Things you need to know

Amsterdam is a very family-friendly city to visit. One of the great charms of Amsterdam is its smallness. You can walk or bike to any destination – and you’re likely to pass through colourful districts with buildings from another era. If you live here, you have a chance of bumping into a friend everytime you go out, which makes the place feel like a friendly village. 

Amsterdam can be visited with children all year long. Every season has its own charm.

There are people that manage to explore Amsterdam to its fullest in two days. Others take two years to discover all of its treasures.

In the Netherlands, people pay with euros, just as in many other countries in Europe. If you are not familiar with euros, it can sometimes be difficult to calculate how much something you like really costs. But don’t worry, shop owners are more than happy to help you.

You can exchange money immediately at the Airport. But there are also GWK Travelex and Pott exchange  offices and in the Center of Amsterdam, where you can exchange currency.

Amsterdam is a very safe city. But you should still keep an eye out for pickpocket’s. Also, be careful with your children around the Canals and watch out for bikers in the busy streets.

You can get everywhere in Amsterdam on foot or by bike, they say. But what if you’re in one corner of town and have to go all the way to the other? Or if you are just tired or lazy after a long day of sightseeing and don’t feel like walking or cycling?  Then you take public transport; travelling with the GVB (the Amsterdam public transport company operating the subways, trams, buses and ferries) is easy, cheap and, above all, safe.

There are a lot of family-friendly bike rentals in Amsterdam. Two companies where you can rent bikes are Bibi Bikes and Rent A Bike.

There are designated areas in the public transportation for strollers. Those areas are marked and leave enough space for you and your family.

With five metro lines, 15 tram lines, 34 bus lines and 10 ferry services, you can jump on just about anywhere without waiting very long. Just buy a one-hour ticket in the tram or bus, and at the vending machines at the stations. With a children’s day ticket you can travel around all day with no worries. 

You can see where you are and how long it will take to reach your final stop via screens in the carriage. If you press the button, the tram or bus will stop at the next halt. Metro lines stop at every station. Always remember to check out with your chip card when you leave the vehicle or the station. 

All public transportation in the Netherlands is easily accessible, safe and child-friendly. Here are the different public transport options:

Train

Take the train to other cities in the Netherlands and the airport. Buy tickets from machines at train stations.

Tram

Ring ring… Trams go everywhere all the time: from the most popular sights in the centre to the outskirts of town.

Subway

Since 2018 Amsterdam has a new north-south metro line that takes you from one part of town to the other in just 20 minutes. 

Bus

Buses run on the main roads in Amsterdam. Take the bus if you want to get from one place to another quickly.

Ferry

With the Ferry you travel to the North of Amsterdam, but it is also a great way to see ’t IJ and all the boats that sail there. 

Little Bernie suggests many family-friendly attractions, activities and more. But the to five are these: 

1. Visit Anne Frankhuis
2. See world-famous paintings at the national museum, Rijksmuseum
3. Do scientific experiments at Nemo
4. See Vincent van Gogh’s Sun Flowers in Van Goghmuseum
5. Step abroad a 17th century ship at Scheepvaartmuseum

Just remember to book tickets in time (2-3 weeks before). These attractions are quite popular and well visited.

There are many cultural attractions that offer children programs. All of these can be found in Little Bernie visits Amsterdam, or here on the website.

Amsterdam has a lot of beautiful parks and green spaces. Some of them also offer children’s activities or have playgrounds. But in general: all of them are suitable for families. Learn more in the book: Little Bernie visits Amsterdam, or take a look at the website.

Amsterdam offers several boat tours or canal cruises. Many of them are designed for Families. The book Little Bernie visits Amsterdam suggests some canal cruises, but you can also find them here on the website.

The book Little Bernie visits Amsterdam suggests a lot of events and markets suitable for children. You can also find some suggestions here in the website.

Amsterdam has many child-friendly restaurants, snack bars and cafes. You can find them in basically every area of Amsterdam. To know which ones exactly to look out for, visit our website or take a look into the book Little Bernie visits Amsterdam. The best ones (those are many) are describest and listed there.

The quick answer is: Yes. It depends on the restaurant you are visiting. But we have many of them listed in the book Little Bernie visits Amsterdam, and on the website.

The Netherlands has a lot of national dishes that are super enjoyable for children. A guide to those can be found in the book Little Bernie visits Amsterdam. But here are already some suggestions: 

For Breakfast and Lunch:

Havermoutpap, Broodje gezond, Boterham, Broodje haring, Een spiegelei 

For dinner: 

Indonesian rice table, Mussels, Hutspot, Stampot, Hachee, Gehaktbal met jus, Spruitjes (Brussels sprouts)

Dessert:

Pannenkoeken, Wentelteefjes, Vlaflip, Poffertjes, Hangop

Drinks:

Milk & buttermilk, Chocolademelk; For your parents: Jenever & beer

Snacks & Sweets:

Croquette, ‘Belgian’ fries, Tompouce, Stroopwafels, Peppernoten, (English) drop

We prepared a packing list for you and your family in the book Little Bernie visits Amsterdam. But some things you shouldn’t miss are these: Warm clothes (even in summer), A camera or smartphone to take pictures, An umbrella or raincoat, A large suitcase to carry all your memories and souvenirs, addresses of your friends and family so you can send postcards.

There are baby supply rental services in Amsterdam. Two of them are Babyloop and Baby Boem, they do not only offer In-store pick-up, but also the delivery of products.

There are a bunch of Hotels that we suggest for your family trip. Those are the following: Conservatorium Hotel, Pulitzer Hotel Amsterdam, Klimpton De Witt Hotel, Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam, Hotel Okura Amsterdam, Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam, INK Hotel MGallery, Hyatt Regency Amsterdam, The Dutchman Hotel, Marriott Hotel Amsterdam.