip without kids) and go straight to Moco Museum(€18–22/adult, free for kids under 13) instead. Banksy throughout, immersive digital rooms downstairs, and a pace that suits everyone. Book online in advance — early morning slots are cheaper.
LUNCH + PLAY | VONDELPARK
Cross the square to Vondelpark (free) and let the kids run. Amsterdam's great park has playgrounds, ponds and plenty of room to run. Make your way to De Vondeltuin playground and grab an Aperol Spritz on the terrace with some fries while you watch your kids run free at the adjacent playground. You've earned it.
AFTERNOON | AMSTERDAM NOORD
If the afternoon is sunny —hop on the #2 tram to Amsterdam Centraal, once there, head to Amsterdam Noord via the free ferry from behind Centraal Station. The crossing takes four minutes and who doesn't love a little boat ride? On the other side, Pllek(~€10–20/person) sits on a wharf with a man-made beach, sand toys, long picnic tables, and a menu that leans vegetarian and fresh. Order the kids something from the kids menu, get yourself the beef pastrami or the oyster mushroom shawarma, and enjoy watching both the people and the water.
RAINY DAY SWAP
Zip up your rain coat and walk 20 minutes from Vondelpark to grab lunch at Foodhallen(~€10–20/person, not including drinks) — an indoor food court with over 20 stalls including pizza, ramen, sushi, and a giant gin and tonic bar. Everyone can get exactly what they are craving which is perfect since full-bellied children are considerably more pleasant than hangry ones.
If the weather is really bad: Skip Vondelpark altogether and head to the Museum of Illusions(~€60/family of 4 pass). It's entertaining for both adults and children — although adults might get a little nauseous at some of the visual trips — the kids will love running around and being the star of every exhibit.
If the kids are more into science, NEMO Science Museum (€21.50/adult, €21.50 for kids 4–17, free under 4) is perfect. The giant Boat shaped museum is almost entirely hands-on, with experiments, demonstrations, giant interactive exhibits, bubbles, electricity, water, gravity, and tons of things they can touch and play with. It feels more like a giant science playground than a traditional museum, so it works really well for families and different ages. Plan on 2–3 hours, and book a timed ticket online in advance. The free rooftop is also worth a quick stop for great city views and a snack.
DINNER | DE PIJP
Once you're back and things are winding down, head to GlouGlou or Dilettante(~€8–12/glass) in De Pijp for a glass of natural wine. If your kids are young and coming with you, Glou Glou is directly across the street from excellent wood-fired pizza at De Pizzakamer(~€10–15/person), which is directly across the street from Massimo Gelato(~€3–5/scoop)— a real trifecta.
Promise them a gelato after pizza if they sit quietly through a glass of wine at Glou Glou first. Both Glou Glou and Dilettante wine bars are small, candlelit, and filled with locals.
SHOPPING | Dille & Kamille
If you want to take home something charming and Dutch that you’ll actually use, head over to Dille & Kamille before or after dinner. It’s full of well-designed home goods and most things will fit in your carry-on.
SUNDAY
JORDAAN → THE 9 STREETS → CANAL CRUISE → ANNE FRANK
MORNING | NOORDERMARKT + WINKLE 43
Sunday in Amsterdam belongs to the Jordaan, and it should start at Noordermarkt (free). The Sunday organic market wraps around a beautiful 17th-century church and draws a very good-looking crowd of locals buying cheese, bread, and flowers. Just around the corner is Winkle 43(apple pie ~€6), which serves what many consider the best apple pie in the Netherlands — a deep, cinnamon-heavy Dutch appeltaart with a cloud of whipped cream on top. The line forms early. One or two slices will comfortably feed a family of 4. After you finish the pie, look across the street to the little playground by the church. Give your kids 15 minutes to play while you finish your coffee.
LATE MORNING | THE 9 STREETS
From Noordermarkt, wander south into The 9 Streets — nine short canal-side streets connecting the Jordaan to the canal belt, lined with independent boutiques, design shops and cafés.
Arket is here for a coffee break (the food in the cafe is excellent) and to browse curated, effortlessly cool clothes. After you’ve finished shopping, head over to the playground called Johnny Jordaanplein with the statues of musicians — an easy spot to watch the kids play for twenty minutes while you sit on the patio at the Heineken Beir across the street (FYI- it’s totally normal to order a cappuccino at a bar in this town). Don't miss the clothing boutique Number Nine opposite the park — this place houses the epitome of functional meets fashionable clothing (think merino wool sweaters you could wear to the market or a nice dinner and the sleekest raincoats you’ve ever seen).
