From mid-November, the whole country counts down to December 5. Sinterklaas steams up the Amstel, kids put a shoe by the door for a treat, and the shops fill with pepernoten. Here's what we checked, from the steamboat arrival to a pepernoten bake on a city farm, with sing-along shows and craft afternoons in between.
Every November, Sinterklaas sails into Amsterdam on his steamboat and the city comes out to welcome him. Kids wave from the banks of the Amstel as the boat goes by, then line the streets as he rides through the center with his Pieten and decorated floats. At Leidseplein he speaks to the children himself.
It is made for kids who still believe in him. Expect big crowds.
Sinterklaas is nearly having his birthday, and he heads to Het Concertgebouw with the Pieten to celebrate with a sing-along concert in the Grote Zaal, the city's grand concert hall.
Pianist and band leader Cor Bakker plays with bass and drums while three actors carry the story: will Sinterklaas and the Pieten make it to the hall on time again this year? Kids sing along throughout.
A drop-in craft table for the Sinterklaas season. Kids make surprises (the homemade disguised gifts Dutch families swap on pakjesavond), decorate a shoe to set out for Sint, and learn gift-wrapping traditions from around the world, like Japanese furoshiki cloth wrapping.
It suits kids who like to make things with their hands. It's part of the museum's Sunday holiday series, so you can pair it with a look around the galleries.
A musical family show where the audience is part of the plot. Piet Julio wants to become Head Piet, but something goes wrong in the run-up to the party, and he needs Sinterklaas, Jeroen Kramer and the kids in the seats to fix it.
Expect sing-along songs, jokes and a visit from the Sint himself. It's in Dutch, so it suits kids who follow Dutch or already know the Sinterklaas songs.
Pakjesavond is almost here, and Pim and Pom, the two cats from Fiep Westendorp's picture books, are beside themselves: wish lists to write, a house to decorate, Sinterklaas songs to sing. Then a message arrives from Sinterklaas himself. Has Pim been good? Has Pom helped around the house? A cheerful, song-filled show for the youngest theatergoers.
Volunteers at Speelboerderij Elsenhove, a city farm on the edge of Amstelveen, run a Sinterklaas afternoon where kids bake speculaas and pepernoten, the spiced cookies of the season.
Between batches there are rare old Dutch breeds to visit (belted cows, spotted goats, North-Holland blue hens) and a natural playground built for kids up to about 12. It suits preschoolers and school-age kids who like getting their hands in dough.
A festive musical concert where new band member Selim Dogru from Turkey discovers his bandmates don't know Sint Baba's true origins. The show blends Dutch and Turkish sounds through songs and performances, with fairy tale characters unexpectedly appearing on stage. Includes treats and a cozy gathering after the show.
The National Maritime Museum fills a 17th-century naval storehouse on the Oosterdok with 500 years of Dutch seafaring. Moored outside is a full-size replica of the East Indiaman Amsterdam, where kids swing in hammocks, haul cargo and take the helm.
Inside, Doris the Diver is a story-led play exhibition for the youngest visitors, and The Tale of the Whale lets older kids step inside a life-size whale.
From mid-November, the whole country counts down to December 5. Sinterklaas steams up the Amstel, kids put a shoe by the door for a treat, and the shops fill with pepernoten. Here's what we checked, from the steamboat arrival to a pepernoten bake on a city farm, with sing-along shows and craft afternoons in between.
Every November, Sinterklaas sails into Amsterdam on his steamboat and the city comes out to welcome him. Kids wave from the banks of the Amstel as the boat goes by, then line the streets as he rides through the center with his Pieten and decorated floats. At Leidseplein he speaks to the children himself.
It is made for kids who still believe in him. Expect big crowds.
Sinterklaas is nearly having his birthday, and he heads to Het Concertgebouw with the Pieten to celebrate with a sing-along concert in the Grote Zaal, the city's grand concert hall.
Pianist and band leader Cor Bakker plays with bass and drums while three actors carry the story: will Sinterklaas and the Pieten make it to the hall on time again this year? Kids sing along throughout.
A drop-in craft table for the Sinterklaas season. Kids make surprises (the homemade disguised gifts Dutch families swap on pakjesavond), decorate a shoe to set out for Sint, and learn gift-wrapping traditions from around the world, like Japanese furoshiki cloth wrapping.
It suits kids who like to make things with their hands. It's part of the museum's Sunday holiday series, so you can pair it with a look around the galleries.
A musical family show where the audience is part of the plot. Piet Julio wants to become Head Piet, but something goes wrong in the run-up to the party, and he needs Sinterklaas, Jeroen Kramer and the kids in the seats to fix it.
Expect sing-along songs, jokes and a visit from the Sint himself. It's in Dutch, so it suits kids who follow Dutch or already know the Sinterklaas songs.
Pakjesavond is almost here, and Pim and Pom, the two cats from Fiep Westendorp's picture books, are beside themselves: wish lists to write, a house to decorate, Sinterklaas songs to sing. Then a message arrives from Sinterklaas himself. Has Pim been good? Has Pom helped around the house? A cheerful, song-filled show for the youngest theatergoers.
Volunteers at Speelboerderij Elsenhove, a city farm on the edge of Amstelveen, run a Sinterklaas afternoon where kids bake speculaas and pepernoten, the spiced cookies of the season.
Between batches there are rare old Dutch breeds to visit (belted cows, spotted goats, North-Holland blue hens) and a natural playground built for kids up to about 12. It suits preschoolers and school-age kids who like getting their hands in dough.
A festive musical concert where new band member Selim Dogru from Turkey discovers his bandmates don't know Sint Baba's true origins. The show blends Dutch and Turkish sounds through songs and performances, with fairy tale characters unexpectedly appearing on stage. Includes treats and a cozy gathering after the show.
The National Maritime Museum fills a 17th-century naval storehouse on the Oosterdok with 500 years of Dutch seafaring. Moored outside is a full-size replica of the East Indiaman Amsterdam, where kids swing in hammocks, haul cargo and take the helm.
Inside, Doris the Diver is a story-led play exhibition for the youngest visitors, and The Tale of the Whale lets older kids step inside a life-size whale.
