fun things to do with kids in the netherlands  - family travel   Travel for Kids
   
     
   

Netherlands

Dutch windmill

"Holland" (North and South), is two provinces in the Netherlands, famous for its cities of Amsterdam, The Hague, Delft, and artists Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh. A network of trains runs throughout the country, fun for day trips to the countryside. Kids will enjoy exploring the canals, windmills, and dikes throughout the Netherlands.

  Amsterdam
West
  North Holland
    South Holland
 
The Hague (Den Haag)
 
Delft
East
  Gelderland
South
  Zeeland
    Noord Brabant
Tip: Ride the trains around the the Netherlands. Trains run frequently and there are Railrunner fares for children ages 4-11 (children under 4 travel free). With one accompanying adult ticket, children can ride round trip anywhere in one day for a few euros. To see the train schedules, check out the Netherlands Railway – essential for planning your train trips.
family hotels amsterdam

Travel for Kids has lots of fun things to do with kids in the Netherlands, but you'll need a fun place to stay. Here's our own Travel for Kids hand-picked list of family hotels and apartment rentals in Amsterdam:

Amsterdam family hotels
Amsterdam family apartment rentals
kids books the netherlands
     
The Boy Who Held Back the Sea childrens books netherlands  
The Boy Who Held Back the Sea
Thomas Locker, Lenny Hort

Naughty young Jan plays hooky for the day, but discovers a small leak in the dike. While the rest of the town sleeps, Jan spends the night with his hand in the dike to prevent a flood. Luminous illustrations, like old Dutch master paintings. (Picture book)

 

     
Windmill de Kat
Hyo-mi Park, Jin-hwa Kim

Before visiting Zaanse Schans windmill village outside Amsterdam, read about historic uses for windmills – to grind flour, colors for dye, make paper, pump out water for more land to grow tulips. Plus map and fun facts about the Netherlands. (Picture book)

 

 
windmill de kat
     
Katje, the Windmill Cat netherlands childrens books  
Katje, the Windmill Cat
Gretchen Woelfle, Nicola Bayley

When a dike breaks, Katja the cat saves a baby, tossed about in her cradle in the swirling flood. Illustrations so real and warm, you can almost hear the wind pushing the great arms of the windmill. Based on a true story, the Kinderdijk is named to celebrate the baby that survived the flood in 1421. (Picture book)

 

     

llustrated biography of Vincent van Gogh, one of the most popular artists today, but he sold only one painting in his lifetime. What did van Gogh see when he walked in the Dutch countryside as a boy, looked at paintings in art museums, practiced drawing people in fields, lived in a yellow house and painted sunflowers in France? Plus activities to try yourself, good for older kids. (Picture book)

 

 
vincent van gogh saw world in vibrant colors
     
meet rembrandt van rijn  

Rembrandt is one of the most famous Dutch artists. Look at the details of his paintings, such amazing color and texture. Filled with examples of Rembrandt's works, including self-portraits from young to old man, his lovely wife Saskia, and stories from the Bible. Fun to read before you visit the Rijksmuseum. (Picture book)

 

     
Vermeer's Secret World
Vincent Etienne

Wonderful exploration of Vermeer's luminous paintings with fascinating details, including an astonomer twirls a globe, a young woman makes lace, and his famous The Girl with a Pearl Earring. (Picture book)

Also, another picture book: Meet Johannes Vermeer

 

 
vermeers secret world
     
anna and johanna  
Anna and Johanna
Geraldine Elschner, Florence Koenig

A story inspired by two of Vermeer's paintings, The Milkmaid and The Lacemaker, two girls, born on the same day, exchange birthday presents for each other. And discover a secret. (Picture book)

 

     
Who Was Anne Frank?
Ann Abramson, Nancy Harrison

Illustrated biography of Anne Frank, about her life growing up in Amsterdam, going into hiding when the Nazis take over, living in the secret annex, capture and imprisonment, and enduring author of her famous diary. (Chapter book)

 

 
amsterdam world war ii kids biography Who Was Anne Frank?
     
I am Anne Frank  
I am Anne Frank
Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos

"By remembering and telling Anne's story, we make sure nothing like this ever happens again."

As a girl Anne liked to go to the movies and write stories, but her family was Jewish. In 1942, the Nazis started rounding up Jews to send to concentration camps. The Frank family went into hiding in a secret annex. Anne started to write in her diary. "I believe that people are truly good at heart." (Picture book)

 

     
Boxes for Katje
Candace Fleming, Stacey Dressen-McQueen

After World War II, "Sugar is not found in Holland these days, so anything sweet is precious." Based on true events, in a tiny Dutch town, Katje receives a box from America with soap, socks and chocolate. Soon, more boxes arrive with food and warm clothes for the townspeople. In spring, the town sends a surprise to America – tulips. An endearing story, with heart-warming illustrations. (Chapter book)

 

 
netherlands kids world war ii Boxes for Katje
     
The Greatest Skating Race kids world war ii netherlands  
The Greatest Skating Race
Louise Borden, Niki Daly

It's 1941, the Germans control of the Netherlands, and the canals are frozen. Ten year old Piet dreams of skating in the great Dutch race, the Elfstedentocht, but he has a bigger challenge, guiding a Dutch girl and boy to Brugge, across the Belgian border. An exciting story, with wonderful local color. (Picture book)

 

     
Sophie Stork's Amsterdam Adventure Book
Jacobine de Zwaan, Tatiana van der Linden

Take a trip around Amsterdam with Sophie Stork biking to the Vondelpark, visiting Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House, playing in Artis, exploring the National Maritime Museum, and having a snack at the indoor food market Foodhallen. (Picture book)

 

 
sophie storks amsterdam adventure
     
the abcs of amsterdam  
The ABCs of Amsterdam
Paola Bucciol, Anca Ioana Bostina

Insider Amsterdam A to Z – from Amstel River to bucket bikes, canals, eetcafes, houseboats, tulips, windmills, to tot ziens (see you later). (Picture book)

 

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TfK Blog