Between 8 and 12, kids want a camp week with something to show for it: a new skill, a show on the last day, a friend they didn't know on Monday. This list gathers the summer camps we've checked that take this age group, with dates, hours and prices on each card so you can plan the summer around what your kid wants to try.
A week on the water at Jeugdland in Amsterdam Oost. Each day, half is spent learning to sail an Optimist dinghy and the other half on outdoor and water sports: building rafts, making fire, filtering water, cooking outdoors, canoeing, archery, GPS tracking and survival skills. Trained instructors lead every activity. In very bad weather there is a backup program, so some days may have no sailing.
A week-long theater course at the Vondelpark Openluchttheater, the open-air stage in Vondelpark. Two professional theater makers teach acting, dancing and singing, and the group builds its own show around a theme: kids learn a script, design a costume and get to grips with timing and choreography. There is time for games too. The week ends with a premiere for family and friends on the theater's stage.
A week-long robotics and coding bootcamp at OBA Oosterdok, Amsterdam's central public library near Centraal Station. Kids work in pairs to design, build and program LEGO robots through a run of class challenges, so it suits kids who like making things as much as screens.
Lessons mix Dutch and English, led by an experienced instructor. Subsidized places go to families with a Stadspas.
A singing week at a vocal school in De Pijp. Kids work with professional vocal coaches on singing, performing, harmonies and songwriting, plus a little dance. Beginners and experienced singers are welcome; each kid grows at their own level. The week ends with a show for parents and friends. A good fit for kids who like to sing; not for those after sports or outdoor play.
A short creative camp run by Stichting Muziekstraat in the Schaap Schooltuin, a school garden in Amsterdam Noord. Kids make music, act and create art around the theme of symbiosis: how people, animals and plants live together and help each other.
They head into nature, hear stories and explore where they come from and what makes them unique. It all builds to a show for families on the last afternoon.
An outdoor day camp at UP Events Kids' green activity site in Amsterdam West. The day runs in rounds: Archery Tag, bow and arrow shooting, creative missions and team challenges, with free play before pick-up. Groups are small and no two days repeat.
Families book single days, so it fits a patchy holiday calendar. Kids bring their own lunch, snacks for two breaks and a water bottle.
A small summer camp at DAT!school, a youth theater school in Amsterdam-Noord. Kids rotate through dance, theater and art classes with the school's own teachers, invent a story together in their age group, and turn it into a short show for family and friends on the last day. No experience needed. Suits kids who like to perform and make things.
A sports week at the Frans Otten Stadion, the racket club in Amsterdam Zuid, run by Allpadel together with the stadium. Kids play padel, table tennis and squash with licensed trainers and sporty young helpers, with games and a film mixed in. Lunch and unlimited healthy drinks are included. It suits kids who like racket sports or want to try padel for the first time.
A week of chess in the morning and play in the afternoon. Each morning takes one theme (opening development, attacks, defense, mate puzzles) and the week ends with a closing tournament, prizes and certificates. Afternoons are cooking, crafts, games and outdoor play in green Bilderdijkpark. Beginners and kids with some experience play together. Run by two local parents with AanZet, whose coaches teach chess in Amsterdam schools.
A sailing week on the Sloterplas, the lake in the middle of Sloterpark. Kids sail the Optimist, a small, stable one-sail boat made for beginners, usually in pairs, so it's a good one to sign up for with a friend. They learn to rig the boat, hoist the sail and work the rudder, then spend most of the day on the water with games and races.
A week of dance for kids who love to move, run by Amsterdam teacher Myrthe of She Moves Me at Balletstudio van den Ende, where she trained as a child. Professional teachers cover a mix of styles (the 2026 team taught hip-hop, modern, acro-jazz and acting), with dance games and time to build their own choreography. The week ends with a show and an aftermovie. Sign-up is by email.
A pony day camp at Manege Waveren, a riding school next to a park and the Gaasperplas recreation area in Amsterdam Zuidoost. Mornings are for riding, afternoons for other pony activities: relay races, decorating the ponies, games with and without them, a treasure hunt on horseback through the park and crafts with horsehair. On the last day kids put on a show for family and friends. No riding experience needed.
A LEGO robotics day camp where kids build and program their own robots with LEGO Education kits and Scratch, working in pairs. Each day has a new theme, such as cars, sport, space or animals, with team challenges and mini-competitions.
