5 Actually Fun Things To Do In Amsterdam With Kids

If you’re wondering “Is Amsterdam worth visiting with kids?” my answer is a big YES — especially if you’re open to exploring beyond Amsterdam too.

The Netherlands is incredibly well connected, super walkable, and honestly one of the easiest countries I’ve ever traveled through as a family. And the best part? Once you’ve checked off Amsterdam’s highlights, you can easily hop on a train and explore other cities that feel totally different.

We went as a family, traveling with our almost 4-year-old, and we ended up loving the trip way more than we expected.

Our favorite cities? Rotterdam and Utrecht (with Amsterdam still being a must-see).

So if you’re planning a family trip and trying to figure out if Amsterdam is “worth it” with kids, here’s everything we did, what I recommend, and what I’d do differently.

Quick Summary: What This Trip Was Like With a 4-Year-Old

Before we get into the itinerary, here’s the vibe:

Transit was easy (even with a stroller)
Everything felt safe and organized
Amsterdam was beautiful, but also busy + pricey
Utrecht was the perfect home base
Rotterdam surprised us the most

If you’re traveling with toddlers or young kids, I really think the key is pacing yourself and choosing a base that makes your days easier — which is exactly why we stayed in Utrecht.

Day 1: Flying In + Where We Stayed (Utrecht Base)

We flew from Toronto to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport with Air Transat. We took a red eye flight, which is always our preference when traveling with kids because most of the flight is spent sleeping.

We always bring an inflatable foot rest on the flight as it allows our kid to put up her legs and sleep better.

Getting From Schiphol Airport to Utrecht

Once we got to Amsterdam, the train station is conveniently connected to the airport. You don’t even need to go outdoors!

From there, we purchased tickets and took the train to Utrecht. You can also scan your credit card to check in and out. There are express trains and regular trains. We had a little adventure and got on the wrong train but we eventually made it.

Where We Stayed: Crowne Plaza Utrecht

All hotels in Amsterdam were extremely expensive, so we decided to stay in Utrecht. I’d heard great things about the transit in the Netherlands and we were not let down.

We stayed at the Crowne Plaza Utrecht which cost about $1000 CDN for 3 days. The hotel is located just across the Utrecht Centraal station inside the mall. You enter the hotel via the mall.

We booked a king room as our daughter is used to co-sleeping with us but they do have crib options available. To our surprise, the king beds in Europe are smaller than American kings but we made do!

Our per night rate also included the hotel’s breakfast which we found impressive.

The only not pleasant thing about our hotel room was that our washroom shower had a lot of mold in it but once we informed the hotel staff, they promptly addressed it and solved it.

For our first day, we got in late so we just checked in, had a lowkey grocery store dinner and went to bed 🙂

Day 2: Utrecht + Things To Do With Kids

Utrecht is a lovely city that we all loved. It has canals and is filled with small town charm. We spent the first day just walking around and taking in the city. We visited in October so it was very lovely weather. The people were kind and friendly, and it was home to my daughter’s favorite place on the trip — the Miffy Museum.

While writing this blog post, I asked my daughter what was her favorite part of the trip we took and she said Miffy Museum!

The Miffy Museum (Nijntje Museum)

The Miffy Museum is called Nijntje Museum and it was a short and lovely 25 minute walk from our hotel. All the attractions in Utrecht are walkable (we brought a travel stroller along with us).

When planning your trip to the Miffy Museum, be sure to book your tickets in advance as it can get quite busy.

Upon checking in at the Museum, you’ll be shown where to park your strollers and they have free lockers for putting your stuff away.

We spent about 2.5 hours here because there were lots of things to do including interactive rooms for kids.

More Utrecht Stops: Dom Tower + Utrecht Library

After that, we walked to Dom Tower, the Utrecht Library (which is so cool) and then back to the mall.

Where To Eat in Utrecht: The Gyro Bar

At the mall, there is a Gyro store called The Gyro Barsand these are the BEST gyros you’ll ever have.

We tried 4 varieties and our favorite one was the Gyros Andaluce and Classic, although their most popular one is the Legendary but we really enjoyed the classic flavors.

The meat in Europe is always so much superior to what we get in North America.

OH and it’s fully halal.

Snacks + Groceries for Kids in Utrecht

In the mall, you’ll also find lots of grocery stores that you can grab snacks at including fruits and dairy products for kids.

From the lower level of the mall, you can also book and go on a canal ride! But we opted to do this in Amsterdam instead.

Day 3: Day Trip to Amsterdam

On day 2 of our trip, we headed to Amsterdam. It’s about a 30 minute train ride from the Centraal station that is literally a 5 minute walk from your hotel room to inside the station.

As soon as we got into Amsterdam, it started drizzling and we hadn’t brought an umbrella so we paid for an overpriced one at the station.

Amsterdam Canal Cruise (Flagship Tour)

On the agenda for the day was a canal cruise/tour. A few steps away from the station, you’ll find lots of options.

A friend recommended Flagship to us so that’s the cuise operator we chose. We didn’t book this tour in advance and they were able to accommodate us.

One thing to be aware of is that it will be colder on the boat so be sure to pack extra layers so you can stay cozy on the water.

This tour was such a highlight of our trip and the tour operators were fun and informative.

Ours was a simple cruise but you can book more fun options too through their website like a luxury one with wine and cheese or an evening one.

The tour is about 1 hour and there is lots for kids to see and experience on it too.

Walking Around Amsterdam + Stroopwafels

Our next stop was Van Gogh Museum and because we’re big believers that the best way to see the city is by walking, we walked there! It was about a 45 minute walk.

