A day in Amsterdam with the kids

[Nutellaonall]

Off on holiday to the Netherlands and thinking of stopping in Amsterdam for the day enroute. If you had a day ( a short one we will have a two hour drive after that) what would be your top things to do. Our kids are 9,7 and 5 years old.

Placemarking for inspiration!

Vondelpark is good, there's loads of space to run around, several play areas and you can rent skates as well. Boat trips on the canal are always great and my daughter who is 6 really enjoyed the open top bus tour.

Nemo science museum

The science museum is great. Also suggest just a basic tram ride.. cheap and exciting for small kids! Tram no 2 takes you from Centraal Station (which is just across from the science museum) through the main squares/canals through to Museumplein which is close to the Vondelpatk. Try and find them a pancake house as well to eat Dutch pancakes 😀

The Amsterdam Madam Tussauds museum is pretty cool - there was a lifelike Spiderman model last time I was there (4 years ago...), they might've added some more superheroes since

Thanks, great ideas. Can anyone suggest where we could park?

You can make your own personalised chocolate bar at Tony Chocolonely (pick your own flavour and toppings, wrapper colour and a message/your name printed on it), on the main drag from centraal station to Damrak.
Going for a small boat tour also nice, or if they're big enough rent a water bike. Museumplein is fun if the weather is nice with water play, playpark, etc.

You could probably park at Schipol airport, that's just a single train stop to Centraal station

I blog about Amsterdam for kids and have some posts that should give you loads of inspiration. Let me know if you have any questions once you've had a read

amsterdamwonderland.com/things-to-do-in-amsterdam-with-kids/

amsterdamwonderland.com/10-best-amsterdam-with-kids/

I don't know for Amsterdam in general, but a good general strategy is to take a look at the public transport map and pick somewhere easy to get to at the end of a metro/ tram/ suburban railway line.

^sorry, that was for parking.

Mine loved the Rijksmuseum.

Get food at a branch of FEBO, lots of coin-operated doors with food behind. We loved it.

I agree about Nemo, lots of fun.

Parking- depends on which direction you're coming from?
You can use the A10 ring P&R's bijv- Sloterdijk of P&R Zeeburg (Tram 26 to CS)
Or I tend to dump the car at Breukelen train station and jump in a train there. (on the A2 just up from Utrecht) its free parking.
Avoid parking in Ams if possible, is expensive, busy and the public transport is good enough that you can leave your car outside the city.

@LondonMummer what a lovely Blog you've made!
Sadly they have got rid of the I Amsterdam letters now, we always liked climbing over them too!

I know. We made the most amazing collage with the letters. We go incredibly often as my husband is Dutch and managed to get a shot of us by the letters each time we went from being engaged to having two kids - spelling out iAmsterdam Thank goodness we finished the set before they moved them.

The background at the airport isn't exactly the same!