It suits both first-timers and kids who already code. Groups run mainly in Dutch, with English added for English-speaking kids. Kids bring their own lunch and snacks.
A yoga day camp at the Aemstel Schooltuin, a school garden on the Amstel between Amsterdam and Amstelveen. Kids do yoga indoors and out, plus mindfulness, music, crafts and massage, and pick and taste from the vegetable garden before resting in a hammock. Each year adds a guest workshop, such as aerial yoga, percussion or slackline. No yoga experience is needed.
A two-day sports camp at VROG, an indoor urban-movement hall tucked under Mr. Visserplein in the city center. Kids train on trampolines and the super-trampoline, learn freerunning moves and their first saltos, and play mini football and basketball on the airtrack arena, all led by VROG trainers. Beginners are welcome. A separate K-pop dance afternoon pairs choreography practice with a group trampoline session.
A small art day camp run by the teachers of Kids Art Club De Amsterdammertjes, in their own studio in Amsterdam West near Rembrandtpark. Kids try different art techniques and materials, mix making with games and time outdoors, and take their own artwork home. Lunch is a picnic in the park with food brought from home. Suits kids who would rather make things than run around all day.
A week of music, dance and theater at Aslan Muziekcentrum's Nieuw-West center. Kids try different instruments, discover dance styles and learn basic theater skills, working in groups with experienced teachers. Everything builds toward a show at the end, a low-key first taste of the stage. Everyone joins at their own level. Suits kids who like to perform, or who want to try several arts before picking one.
Hands-on making in a small studio at Broedplaats HW10 in Amsterdam Nieuw-West. Each summer session has its own theme. Past themes had kids building things that spin and move with little motors, boats and water rockets, homemade instruments, and sun prints. Projects go home with the kids. Each session is booked on its own, so it suits a kid who wants a creative morning out more than a full-day camp.
A summer day camp on and around the water at Outdoor & Watersport Jeugdland in Amsterdam Oost. Kids build rafts, paddle kayaks and stand-up boards, try archery and GPS games, and play plenty of water games. Trained instructors walk through each activity first, and kids wear life jackets on the water. Groups are split by age, and the team tries to keep friends together, though it can't promise it.
A creative day camp run by Hotmamahot from De Gele Pomp, a former gas station in the middle of Noorderpark that now serves as a workshop space. Kids cook in its kitchen, build and make things with art teachers, launch rockets and go on missions with a woodland games club in the Speelbos play forest next door. Each week brings new activities, so no two camps are the same.
A football day camp run by ProCamp inside Amsterdam's Olympic Stadium, the historic ground that hosted the Olympic Games and Ajax greats like Cruijff. Kids train three sessions a day on technique, ball skills and match play, grouped by age and level, with ProCamp's own games (penalty contest, bingo, a transfer game) in the midday break. No club membership needed, and kids sleep at home.
A volunteer-run day camp in the dunes of Nationaal Park Zuid-Kennemerland. A bus takes kids from pickup points around Amsterdam each morning and brings them back in the late afternoon. On the tented campsite they pick between free play on swings, trampolines and a giant chess set, crafts, and daily games like Levend Stratego, a talent show or a dune walk. On warm afternoons the group swims in the Wed dune lake.
A week of making art the way artists do, run by ARTZUID, the team behind Amsterdam's sculpture biennale. Kids try different materials and techniques each day, and walks, games and visits to art collections feed their ideas. The week ends with a Friday exhibition for family and friends.
It suits kids who like getting messy. Send clothes that can get dirty.
A four-day coding and robotics camp from CoderMinds, which also runs regular coding courses. Kids make their own games, build and program Lego models, and code robots like Bee-Bot, Sphero and Cue, plus micro:bit boards, Scratch and Kodu Game Lab. Each lesson also teaches the tech words behind it. Beginners and kids who already code both fit in, and everyone goes home with a certificate.
Two camps share one stable yard in Amsterdam Noord. In pony camp, kids groom and ride the ponies, head out on trail rides and try vaulting, tricks done on a pony's back. In quad and trial bike camp, groups of six to eight ride electric quads and trial bikes twice a day, from keeping balance up to wheelies and jumps, with archery tag and raft building in between.
