Attractions for kids
Below are 12 suggestions for activities with kids: from milking goats to climbing church towers.
1 - science centre NEMO
a hands-on, science and technology museum housed in an impressive, boat-shaped building. During the renovation of the neighbouring Scheepvaartmuseum (Shipping Museum), the replica of a Dutch trading ship, docked at the front.
2 - Water bikes 
A water bike is a boat you pedal with your feet. It's great fun in sunny weather, and still doable when it rains; boats can be covered with a rain shield.
3 - De Hollandsche Manege
For lovers of horses and 19th-century architecture: the Royal Riding School at the Overtoom
4 - Canal boat trip
A boat trip is always fun, and especially through the canals and harbour of Amsterdam.
5 - Climb the Westertoren
Climb all the stairs to the top. One of the best views of Amsterdam is from the summit of the Westertoren.
6 - Artis Zoo
Your kids will love the animals and many playgrounds of Amsterdam Zoo. Take the Artis Zoo Express that brings you by boat from the Central Railway Station to Artis.
7 - Hortus
One of the oldest botanical gardens (1682) with a classical designed outdoor garden and 7 greenhouses (with each representing a different climate), 300-year-old Eastern Cape giant cycad and palm greenhouse.
8 - Playground Amstelpark
Play midget golf , take a rail trip through the Amstel Park or eat poffertjes, a kind of tiny pancakes.
9 - Pancake Boat
During a three hour cruise, the Pancake Boat will take you along the port of Amsterdam, across the IJ lake and along Amsterdam Central Station, to the Erts and Entrepot harbour... and you may eat as many pancakes as you want!
10 - Milking Goats at the Ridammerhoeve goat farm in the Amsterdam Woods
more than 150 goats and cute little baby lambs roam around freely here. Try milking a goat. And how about bottle-feeding a baby goat? On Saturday you can watch how they make cheese from fresh goat's milk.
11 - TunFun - indoor playground for children from 1-12 years old. Children have fun in a sportive, active and creative way in a former traffic underpass in the centre of Amsterdam. TunFun offers plenty of opportunities to climb, creep and crawl. We have a children disco, great slides, ball pools, an inflatabel "Amsterdam street" jump cushion, trampolines, an indoor soccer ground and much more.
Mr. Visserplein 7 (Centrum), near the Waterlooplein.
12 - Race Planet for Kids - Mega indoor play area for kids from 2-12 years old: driving, sledging, climbing, sliding, karting, and traffic garden.
More ideas
→ Anne Frank House on the Prinsengracht→ Madame Tussauds wax museum on the Dam
→ Muiderslot Castle in Muiden (15 km southeast of Amsterdam)
→ The Pancake Bakery
on the Prinsengracht.
Things to do with kids
Fun on the ice
Ice-skating rinks on different squares in Amsterdam. Nov-Mar
BovenNEMO
Every summer science center NEMO transforms the roof into a city beach, offering visitors to enjoy the sun with the most beautiful view of Amsterdam. Great for kids.
Festival for children
October 20-29, 2010Cinekid 2010
annual Film, Television and New Media Festival for Children
Van Gogh Museum
Children's audiotouran exciting tour of the museum for children aged 6 to 12. You will look, listen and learn all about the life and work of Vincent van Gogh. In Dutch and English
Rijksmuseum
Tours for childrenExotic animals, exploratory expeditions, a dollhouse, The Feast of St Nicholas by Jan Steen: our tour guides have the most exciting stories to tell about these and other features of the museum, just for kids.
Museums such as the Tropical museum and Jewish museum also include children's section.