LUNCH | BLUE AMSTERDAM
From the park, walk 10 minutes to Blue Amsterdam(~€10-20/person) and enjoy the sweeping views of Amsterdam from the rooftop cafe and bar. You could grab something from the all day breakfast menu, fries for the table, a white chocolate cookie for the kids. We love the Sem’s chicken curry for the adults. Even if you just grab a coffee or a drink, the view is certainly worth the stop.
LUNCH OPTION 2 | SOUP EN ZO
Soup en Zo (~€10-15/person) is a no frills organic soup and salad bar that has delicious options (sure to please even picky kids). Seating is limited but there are benches outside that provide great people watching. (You could also do what the Dutch do and take your bounty to a canal and sit beside it to eat). Directly across the street is Stach Bakery (~€5/person) that offers espresso and a plethora of baked goods but you’re here for a massive meringue the size of your child’s head.
AFTERNOON | FLAGSHIP CANAL CRUISE
Now get on a boat. Walk to the canal for a Flagship Canal Cruise(~€20/person) — The one-hour wine and cheese tour boards right across from the Anne Frank House, Parents get a glass of sparkling wine and the whole family gets a plate of Gouda cubes with little Dutch flags stuck throughout. Our kids took the flags — on toothpicks — home as souvenirs.The guides are knowledgeable, you get to see Amsterdam from the water, learn its history and the boats are small enough that it doesn’t feel like a tourist factory.
DINNER | CAFÉ SONNEVELD
Around the corner from the boat tour is Café Sonneveld(~€15–20/person, not including drinks) — a traditional Dutch café with our favorite canal view in Amsterdam. It's where we fell in love with the city. Grab a seat on the patio, order a Dutch stamppot to share, and enjoy some of the world's most fashionable-while-biking-people watching. They offer a great kid’s menu too.
EVENING | DIVIDE + CONQUER
After dinner is when you divide and conquer. One parent takes the kids on the 12-minute walk to Frederik Hendrikplantsoen Park while the other goes alone into the Anne Frank House(€16.50/adult, €7/ages 10–17, €1/ages 0–9). The house deserves your full attention (which you cannot give it while managing small children). If your children are older and you’d like to take them with you, please use your discretion considering their ability to process the enormous heaviness of seeing how she lived, (you go into her preserved bedroom, just as it was, her posters still on the wall — right before she was taken to Auschwitz). Book tickets far in advance — new dates release every Tuesday, exactly six weeks out. We recommend a little walk afterward to decompress.
IF YOU HAVE EXTRA ADULT TIME | FOAM MUSEUM
If you have an extra hour of adult free time, Foam(€16/adult, free for kids under 12) — a photography museum on the Keizersgracht — is worth a look. Small, beautifully curated, and exhibitions change regularly. The kind of place that makes you feel cultured without making you work for it.
WHERE TO STAY
We look for hotels with real character in the right neighborhoods that can actually accommodate 4 people — which is surprisingly hard to find across the whole European continent.
Vondelpark
Hotel Roemer
From €180/night
A quieter, more residential option in a beautiful 19th-century townhouse steps from Vondelpark. Family rooms have a double and bunks, the neighborhood feels like actual Amsterdam rather than tourist Amsterdam, and there's a lovely bar for a nightcap. Good value for what it is.
Amsterdam East
Generator Amsterdam
From €180–350/night
Set inside a former university zoology building overlooking Oosterpark, it blends hostel energy with surprisingly stylish private rooms. There is a playground with an incredible wooden elevated path to a slide right outside the front door. Their Deluxe 4 Bed Dorm works especially well for families: one bunk plus two twin beds, an ensuite bathroom, individual reading lights and USB chargers, and a good amount of space. The location is an easy tram or bike ride to De Pijp, the museums, and the Jordaan. Downstairs there’s a lively café, lounge spaces, bike rentals, and a buzzing atmosphere.