A holiday football camp on the small pitches at Powerleague's Olympiaplein site in Amsterdam Zuid. Coaches run a full day of games and challenges, like speed shooting and a hardest-shot contest, with prizes for the most active players. No football experience is needed, so it suits beginners as well as kids who already play for a club.
A week of making music together, run by Muziekcentrum Zuidoost at a neighborhood community center. Younger kids pick between the Leerorkest (a youth orchestra), choir and composing. Older kids join the Popstudio and play in a band. The week builds to a final concert for parents, family and friends. A good fit for kids who want to play music in a group rather than alone.
A four-day summer dance week at Dansstudio van Harten's own studio in the center of Weesp. Kids spend the days in dance workshops, with crafts, a movie and other activities mixed in. The week builds toward a final performance that the studio films, so every kid goes home with a recording. Snacks and drinks are provided; kids bring their own lunch. A good fit for kids who like to perform.
A tennis day camp at Tennispark Linnaeushof in Amsterdam Oost, run by the Drive ITT coaching team. Kids learn their strokes mostly by playing: tennis games, team drills, park games and big end-of-day games. It suits beginners and kids who already play matches. Younger kids get about three hours of tennis a day, older ones about five, with other sports and games around it.
A holiday day camp on the campus of Amity International School Amsterdam, which sits in De Braak park in Amstelveen. Children who don't attend the school are welcome. The camp team plans each day's activities by age group, and the camp makes full use of the park campus. Lunch is cooked by the school's own chefs, with snacks morning and afternoon and water all day.
A week-long summer music course at B! Music School in Heesterveld, Amsterdam Zuidoost. Kids choose up to two of piano, guitar, drums, violin, cello, singing and dance, and work on songs they pick themselves with teachers from the music industry. Groups can form a band or orchestra, and the week ends with a Friday afternoon show in the Heesterveld courtyard. Beginners and experienced players both fit.
Kids Aktief runs sporty after-school clubs around Amsterdam, and in the school holidays it opens its sports camps to any child, member or not. Each camp centers on one activity: hockey, football, canoeing, surfing or a mixed action camp. There is also a turbo swim camp where kids can take their swimming diploma test. Suits kids who would rather move all day than sit indoors.
A week of play led in Italian, held outdoors in Vondelpark at the playground by the paddling pool. Days mix language games and reading, crafts and recycling workshops, treasure hunts, ball and water games, sack races, small plays and singing.
It suits kids who already speak some Italian, from native speakers keeping it up in the Netherlands to those still learning. Kids need basic Italian to join.
A summer art camp run by Kunst op Zolder, an art school in Amsterdam West. Each day has two hands-on workshops with a different material: clay, paint, fabric, wood, mosaics and more. Kids eat lunch together at the table and get a daily break for games and picnics in nearby Rembrandtpark. No art experience needed; beginners and kids who already draw a lot both fit in.
Four days on the BMX track at Griffioen Outdoor in Ookmeer, where instructors coach kids through dirt jumps, street obstacles and the park setup. Kids also pick up the basics of bike maintenance.
Bring your own bike (it gets checked for a working brake on day one) or rent a bike and pads on site. Helmets are compulsory. Kids need to ride well already; this is not a learn-to-ride week.
A four-day dance camp in Diemen run by the Dans4daagse team, the same people behind Musical4daagse. Kids learn moves in several dance styles, work on technique, and build a group routine step by step. On the last day they perform it on stage for family and friends. No dance experience needed, so it suits kids who like to move but have never taken a class.
An architecture and art week built around Vondelpark. Kids collect plants, textures and sound recordings in the park, then bring them back to the studio at the 4bid Gallery at OT301 to design cities, houses and hideouts, build models, print and make sketchbooks. A midweek visit to the Stedelijk Museum feeds a group show on Friday. Mixed ages, led in English. Suits curious makers more than kids after sports.
Panasj summer hockey camps run in three groups by age and level. Mornings focus on technique: the youngest meet stick and ball through games, soft colored gear and music, while older kids work on reading the game and body position. Afternoons end in a tournament where teams put the new skills to use. The Next Level group suits kids with at least two years of hockey.
A week of football training at Ajax's own youth complex, De Toekomst, run by certified Ajax Camps & Clinics coaches using the club's academy methods. Kids work on technique, passing, reading the game and making choices, with matches and challenges between sessions.
