Visiting Amsterdam with kids: how to plan a perfect trip (our exact itinerary and tips!)

A mum’s guide to a great weekend in Amsterdam with kids: our exact itinerary, top things to do in Amsterdam with kids, family friendly restaurants and travel tips.

I am exceptionally fond of Amsterdam and I believe it is one of the best cities to visit in Europe with kids.

Compact, leafy and very safe, Amsterdam is an elegant, beautiful and vibrant place.

I love its multicultural and relaxed vibe and adore the architecture of its historical houses reflected in its canals, its pretty concept stores, museums and endless food options.

I also love how easy it is to enjoy Amsterdam with kids of any age and my kids agree!

We have visited Amsterdam with kids many times: my best friend lives in Amsterdam so we have the opportunity to go often and also to explore the city with the insight knowledge of a local. 

Each trip has made our family love for Amsterdam stronger.

We have loved its museums, its parks, its streets, its shops… no matter how planned or unplanned out stay has been, we have found Amsterdam to be fun, varied and kid friendly.

Today, I share our top things to do in Amsterdam with kids, based on our experience of the city.

This is my guide to the best things to do in Amsterdam with kids and how to see Amsterdam must see attractions with kids in tow. I hope you enjoy it!

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Family weekend in Amsterdam with kids: our itinerary

Amsterdam is a city that can keep you busy for weeks.

Over the course of a weekend, we inevitably had to make choices and I think we made great ones!

However, if you have different interests from us, you can easily replace these attractions with others.

For instance, you could replace the Rijks Museum with the Van Gogh Museum ot the Nemo Museum with Anne Franke House.

Friday evening: arrival, check into hotel, canal cruise, pizza.

Saturday: walk through Amsterdam City center, OpenBare Biblioteke, Nemo Museum, Amsterdam Noord. The walk gave us the opportunity to soak in the atmosphere of Amsterdam city center, stroll along the canals, have pancakes in the Nine Streets area (super pretty!), see the Amsterdam Begijnhof, Dam Square and the famous ‘gingerbread’ houses.

Sunday: Rijks Museum, Vondelpark. This was our museum day and allowed us to see the Dutch Masters, have the kids play in the wonderful Museum Plein and then relax in pretty Vondelpark, where you can also have a meal (there is a cafe with outside terrace).

Notable meals: Mangia Pizza, Gitane, Il Pecorino, Vondelpark 3

Idea for spring! If heading to Amsterdam in spring, you may make the most of tulip season! Find here >>> the best ways to see Dutch tulips in and near Amsterdam.

Where to stay in Amsterdam with kids

The best place to stay in Amsterdam with kids is the Canal Ring.

The canal ring is Amsterdam city center: this is the area Unesco recognized as world heritage, the place with the highest number of traditional houses and architecture and the highest number of attractions. Pretty much anywhere in this area is suitable for kids: I would however avoid the red Light district (you can imagine why) and I am particularly fond of the area along Prinzengracht Canal which I find particularly pleasant all the way towards the Amstel River

Family hotels I recommend in Amsterdam city center are:

• Hilton DoubleTree Centraal (4* star hotel) – this is an excellent family-friendly hotel in Amsterdam city center, close to the central station and Nemo, one of Amsterdam’s premier children attractions. This is a modern, large hotel with interconnecting rooms for families.
• Monet Garden Hotel (4* star hotel) – this is a beautiful, modern family hotel in Amsterdam city center, with good family rooms with canal views. This is a cozy hotel perfect for families who love a boutique hotel experience: the hotel lounge bar is perfect if you want an evening drink without having to negotiate Amsterdam at night with kids. 
• Pulitzer (5* star hotel) – this is an elegant, five star hotel in Amsterdam in a beautiful, traditional house in a stellar location in Amsterdam city center. The hoel has excellent family rooms and a very Importan Kids Program that inlcudes the gift of a teddy on arrival, treasure hunt, travel diary and more. 

Top things to do in Amsterdam with kids: chart

Here are my top picks for things to do in Amsterdam with kids of all ages.