On the way, we stopped at stroopperie and while it was a fun experience, the waffles were waaaay too sweet so wouldn’t recommend.

Van Gogh Museum With Kids

We visited the Van Gogh museum because they had a kids interactive exhibit on!

Looking at art is not very fun for young kids but if you’re travelling with kids 6 and up, I think they’d enjoy this exhibit (plus you could take advantage of the audio tour with them too at that age).

At the interactive exhibit, our favorite part was sitting and coloring. It wasn’t just for kids though so we all enjoyed the interactive pieces.

Amsterdam Flower Market

After the museum we walked to the Flower market because tulips (duh). We didn’t buy anything but they were beautiful to look at. If you’d like to, you can buy them and they give you a little certificate for customs clearance (or they can ship them to you too).

Parks To See

Parks to See in Amsterdam with Kids

Amsterdam is full of green spaces that are perfect for families looking to slow down between museum visits and canal walks. One of the most popular spots is Amsterdam’s famous Vondelpark, where kids can run freely, enjoy playgrounds, and watch street performers on sunny days. It’s lively but still relaxed enough for a family picnic (this is where we stopped after the museum).

For a more nature-filled adventure, the massive Amsterdamse Bos offers forests, cycling paths, goat farms, and even canoe rentals. It feels more like a countryside escape than a city park, making it ideal for a full day outing with children.

Closer to the city center, Oosterpark is a spacious and less crowded option with wide lawns and a great playground, while Westerpark combines open green areas with cultural spaces and cafés, so parents can relax while kids explore.

Each park has its own personality, but all of them make Amsterdam an easy and enjoyable city to explore with kids. A great idea is to grab some takeout (or grocery store dinner) and have a picnic at the park (like the locals do).

Dinner Back in Utrecht: Sarbaan

We didn’t have a picnic but we headed home and had dinner in Utrecht at an Afghan restaurant called Sarbaan.

It featured a set menu of 3 courses for 35 euros. Our almost 4 year old ate for free.

We enjoyed the ambiance and service here but the food was mid. We’ve had a lot of GOOD Afghan food before so we were a bit underwhelmed with the taste.

Day 4: Rotterdam (Our Favorite City in the Netherlands)

On Day 4, we headed to Rotterdam!

We checked out of our hotel and headed to Rotterdam for 1 night. After the Netherlands, our next stop was Brussels (for 3 nights) so Rotterdam was a great stop for a night as the train goes directly to Brussels from there.

Rotterdam was our favorite city in the Netherlands. The vibe is completely different from Amsterdam and Utrecht. It’s much more modern and I read up on the history of it (much of it was destroyed during the war so it was rebuilt).

We walked SO much in Rotterdam.

Where We Stayed: Marriott Hotel Rotterdam

We stayed at the Marriott Hotel Rotterdam which was our favorite hotel during this trip. It was SUPER clean and spacious, and it was right across the Rotterdam Centraal station (all you had to do was cross the street).

This hotel also has a Michillen star restaurant at the top of it although we didn’t get a chance to check it out.

Markthal + Rotterdam Centrum

Since we were only here for a limited time, we set out to explore right away. Our first stop was Markathal but we walked so we saw so many things along the way.

We walked through Rotterdam Centrum which is an outdoor mall. There was a band playing on the street and it was so so lovely. We stayed and listened to them for a good 15 minutes because their energy was just amazing. It made our entire day.

At the Markathal, I absolutely loved the ceiling mural and all the diverse cuisine options.

We had arepas with plantain and cheese. It was our first time having arepas and they were absolutely delicious.

Cube Houses

Then we walked to see the cube houses which were a short distance away. They are so cool!

You can get a tour for a few euros but we just enjoyed them from outside.

Dinner in Rotterdam: Ganii Kebap

Right behind the cube houses is a train station so we took the train to go have dinner at Ganii Kebap.

These were the best Turkish kababs we ever had. The staff was so kind and helped us translate the menu. The kababs, the dessert, the tea were all SO good and we’ve had a lot of good Turkish food before.

Walking Home + Erasmusbrug Bridge

Instead of taking the transit home, we decided to walk home and it was a very long walk but it was SO worth it.

We enjoyed this walk in the beautiful weather so much that we still reminiscence about it months later.

On the walk home, we walked across the famous Erasmusbrug bridge which is an 800 meter long Erasmus Bridge is the connection between the northern and southern parts of Rotterdam.

We also grabbed a quick bite at Rotterdam Centrum on the way home since we stopped here to window shop there. We had Hikki burger and it was so good. Hit the spot for a little late night snack.

Turkish Breakfast in Rotterdam: Ilya

The next morning, we had another great food experience before we took the train to Brussels.

A short walk from our hotel was a Turkish restaurant called Ilya. We LOVED their Turkish breakfast so much.

Everything was prepared fresh, it was absolutely delicious and we filled our tummies up too much.

We were pleasantly surprised by all the lovely and halal food options in Rotterdam.

Heading to Brussels (and Why Europe Still Blows My Mind)

After that we took the train and headed to Brussels for three days.

It always blows my mind how small many European countries are and how well connected they are.

We’ve yet to see a lot of Canada because everything is so far and so expensive to travel to.

You can read more about our Brussels trip HERE.

Final Thoughts: Is Amsterdam Worth It With Kids?

Overall, we enjoyed the Netherlands. I think we didn’t get to explore much of Amsterdam because we wanted to see more of the country.

I would like to go back some day and explore more of the country too!

Have you been to Amsterdam? What are your favorite things to do there or in the Netherlands? Let us know below!

Quick Summary: What This Trip Was Like With a 4-Year-Old