Groups are set by age and level, so club players and beginners both fit. Boys and girls train together, and no club membership is needed.
A tennis day camp with at least four hours a day on court, taught by qualified coaches using the Dutch tennis federation's Tenniskids method: smaller courts and softer balls matched to age and level.
Between sessions kids play soccer, hockey and dodgeball, go on a treasure hunt, cook and do crafts. Groups of up to 12 are matched by age and level, and friends can ask to be placed together.
An English-language day camp at a primary school in IJburg. Kids are grouped by school year and learn new words through songs, crafts, sports and dance, with simple grammar for older kids. The youngest can lean on Dutch while they find their feet.
The week ends with a graduation show that parents can watch. Kids who already speak English get harder challenge sheets.
An English day camp in Amstelveen run by Summer Camp NL. Kids are grouped by school year and mix English lessons with songs, crafts, sports and dance, all led in English and pitched to each child's level. Groups stay small, the youngest can fall back on Dutch, and bilingual kids get extra challenge work. The last afternoon is a graduation show for parents, with a certificate for every child.
An English-language day camp at a primary school in Almere. Kids spend the week on vocabulary (plus simple grammar for older kids), singing, crafts, sports and dance, in small groups matched to their English level. Younger kids get some Dutch support. The week ends with a graduation where each child gets a certificate and the group puts on a song-and-dance show for parents. Suits kids building confidence in English.
An English-immersion day camp at a primary school in Hoofddorp, run by Summer Camp NL. Kids are grouped by school year and spend the day on English class, singing, crafts, sports and dance, picking up words through play and songs. Younger children get some Dutch support.
The week ends with a graduation show of songs and dances, a certificate for each child, and parents in the audience. Suits beginners and kids with a head start alike.
A day camp in Rembrandtpark that mixes outdoor challenges with hands-on lessons. Kids take on things like high ropes and bouldering with local partners, and spend part of the day on geography, art, science and literature.
It's run by local international school teachers. It suits curious kids who like some structure with their adventure; a child after pure free play may find the lessons too much like school.
A day camp at Tennis Club Amstelpark, on the edge of the Amsterdamse Bos. Kids spend about four hours a day on court in coached drills, games and matches, then fill the rest with other sports, games and trips nearby. Beginners are welcome, with kids split into small age groups. Rain does not stop it: the club has indoor courts. The week ends with a Friday tournament and awards.
A short day camp run from VrIJland, the green community pavilion on Strand IJburg. Each day has a different focus, from crafts and cooking to sports and games on the sand, so kids spend much of the day outdoors by the water.
It is led in Dutch and suits kids who like a mix of making things and running around, with a neighborhood feel rather than a big program.
A week of dance at ME Dance Studio, a neighborhood dance school in Amsterdam Noord. Kids rotate through workshops in hip-hop, streetdance, Afro dance, K-pop and TikTok routines, with other activities between classes. The week builds to a final show, and every dancer goes home with a certificate.
It suits kids who want to try several street styles in one go rather than drill a single one.
A process-art day camp from Little Makers Amsterdam. Kids paint, draw, tinker and build with clay, collage, printmaking, loose parts and light, choosing their own direction instead of copying a model. Groups are small and the studio uses good materials. There is outdoor play every day, plus movement and theater games. Best for kids who would rather make things all day than spend it on a sports field.
A week of dance at Zeni's Art School of Dance, a small Amsterdam studio. Kids work through hip-hop, breakdance, ballet, contemporary, tap and musical theater, with theater, body awareness, outdoor play and board games in between. On the last day the group films its work into a finished piece to watch at home. No experience needed: beginners and kids who already dance share the room.
Playhood is an indoor role-play venue in Amsterdam's Houthavens, where kids step into themed play areas and build their own stories. Camp days mix free play with guided role play, creative workshops, group activities and quiet breaks.
Past summer weeks were run with partners such as Little Makers or The Science Camp, adding experiments and making. Kids bring their own lunch.
A nature day camp on a private, enclosed forest site in the Tuinen van West, Amsterdam's biggest green area, next to a horse sanctuary and fields of grazing cows and sheep. Each week follows one fantasy story, with puzzles and scavenger hunts that build to a Friday finale. Kids pick between active games, nature art and free play, and some weeks add pony riding, archery or farm visits.