Attraction Name	Type	Ticketed	Age suitability	Suitable for rain*
Nemo Science Museum	Children Science Museum	Yes	All (school age kids will get the best value for money)	Yes
Canal Cruise	Boat cruise	Yes	All	Yes
Tropen Museum	Museum of world cultures	Yes	All	Yes
Artis Royal Zoo and Micropia	Zoo	Yes	All	No
Amsterdam houseboat Museum	Museum	Yes	School age and up	Yes
Cat Boat	Cat shelter / houseboat	Yes	All	Yes
Openbare Bibliotheek and Mouse Mansion	Library	N	Toddlers and small kids	Yes
Van Gogh Museum	Art Museum	Yes	All	Yes
Rijks Museum	Art Museum	Yes	All	Yes
Anne Franke House	Historical Home / Museum	Yes	Older kids / Teenagers	Yes
The Maritime Museum	Naval History Museum	Yes	School age kids	Yes
Vondelpark	Garden/ Park	N	All	No
Upside Down Museum	Fun attraction	Yes	All	Y
Straat Art Museum	Street Art Museum	Yes	All	Y
Ajax Stadium	Football Arena	Yes	School age	Y
WONDR Immersive Museum	Fun interactive space	Yes	All	Y
Amsterdam Marionette Theater	Puppet Show	Yes	All	Y

*If you wait for good weather you may be waiting a long time in Amsterdam, in all seasons!

Attractions marked as not suitable for a rainy day are just attractions that are better in the sun but if you only have a limited time, just warp up and go anyway! 

Top things to do in Amsterdam with kids – our tips!

Nemo Science Museum and its terrace – the best place in Amsterdam for toddlers and school age kids

Amsterdam science museum tops our list as one attraction specifically for kids but easy to enjoy for adults too. 

Located in a stunning building close to Central Station, in Amsterdam city center,  Nemo Museum is an interactive space where kids can learn about science through exhibitions, workshops and hands-on science experiments.

The museum develops over several floors and covers from mechanics to human learning and activities suitable from toddlers to teenagers and adults.

My kids adored it: their favorite bit was the dam building area, where you build a dam against a flow of water: fun, wet (you may want to bring a change of clothes!) and educational especially if you use it as an excuse to tell the about the history of the Netherlands and its under sea level position! 

The entrance is ticketed and the museum is not cheap: I recommend it for school age kids especially as I believe they will get the best value for money experience. 

Top tip: At the very top of the building, the museum has a wonderful terrace with additional installations, fountains you can splash in (!) and a cafe. This area is free and fantastic with toddlers!

This is by far our favorite place in Amsterdam for toddlers and school age kids especially and one of the best museums in Amsterdam for kids.

Take a canal cruise – best thing to do in Amsterdam for the whole family

It may be a touristy thing, but a boat tour of Amsterdam canals is a fantastic family activity and one of my must-do things to do in Amsterdam with kids in tow.

Amsterdam canals are UNESCO World Heritage and a fundamental part of the history and life of the city.

Seeing Amsterdam from the water is a wonderful way to tap into the history of the city via its waterways and it is also a fantastic solution to see a lot when kids are tired of walking! 

Several companies offer cruises of different lengths and many are family-friendly: some simply welcome kids while others go the extra mile tantalizing small taste buds with a pizza cruise!

Spend a day in Artis Royal Zoo and Micropia

Artis Amsterdam zoo is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands and its complex now comprises of two attractions: the zoo itself and Micropia.

The zoo caters to kids with specialized workshops,  zookeepers talks (in Dutch, but you can ask questions in English) and organized feeding times.

It also has a playground and, in summer, hosts special workshops for children and musical performances.

Top tip: you can bring your own picnic or order a pizza from their outdoor kitchen!

Artis Zoo gets pretty busy on a sunny day so we recommend getting skip the line tickets if going at prime visiting time

Visit a boathouse for people…. or cats!

Amsterdam’s canals are the most interesting feature of the city for kids who will no doubt notice the many colorful boats floating in the canals of Amsterdam city center. 

Children may not realize that while some boats are for transport, some are for living!

Houseboats are an incredible thing to visit.

They have the most interesting nooks and crannies and children will love to see what you can do with a small space! 

To experience life on a houseboat you have several options.

You can stay in one, visit the Houseboat Museum or take a different approach altogether: visit a houseboat converted into a cat refuge!

Play in Openbare Bibliotheek and mouse mansion – the best thing to do in Amsterdam with a toddler!

A wonderful space for kids and adults is Amsterdam’s central library. 

Located in the city cente, not far from the Central Station and a stone throw from Nemo, the library has a great kids section with books, colorful couches and a play area for smaller children. 

One of its areas does have books in English.

The library is a great Amsterdam attraction for kids but is wonderful for adults too.

