On this page I’m telling you all about visiting Utrecht with kids. Nestled in the heart of the Netherlands, the city of Utrecht offers great museums, playgrounds and activities for children. If you’re planning a family getaway and searching for the perfect blend of culture, history, and fun, Utrecht is the place to be. In this blog post, I’ll tell you all about the best kid-friendly activities in the city of Utrecht and the area around it. From charming museums to scenic parks and delightful treats, Utrecht welcomes families with open arms. So, grab your little adventurers, and start exploring Utrecht with kids!
Nijntje Museum
The Nijntje (Miffy) Museum in Utrecht is such a great place for little kids. From age 1 and up kids can already enjoy this museum. It’s like walking around a big Nijntje book, but with all kinds of hands-on experiences. Kids can put Nijntje to bed, cook in het kitchen and learn about animals on the farm.
The museum is very popular so you have to reserve your time slot on the website in advance. Even if you have free tickets because of the Museumkaart for example, you’ll still have to reserve your time slot.
Spoorwegmuseum
The Spoorwegmuseum (railroad museum) is also a real recommendation if you’re visiting Utrecht with kids. The museum has its own train station (Utrecht Maliebaan), so you can visit the museum by train. Both outside as inside you can see all kinds of old trains, most of them you can also enter inside to see what the interior looked like. There are also many model trains, a theater and a miniature train for kids that runs every hour.
Playgrounds
Utrecht has no less than 21 managed playgrounds. So there’s always a playground nearby that you can go. These playgrounds are always clean and in good condition. They are fenced and always have certain opening hours on which you can visit the playground.
Train Hotel Room
The best place to stay when you’re traveling to Utrecht with kids is the Train hotel room or the Miffy (Nijntje) hotel room at the Stayokay Utrecht centrum. Right in the city center, this luxury hostel has three themed family rooms where you can stay with your kids. This train hotel room has a private bathroom and everything is train themed! There’s a toy train track, train puzzles and books and all kinds of train decoration.
Click here to read more about the train hotel room in Utrecht.
De Muntkelder
De Muntkelder is a pancake restaurant in the city center of Utrecht. It’s located right at the canal. When the weather is nice, you can sit outside and watch the boats pass by. On the menu you can find all kinds of pancakes. They’ve got a special section on the menu with kids’ pancakes and you get a little gift when ordering those.
Blik en Burgers, Zeist
Not in the city center of Utrecht, but in the province of Utrecht and easy to reach by bus from Utrecht Central Station is this wonderful restaurant with playground in Zeist. It’s called Blik & Burgers. The restaurant has a lovely big, sunny terrace and a big playground. Because of the sandy underground, it’s a safe playground for kids to explore and have fun. And the parents will have a lovely spot on the terrace for something to drink and eat.
Botanische Tuin Utrecht
The Botanical Garden of the University of Utrecht is a wonderful destination for kids. Just walking around the area with its beautiful plants and flowers is already a great adventure on its own. But besides that there are many other things that are great for children. The butterfly house, the rock garden and the bird watching hut are great spots for kids. There’s also a scavenger hunt that you can buy for only €2,50. And bringing your own food and drinks for a picnic in the Botanical Garden is also allowed. Kids up to age 12 can visit the Botanical Garden in Utrecht for free.
Nijntje Playground
For real Nijntje (Miffy) fans, there’s also a Nijntje playground in Utrecht. You can find this playground in the Julianapark. It’s a large playground with a large variety of experiences. It’s fun for small kids, but also the bigger ones.
Nationaal Militair Museum, Soest
In Soest you can find the National Military Museum. Personally, I’m not a big fan of watching all those warfare objects. But the museum has a great hidden gem: a beautiful indoor playground. The area is called Xplore and in the soft floored area you can find four big play objects made from wood. A tank, a castle, a helicopter and a submarine. The museum is free to enter with your Museum Card, kids aged 0-3 get free entrance as well.
Herman van Veen Arts Center, Landgoed De Paltz
On the beautiful estate Landgoed de Paltz you can find the Herman van Veen Arts Center. The estate is free to visit and beautiful for a stroll. And the kids can find the most amazing works of art here. Check out the life-size crocodiles for example, or the group of bunnies. My favorite is the gnome village that is hidden underneath a big tree opposite the Arts Center. There’s also a lunchroom and they very often host all kinds of artistic activities, many of which are suitable for kids. Check the calendar here.
Slot Zuylen
The Zuylen Castle is great to visit with little adventurers. You can walk around the centuries old castle and its garden. There’s a free audiotour available that you can play on your phone. From Utrecht Central train station you can take the busy to the Zuylen Castle. Or go by bike, it’s a 25 minute bike ride from the city center of Utrecht.
Click here for my favorite children’s clothing brands in the Netherlands.