A multisport summer camp from Monkey Moves, based at DVH Amstelveen. Instead of one sport all week, kids try a mix that can include ball games, athletics, dance, judo, gymnastics, climbing and obstacle courses, plus team games and fun activities. No sports experience is needed, and activities are pitched to each child's age and level. It suits energetic kids, and shy or less sporty ones too.
Between 8 and 12, kids want a camp week with something to show for it: a new skill, a show on the last day, a friend they didn't know on Monday. This list gathers the summer camps we've checked that take this age group, with dates, hours and prices on each card so you can plan the summer around what your kid wants to try.
A week on the water at Jeugdland in Amsterdam Oost. Each day, half is spent learning to sail an Optimist dinghy and the other half on outdoor and water sports: building rafts, making fire, filtering water, cooking outdoors, canoeing, archery, GPS tracking and survival skills. Trained instructors lead every activity. In very bad weather there is a backup program, so some days may have no sailing.
A week-long theater course at the Vondelpark Openluchttheater, the open-air stage in Vondelpark. Two professional theater makers teach acting, dancing and singing, and the group builds its own show around a theme: kids learn a script, design a costume and get to grips with timing and choreography. There is time for games too. The week ends with a premiere for family and friends on the theater's stage.
A week-long robotics and coding bootcamp at OBA Oosterdok, Amsterdam's central public library near Centraal Station. Kids work in pairs to design, build and program LEGO robots through a run of class challenges, so it suits kids who like making things as much as screens.
Lessons mix Dutch and English, led by an experienced instructor. Subsidized places go to families with a Stadspas.
A singing week at a vocal school in De Pijp. Kids work with professional vocal coaches on singing, performing, harmonies and songwriting, plus a little dance. Beginners and experienced singers are welcome; each kid grows at their own level. The week ends with a show for parents and friends. A good fit for kids who like to sing; not for those after sports or outdoor play.
A short creative camp run by Stichting Muziekstraat in the Schaap Schooltuin, a school garden in Amsterdam Noord. Kids make music, act and create art around the theme of symbiosis: how people, animals and plants live together and help each other.
They head into nature, hear stories and explore where they come from and what makes them unique. It all builds to a show for families on the last afternoon.
An outdoor day camp at UP Events Kids' green activity site in Amsterdam West. The day runs in rounds: Archery Tag, bow and arrow shooting, creative missions and team challenges, with free play before pick-up. Groups are small and no two days repeat.
Families book single days, so it fits a patchy holiday calendar. Kids bring their own lunch, snacks for two breaks and a water bottle.
A small summer camp at DAT!school, a youth theater school in Amsterdam-Noord. Kids rotate through dance, theater and art classes with the school's own teachers, invent a story together in their age group, and turn it into a short show for family and friends on the last day. No experience needed. Suits kids who like to perform and make things.
A sports week at the Frans Otten Stadion, the racket club in Amsterdam Zuid, run by Allpadel together with the stadium. Kids play padel, table tennis and squash with licensed trainers and sporty young helpers, with games and a film mixed in. Lunch and unlimited healthy drinks are included. It suits kids who like racket sports or want to try padel for the first time.
A week of chess in the morning and play in the afternoon. Each morning takes one theme (opening development, attacks, defense, mate puzzles) and the week ends with a closing tournament, prizes and certificates. Afternoons are cooking, crafts, games and outdoor play in green Bilderdijkpark. Beginners and kids with some experience play together. Run by two local parents with AanZet, whose coaches teach chess in Amsterdam schools.
A sailing week on the Sloterplas, the lake in the middle of Sloterpark. Kids sail the Optimist, a small, stable one-sail boat made for beginners, usually in pairs, so it's a good one to sign up for with a friend. They learn to rig the boat, hoist the sail and work the rudder, then spend most of the day on the water with games and races.
A week of dance for kids who love to move, run by Amsterdam teacher Myrthe of She Moves Me at Balletstudio van den Ende, where she trained as a child. Professional teachers cover a mix of styles (the 2026 team taught hip-hop, modern, acro-jazz and acting), with dance games and time to build their own choreography. The week ends with a show and an aftermovie. Sign-up is by email.
