Enjoy Amsterdam with Kids

 

Most children above the infant stage can ride a bicycle, so why not put their youthful extra energy to use by renting a few bicycles and touring the city on the many wide and safe dedicated bike lanes found throughout Amsterdam. Bikes can be rented very inexpensively at hundreds of different locations and the Amsterdam automobile traffic is very accustomed to sharing the road with them. You can ride a bike on the canals however, and you’ll need a boat for that.

 

Since the canals are so prominent throughout the city, a boat tour is a great and affordable way to discover the wonders of the canals of Amsterdam. The kids won’t get worn out as you cruise by the scenic and unique canal houses that are best admired from the waterways. Almost all boat tours have informative guide presentations in multiple languages too. Most canal boat tours will include a stop at Amsterdam’s most famous park, the Vondelpark, where you and the kids can stake a stroll. The park has a large children’s playground and wading pool, and the nearby Kinderkookcafé is a child-oriented café where the kids can cook their own little dishes while the grownups enjoy a cup of coffee.

 

Kids love zoos and museums, and Amsterdam will not disappoint when you take them to one of the oldest zoos in Europe. The Artis Zoo was first opened in 1835 in a beautiful old world architecture facility surrounded by terraced gardens. The zoo has seen many improvements since 1835 of course, and today it is a world-class modern facility that features great children’s playgrounds and decent restaurants in addition to housing a wide variety of the world’s most interesting creatures. The Artis Zoo is also a good rainy day destination due to its large and spacious enclosed interior open spaces. The Tropenmuseum or “Tropical Museum” is another kid-friendly destination in Amsterdam that was originally conceived as a museum dedicated to the history of the Dutch colonies located in the tropics. Today, the Tropenmuseum exhibitions include far more than that and now feature display art, art objects, photographs, music and film collections from many non-western, tropical cultures. A day spent at the Tropenmuseum is like taking the kids to the jungle for a day tour.

 

The Nemo is another of Amsterdam’s great informative and educative museums, but this one is dedicated to science and aimed specifically at children 6 years of age and older. The Nemo is housed in a huge building with a giant sloping roof that provides some of the best panoramic views of the entire city of Amsterdam. Oddly enough, the giant roof is transformed into a giant beach each summer, complete with sand, beach furniture and snack services. The Amsterdam public library is located right next door to the Nemo and features its own excellent restaurant on the top floor that also provides unparalleled views of the city.

 

Even though Amsterdam is known mostly for its adult-oriented entertainment venues, it is still one of Europe’s most beautiful and unique old-world cities that has plenty to offer tourists and travelers of all ages.