Amsterdam Tips for families: what you need to know before you go for a perfect stay

A quick guide by a mama with our Amsterdam tips for families with kids: best time to go, where to stay, how to get around, eating out in Amsterdam with kids and more!

Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities in the world and a very easy one to explore with kids.

Amsterdam is safe, walkable, stroller friendly, child friendly and has a large amount of attractions and things to do that are for kids or welcoming to kids, which means all members of the family can have a great time here.

I go to Amsterdam often and while I find the city really straightforwards to explore with littles, I also find it can be handy to have some tips to make it even easier.

On this page, I share my tips for families and what you need to know when planning a trip to Amsterdam with kids.

I hope you find it useful!

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Amsterdam with kids – overall feel and vibe

Amsterdam is a wonderful family friendly city, with a mellow and elegant vibe.

Despite what the notoriety of the Red Light district might suggest (an area you can easily skip), Amsterdam is for its largest part a kid-friendly, leafy and very safe place.

It is a city of quiet canals, pretty terraces, blossoming flowers and concept stores. The city center in particular oozes with wealth, people brunching with avocado toast and dairy free latte being the most common sight (I am one of them, so I am saying this with no judgement!).

In terms of size, Amsterdam is small yet still feels like a large city, so you have the best of both world: a manageable yet exciting place.

The best area to stay in Amsterdam with kids + hotels we like

My favorite areas to stay in Amsterdam with kids are:

The area of Vondelpark / Museum Plein , which is green, has easy access to the museums and it well served with al you may need, from restaurant to shops to playgrounds etc.

The area of Prinzengracht canal towards the Nine Streets, also well located and central, very safe and withering walking distance from many attractions.

Jordaan, a leafy and elegant area close to many of the city center attractions yet quiet and residential.

Plantage: located to the East of the centre, Plantage is a beautiful part of Amsterdam and one of the best places to stay in Amsterdam with kids thanks to something special: famous Artis Royal Zoo.

Plantage is residential and pretty.

The area has local restaurants and cafes that give it a nice yet local buzz and it is close to the city centre ‘proper’which you can reach on foot or with a short tram ride.

Hotels you may consider in these areas are:

PrinsenHuis (mid-range) | Monet Garden (mid-range) | Pulitzer (luxury)

Need to know: alway declare all occupants of a room as occupancy tules are super strict. Even if you have a baby who’ll share a bed with you, you need to book them in so they can give a room legally suited to the correct number of occupants.

Expect to leave a copy of your passport with your accommodation

Like in many other European countries your host will have to take a copy of the passport of all people staying in the accommodation and pass them onto the local authority. This is a legal requirement: they may ask for a copy to be sent electronically before arrival or get one of the day.

Remember to have ID on you

Like in most European countries, you must have original ID on you at all times.

Cash and cards

Contactless payment by card is very common in Amsterdam and often preferred over cash payment.

Should you want or need cash however, bank ATMs are relatively common.

Tipping is not traditional but a nice extra and leaving a tip up to 10% of the restaurant bill is common but by no means mandatory as hospitality jobs are paid and not reliant on tips.

How long to stay in Amsterdam with children

I like to stay in Amsterdam at least a full weekend.

This way, you have the time to see one of the main art museums and at least one or two of the best kids’ attractions in the city.

You can read here >>> our exact itinerary for a weekend in Amsterdam with our kids which also has all the best things to do with kids on your first visit.

The best time to visit Amsterdam with kids

My favorite time to visit Amsterdam with kids for me is the summer. The weather is never guaranteed in Amsterdam but summer gives you the highest chance of sunny days and has long daylight hours which are perfect to make the most of Amsterdam parks and playgrounds.

I find June in particular to often being great!

My second favorite time is the spring, as this allows to see the pretty tulips in the fields outside the city and Keukenhof Gardens. Read here >>> how to see tulips in and near Amsterdam

Walking around Amsterdam with kids

The best way to discover Amsterdam city center is on foot. The city is very walkable but there is one thing you need to know for everyone safety: as well as roads with cars, Amsterdam has cycle lanes with bikes and you must not walk on them!

Bikes go fast in Amsterdam and have designated bike lanes on which they have priority: make sure you don’t use them as pavements as you will get run over!

Using Public transport in Amsterdam with kids

Amsterdam also has an excellent public transport network with trams and metro especially. Trams are likely the most common means of transport you’ll use in Amsterdam and they are safe, efficient and well kept.

At a glance, there are the main things you need to know about using Amsterdam public transport with kids and, specifically, with strollers.

Kids 0 to 3 travel free and kids 4 to 11 pay a reduced price
On Amsterdam’s public transport, strollers share dedicated accessible doors and areas with wheelchair users. Wheelchairs and mobility scooters have priority.
Drivers have ultimate authority in deciding if there is sufficient space for you to travel on that specific vehicle. If you notice them addressing you, it is most likely to ask you to fold your stroller, position it a certain wait of wait for the next vehicle.

Good to know! Amsterdam transport welcomes pregnant people on board and offers them a ‘baby on board button’ you can use to let people know you could do with sitting down. You can order yours here.

The ferry that crosses the IJ into Amsterdam Noord is part of the public transport system and is free.

Using Taxis and Uber in Amsterdam with kids

Taxis and Uber both exist in Amsterdam and can be useful for longer stretches. With kids, it is however important to know that taxis and uber do not require and do not carry car seats, so you’ll travel with your child on the lap / use the seatbelts provided.

Cycling around Amsterdam with kids

Amsterdam is a super bike friendly city but cycling here is not for the faint of heart and not something I necessarily recommend with kids.

Amsterdam bikes are very much the local mean of transport so you need to drive a little like you’d drive a car: make sure you child doesn’t suddenly stop in the middle of the cycle lane and be prepared for cyclists going fast.

If you are not used to cycling in cities, I strongly recommend you get a feel for cycling in Amsterdam before committing to it!

Using strollers in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a very stroller friendly city. At times you have cobbles and uneven terrain but overall, moving around Amsterdam with a stroller is easy and convenient.

Eating our in Amsterdam with kids

Eating out in Amsterdam with kids is easy as most places welcome kids. Like in many other European countries, you don’t need to look specifically for family restaurants: the assumption is that kids come with you pretty much wherever you go, so you’ll see kids in all sorts of establishments, including very high end ones!

The photo below is the elegant Conservatorium!

High chairs are common and so are kids’ menus. The abundance of street food, pancakes and food from all over the worlds makes it super easy to find child friendly options for kids no matter what they like.

Below is a photo of my kids at the Hoxton Amsterdam.

Grocery shopping in Amsterdam for kids, baby food and diapers

Amsterdam city center has a vast number of supermarkets with all baby essentials including diapers, formula, baby pouches etc.

Supermarket names to look for are Albert Heijn (AH), Dirk, Jumbo, Lidl, Aldi.

Brands you commonly find are Pampers, Organix, Olvarit, Alpro, Ella’s Kitchen, Nutrition/ Aptamil.

Supermarkets in Amsterdam are also a great place to get suff for sandwiches or meals to make at home, if you are staying in self catering accommodation.

Baby changing facilities in Amsterdam

Not many bathrooms have baby changing facilities do, a little like we do in Italy, you may need some creativity!

The best chances of baby changing stations are in Museum Restrooms and departments stores. if you are out of luck, using the stroller as changing surface and use a generous amount of wipes…