A pony day camp at Manege Waveren, a riding school next to a park and the Gaasperplas recreation area in Amsterdam Zuidoost. Mornings are for riding, afternoons for other pony activities: relay races, decorating the ponies, games with and without them, a treasure hunt on horseback through the park and crafts with horsehair. On the last day kids put on a show for family and friends. No riding experience needed.
A LEGO robotics day camp where kids build and program their own robots with LEGO Education kits and Scratch, working in pairs. Each day has a new theme, such as cars, sport, space or animals, with team challenges and mini-competitions.
It suits both first-timers and kids who already code. Groups run mainly in Dutch, with English added for English-speaking kids. Kids bring their own lunch and snacks.
A yoga day camp at the Aemstel Schooltuin, a school garden on the Amstel between Amsterdam and Amstelveen. Kids do yoga indoors and out, plus mindfulness, music, crafts and massage, and pick and taste from the vegetable garden before resting in a hammock. Each year adds a guest workshop, such as aerial yoga, percussion or slackline. No yoga experience is needed.
A two-day sports camp at VROG, an indoor urban-movement hall tucked under Mr. Visserplein in the city center. Kids train on trampolines and the super-trampoline, learn freerunning moves and their first saltos, and play mini football and basketball on the airtrack arena, all led by VROG trainers. Beginners are welcome. A separate K-pop dance afternoon pairs choreography practice with a group trampoline session.
A small art day camp run by the teachers of Kids Art Club De Amsterdammertjes, in their own studio in Amsterdam West near Rembrandtpark. Kids try different art techniques and materials, mix making with games and time outdoors, and take their own artwork home. Lunch is a picnic in the park with food brought from home. Suits kids who would rather make things than run around all day.
A week of music, dance and theater at Aslan Muziekcentrum's Nieuw-West center. Kids try different instruments, discover dance styles and learn basic theater skills, working in groups with experienced teachers. Everything builds toward a show at the end, a low-key first taste of the stage. Everyone joins at their own level. Suits kids who like to perform, or who want to try several arts before picking one.
Hands-on making in a small studio at Broedplaats HW10 in Amsterdam Nieuw-West. Each summer session has its own theme. Past themes had kids building things that spin and move with little motors, boats and water rockets, homemade instruments, and sun prints. Projects go home with the kids. Each session is booked on its own, so it suits a kid who wants a creative morning out more than a full-day camp.
A summer day camp on and around the water at Outdoor & Watersport Jeugdland in Amsterdam Oost. Kids build rafts, paddle kayaks and stand-up boards, try archery and GPS games, and play plenty of water games. Trained instructors walk through each activity first, and kids wear life jackets on the water. Groups are split by age, and the team tries to keep friends together, though it can't promise it.
A creative day camp run by Hotmamahot from De Gele Pomp, a former gas station in the middle of Noorderpark that now serves as a workshop space. Kids cook in its kitchen, build and make things with art teachers, launch rockets and go on missions with a woodland games club in the Speelbos play forest next door. Each week brings new activities, so no two camps are the same.
A football day camp run by ProCamp inside Amsterdam's Olympic Stadium, the historic ground that hosted the Olympic Games and Ajax greats like Cruijff. Kids train three sessions a day on technique, ball skills and match play, grouped by age and level, with ProCamp's own games (penalty contest, bingo, a transfer game) in the midday break. No club membership needed, and kids sleep at home.
A volunteer-run day camp in the dunes of Nationaal Park Zuid-Kennemerland. A bus takes kids from pickup points around Amsterdam each morning and brings them back in the late afternoon. On the tented campsite they pick between free play on swings, trampolines and a giant chess set, crafts, and daily games like Levend Stratego, a talent show or a dune walk. On warm afternoons the group swims in the Wed dune lake.
A week of making art the way artists do, run by ARTZUID, the team behind Amsterdam's sculpture biennale. Kids try different materials and techniques each day, and walks, games and visits to art collections feed their ideas. The week ends with a Friday exhibition for family and friends.
It suits kids who like getting messy. Send clothes that can get dirty.
A four-day coding and robotics camp from CoderMinds, which also runs regular coding courses. Kids make their own games, build and program Lego models, and code robots like Bee-Bot, Sphero and Cue, plus micro:bit boards, Scratch and Kodu Game Lab. Each lesson also teaches the tech words behind it. Beginners and kids who already code both fit in, and everyone goes home with a certificate.
