Located just above Amsterdam, Purmerend is a surprisingly family-friendly town. There is plenty to do to have a good time in this city with the family for at least a day. In this blog, we share the best activities you can do in Purmerend with the family and also give several tips on different family-friendly restaurants in Purmerend, among other things.
Purmerend with kids
#1 Play Forest Purmerbos
The Purmerbos, east of the city, is a nature reserve and play forest that is great to visit with kids in Purmerend. Here you have decks, rope bridges, crawl passages and several little waters where the kids can play in the woods. Kids can build cabins, climb, scramble, and play in the water.
At the gnome trail, kids are treated to a real gnome experience. Wearing a red pointed hat and gnome pin, they track down gnome tracks, perform fun tasks and are crowned “Gnome Tracker of the Day” during the trail. The route is not too long (1 kilometer) and good for young kids as young as three.
Items for the Kabouterpad are available at Purmerend’s VVV VVV, which can be found at Peperstraat 35 in Purmerend. You pay 6.5 euros for the whole set and for an extra hat for an additional kid 1.50 euros. This is an activity best done on a sunny day in summer in Purmerend with kids.
#2 Playground The Play Stall
If you are looking for a fun playground in Purmerend, then Speeltuin De Speelkraam is the place to be. This playground is located in the center of Purmerend in a city park and you pay 2 euros entrance fee. The playground is open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and even on these days the playground is sometimes closed if the weather is bad.
The playground consists of all kinds of wooden equipment and has two sections. The front part of the playground is for the youngest kids and in the back of the playground are the play equipment intended for the older kids. There is also water where kids can play in the summer.
The playground is only open during the summer months, and it is also a great place for a family picnic. On certain days, different activities are also organized at the playground, such as a craft afternoon the day before Father’s Day.
#3 Petting Zoo The Knight and Deer Camp
If your kids love animals, there are two places to go with kids in Purmerend. First up is petting zoo The Knight. This is a traditional petting zoo with various animals such as ponies, donkeys, rabbits, sheep and goats, where you can go every day (for free) to cuddle with the animals.
If your kids love deer, then a visit to the Deer Camp in Purmerend is a good option. Besides deer, you have several other farm animals to admire here such as goats and chickens.
#4 Spurd Leeghwaterbad
A fun pool to visit in Purmerend with kids is Spurd Leeghwaterbad. At this indoor pool, you can come for recreational swimming at certain times of the day. The indoor pool is also completely geared toward kids. For example, there is a large slide for the older kids, there are several smaller slides for the slightly younger kids and there are several pieces of playground equipment in the water.
The pool has a total of 4 different pools and is among the top 10 largest indoor pools in the Netherlands. The recreational pool is open every day and this is of course also an ideal activity if the weather is a bit less in Purmerend and you still want to do something with kids. You pay a few euros entrance fee to the pool and you can park your car for free in front of the pool.
#5 Monkey Town Purmerend
For a rainy day, a visit to Monkey Town Purmerend is perfect for families with young kids. Monkey Town, of course, is in most major cities in the Netherlands and the principle is the same everywhere. This large indoor playground has areas for toddlers and older kids, with trampolines, slides and ball pit, which is ideal for a few hours of play.
There is plenty of seating for parents and a catering facility, which makes it great for parents to sit here even when the kids are playing. The playground is clearly laid out and safe. You only pay admission for the kids and parents can come along for free. We think that’s a big advantage of Monkey Town’s indoor playgrounds. For more information, take a look at Monkeytown Purmerend‘s website.
#6 Jump Skillz
At Jump Skillz in Purmerend you can do various activities with kids. First, you can come here and jump on the different trampolines they have here. You can come here for an hour of jumping with kids. A second activity you can do here is bowling. We always find bowling a fun activity to do with our daughter and especially when the weather outside is bad, it is a good option.
Kids as young as 8 with a minimum height of 1.25 meters can also come and climb in Jump Skillz’s climbing park. Again, you pay by the hour. By the way, it is also possible to combine different activities here. They have special tickets for this. For a list of all the activities you can do here, take a look at the Jump Skillz website.
Other children’s activities Purmerend
In addition to the activities described above that you can do with kids in Purmerend, there are several other activities you can do. We briefly list these children’s activities below.
If you want to go hiking in nature, the Beusebos in Purmerend can be a good option. There is a hiking trail that is about 1 kilometer long, which also runs along a stream. This is also a walk you can do just fine with young kids in Purmerend.
If you visit Purmerend with older kids, you may want to play an escaperoom in the center at Best Escape Purmerend. We are always fans of escaperooms and it is a fun activity to play together as a family. You must try to get out of the room within an hour through various tasks.
For kids who love gaming, you can visit Go!Gaming in Purmerend. It should be added, however, that it is not really an activity you can do with the whole family.
Tips Purmerend with kids
Family-friendly restaurants in Purmerend
You can have a great meal in Purmerend with kids. We list some family-friendly restaurants in Purmerend below.
Restaurant De Jutter: this restaurant in Purmerend is all about the island of Texel. The restaurant also has options for kids such as fries with a snack, pizza and kids’ ice cream.
Jo & Co: this restaurant is located on the Koemarkt, where many of Purmerend’s restaurants are located. At this restaurant you can have a great lunch and the restaurant also has a special children’s menu.
Restaurant at Monkey Town: don’t expect high-end dishes here, but we always find it a great place to grab a bite to eat with young kids. The kids can play while you yourself enjoy a snack and a drink.
Best travel time to Purmerend with kids
You can basically visit Purmerend with kids all year round, but some seasons are especially suitable. Thus, the summer period (July-August) is the most suitable period. You are most likely to have sunny weather and high temperatures during this period and therefore you can do most of the activities from this list during this period just fine, such as a day at the pool.
Another period when you can visit the city just fine is from April through June. Temperatures are often fine then and the forest and park are green. The swimming pools often just open during this time, but you still need a little luck with the weather.
