Whether you are looking for a day trip or a weekend getaway with the family, Zaandam with kids is always a good choice. The city is of course known for its Zaanse houses, and the greatest example of this are the green facades of the Inntel Hotel. Thanks to its location next to Amsterdam, this city is easy to combine with a visit to the capital, which will also be the reason that more and more (international) visitors know how to find Zaandam. Are you also planning to visit Zaandam with kids? Then find below some fun activities.
Zaandam with kids
#1 The Verkade Experience
When you see the rolls of Verkade cookies and chocolate bars in the supermarket, you won’t immediately think of Zaandam. Yet the brand and the city are inextricably linked. Founded on May 2, 1886 by Ericus Gerhardus Verkade in Zaandam, Verkade began as a steam, bread and rusk factory.
It grew into one of the largest producers of cookies, chocolate and rusks and even holds the title royal. In 1990 Verkade became part of a British food group, but it never disappeared from the hearts of Zaankanters.
How important the factory was to the region can be seen and experienced in the Verkade Experience at the Zaans Museum. This interactive museum takes you back to the time when the famous Verkade Factory was still in full operation. As soon as you enter, the youngest visitors are given a stamp card, which they can use to put themselves in the shoes of a Verkade employee of yesteryear.
They learn how chocolate and cookies were made back then, and you get to design your own packaging for your goodies. But not everything goes back in time! There are plenty of games and interactive screens around the room.
A ticket for adults costs €16 and €8.50 for kids ages four and up. For a larger family, the family ticket of € 44 is probably a more economical option. The Zaans Museum is located on the Zaanse Schans and is therefore very nice to combine with a visit to the Zaanse Schans.
#2 The Zaanse Schans
The Zaanse Schans is perhaps the most famous and most visited attraction in Zaandam, and for good reason. This open-air museum is really great fun for kids (and adults) of all ages. As soon as you enter Zaanse Schans, you step into the history of the Zaan region. You will find authentic Zaans wooden houses, spinning mills and many artisan workshops.
For kids, there’s a lot going on especially fun. You can learn how wooden shoes are made, visit a cheese farm and even take a look at an old bakery. Most of the mills of the Zaanse Schans are still in operation and you can take a look inside some of them.
A ticket to the Zaanse Schans costs €29.50 for adults and for kids you pay €20. This gives you access to the Zaans Museum including the Verkade Experience, the Weaver’s House, the Coopery, the Museum Zaanse Tijd, the Style Room Kalverringdijk, the Mill Museum and the Audio Tour. Enough fun and educational activities for a whole day! You also get a discount at restaurant De Kraai with a ticket.
During the summer months and around the holidays, many extra activities are organized, such as a boat tour, scavenger hunt and even an official running race. For more information, read the blog Zaanse Schans with kids.
#3 Darteldome and Street Jump Zaanstad
On rainy days, Indoor playgrounds are a favorite with our family and in Zaandam you can find two of them together, namely the Darteldome and StreetJump Zaandam. The Darteldome is mainly a play paradise for kids between the ages of 3 and 10. In this huge hall, huge play equipment, colored slides and climbing walls are placed where kids can have a blast.
A separate play area has been designed for younger kids, where everything is soft and rounded to prevent them from getting hurt. In the center of the hall is a cafe with kitchen and seating for the adults. The offer is not very varied, but it is affordable. There are also several (kids’) restrooms and separate changing rooms.
To visit the Darteldome, kids up to four years old pay €5.50 and kids from four years old cost €9.50 for a ticket.
Street Jump Zaanstad is the largest Indoor Trampoline Park in the region, with trampolines and jump attractions, such as the Dunk Area, the Dodgeball Arena, the High Performance Wall, the Big AirBag and the bouncy park. In the chosen time slot, kids can go all out and enjoy all the bouncing.
Prices range from €8.95 (60-minute mini-jump) to €17.90 (120-minute free jump). You can also take out monthly subscriptions or celebrate children’s parties there. The minimum age for trampoline jumping is 6 years old, but for kids between 2 and 5 there are special Mini Jump hours so they can enjoy all the fun too.
#4 The Zaantheater with kids
With theater, you can’t start early enough and they realize that in Zaandam too. The Zaantheater is the cultural heart of Zaandam and a great idea if you are visiting Zaandam with kids. The nice thing about the Zaantheater is that they have big shows and small theater performances in the program.
And that means that sometimes you’ll find big productions like Woezel & Pip, Kikker and Peppa Pig and other times you’ll buy tickets for a Dirk Scheele performance. It’s also a nice theater to go to as a parent. It is a stone’s throw from Amsterdam but the theater is a lot quieter and more accessible than, for example, the De La Mar theater.