Two camps share one stable yard in Amsterdam Noord. In pony camp, kids groom and ride the ponies, head out on trail rides and try vaulting, tricks done on a pony's back. In quad and trial bike camp, groups of six to eight ride electric quads and trial bikes twice a day, from keeping balance up to wheelies and jumps, with archery tag and raft building in between.
A holiday football camp on the small pitches at Powerleague's Olympiaplein site in Amsterdam Zuid. Coaches run a full day of games and challenges, like speed shooting and a hardest-shot contest, with prizes for the most active players. No football experience is needed, so it suits beginners as well as kids who already play for a club.
A week of making music together, run by Muziekcentrum Zuidoost at a neighborhood community center. Younger kids pick between the Leerorkest (a youth orchestra), choir and composing. Older kids join the Popstudio and play in a band. The week builds to a final concert for parents, family and friends. A good fit for kids who want to play music in a group rather than alone.
A four-day summer dance week at Dansstudio van Harten's own studio in the center of Weesp. Kids spend the days in dance workshops, with crafts, a movie and other activities mixed in. The week builds toward a final performance that the studio films, so every kid goes home with a recording. Snacks and drinks are provided; kids bring their own lunch. A good fit for kids who like to perform.
A tennis day camp at Tennispark Linnaeushof in Amsterdam Oost, run by the Drive ITT coaching team. Kids learn their strokes mostly by playing: tennis games, team drills, park games and big end-of-day games. It suits beginners and kids who already play matches. Younger kids get about three hours of tennis a day, older ones about five, with other sports and games around it.
A holiday day camp on the campus of Amity International School Amsterdam, which sits in De Braak park in Amstelveen. Children who don't attend the school are welcome. The camp team plans each day's activities by age group, and the camp makes full use of the park campus. Lunch is cooked by the school's own chefs, with snacks morning and afternoon and water all day.
A week-long summer music course at B! Music School in Heesterveld, Amsterdam Zuidoost. Kids choose up to two of piano, guitar, drums, violin, cello, singing and dance, and work on songs they pick themselves with teachers from the music industry. Groups can form a band or orchestra, and the week ends with a Friday afternoon show in the Heesterveld courtyard. Beginners and experienced players both fit.
Kids Aktief runs sporty after-school clubs around Amsterdam, and in the school holidays it opens its sports camps to any child, member or not. Each camp centers on one activity: hockey, football, canoeing, surfing or a mixed action camp. There is also a turbo swim camp where kids can take their swimming diploma test. Suits kids who would rather move all day than sit indoors.
A week of play led in Italian, held outdoors in Vondelpark at the playground by the paddling pool. Days mix language games and reading, crafts and recycling workshops, treasure hunts, ball and water games, sack races, small plays and singing.
It suits kids who already speak some Italian, from native speakers keeping it up in the Netherlands to those still learning. Kids need basic Italian to join.
A summer art camp run by Kunst op Zolder, an art school in Amsterdam West. Each day has two hands-on workshops with a different material: clay, paint, fabric, wood, mosaics and more. Kids eat lunch together at the table and get a daily break for games and picnics in nearby Rembrandtpark. No art experience needed; beginners and kids who already draw a lot both fit in.
Four days on the BMX track at Griffioen Outdoor in Ookmeer, where instructors coach kids through dirt jumps, street obstacles and the park setup. Kids also pick up the basics of bike maintenance.
Bring your own bike (it gets checked for a working brake on day one) or rent a bike and pads on site. Helmets are compulsory. Kids need to ride well already; this is not a learn-to-ride week.
A four-day dance camp in Diemen run by the Dans4daagse team, the same people behind Musical4daagse. Kids learn moves in several dance styles, work on technique, and build a group routine step by step. On the last day they perform it on stage for family and friends. No dance experience needed, so it suits kids who like to move but have never taken a class.
An architecture and art week built around Vondelpark. Kids collect plants, textures and sound recordings in the park, then bring them back to the studio at the 4bid Gallery at OT301 to design cities, houses and hideouts, build models, print and make sketchbooks. A midweek visit to the Stedelijk Museum feeds a group show on Friday. Mixed ages, led in English. Suits curious makers more than kids after sports.
