💐Amsterdam Overnight Layover - What to do with Children

[GratitudeGoddess]

Morning beautiful people!

We arrive at Schiphol airport at 10am on Saturday (Easter weekend) and fly out on Sunday midday.

Please can people share things to do and places to eat with a 9 year old?

I would love to try some traditional Dutch food and am partial to pancakes

I think we can drop our bags off at the airport hotel as check-in is not until 4pm.

Is it worth me buying an i Amsterdam card?

I believe the card includes travel but not a return ticket back to Schiphol airport.

We would like to go to the Anne Frank Haus which is not included in the card. Is the Anne Frank Haus easy to get to from Central Station?

Thank you all in advance

Pancake Boat https://amsterdam.pannenkoekenboot.nl/

NEMO Science museum

National Maritime museum (Het Scheepvaartmuseum)

An Indonesian restaurant eg https://www.amsterdamfoodie.nl/amsterdam-food-guide/indonesian-restaurants-in-amsterdam-rijsttafel/

Everywhere is easy to get to but has your daughter read Anne Frank, she may be a bit young

Thank you

We did a day trip in Oct with 9 and 14yr old. We didn't bother the Amsterdam card for such a short trip.

Anne Frank house books up a few months in advance so make sure you are organised with that.

My DC liked the canal tour, you can usually just walk up and get one. It's a great way to see the city and hear about the history.

Tony's Chocoloney factory is worth a visit too, it's a quick visit but they can make a personalised chocolate bar which was fun.

We would have also like to got to Nemo, and possible Ripley's Believe it or Not but we didn't have enough time.

I've been to van Gough museum before and my children wouldn't enjoy it.

Food:
Fable - parmesan truffle fries
Stroop waffles - van wonderen, you might need to queue!
There's lots of places sell the mini Dutch pancake, I think one of the best places is 'pats'
Febo - fast food vending machines, a bit of novelty, kids loved it.

They haven't. We have watched the Where is Anne Frank animation but your right they may be too young

Amazing thank you. I think the chocolate factory would be a hit. Do you need to book in advance?

My daughter didn't enjoy the Van Gogh museum aged 8 either, she said it was too crowded and hard to see the art over people's heads.

Crowds can be a bit of sensory overload and it will be Easter weekend so it may be quite busy

NEMO science museum is fab for that age. It's basically like the wonderlab at the science museum in London but the whole museum is like that!

It's walk-in, no need to book. It's free to go inside but you pay for the chocolate. It Is quite small, but good fun, we were in and out in half an hour. It's very central though so if you are passing it's worth popping in. It's right next to where the canal boat tours leave.
There wasn't a queue when we were there, but Easter weekend there could be!

tonyschocolonely.com/pages/tonys-super-store

Agree Nemo is fantastic. You could easily spend the whole afternoon there. My kids also liked Micropia - the world’s only museum dedicated to microscopic life/bacteria. It’s right by the zoo. We had an amazing brunch close by - I’ll find the place and post it for you.

Perhaps left field but my two loved the Dutch Resistance Museum. They spent HOURS in the dedicated kids area, and ended up joining in a Dutch school trip group. I had to take them out in the end as husband and I had been round the whole place and were ready to go.

My DDs liked Van Gogh! They had both looked at his pictures in primary art at school and were interested in his work. Not all dc just went chocolate and imported attractions such as Ripleys. They liked the canal trip and Anne Frank house moved DD1 to tears. We liked walking around Jordaan too. Lots of quirky shops.

Thank you everyone, I really appreciate all your recommendations.

So far I'm thinking:

• Canal Boat Tour
• Tony's Chocolalonely factory
• Lunch
• Nemo Museum or Micropia Museum
• Tea

The train back to airport hotel

How old was DD1 when you visited Anne Frank's Haus?

I dont think 9 is too young. There is nothing graphic to see. It's a house.

Tickets for the Anne Frank house are only available online via the official website. no walk ins.

They drop another batch of tickets every Tuesday morning to cover visits six weeks later.

Thank you

@GratitudeGoddess She was 10. Other DD was 8. I think DD1 related to the age of Anne Frank and understood the issues they faced. We had also visited the Imperial war museum in London to see the WW2 house. DD1 liked history and she had heard of Anne Frank and her diary so we went.

Another recommendation for the NEMO museum. The upside down house is quite cool too!

Honestly, I imagine Anne Frank House on Easter weekend would be hellish with children. It gets absolutely packed and the narrow, steep geography of the house makes you feel very hemmed in. Agree that it's something everyone should visit once in their lives, but possibly not on this trip. When you are in-between flights and possibly tired.

The canal tour by boat is very pleasant. Walking around the flower markets is lovely. It's a nice city to potter around on foot. But keep your eyes peeled for cyclists.

In terms of treats, there's a scrummy kind of Dutch almond pastry filled with marzipan that is LUSH! I'm sure someone Dutch will be along in a minute to tell us what it's called.

A bit of snobbery there. I've been myself and I know my own DC wouldn't enjoy Van Gough, others also said that their DC didn't enjoy it, while others said they did like it. The op will know what her child might be interested in or not.
The chocolate tour is literally a half hour visit, sandwiched between other attractions and the op had asked for food suggestions. A balance of fun and informative is good and an understanding that different families will enjoy different things would go far rather than being rude about it.

The Rembrandt museum is interesting, especially the print making demo. It does depend on whether you find that kind of thing appealing though. She might be a bit young.

Sounds like a great plan. Not packing too much in.

I'd do Toney's first as if you make your own bar you'll need to collect it a couple of hours later, so by the time you get off the boat it should be ready.

We liked the Chicken Bar after a recommendation I saw in MN. Nice and relaxed for children and the food was excellent. Do book though as it’s busy.

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g188590-d15262703-Reviews-The_Chicken_Bar-Amsterdam_North_Holland_Province.html

Saying my dc enjoyed Van Gogh is not snobbery. It’s what they knew from school so why would they not enjoy seeing the paintings? Why is it snobbery? Thank God some DC do enjoy more than chocolate! They still enjoy art exhibitions. In fact DD1 enjoyed the Van Gogh in the Musee D’Orsay at 6. Especially the self portraits with his ears intact. She knew what had happened! I don’t quite understand why DC cannot appreciate art early in their lives.