Hoofddorp with kids is an excellent choice for a day trip or a short vacation in the Randstad. The city is conveniently located near Amsterdam and Schiphol Airport, but itself has a surprising number of fun places to explore with kids. Think large parks, play opportunities and family-friendly restaurants. In this blog we list the best children’s activities in Hoofddorp and also give some great tips for family-friendly restaurants in Hoofddorp.
Hoofddorp with kids
#1 The Game Box Hoofddorp
A fun activity to do in Hoofddorp with kids is to visit The Game Box Hoofddorp. You can find The Game Box Hoofddorp in the middle of the city center right next to the entrance of shopping center De Vier Meren in Hoofddorp. You can play all kinds of games here with kids.
You have 2 options here that you can do as a family. Either you buy a package, where you can play unlimited gaming for an hour, or you buy a card with credits. With the latter, of course, you can then play until you run out of credits. There is a lot of difference between the games and it is not as if you are sitting behind a screen all the time. Many of the games also require you to move around.
Because of this, it can also be quite a physical activity. This is of course also a great option if the weather in Hoofddorp is not so good and you still want to do something with the kids. For more information about the different games, opening hours and the different packages, check out the website of The Game Box Hoofddorp.
#2 Linnaeushof
The largest outdoor playground in Europe is Linnaeushof and from Hoofddorp you can drive to this playground in less than 15 minutes. We visited this playground with our daughter and had a great time there for a whole day. This park is open around 10 am and is close to the Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes, where we went for a walk first thing in the morning with our daughter (our daughter is usually very early awake).
You have as many as 350 different pieces of playground equipment for kids to play with at this playground. The playground is divided into different zones for different age groups. So that there is enough challenge for every age group in this huge playground. There are also several small attractions such as pedal cars, but you can’t really call the park an amusement park.
In the hot summer months, it is also possible for kids to play in the water playground. This is also a very fun part of the park. So be sure to bring swimwear for the kids on hot days as well. Our daughter also played super well here.
There are several catering facilities, so food and drinks are also well taken care of. If you want to know more about what you can do at this huge playground, read our blog Linnaeushof with kids.
#3 Play Paradise
Another playground you can visit in Hoofddorp with kids is Speelparadijs. You have both an indoor playground and an outdoor playground here. This allows you to visit this playground in Hoofddorp with kids all year round. The playground is open on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, so always check in advance to see if the playground is open.
The indoor playground looks a bit like what most indoor playgrounds look like in the Netherlands, with different playground equipment and slides. There is also a catering facility, where you can eat fries, sandwiches and snacks with the kids. It is also possible to drink alcohol here, which you don’t see at many indoor playgrounds.
Outside you also have several pieces of playground equipment, an air trampoline, swings and much more. You can park your car here for free and you pay for both kids and adults here (though a reduced rate). For more information about this playground, check out the Play Paradise website.
#4 Wandelbos Hoofddorp
You can also go into nature in the Hoofddorp area with kids at several places. Wandelbos Hoofddorp is a large park with playgrounds, hiking trails and plenty of space to picnic or play hide-and-seek. Especially on warm days, this is a popular place for families. It is the oldest forest in Haarlemmermeer and it connects the central station with the center of hoofddorp.
You also have a fruit garden in this forest, where there are fruit trees and where you can pick fruit for free. In addition, the forest is home to petting zoo De Boerenzwaluw, where kids can cuddle with various petting animals.
On the outskirts of Hoofddorp is the Speelbos Meermond: a nature playground on a former garbage dump that has now been transformed into a green hill with a view. Here kids can build huts, climb trees, play with water or clamber over tree trunks.
The play forest is free to enter and ideal for kids aged 4 to 12. It is located next to a nature reserve, so you can also combine a visit with a short walk through this nature reserve.
