Neurodivergent Family Travel – Our 2026 Report
-
Chloe Gallagher
- Family Travel
- Newcastle Airport Deals
- Scotland Airport Deals
- Posted: 16/03/2026
Things To Do in Amsterdam With Kids
Lucy Starrs
Hi, I am Lucy - mum to a 6-year old boy based in Scotland with a passion for travelling and saving money. Check out my blogs and Scotland page for hand-picked recommendations.
Things To Do in Amsterdam With Kids
Amsterdam is such an easy city to visit, whether you’re travelling with kids or not. It’s compact, walkable and, with plenty of open space, surprisingly calm for a capital city. There are enough activities to keep children of all ages entertained, while the rich history ensures adults stay just as captivated.
Whether you’re planning your first city break or you’re seasoned pros, below you’ll find brilliant things to do in Amsterdam with kids – and you may well wish you had even longer to explore this wonderful city and beyond.
Canal Cruise
A canal cruise is one of the best things to do in Amsterdam with kids. There are plenty of well-priced options available, and it’s an easy way to see the city without walking for miles.
Having taken several cruises here, I’d recommend a daytime experience, especially if you’re travelling with children. The tours are scenic and give you a real feel for Amsterdam’s unique layout, all while keeping tired legs happy.
Visit the NEMO Science Museum
If you’re booking one indoor attraction in Amsterdam with kids, make it the NEMO Science Museum. It’s designed with children in mind, featuring experiments, interactive exhibits and plenty of opportunities to press buttons and test things out.
In warmer months, the rooftop water play area is a fantastic bonus. Even better, you can visit the rooftop terrace free of charge if you don’t want to purchase full entry tickets. Definitely one to add to your list of things to do in Amsterdam with kids!
Anne Frank House
This is best suited to families with older children. I’d reserve it for those who are old enough to understand the history behind visiting Anne Frank’s house.
Tickets are released six weeks in advance and sell out quickly, so if you’re planning a visit, set a reminder. It’s an important and meaningful experience, but preparation is key when thinking about things to do in Amsterdam with kids.
Johan Cruijff Arena Stadium Tour
If you’re travelling with football fans, the Johan Cruijff ArenA Stadium Tour is a great activity to add to your Amsterdam itinerary. Home to AFC Ajax, this experience takes you behind the scenes of one of Europe’s most famous football stadiums. During the tour you can visit the dressing rooms, walk through the players’ tunnel and sit in the dugout beside the pitch. It’s a fun and interactive experience that older kids and teens especially tend to love.
Barbie: The Dream Experience
If you’re travelling with younger kids or Barbie fans, the Barbie: The Dream Experience is a colourful and interactive attraction in Amsterdam. Visitors can explore over 12 themed rooms filled with life-size recreations of iconic Barbie playsets and moments from more than six decades of Barbie history. The experience is highly interactive, with plenty of photo opportunities and creative displays that kids love. One of my favourite things to do in Amsterdam with kids!
Free things to do in Amsterdam with kids
Vondelpark
A city break isn’t complete without knowing where the nearest park is for some much-needed downtime, and Vondelpark is the perfect spot. With playgrounds and wide paths for scooters and bikes, it’s ideal for slowing the pace.
Grab a snack, let the kids run freely, and enjoy a little breathing space before heading back out to explore more of Amsterdam.
Visit the LEGO Store
If you’re travelling with LEGO fans, a stop at the LEGO Store is a must. Even if you don’t plan on buying anything, it’s well worth popping in.
There are interactive displays, impressive LEGO builds and hands-on areas where children can get creative. We easily spent an hour here, and my son absolutely loved it. It’s also a great option if the weather turns.
Take the Free Ferry to A’DAM Lookout
Hop on the free ferry that crosses the River IJ behind Central Station. This mini adventure takes you across the water in just a few minutes and feels exciting for kids before you’ve even reached your destination.
The ferry drops you near A’DAM Lookout, where you can explore street art and enjoy waterfront views. If you’d like to go higher, you can pay to head up the tower for a completely different perspective of the city. For the brave, there’s even a swing at the top offering unforgettable views with a hint of adrenaline.
Things To Do in Amsterdam With Kids – Is it Worth it?
Amsterdam is such a fun place to visit. It’s compact but varied, and you can easily tailor your itinerary to suit your family’s interests.
If you find accommodation in the city centre expensive, consider staying slightly outside. Options like a Eurocamp at Duinrell allow you to visit Amsterdam for the day, while also exploring other nearby cities by train. It’s a great way to keep costs down while still enjoying everything this diverse European city has to offer.
If you’re searching for things to do in Amsterdam with kids, you’ll find that this city makes family travel feel easy, relaxed and genuinely enjoyable.
Why not check out or guide to things to do in Barcelona with kids?
This post contains affiliate links.
Written by: Lucy Starrs
Hi, I am Lucy – mum to a 6-year old boy based in Scotland with a passion for travelling and saving money. Check out my blogs and Scotland page for hand-picked recommendations.
RELATED ARTICLES
Keep up to date...
