Planning to visit Amsterdam with kids in one day? It can be done, you just have to be extra selective and promise the whole family, you’ll come again. Here’s what the kids will most want to see, do and eat in one day in the Dutch capital.
Since the two of us have already been to Amsterdam, we planned the visit according to what we thought the kids might enjoy the most and here it goes.
The top 5 sights to visit in Amsterdam with kids in one day
Vincent Van Gogh Museum
It might not scream kids and ours didn’t chose it. I did. It was an opportunity to see some of the greatest works of art and it shouldn’t be missed. Young or old, it’s hard not to like his paintings and I was right. The kids did enjoy them.
If you plan to visit make sure you buy tickets before hand. Here’s where.
It’s good to know that the museum is free for kids, for all under 18.


Anne Frank House
If you have teenagers they’ll have heard about Anne Frank. Ours was reading her diary on our way to Amsterdam and was curious to visit the house.
Again book ticket well in advance, as it can only be visited with a ticket bought online for a specific time slot. Here are more details.


The location of Hunterstreet
You probably won’t find this recommendation anywhere else. I wouldn’t have known about it either if I didn’t have kids. Well, my daughters loved the Nickelodeon TV-series Hunter Street, which takes place in Amsterdam.
If your kids are fans, this is where it can be found: Singel 140-142.
But keep in mind you’ll only see the exterior. The show was not filmed inside of this house.
The City Centre
All the canals, lovely streets, little shops, cafes … if you do nothing else, you have to walk around the city centre and get the feel of it.
You can also walk: to the Royal Palace, main square – Dam, the Oude Church, …


Albert Cuyp Market
I love markets and everywhere we go, we have to visit them and try the various foods. That’s the best part – all the different food and smells.
Also you have to visit the Albert Cuyp market to try the best Stroopwaffles.
According to Wikipedia this is is a thin, round waffle cookie made from two layers of sweet baked dough held together by caramel filling.
The best one is Rudi’s Original Stroopwafels. They are delicious as they are warm, crispy and gooey.

Here are more sights the kids might enjoy in Amsterdam
- Nemo Museum – we didn’t visit this incredible science museum because I was worried we’d want to stay there for hours and we wouldn’t see the rest of the city.
- Canal Boat – we thought about doing it but in the end we just walked around the city.
- Madame Toussads – needs no introduction.
- A’Dam tower – it offers amazing views of the city but it was just too far away.
- The Amstelpark – a great park for a much needed rest.
Where to eat in Amsterdam?
Again with a city like that, you only have to ask yourself what you’re in the mood for, chances are you’ll find it. Now the only downside is the price. It can be expensive.
We ate at a Wok to Walk, which is a tasty, convenient and affordable Asian restaurant, part of a larger chain. You’ll find a few around the city.
Since we love markets we also had a few bites there and a few waffles and ice cream in the city center.
Where to stay with kids in Amsterdam?
There are plenty of great options. We traveled to the Dutch capital by car and we opted to stay in the suburbs where it was easier to find a decent parking space and have access to public transportation. We ended up staying the Novotel Schipol hotel, which afforded us exactly that.
This is a convenient option if you arrive to Amsterdam by plan as it’s only a stop away. And no it’s not loud at all, you won’t hear a thing.