Wibautstraat
Volkshotel
From €90/night
A converted newspaper headquarters in the up-and-coming Wibautstraat corridor, the family rooms sleep the parents on a queen bed below two hanging single beds the kids get to climb ladders up to. The seventh floor boasts Canvas, a restaurant and bar with sweeping city views, and one floor above, the rooftop has three hot tubs and a sauna. The lobby café stays open late for a quieter nightcap and has a great pastry case for easy mornings. Ten-minute walk to De Pijp, metro stop at the door.
Eastern Docklands
The Hoxton, Lloyd
From €250/night
Set in Amsterdam's revitalized Eastern Docklands, The Hoxton Lloyd occupies a gorgeous former shipping company headquarters with all the quirky, design-forward charm the brand does so well. Look at the “Biggy Bunk Up” rooms (queen bed plus bunks) or the spacious “Studio Up”, which sleeps four across two levels. The buzzy Breman Brasserie and cocktail bar attract plenty of locals, giving the hotel a neighborhood feel rather than a tourist vibe. It's a little removed from the canal belt—about a 15-20 minute tram ride to the major sights—but that means fewer crowds and a chance to experience a different side of Amsterdam.
Hotel pricing is dynamic and subject to change.
A FEW THINGS TO KNOW
CAFÉS VS. COFFEE SHOPS One very important Amsterdam distinction: cafés are where you go for coffee, breakfast, lunch and a drink. Coffee shops are where you go for cannabis. So with kids in tow, stick with the cafés. The coffee is better for everyone.
The Weather: Amsterdam gets all four seasons. If you’re traveling in the summer, it will likely be sunny and warm, in shoulder season you’ll likely get a few gray, drizzly days, but it’s rarely raining all day long. Bring a rain jacket, wear shoes that can handle a little water and rain cover for your stroller. The upside? The rain usually doesn’t stop Amsterdam so it shouldn’t stop you either.
Getting Around: Rent a bike or rely on the extensive tram/metro system. Amsterdam is also a very walkable - the whole city is a giant horseshoe shape with Centraal at the center. With little legs some walks may be too ambitious. Metro and Trams are all tap to pay with your credit card which makes getting around very easy. Kids are €5 for a day ticket but will be free starting January 2027.
Power Outlets: The Netherlands use European Type C/F outlets so you’ll need to purchase adapters. We like these so we can charge all of our stuff with only a couple of adapters.
Traveling to the United States You’ll go through passport control to exit the EU at the airport and will go through passport control to enter the US again at your first landing spot. If you have a layover within the United States, double check with your airline to see if you’ll need to collect your bags and re-check them at your first US destination, so you’ll know how much time to allow between connections.
English is spoken essentially everywhere, but the Dutch aren’t huge on personal questions so maybe skip the “How are you?” unless they ask you first.
Tipping: Rounding up or leaving 5–10% at restaurants is appreciated. At casual cafés, simply rounding up is common. If you're paying by card, tell the server the total you'd like to pay before they swipe your card, as they usually can’t add a tip afterward.
Cleaning up after your children is always appreciated everywhere.
IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME / YOUR KIDS ARE GOING CRAZY:
Amsterdam's secret weapon: the Kinderboerderij.
Amsterdam has a whole network of free little urban farms tucked into neighborhoods across the city — goats, sheep, rabbits, pigs and the occasional pony, right in the middle of the city. They're called kinderboerderijen, and they're one of the reasons we love Amsterdam with little kids. Entrance is free, although donations are welcome. We already took you to the one in De Pijp - but it’s important you know there are more.
Boerderij Westerpark — free, Tue–Fri 10am–3pm
Tucked into Westerpark, with cows, pigs, an owl and a small café selling farm products. A great little add-on to a morning in the park.
Petting Farm De Werf — free, daily 11am–5pm
A little farther out in Amsterdam Oost, but worth the trip — especially with toddlers. It's open Sundays, has baby-changing facilities and has a relaxed, very local feel.
WORTH A MENTION: VAN STAPELE KOEKMAKERIJ
Van Stapele Koekmakerij(~€3 per cookie; €15 for a box of 6) is Amsterdam's cult-favorite cookie shop, famous for selling just one thing: a warm dark chocolate cookie with a gooey white chocolate center. The shop is whimsical and fun for kids (they even have a cookie elevator!) Expect a line, but it moves quickly. Fresh cookies every 15 minutes, so we recommend getting there early before they sell out for the day.