Petting farms turn up all over town, and most cost nothing to walk into. Kinderboerderijen are a Dutch tradition: small neighborhood farms where kids brush goats, meet pigs and ponies up close, and often find a playground next door. They fit an easy hour after school or a whole morning out. Here's what we checked, from the guinea pig cuddles at De Pijp to the baby goats at Ridammerhoeve.
A neighborhood petting farm with goats, sheep, ponies, donkeys, pigs, rabbits, guinea pigs, poultry, an aviary, cats and a bee colony. There are also terrariums, aquariums and a tortoise, plus a small native-plant garden (heemtuin).
Volunteers run short drop-in sessions where kids brush guinea pigs and rabbits, and a craft table where the project changes every week.
Boerderij Westerpark is the city's largest farm, run by staff and volunteers in the middle of Westerpark. Kids meet Kunekune pigs, Dutch spotted and Frisian milk sheep, pygmy and Nubian goats, several breeds of chicken, golden pheasants, pigeons and the farm cat.
When the meadow is open, families can walk in among the goats and sheep. De Hooikeet, the farm's neighborhood café, serves coffee, tea and apple pie.
A small city farm on the water on Bickerseiland, one of the Westelijke Eilanden, with views of boats and old warehouses. Kids walk among the animals: two pigs, two pygmy goats, three sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs, ducks and chickens.
There are no cuddle sessions or animals on laps; the team shows kids how to approach each animal at its own pace. The farm shop sells drinks, ice cream and fresh eggs.
De Uylenburg is a children's farm inside Rembrandtpark that has welcomed families for more than 50 years. Kids can get close to sheep, goats, a pony, a donkey, pigs, rabbits, cats, chickens and ducks, then head to the playground on the farm grounds. A terrace and small shop sell drinks and snacks. Volunteers help care for the animals, and the farm puts their welfare first.
Kinderboerderij De Werf is a small city farm on the edge of Watergraafsmeer, run by about forty volunteers and two part-time caretakers. Kids can see goats, ponies, rabbits, chickens and guinea pigs, then ride the farm's little bikes around the yard or play in the playground.
The canteen sells coffee and soft drinks. Visitors may not feed the animals, but staff gladly take a bag of fresh-cut grass.
A small public city farm in Amsterdam-Noord with ponies, goats, sheep, a pig and many smaller animals. Kids can pet the animals and play outside, and the farm often runs activities. It is a neighborhood meeting spot as much as an animal visit.
A city farm on the edge of Bijlmerweidepark with cows, donkeys, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, ferrets, peacocks, chickens and bees. Several are rare old Dutch breeds, such as Lakenvelder cows, Bonte Bentheimer pigs and Zwartbles sheep.
Beyond the animals there's a large playground, a visitor room, picnic tables and a canteen selling ice cream, toasties and the farm's own eggs and honey.
A neighborhood city farm on the Kostverlorenvaart canal in Oud-West, open since 1996 on a plot locals still call "het landje van Ome Kick". Kids meet six goats, two Gasconne pigs that hunt for hidden nuts, sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens that roam a long mesh tunnel through the garden.
An organic goat farm in the middle of the Amsterdamse Bos, with about a hundred milking goats plus lambs, chickens, pigs, cows, a horse and a pony. The stables are open, so kids can watch the daily work up close and bottle-feed the young goats.
A playground sits by the big terrace, and the farm shop and restaurant serve cheese and ice cream made from the goats' milk.
Speelboerderij Elsenhove is a city farm run by the municipality of Amstelveen, on the edge of the Elsenhove recreation area. Kids meet rare old Dutch breeds such as belted cows, spotted goats and North Holland Blue hens, then climb in a large adventure playground and a natural play area. The Peat Barn tells the area's peat history, and the farm sits on cycle routes near the Amstel river.
Petting farms turn up all over town, and most cost nothing to walk into. Kinderboerderijen are a Dutch tradition: small neighborhood farms where kids brush goats, meet pigs and ponies up close, and often find a playground next door. They fit an easy hour after school or a whole morning out. Here's what we checked, from the guinea pig cuddles at De Pijp to the baby goats at Ridammerhoeve.
A neighborhood petting farm with goats, sheep, ponies, donkeys, pigs, rabbits, guinea pigs, poultry, an aviary, cats and a bee colony. There are also terrariums, aquariums and a tortoise, plus a small native-plant garden (heemtuin).
Volunteers run short drop-in sessions where kids brush guinea pigs and rabbits, and a craft table where the project changes every week.
Boerderij Westerpark is the city's largest farm, run by staff and volunteers in the middle of Westerpark. Kids meet Kunekune pigs, Dutch spotted and Frisian milk sheep, pygmy and Nubian goats, several breeds of chicken, golden pheasants, pigeons and the farm cat.
When the meadow is open, families can walk in among the goats and sheep. De Hooikeet, the farm's neighborhood café, serves coffee, tea and apple pie.
A small city farm on the water on Bickerseiland, one of the Westelijke Eilanden, with views of boats and old warehouses. Kids walk among the animals: two pigs, two pygmy goats, three sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs, ducks and chickens.
There are no cuddle sessions or animals on laps; the team shows kids how to approach each animal at its own pace. The farm shop sells drinks, ice cream and fresh eggs.
De Uylenburg is a children's farm inside Rembrandtpark that has welcomed families for more than 50 years. Kids can get close to sheep, goats, a pony, a donkey, pigs, rabbits, cats, chickens and ducks, then head to the playground on the farm grounds. A terrace and small shop sell drinks and snacks. Volunteers help care for the animals, and the farm puts their welfare first.
Kinderboerderij De Werf is a small city farm on the edge of Watergraafsmeer, run by about forty volunteers and two part-time caretakers. Kids can see goats, ponies, rabbits, chickens and guinea pigs, then ride the farm's little bikes around the yard or play in the playground.
The canteen sells coffee and soft drinks. Visitors may not feed the animals, but staff gladly take a bag of fresh-cut grass.
A small public city farm in Amsterdam-Noord with ponies, goats, sheep, a pig and many smaller animals. Kids can pet the animals and play outside, and the farm often runs activities. It is a neighborhood meeting spot as much as an animal visit.
A city farm on the edge of Bijlmerweidepark with cows, donkeys, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, ferrets, peacocks, chickens and bees. Several are rare old Dutch breeds, such as Lakenvelder cows, Bonte Bentheimer pigs and Zwartbles sheep.
Beyond the animals there's a large playground, a visitor room, picnic tables and a canteen selling ice cream, toasties and the farm's own eggs and honey.
A neighborhood city farm on the Kostverlorenvaart canal in Oud-West, open since 1996 on a plot locals still call "het landje van Ome Kick". Kids meet six goats, two Gasconne pigs that hunt for hidden nuts, sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens that roam a long mesh tunnel through the garden.
An organic goat farm in the middle of the Amsterdamse Bos, with about a hundred milking goats plus lambs, chickens, pigs, cows, a horse and a pony. The stables are open, so kids can watch the daily work up close and bottle-feed the young goats.
A playground sits by the big terrace, and the farm shop and restaurant serve cheese and ice cream made from the goats' milk.
Speelboerderij Elsenhove is a city farm run by the municipality of Amstelveen, on the edge of the Elsenhove recreation area. Kids meet rare old Dutch breeds such as belted cows, spotted goats and North Holland Blue hens, then climb in a large adventure playground and a natural play area. The Peat Barn tells the area's peat history, and the farm sits on cycle routes near the Amstel river.
