Kid-friendly places in Amsterdam

28 places in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where children are actually welcome — what each one is, what it costs, and what to watch for. 24 carry a warning worth reading before you go.

Eat and play
Play cafés
Sports
Classes
Adventure

Eat and play4

De VondeltuinRestaurant
Relaxed terrace cafe/bar at the south end of Vondelpark with a playground alongside, drinks, ice cream and quick bites, dog-friendly

Evenings skew adult
Grand Café Het PaviljoenRestaurant
Family-friendly grand cafe on a square in West with a large playground beside the terrace, good local food, popular and easy for kids' parties

Closed Mon-Tue
Groot MelkhuisRestaurant
Beautiful Vondelpark restaurant by a small river with a big playground right beside the terrace, brick-oven pizza, QR ordering, plenty of veggie options

Closed Tuesdays; paid toilets
KinderkookkaféRestaurant
Vondelpark cafe where kids cook simple things (pizza, cookies, cupcakes), nice sandwiches and coffee for parents, inexpensive, lovely concept

Service can be patchy; align expectations with staff; closed Mon-Tue

Play cafés8

Ballorig Soft Play (Arena)Indoor playground
Soft play for 6 months to 12 years, little ones downstairs and older kids upstairs, friendly staff, good for rainy days and parties; by the Arena in Zuidoost

Persistent reports of dirty toilets and no air conditioning in the heat
Candy Castle SpeelparadijsIndoor playground
Big indoor playground with huge play zones, a dance room and an upstairs trampoline, good-quality affordable food, ~8€/child (adults free), card payments

Gets very crowded at weekends; some high areas lack safety nets
Coffee and KidsPlay cafe
Cosy IJburg cafe with a play space and creative workshops, warm owner, good coffee (rare on the island), popular for family birthdays

Closed Mon and Sun; short daytime hours
Jimmy's SpeelparadijsIndoor playground
Indoor playground with pedal monorail, cars, trampoline and skate room, usually not too full so comfortable for parents; ~in the western harbour area

Dark slippery tunnels (a few injury reports), ~3€ adult + 8.50€ child
Papote CafePlay cafe
Lovely cafe in West with a play area for ~1-7 year olds plus a separate baby zone, genuinely good food and cakes, well-thought-out kids' menu, club activities

Closed Mon-Tue
PlayhoodIndoor playground
Beautiful wooden mini-town role-play space (firefighter, vet, baker, astronaut), pizza-making workshops, clean, 1h45 play slots, cafe; best for under-7s; ~in Noord/West harbour area

Book a slot at the start to get the full time; can bore older kids
WOPL! World of Play & LearningIndoor playground
Clean, thoughtfully designed play space for under-5s, timed entry keeps it uncrowded, cafe, great rainy-day option, good for birthdays

Adult also pays (~11€), so ~23€ for a parent + child; limited food menu
You Kids / You Jump Amsterdam-OostIndoor playground
Indoor playground and trampoline park with a monkey-town climb, good for toddlers up (small enough to keep an eye on little ones), cafe, birthdays

Trampolines are 6+, service and table-cleaning can slip when busy; limited weekday hours

Sports7

Circus KristalAcrobatics / aerial
Circus space in Noord (by the Street Art Museum) running brilliantly organised kids' birthday parties: crafts, a magic show and free play with circus equipment, superb host

Mainly event/party bookings
Circuswerkplaats BoostAcrobatics / aerial
Creative circus workshop with weekly children's classes and birthday parties, playful teaching with real skill progression, friendly teachers

Small party table
Climbing Center AmsterdamClimbing
Indoor and outdoor rope climbing plus a small boulder area and a gym, runs kids' climbing lessons, friendly knowledgeable staff, good bar food
Klimmuur Amsterdam CentraalClimbing
Welcoming rope-climbing wall near Centraal with lots of natural light, mostly top-rope with some lead, friendly staff and community, garden with nachos

Holds can be slippery and ropes worn
Monk Bouldergym AmsterdamClimbing
Big waterfront bouldering gym in Noord, great for introducing kids to climbing with graded routes, shoe hire, cafe and riverside seating

Gets busy and warm; paid parking
Park AmsterdamSkate / BMX / roller
Indoor skatepark in Noord for beginners to advanced, soft ramps, clean smooth floor, board rentals, chilled staff and a bar that makes pizza, good rainy-day option

Entry fee; closed Mondays
Zeeburgereiland SkateparkSkate / BMX / roller
The largest skatepark in the Netherlands, free, with three bowls, loose ramps, a pumptrack and a street area, benches, water fountain, coffee bar and a playground alongside

Bowls are massive; busy with young kids at weekends; paid parking (free Sundays)

Classes6

Keramiek Atelier AmsterdamArt
Bright ceramics studio in West with patient teachers and a lovely community, entry-level 2h workshops (pieces fired and collected a week later) and longer courses

Limited opening hours
Muziekacademie Amsterdam (Westerpark)Music
Warm, community-minded music school in West: guitar, singing, band setups for all ages, patient teachers, gigs around the city
MuziekpakhuisMusic
Spacious, professional music school in a quiet central neighbourhood with a close-knit community feel and classes for kids (including toddler music)
PansyArt
Cheerful pastel-coloured ceramic-painting studio and shop, relaxed creative workshops good with kids, warm welcoming staff

Closed Mon-Wed
The Art CaféArt
Central create-your-own-art cafe: book a spot, choose from a menu of crafts (painting, clay, lino printing), 2-3 hours, calm atmosphere, coffee and soft drinks

Closed Mon-Tue; book online
ZelfmaakArt
Friendly mosaic and craft workshop in Noord with plenty of time and hands-on guidance to make something you take home

Closed Mon-Tue

Adventure3

Children's Farm De BijlmerweidePetting farm
Free petting farm in a calm park in Zuidoost, lots of animals you can pet, kids' playground, snacks and ice cream at fair prices, outdoor seating

Signs are in Dutch; closed Mondays
Kinderboerderij De PijpPetting farm
Free city-centre petting farm: rabbits, goats, sheep, a pig, guinea pigs and a turtle, craft activities and a playground, lovely atmosphere

Entrance a little hard to find; closed Sundays
Petting Farm De WerfPetting farm
Free, well-kept petting farm in Watergraafsmeer with very cute rabbits, goats and pigs, clean toilets with baby-changing, a spot for food and seating

Other cities

Every place here is in the Kindering app too, on one map with the rest of Amsterdam, sorted by how far each one is from you.

Missing a place, or one has closed? Tell us.