Something not to be missed in Amsterdam’s central library is the Mouse House. 

This is a 2m-tall dollhouse for mice (toys, not real ones!) with rooms, hallways, factories and shops.

The library is free and a perfect refuge for a rainy day or if you have toddlers who may want some floor and playtime. 

Visit the Van Gogh Museum

The van Gogh museum tops the travel lists of many Amsterdam visitors and can easily be enjoyed as a family too and not just because of Van Gogh’s colorful and (mostly) child-friendly art.

The museum has special attentions for kids. 

They have family tours, family guides, a children treasure hunt and something special: ‘Vincent’s traveling case’, packed with fun activities for kids and adults!

Make sure you stop at the entrance desk for all family information and materials.

You can buy fast track entry tickets to the museum here

Explore the Rijks Museum with kids 

The Rijks Museum is one of the most important art museums in the workd and it is very kid-friendly. 

As well as being stroller friendly, the museum has a very child friendly approach that sees regular activities for kids taking places in there spaces (drawing sessions, family tours). 

The museum has a fun souvenir shops and a lovely garden just outside that are handy if you need to let them run while a little while after the visit. While not a place ‘for’ kids as such, it is so well organized for them, I consider it one of the best museums in Amsterdam for children.

You can read here >> how to visit the RijksMuseum with kids

Visit Straat

Straat is the fabulous, child friendly new Amsterdam museum dedicated to street art and graffiti.

A wonderful place for all ages, the space is easy to enjoy at all ages: small kids will enjoy the burst of color and large artworks while older kids and grown up can also tap into the meaning of the works of art either in their own time of by joining a guided tour.

You can find here >> info and prices 

To get from Schiphol to Amsterdam city centre with kids

There are three main ways to get from Schipol airport to Amsterdam city centre and these are the train, bus and taxi. 

• Train is the easiest way: the station is inside the airport, you find ticketing machines before the platforms and it is well indicated and safe. During the day the trains are frequent but they rarefy after 10 pm so make sure you keep an eye on their schedule should you arrive late in the evening. 

Depending on where in Amsterdam you need to get, you’ll want to get off in Amsterdam Centraal Station or Amsterdam Zuid station.

• Taxis line up just outside Schiphol airport and can bring you and the kids into the city centre in about 20 minutes or so. 

They are quite a pricey option (we spent almost 60 euro for a ride into the edges of the canal ring) but indeed a comfortable one.

If travelling with kids, be aware that they don’t carry not require car seats so if your child needs one, make sure you bring your own. 

• By bus: If staying near Museum Plein, in the museum area, you may want to consider the bus. 

The Amsterdam Airport Express 397 bus stops just outside Schiphol plaza and the journey takes about 30 minutes. 

How to get around Amsterdam with kids

Amsterdam is a very easy city to explore without a car. The city centre area, where most attractions are located, is compact and easy to negotiate on foot.

If you have stroller age kids, you will soon notice that most of the streets are stroller friendly, thanks to well kept surfaces and, often, good pavement. 

For longer stretches, you will find the Amsterdam public transport system easy to use and safe. Your best friends in the city are the metro and the tram. The public transport network criss-crosses the city and is managed via an integrated ticketing system that, once mastered, make movement around the city a breeze. 

Depending on location of tour accommodation and exact plans, you may want to consider a travel card for the weekend. They are available form the staff at Amsterdam metro stations and tram terminals.

Need to know: I strongly recommend AGAINST getting bikes to explore Amsterdam with kids. While the city is very suites to bikes and you’ll see them everywhere, they are very much like cars in other cities so they are rather dangerous if you are not used to their specific type of behaviour. Also be careful of them when walking as they tend to have precedence over anyone, also pedestrians, they do not follow one way systems and go fast: make sure you do not stand on cycle lanes as they will run into you.

Using a stroller in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is reasonably stroller friendly and you can also bring strollers on pubic transport.

Strollers must board the tram from the back and, should the area already be occupied by other parents, you may have to wait for the next tram. 

The good news is that trams tend to be quite frequent so you are usually not stranded for too long. Trams are equipped with a ticket teller and vendor. 

Make sure you head their way to get your ticket if you don’t have one and don’t forget to check in and check out at the start at the end of your journey. 

Please note: trams do not accept cash payment but cards only. 

I hope you enjoyed out trip report and our weekend in Amsterdam with kids gave you ideas and inspiration to plan your own. Safe travel planning!

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