#5 Youth Land Nieuw-Vennep
Fifteen minutes away by car from the center of Hoofddorp is another fun playground for kids: Jeugdland Nieuw-Vennep. The playground is fenced, so especially with young kids that is very nice. You have several pieces of playground equipment here, an air trampoline and also a go-kart track, where kids can ride all kinds of go-karts. There is also a sandbox for kids to play in.
In the hot summer months, kids here can also play with water in the water playground, so it is useful to bring swimwear or a set of dry clothes to this playground. There is also a craft room, which often hosts creative workshops for kids. Kids can also build huts with a variety of materials and tools such as a hammer.
The playground is open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and is run by volunteers. During vacation periods, the playground is often open even more days of the week. You pay a few euros entrance fee for kids. For more information about this playground, opening hours and activities, take a look at the Jeugdland Nieuw-Vennep website.
Family-friendly hotel Hoofddorp
You can stay in Hoofddorp with kids in several family-friendly hotels. Especially because Schiphol Airport is nearby, there are several accommodations where you can stay overnight in Hoofddorp. We list below a number of family-friendly accommodations in Hoofddorp.
Budget accommodation: Courtyard by Marriott Amsterdam Airport
Mid-range accommodation: Hotel Twenty-Three Amsterdam Airport
Luxury Accommodation: Executive Residency by Best Western Amsterdam Airport
Also check out the entire list of family-friendly accommodations in Hoofddorp.
Tips Hoofddorp with kids
Family-friendly restaurant Hoofddorp
You can grab a bite to eat in Hoofddorp with kids at several family-friendly restaurants. We looked at restaurants, where kids can also play in the area. We list some of these family-friendly restaurants in Hoofddorp below.
Restaurant Darling: restaurant Darling is beautifully situated on the water at the Toolenburger Plas. Kids can play on the little beach or play with sand after dinner while you parents reminisce on the terrace. The menu is surprisingly good, with plenty of options for kids such as fries, sandwiches and salads. The atmosphere is relaxed and you can sit here in the sun while the kids have fun.
The Toolenburger Plas, especially in the summer months, is also a great place to go swimming in Hoofddorp with kids. You have several beaches surrounding this large lake and it is a great way to cool off with kids during the summer months.
Pancakes Pavilion: a stone’s throw from Hoofddorp in Nieuw-Vennep, you will find the Pancakes Pavilion, a cozy restaurant serving a variety of pancakes.
Kids can create their own pancake and get coloring sheets and pencils at the table. You have a special children’s menu here and outside there is playground that includes a slide, trampolines and a cable car and inside you also have a play area for kids of all ages. In short, also a place with plenty to do for kids.
Bliss Kidscafé: this family-friendly restaurant in Hoofddorp offers a healthy lunch or dinner. For parents with a baby, this restaurant offers convenient facilities. For example, there is a quiet room where you can feed your kid in peace, whether by bottle or breastfeeding.
There are also changing stations, a microwave to warm up baby food and filtered water to refill bottles. Ideal for those who have a baby and still want somewhere to eat with the family.
For young kids, there is plenty to do. Think a slide, ball pit, a kids’ bar and a big car track. Open-ended play also gets a lot of attention here, with toys such as Montessori materials, Grimms wooden blocks and Stapelstein bricks. Kids are encouraged to play, build and discover in their own way.
There is also plenty to do for slightly older kids. They can entertain themselves with board games, coloring pages and fun reading books. So there is something suitable for every age, while parents can sit quietly at the table and enjoy a snack and a drink.
Best travel time Hoofddorp with kids
The best travel time for Hoofddorp with kids is from May through September. During these months the outdoor venues are at their best and there is lots of extra stuff to do in the parks and at Toolenburg Lake.
In spring, the Wandelbos and Speelbos Meermond are ideal for a first picnic or scavenger hunt. In summer, you can swim at the lake, grab terraces and take long outdoor afternoons. In autumn, the woods and parks are perfect for scavenger hunts or nature walks. In winter, indoor activities like Funzone and the Historical Museum are especially attractive for families with kids.