I want to raise £13.1k for the 13.1 miles I will be trying to run on Sunday 🙏🏻❤️ We’re around £1000 away from the target! If you can sacrifice a coffee or a takeaway this weekend, and donate to this incredible charity, you will be making such a difference to people experiencing the worst time of their lives - just like we were a few months ago. The link to donate is in my linktree - if you Google the travel mum linktree you’ll find it (it’s also in my bio here ❤️)
Thank you so much for everyone’s support so far. I want everyone to know what wonderful and essential places hospices are, and that good end of life care should not be left to charities and communities to fund.
We experienced the palliative care unit which is NHS funded and our time there was horrendous (I’m sure they do great things for lots of people, but that wasn’t our experience). Walking into St Luke’s was like a huge weight was lifted from us. The difference in care was day and night. We could suddenly be family and stop having to be carers and advocates for my mum getting what she needed. I went into the hospice angry, with my back up, still on high alert and fighting for my mum to get the right care. Because that had been the case for the previous months. I quickly realised we were safe there. I will be eternally grateful. I hope everyone reading this gets to experience such love and peace at the end of their lives ❤️
#stlukeshospice #hospicecare #thetravelmum #halfmarathon
Oct 23
I want to raise £13.1k for the 13.1 miles I will be trying to run on Sunday 🙏🏻❤️ We’re around £1000 away from the target! If you can sacrifice a coffee or a takeaway this weekend, and donate to this incredible charity, you will be making such a difference to people experiencing the worst time of their lives - just like we were a few months ago. The link to donate is in my linktree - if you Google the travel mum linktree you’ll find it (it’s also in my bio here ❤️)
Thank you so much for everyone’s support so far. I want everyone to know what wonderful and essential places hospices are, and that good end of life care should not be left to charities and communities to fund.
We experienced the palliative care unit which is NHS funded and our time there was horrendous (I’m sure they do great things for lots of people, but that wasn’t our experience). Walking into St Luke’s was like a huge weight was lifted from us. The difference in care was day and night. We could suddenly be family and stop having to be carers and advocates for my mum getting what she needed. I went into the hospice angry, with my back up, still on high alert and fighting for my mum to get the right care. Because that had been the case for the previous months. I quickly realised we were safe there. I will be eternally grateful. I hope everyone reading this gets to experience such love and peace at the end of their lives ❤️
#stlukeshospice #hospicecare #thetravelmum #halfmarathon
Found a half board bargain to someone where will actually be sunny next week 👀 Ran to tell you 🫶🏻☀️
Comment “Spain” and I’ll send you the links for the half board deal, plus a useful link to a section on the TUI website where you can find last minute bargains 💛
The links we share are affiliate links
#thetravelmum #holidaydeals #octobersun
Oct 22
Found a half board bargain to someone where will actually be sunny next week 👀 Ran to tell you 🫶🏻☀️
Comment “Spain” and I’ll send you the links for the half board deal, plus a useful link to a section on the TUI website where you can find last minute bargains 💛
The links we share are affiliate links
#thetravelmum #holidaydeals #octobersun
When I tell you this has boiled my p*ss 🤬
I don’t even need to wonder whether the person who sent me that text was a man or a woman. If a man had to bleed from his willy every month, and deal with fluctuating energy, moods and discomfort - can you imagine what advancements we would have had. Imagine if any of the men running that half marathon had to do it while blood pours from their bits… of course they’d be given the pill which delays it.
It’s just 🤯
#thetravelmum #inequality #periods #misogyny #makeitmakesense
Oct 10
When I tell you this has boiled my p*ss 🤬
I don’t even need to wonder whether the person who sent me that text was a man or a woman. If a man had to bleed from his willy every month, and deal with fluctuating energy, moods and discomfort - can you imagine what advancements we would have had. Imagine if any of the men running that half marathon had to do it while blood pours from their bits… of course they’d be given the pill which delays it.
It’s just 🤯
#thetravelmum #inequality #periods #misogyny #makeitmakesense
This family holiday is currently £1080 for 4 people (and it can sleep up to six!) and this includes flights, luggage, accommodation and car hire leaving on the 24th October!!
It’s currently £1292 for five people and £1640 for six!
Bella Italia recently had a fire, which they say affected 1% of the camp but everything is still running as usual. I wonder if this is why it’s so cheap?! Anyway, it would make the perfect half term break and this is a bargain.
Comment ME and I’ll send you the link for this holiday plus more great value Lake Garda holidays. You can adjust departure airport to find the best option for you - it’s sometimes worth travelling to a further airport for the savings you can make 💛
The links we share are affiliate links.
#thetravelmum #familytravelideas #lakegardaitaly
Oct 10
This family holiday is currently £1080 for 4 people (and it can sleep up to six!) and this includes flights, luggage, accommodation and car hire leaving on the 24th October!!
It’s currently £1292 for five people and £1640 for six!
Bella Italia recently had a fire, which they say affected 1% of the camp but everything is still running as usual. I wonder if this is why it’s so cheap?! Anyway, it would make the perfect half term break and this is a bargain.
Comment ME and I’ll send you the link for this holiday plus more great value Lake Garda holidays. You can adjust departure airport to find the best option for you - it’s sometimes worth travelling to a further airport for the savings you can make 💛
The links we share are affiliate links.
#thetravelmum #familytravelideas #lakegardaitaly
Unlock the perfect
Cheap holiday
Build a custom DIY trip in 30 seconds!