The theaters are spacious, and there is a cozy restaurant where you can have a drink beforehand or during intermission. Additional activities are often organized during the children’s performances, such as a meet and greet with the lead actors, face painting or craft activities. Of course, it is also always possible to buy a stuffed animal or another nice souvenir at the merchandise stand.
The prices of the performances range from €10 to €30 and no distinction is made between young or adult visitors. The Zaantheater also has its own parking garage. After the show you can buy an exit ticket for €6.50. For more information about performances, check out the Zaantheater website.
#5 Swimming in The Zaangolf
Driving on the highway, you can see Zaandam’s extraordinary swimming pool from afar. The huge water slide on the outside of the building already shows how exciting and fun an hour of swimming there can be. In addition to the huge slide, the pool has a rapids and various play equipment in the water.
They also have a competition pool and various wellness facilities, such as a sauna, a Turkish steam bath and a whirlpool. If you do not yet have plans for the Friday evening, the disco swimming in the leisure pool is definitely a must. For kids between 7 and 12 years, this disco swimming is organized every two weeks from 19:00 – 21:00. And of course the parents may also join the (underwater) dance.
Adults and kids four and older pay €6.90 for admission to free swimming and toddlers up to three years old pay €4.90. A ticket for disco swimming costs €6.30 and can be reserved online in advance. The pool is easily accessible via the A7 and A8 and has a large parking lot, where you can park for free.
As in all major pools, kids without swimming certificates are not allowed to enter the water unsupervised and are required to wear swim wings or bands.
Tips Zaandam with kids
Family-friendly restaurant Zaandam
You can eat in Zaandam with kids also fine. You have several nice and especially family-friendly restaurants in Zaandam and the surrounding area. We list some of them:
Restaurant de Kraai: At the Zaanse Schans sits restaurant de Kraai. Here you can enjoy coffee, tea, apple pie, sandwiches and, of course, pancakes. For the young guests there is a special children’s pancake package with a pancake, lemonade and ice cream. With the Zaanse Schans entrance ticket you also get a discount at this restaurant.
Pancake de Appel in Oostzaan: Another delicious pancake restaurant is Pancake de Appel in Oostzaan. Here they have delicious sweet and savory pancakes, as well as sandwiches and other lunch dishes. For the kids there is a special pancake with smarties, bacon and a gift.
Pret kidscafe in Purmerend: We still have to be patient, but somewhere in the middle of 2025 the Pret kidscafe will finally open in Purmerend. A fifteen-minute drive from Zaandam, you will then find the perfect place for parents and kids. The coffee is good, the sandwiches are tasty, there are kid and adult portions and most importantly: there is a playground in the middle of the restaurant.
There are also special cribs for the little ones. In addition to the standard dishes, it is possible to decorate cookies. The kids then decorate the cookies first, which can be eaten afterwards, warm and fresh.
Best travel time for Zaandam
Like many cities in the Netherlands, Zaandam is a fine destination for a weekend getaway all year round. In spring and summer, the Zaanse Schans is at its most beautiful with spinning windmills, beautiful nature and lively markets. In late summer and autumn, the city is dominated by large and small events, such as the Dam tot Damloop and the funfair.
During the winter months, downtown Zaandam is all about the Christmas spirit, with festive lights and Christmas activities such as scavenger hunts and cake and cookies. The downtown business association does its best to organize fun events throughout the year, so keep an eye on their calendar if you’re visiting Zaandam with kids.
Transportation in Zaandam
The city is easily accessible by public transportation. From Amsterdam Central you can be at Zaandam station in less than fifteen minutes, and thanks to the extensive bus network you can easily travel to other places in the region. If you come by car, there are several parking options in and around the center. However, keep in mind that it is paid parking these days.
If you like cycling, Zaandam is also easily accessible by bike from Amsterdam. From Amsterdam Centraal to Zaandam Centraal is about fifteen kilometers. There are two ferries in the Western Docklands, which take you, with your bike, across the North Sea Canal for free.
If you are visiting Zaandam with kids, walking is a great option. Much of the city center is car-free and therefore safe to walk. There are also many bicycles for rent in the city center, which is great fun, especially in spring and summer. In a short time you can bike to the Zaanse Schans or the Twiske, where kids can play and swim.
Family-friendly hotel Zaandam
You have few family-friendly hotels to book in Zaandam with kids. Therefore, with a family with kids, you may have to stay in the Zaandam area. We list the best options for Zaandam.
Budget accommodation: Valerius Boutique Hotel
Mid-range accommodation: Monument Hotel
Luxury accommodation: Van der Valk Hotel Oostzaan – Amsterdam
Also check out the entire list of family-friendly accommodations in Zaandam.
About the author: along with her daughter and partner, Lesley is always looking for new adventures. Thanks to their love of the Spanish language and culture, they are most often found in Spain, Central and South America.
