Schipol Airport-stopover for 5 hours with a 2 year old.

[bigspender30]

Ok wise ones, who's been to Schipol airport recently? Do they have any soft play type area? We have a 5 hour stopover and a very active toddler to entertain. Help!! We have the use of the KLM lounge if anyone is familiar with that? Please tell me its a veritable toddlers paradise with cbeebies and a bouncy castle!

For 5 hours with a toddler i would try to get out to the nearest town where there is bound to be a playground or something. DC will cope much better with the next flight if she/he has had some fresh air.

Schipol is a great airport - great kids area -details here and good restaurant with view of planes.

Don't know the KLM lounge, but generally lounges are not good for children. Too many grumpy people in them trying to work (or swig wine )

IS that Amsterdam? If so, they have a big soft play area and an "art museum" and many other amenities. (or at least they did a couple of years ago when I was there with DS still a toddler.

If you are not in your own, a trip out of the airport could be worthy. We do it all the time when there's enough time and we have noticed we are less tired on arrival.

Thats an idea-maybe I could take him into Amsterdam to the coffee shops and let him breathe in the fresh air!!
Only joking!

just looked at the link. Brilliant! Whats the art museum MemysonandI ?

I think there is a LEGO shop in the airport.

Sometimes you aren't allowed out of the airport if you are going on another flight. I don't know how you would find that out. Five hours is a hell of a long time!

They advertise it as a Museum although it is the size of an art gallery. The museum shop is up to standard though!

Lego shops good.
Is it an aviation museum? That may be of interest.
I may phone KLM and ask them if we can leave the airport but I doubt it as I think we are checked in all the way through.

Brilliant airport, they have childrens playroom with a slide and toys in, also a room next door where you can change them, it also has sinks and a microwavve for food prep plus cots so you can put them to sleep if needs be.

We also just wandered right down to the end of one of the gate areas and found a quiet area with loungers for us to lie on and we just let ds play on the floor, he was happy watching the planes and just pottering with toys also.

Yuo can also easily get the train to Amsterdam, takes about half an hour i think if you do want some fresh air.

The train service from Schipol into Amsterdam is so good that they do generally let you leave.

Last time I flew through there to go from Edinburgh to Hong Kong I had about five hours. Put my luggage in a locker, hopped on the train, got stoned and came back. One of the best flights of my life, but obviously not something you can do with kids.

Even just a walk around Amsterdam would be a great treat for a boisterous child.

am flying from Glasgow but our luggage is going straight through so I doubt they would let us leave since we don't check in again. Will phone and ask though as I would like to see Amsterdam. I take it you didn't have kids with you ninedragons or is this the new way to calm children before a flight?!!!!

we were checked through to leeds and was no problem for us to leave the airport.

oh cool! You have just reminded me-Am off to phone KLM right now!