Amsterdam, Bruges and Brussels: A Family-Friendly 8 Day Itinerary Your Kids Will Love

Assuming you arrive at your accommodations in the afternoon, the remainder of the day will be spent unpacking and becoming familiar with the immediate area around your location. My family likes to get outside and get some steps in after unpacking our things. Not only does this give our bodies a chance for some movement, but we can also scope out any cafes, restaurants or shops around our accommodations that we want to visit.

Kid-approved tip: Depending on the age of your kiddo(s), give them a map of the area so they can start to become interested and familiar with their surroundings as well. My kids love the independence of “leading” our family around the side streets near our hotel and finding shops/restaurants that appeal to them. I also think it’s a valuable life skill to be able to read a paper map, even in this age of Google Maps.

This is when we really start to get our steps in! On our first full day in Amsterdam, we walked just over nine miles. Amsterdam has a plethora of cultural activities to offer, so what you do this day will really depend on your family’s interests. However, I have a few suggestions for some activities we really enjoyed.

The Dutch Resistance Museum was a great way to learn more about the WWII era and how the Nazi invasion influenced the Netherlands. The museum has an informative and hands-on children’s section. It taught our boys all about how children were treated under Nazi rule and what their day-to-day lives looked like.

We couldn’t go all the way to the Netherlands and not check out the Van Gogh Museum. This museum is popular, so be sure to get your tickets early before it sells out. They also have a self-guided children’s tour that you can pick up after you check-in. It helped to keep my boys more engaged and interested in the paintings they were searching for in the guide.

One last activity that is a must-do is a boat ride on the canals. We opted for a smaller company instead of the bigger, more touristy operations. While they all had great reviews, we often prefer the personalized touches and more individualized experience you get in that setting. Our tour experience was perfect from start to finish. We were provided with heated cushions and blankets, as well as extra drinks for purchase. The guides happily answered all the questions from my two very curious boys. I would highly recommend booking a tour with them.

Kid-approved tip: Get your kids excited about what they will be seeing before you leave on your trip. We read books about Van Gogh, Anne Frank and the Netherlands/Belgium in the months leading up to our trip so they would feel more engaged with the activities and be familiar with what exactly it is we were seeing and doing while there.

The blooming tulips are one of the main draws for many travelers during the spring season. The largest and most famous place to see these tulips is at the Keukenhof Gardens. I recommend dedicating a whole day to exploring these gardens. Between the crowds to contend with and the extensive grounds to explore, you don’t want to feel rushed.

Kid-approved tip: While my boys thought the flowers were beautiful, I’m sure they wouldn’t have chosen to spend a whole day at the gardens on their own. To help combat boredom, break the day up with stops and snacks to give your kids something to look forward to while you wander through the grounds. There is a fun playground area with outdoor food trucks that is a great place to take a break. Additionally, there are other areas around the park with ice cream and snacks. We took advantage of the beautiful benches and other seating while munching on some goodies. It was also fun to have them locate these stops on the map and have them “lead” us to their breaks.

The Anne Frank House is another “must-see” during your visit to Amsterdam. While there is no hard and fast age requirement, I would consider my boys on the younger end (8 and 10) of when children will be able to actually grasp at least some of what they are seeing. And as I previously mentioned, in the months leading up to our trip, I made sure to read books about Anne Frank and what her family went through while in hiding so my boys would have context for what they were visiting.

Be sure to make reservations as soon as they are available (tickets are released in batches six weeks before the date you want to visit). Tickets will sell out quickly.

Kid-approved tip: Break this day up with some fun activities either before or after since there is such heavy subject matter around it. We ate brunch at the famous Pancake Bakery, which is just a three-minute walk to the Anne Frank House. While some reviews call it touristy, it’s one of the originals for a reason! We had a great meal here and enjoyed trying the traditional Dutch pancakes.

Don’t forget to try some stroopwafel — you’ll find options all over the city. And don’t feel like you have to wait 30+ minutes in line for the viral ones. The original stroopwafels are better anyways!

Time to say goodbye to Amsterdam and head to our next city — Bruges.

Public transport is very easy to navigate — even with kids in tow. We found all kiosks to have English as an option and when in doubt, there was always an employee nearby to ensure we purchased the correct ticket.

Kid-approved tip: Once your kiddos are old enough, put them in charge of their own luggage. It gives them independence and honestly — my boys get so excited to pull their own suitcase through the airport/train station. Each of us is responsible for our own carry-on-size piece of luggage. This also helps keep our packing to a minimum!

We only had one day in Bruges, and honestly, we all wished that we had two! It is such a charming city with a picturesque vantage point around every twist and turn of its medieval cobblestone streets. With that in mind, I recommend a self-guided walking tour to explore the city's highlights. The old town is compact, so a complete walking tour would take no more than a few hours.

If you happen to be in Bruges on a Wednesday, start your morning off at the Market Square in the old city center. Every Wednesday there is a lovely farmer’s market and you can start your walking tour off with a freshly squeezed juice or coffee.

Finish your walking tour at one of our favorite restaurants of the whole trip, Carpe Diem Tearoom. The food was fresh and delicious. My youngest particularly enjoyed the make-your-own hot chocolate that they brought out to the table. Definitely left an impression!

Kid-approved tip: Try giving your children a set souvenir budget and allow them to purchase what they want, when they want it. Once their budget is used up, then they are done with the trip. We have found this teaches them responsibility and decision-making skills, while also taking the pressure off us to decide what they can and cannot buy. It has eliminated the constant question of “Can I buy this?” every time we enter a souvenir shop.

Since the train between Bruges and Brussels only takes about an hour and runs pretty much every hour, you can decide to have more time in the morning. Take time in Bruges or head straight to Brussels.

After settling into your accommodations, there will be time to explore — depending on your arrival time. When booking accommodations in all these cities, I recommend staying close to the old town centers to allow for the ease of coming and going, especially with kids. For this first evening in Brussels, I recommend exploring the area around your accommodations. If it’s near the Grand Place, then there will be a lot to see and do!

The Galleries Saint Hubert are beautifully ornate indoor shopping arcades that are worth a stroll. Check out all the chocolate stores and pick up some goodies to bring back home. We particularly enjoyed the Neuhuas Chocolatier.

Kid-approved tip: When eating out, choose a mix of cuisine native to the country you are visiting, as well as foods they are comfortable with so as not to overwhelm them with all the new options. Also, be spontaneous and have Belgian waffles covered in chocolate and strawberries at 2pm for an afternoon snack. It is a vacation, isn’t it?

Brussels is another very walkable city and we spent half a day following a self-guided walking tour to see all the main attractions and sites. The best part of exploring a city is getting out there and wandering upon a cafe to try. Find a beautiful cathedral to admire — and Brussels has no shortage of either of these.

A highlight of our entire trip, and an activity I recommend for all groups, was the Belgian chocolate making class. We all ranked it as one of the best activities we did the entire trip. This class was completely hands-on and all participants walked away with three different kinds of chocolate treats that are made personally by you. My boys talk about this experience all the time and truly enjoyed learning about chocolate, how it’s made, and of course, taste testing it!

Kid-approved tip: Pick a fun, kid-friendly activity or excursion in each city you visit. My kids will probably not remember the details of all the cathedrals we visited or the Van Gogh paintings we saw. But they still talk about the funny hairnets we had to wear in our chocolate-making class and how they drank orange Fanta while driving down the Amsterdam canals. Those are the priceless memories that make traveling with kids worthwhile.