Amsterdam with kids
Our excursions
Amsterdam with kids
Our excursions
My recommendations for you!
Things to do in Amsterdam with kids
I’ve been to Amsterdam a few times on my own. Together with the children, I’ve ‘only’ been there twice so far (2022 and 2025). This is because my sister – and therefore their cousin – lives in The Hague. So a short stop in Amsterdam is often possible and I try to use this to explore Amsterdam for you!
In this report, I would like to tell you about our visits. It’s mainly about visiting sights, museums and special to-dos in Amsterdam, but I’ll also give you a tip or two about The Hague. Because this small, beautiful city is only about 45-60 minutes away from Amsterdam.
What we already
have visited!
The list will grow with every visit.
I’ll give you a small age recommendation, but it’s always slightly different for each child. The ages given do not always correspond to the age of my children at the time of the visit.
from 3 years
For the little ones
I have not yet visited the following museums with my children. However, I would still like to mention them here if you have children of this age. We’ll certainly be doing this in the future!
Artis Zoo Amsterdam
Vondelpark
Hortus Botanicus
Nemo – Science Museum
Maritime Museum
from 4 years
Boat tour
Now we have to start with a second ‘exception’. My children and I did the boat trip in The Hague. The children really enjoyed it – but that was because they were allowed to wear life jackets and there were sweets for the children. The tour itself was so-so. The boat and the route were good, but the live guide’s narrations not so much. The funny thing for the children was that the adults had to bend down at almost all the bridges, as they are much lower than in Amsterdam.
But 1: if you want to get to know The Hague in this way, you should probably do it. There are also other operators 😉
But 2: I would definitely do a boat tour in Amsterdam on my next visit – I thought it was really good and the audio guide was also very good.
Our organiser in The Hague was The cruise Ooievaart
Live guide in English at different times
Prices:
EUR 13.50 for adults and children aged 13 and over
EUR 9.50 for children between 4 and 12 years old
Duration: 90 minutes
First row of the photo gallery.
My tip for Amsterdam:
Blue Boat Company
Including audio guide.
Prices:
EUR 17 for adults and children aged 12 and over
EUR 14 for children between 4 and 11 years
Duration: 75 minutes
Second row of the photo gallery.
from 5 years
Upside Down
The children were allowed to choose a museum (as I really wanted to see the Kiefer exhibition the next day and they ‘had’ to go) and the choice fell on the Upside Down Museum. No sooner said than done, we went there on the day of arrival, and it was pouring with rain not even a minute after reaching the museum – a precision landing I would say!
We were there at 5.45 pm, the museum closes at 7 pm. And that was unfortunately too tightly calculated by me…. While we made extensive use of the first rooms, I asked the employee how many more rooms there were, he said: 10 more rooms and we close in 30 minutes. So now, unfortunately, it was just a quick run through the other rooms. Also remember: at the end you still have to forward your photos – which are taken on the in-house cameras – by e-mail. This also falls into the time until 7 pm (!).
But now to the museum: trampoline, ball pool, changing room with colourful and glittery jackets and shoes -> with these three things the museum has already won with my children 🙂 Here they needed FOREVER… After that came the upside rooms ;), as well as a mirror labyrinth and a pink aeroplane! Make sure you have your ticket to hand – your photos will be saved on this QR code and you can then send them to your e-mail or print them out at one of the terminals.
A fun place, but unfortunately not cheap!
Opening hours:
Monday – Friday + Sunday, 9.30 – 19.00 h
Saturday, 9.30 – 20.00 h
Prices:
depending on the day of the week:
EUR 20.95 – 26.95 for adults and children aged 12 and over
EUR 14,95 – 19,95 for children between 3 and 11 years
from 5 years
Rijksmuseum
We went to the Rijksmuseum when the children were 4 years old. That was a little too early, but in general it went well. If they had been a bit older, I could have explained more and better. But we looked for some animals in the paintings, looked at everyday objects, a portrait of Van Gogh, Rembrandt’s Night Watch and the swan by Jan Asselijn. They were also impressed by the stained glass windows on the first floor and the garden. Or rather the fountain, which kept going on and off and they kept walking through it… And I was just like ‘I don’t have a change of clothes with me’ 🫣
Opening hours:
Daily, 9.00 – 17.00 h
Not even that long 😉
Prices:
EUR 25 for adults
Free admission for children under 18
Unfortunately EUR 2 more expensive with us…
Tip:
There is a scavenger hunt through the museum at the ticket office. The device costs EUR 2 and you need at least 2 gamers (I assume you play against each other). We didn’t try it out at the time, but we certainly will next time! In one hour, you’ll have to find eight secrets of the Rijksmuseum. And at the end – if you are successful – a surprise awaits you.
from 6 years
Photo shoot
Now we come to something very special – in my opinion. A photo shoot as a ‘Milkmaid’, ‘Flora’ or ‘Girl with the pearl earring’. In this photo shoot, you slip into costumes and recreate paintings by Vermeer and Rembrandt. There are also corresponding paintings/costumes for men.
