10 Top activities on the Dutch coast with children – A guest article
(Advertising) Kilometres of sandy beaches and unspoilt dunes: The Dutch coast stretches from Zealand via South and North Holland up to the North Sea islands. The Netherlands is well known for its child friendliness and has a lot to offer children. If you’re planning a family holiday in the Netherlands, you won’t be bored with the following tips.
Fun in a bottle at the beach – Family friendly beaches in Holland
The child-friendliness of the Dutch is also reflected on the beaches: time and again you will discover small playgrounds, bouncy castles and trampolines in the sand, and the risk of injury is relatively low in the soft sand.
Also the sea is an absolute play paradise for the whole family at warm temperatures. Thanks to the shallow sea, the coast of the Netherlands is particularly suitable for a holiday with a child. Compared to other seas, the water remains shallow for a long time, so you don’t have to worry that children will disappear immediately if they venture a step further. Some of the Dutch beaches are particularly suitable for a family holiday.
Dutch coastal town Cadzand
The province of Zeeland in the south of the Netherlands has the most hours of sunshine and long, wide sandy beaches. Almost all beaches have playground equipment such as swings and climbing frames.
Wooden plank walkways have been fixed so that you can get to the beach with baby carriages, and in the beach cottages you can store your beach utensils for the time of your stay, so that you don’t have to carry everything new every day auf´s
Dutch coastal town Sint Maartenszee
Further north of the famous beaches of Zandvoort, Egmond, Bergen and Hagen aan Zee in the municipality of Schagen in the north of Holland lies the most beautiful family beach in Holland. The beach is marked with the Blue Flag, an eco-label that confirms the cleanliness and safety of the beach.
There is no mass tourism here, you won’t find beach tents with loud music, the atmosphere is calm and natural. Children have a lot of space here for Frisbee, Beachball and much more and for smaller children there is a separate children’s pool on this beach.
Dutch coastal village Kijkduin
Also in Kijkduin things are a little quieter. Right on the beach children can live out their pirate dreams on the playboat and conquer a lookout tower. The wide dunes are ideal for family walks or bicycle rides.
Noordwijk – The safest beach in the world
The Blue Flag has marked the sandy beach of Noordwijk for the 27th time as one of the cleanest and safest beaches in the world. In Noordwijk there are many children’s attractions in the city, such as the Kids Zoo.
Dutch coastal town Scheveningen
The largest seaside resort in the province of Holland is also located near The Hague, where families can enjoy a wide range of leisure activities and older children can take a surfing or sailing course. There is also a specially marked dog beach for your dog.
Our tip: Depending on your age, you should never leave your child unattended on the beach or in the water and always make sure that you have enough sunscreen and sun-protective headgear.
Leisure parks and museums – Top activities and tips in Holland with kids
Deltapark Neeltje Jans
Kids playfully learn about the history of the Delta Works and the relationship of the Netherlands to water:
The Deltapark is a water park with a water playground, hurricane simulator, boat trips, film screenings and interesting exhibitions about the 1953 flood and the subsequent construction of the famous Deltaworks. You will also see seals and sea lions here!
Where? In the south of the Netherlands on a small island in between Seelands, Faelweg 5, 4354RB Vrouwenpolder When: open until 29 October daily from 10.00 to 17.00 Admission: 2-3 years: 8€; from 4 years: 17€, 12-64 years: 22,50€; pensioner 65+: 20,50€
Linnaeushof
An absolute child’s dream comes true: On the largest playground in Europe, children can still play “real” both outside and indoors, i.e. no multimedia equipment or roller coasters: Slides, swings, climbing, discovering and living out your own fantasy are the order of the day! For this there are various climbing frames, slides, water bicycles, trampolines and much more.
The Dreumesland offers a playground for toddlers and toddlers for the smallest ones and in case of bad weather there is a covered playground with air-chain cars, minicars and play street.
Where: Rijksstraatweg 4, 2121AE Bennebroek Wann: April to September 10.00 to 18.00, partly 10.00 to 17.00 Admission: 12,50€, online 11,50€
Sealife Scheveningen
Interesting facts about the marine world and more than 150 species of marine life can be admired with your child in the Sealife directly on the boulevard of Scheveningen. The highlight in Scheveningen is the underwater tunnel in which your child will definitely make big eyes out surrounded by 180,000 litres of sea water.
Where: Strandweg 13, 2586JK Scheveningen Wann: Daily 10.00 to 18.00 Admission: up to 3 years free of charge; online ticket 10,75€
Madurodam
Discover the whole of Holland in just one hour in the miniature city of Madurodam. Videos and other highlights will show you the exciting history of the Netherlands.
Where: George Maduroplein 1, 2584 RZ The Hague When: Daily from 9.00 to 20.00 Admission: Online 14,50€ and at the box office 16,50€, Kombiticket Sealife & Madurodam: 22,50€
Duinrell amusement park
Roller coasters and water fun in the swimming pool, a huge playground and fun children’s shows await you right behind the dunes in Duinrell. You and your child can pitch your own tent at the park’s camping site, because camping is also an experience for children, from setting up a tent to staying overnight with a flashlight & Co.
Where: Duinrell 1, 2242JP Wassenaar Wann: The park is open daily from 10.00 to 17.00 or 18.00 on weekends and the Tikibad is open from 10.00 to 22.00. Admission: Adventure park 23,50€; surcharge for Tikibad 7€.
Space Expo
Experience the first man on the moon at Space Expo and learn everything about space travel and astronauts from the simulated launch of an Ariane rocket to the discovery of satellites with test models.
When. When? Tuesday to Sunday 10.00 to 17.00, during school holidays also Mondays Wo: Keplerlaan 3, 2201 AZ Noordwijk Admission: Adults 12€, children 4-8 years 8€.
Seal catching station Pieterburen
In the north of the Netherlands, about half an hour by car north of Groningen, you and your child can learn all about how sick, weak and stranded seals are caught, recovered and then released again.
Where: Hoofdstraat 94a, 9968AG Pieterburen Wann: Daily 10.00 to 17.00 Admission: 0-3 years free; 4-12 years 5€; from 12 years 6,50€
Ecomare on Texel
At Ecomare you can immerse yourself in the depths of the North Sea and nature on the Dutch island of Texel. Here you can learn all about seals, harbour porpoises and other animals such as birds and fish. In the Nature Museum you can also discover the Wadden Sea as a World Heritage Site.
Daily there are also attractions such as seal feeding or lectures such as on whales in the North Sea. For 1€ you can also borrow an audio guide at the reception with extra information for your tour through the Ecomare.
Where: In the middle of the National Park ´Dünen from Texel´; Ruijslaan 92, 1796 AZ De Koog Wann: Daily 9.30 to 17.00 Admission: children 4 to 13 years 8,75€; adults 12,75€.
Even more family fun on the Dutch coast
Along the coastal boulevards and along the dunes, you can make wonderful family tours with child seats or special tandem trailers. Bicycles can be hired cheaply from anywhere, and various providers such as Radissimo or Eurotrek also offer several-day bike tours specially designed for children with exciting stages.
The Kinderboerderij (“children’s farm”) is also something typically Dutch: all the animals on the small farm are still “children” themselves and the course is designed as a playground with slides, swings etc. The children’s playground is also a playground. Children can come into direct contact with the calves, lambs and chickens and learn more about farm life.