Boris and I had already done this once, but this time I wanted to repeat the shoot with the girls. Both of them actually wanted to be the pearl girl, but unfortunately the costume was too big. So without further ado, they slipped into the costumes of the Milkmaid and Flora.
Book in good time with Peter – we had a short back and forth about finding a date, as we only had 2 half days in Amsterdam and he already had bookings. I’m so glad it worked out in the end! Thank you Peter!
He did a really great job with the girls – luckily he also speaks German (but he also speaks english), so he was able to instruct the girls himself!
But first he photographed me so that the girls could see how it was going and not be afraid of contact, then it was the children’s turn and this is the result!
I think it’s such a special memory – you should really consider it!
Please make an appointment in advance by e-mail!
info(at)museumsfoto.amsterdam
Prices:
1 photo, 1 person, 1 print: EUR 16.50
1 photo, 2 people, 2 prints: EUR 25
We had all the photos he took sent to us by e-mail: that’s another EUR 7.50 per person.
But it’s definitely worth it!
from 6 years
Van Gogh Museum
I wanted to visit the Van Gogh Museum as part of the Anselm Kiefer exhibition. The exhibition took place in the Van Gogh and the Stedelijk Museum. My plan was to visit part 1 of the exhibition and then the Van Gogh Museum with the kids and then only briefly visit the Stedelijk for the second part of the exhibition. I didn’t want it to be too much.
We were actually in the Van Gogh Museum from 9.50 to about 11.40, after which we went to the shop…
The audio guide was free for the kids (exhibition + permanent collection) and there was also a treasure hunt for Van Gogh. But first I wanted to go to the exhibition, because that’s what we were there for. The kids really liked the audio guide – they went off on their own and listened to the texts, chose a favourite work and generally took part well. But at some point they were itching for the treasure hunt, so I hurried off.
Then we went into the permanent part: my goodness – it was packed! Hopefully it was just the fact that it was Easter, but if it’s always like that, phew. I then decided not to do a tour, but ONLY to look for the works of the treasure hunt and answer the questions. That way you still got an overview and it was less stressful for the children.
The treasure hunt is available in different languages and at the end the answers were checked, but although we didn’t have the right number of sunflowers for one painting, the children were given little presents – very sweetly done!
Opening hours:
April to August: Daily from 9 to 18 h (check our main page for more opening times!)
Prices:
EUR 32.40 for adults (with the Kiefer exhibition until 9 June).
EUR 25 for adults after 9 June 2025
free admission for children under 18
from 7 years
Stedelijk Museum
In the end, we only visited the Kiefer exhibition at the Stedelijk. The two of them would certainly have done another tour of the permanent collection, but it was already after 1pm and we still had to have lunch, pick up our suitcases and catch the train to The Hague. That’s why we left after the exhibition after all.
The part of the Kiefer exhibition was very war-orientated. They really liked the installation of the new work ‘Tell me where the flowers are’ – they listened to the audio guide several times (it’s free for everyone, by the way!). But there were a lot of questions about war. The other works also only referred to soldiers, Hitler’s headquarters and the Luftwaffe (in the form of the aeroplane) – that was difficult material for 7-year-olds. So you’ll have to think carefully about this.
Next time, however, we will take a look at the rest of the museum – because after the Old Masters in the Rijksmuseum and Impressionism in the Van Gogh Museum, the children should get a taste of modern art in the Stedelijk 😀
Opening hours:
Daily: 10.00 – 19.00 h
Friday: 10.00 – 21.00 h
Prices:
EUR 22.50 for adults
free admission for children under 19
from 7 years
Mauritshuis THE HAGUE
DEN HAAG
In The Hague we also did a bit of culture ;). As they weren’t able to slip into the role of Vermeer’s pearl earring girl themselves, we just went to the museum and had a look at the lady herself! 😀 And this time our little cousin – aged 3 – was there too. Her first time in a museum 😀
There was also a scavenger hunt for children – but only on EN and the questions were a bit more ‘banal’ than in the Van Gogh Museum. But the children really enjoyed it again.
It was also very busy here (Easter Monday) and we concentrated on the treasure hunt – the highlight was of course the pearl girl. There was a ‘queue’ in front of Vermeer’s masterpiece – a bit like the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, but not as crowded. At some point, I simply sent the children ahead – they are small, so you can look over them 😉
Opening hours:
Monday: 13.00 – 18.00 h
Tuesday – Sunday: 10.00 – 18.00 h
Prices:
EUR 20 for adults
free admission for children under 19
Audio guide
EUR 2,50 (also for children)
I will keep updating this article – every time we experience something new in Amsterdam, I will let you know!
Your Céline
Text and image rights: © Céline Mülich, 2025
With permission of the museums.