Panasj summer hockey camps run in three groups by age and level. Mornings focus on technique: the youngest meet stick and ball through games, soft colored gear and music, while older kids work on reading the game and body position. Afternoons end in a tournament where teams put the new skills to use. The Next Level group suits kids with at least two years of hockey.
A week of football training at Ajax's own youth complex, De Toekomst, run by certified Ajax Camps & Clinics coaches using the club's academy methods. Kids work on technique, passing, reading the game and making choices, with matches and challenges between sessions.
Groups are set by age and level, so club players and beginners both fit. Boys and girls train together, and no club membership is needed.
A tennis day camp with at least four hours a day on court, taught by qualified coaches using the Dutch tennis federation's Tenniskids method: smaller courts and softer balls matched to age and level.
Between sessions kids play soccer, hockey and dodgeball, go on a treasure hunt, cook and do crafts. Groups of up to 12 are matched by age and level, and friends can ask to be placed together.
An English-language day camp at a primary school in IJburg. Kids are grouped by school year and learn new words through songs, crafts, sports and dance, with simple grammar for older kids. The youngest can lean on Dutch while they find their feet.
The week ends with a graduation show that parents can watch. Kids who already speak English get harder challenge sheets.
An English day camp in Amstelveen run by Summer Camp NL. Kids are grouped by school year and mix English lessons with songs, crafts, sports and dance, all led in English and pitched to each child's level. Groups stay small, the youngest can fall back on Dutch, and bilingual kids get extra challenge work. The last afternoon is a graduation show for parents, with a certificate for every child.
An English-language day camp at a primary school in Almere. Kids spend the week on vocabulary (plus simple grammar for older kids), singing, crafts, sports and dance, in small groups matched to their English level. Younger kids get some Dutch support. The week ends with a graduation where each child gets a certificate and the group puts on a song-and-dance show for parents. Suits kids building confidence in English.
An English-immersion day camp at a primary school in Hoofddorp, run by Summer Camp NL. Kids are grouped by school year and spend the day on English class, singing, crafts, sports and dance, picking up words through play and songs. Younger children get some Dutch support.
The week ends with a graduation show of songs and dances, a certificate for each child, and parents in the audience. Suits beginners and kids with a head start alike.
A day camp in Rembrandtpark that mixes outdoor challenges with hands-on lessons. Kids take on things like high ropes and bouldering with local partners, and spend part of the day on geography, art, science and literature.
It's run by local international school teachers. It suits curious kids who like some structure with their adventure; a child after pure free play may find the lessons too much like school.
A day camp at Tennis Club Amstelpark, on the edge of the Amsterdamse Bos. Kids spend about four hours a day on court in coached drills, games and matches, then fill the rest with other sports, games and trips nearby. Beginners are welcome, with kids split into small age groups. Rain does not stop it: the club has indoor courts. The week ends with a Friday tournament and awards.
A short day camp run from VrIJland, the green community pavilion on Strand IJburg. Each day has a different focus, from crafts and cooking to sports and games on the sand, so kids spend much of the day outdoors by the water.
It is led in Dutch and suits kids who like a mix of making things and running around, with a neighborhood feel rather than a big program.
A week of dance at ME Dance Studio, a neighborhood dance school in Amsterdam Noord. Kids rotate through workshops in hip-hop, streetdance, Afro dance, K-pop and TikTok routines, with other activities between classes. The week builds to a final show, and every dancer goes home with a certificate.
It suits kids who want to try several street styles in one go rather than drill a single one.
A process-art day camp from Little Makers Amsterdam. Kids paint, draw, tinker and build with clay, collage, printmaking, loose parts and light, choosing their own direction instead of copying a model. Groups are small and the studio uses good materials. There is outdoor play every day, plus movement and theater games. Best for kids who would rather make things all day than spend it on a sports field.
A week of dance at Zeni's Art School of Dance, a small Amsterdam studio. Kids work through hip-hop, breakdance, ballet, contemporary, tap and musical theater, with theater, body awareness, outdoor play and board games in between. On the last day the group films its work into a finished piece to watch at home. No experience needed: beginners and kids who already dance share the room.
Playhood is an indoor role-play venue in Amsterdam's Houthavens, where kids step into themed play areas and build their own stories. Camp days mix free play with guided role play, creative workshops, group activities and quiet breaks.
Past summer weeks were run with partners such as Little Makers or The Science Camp, adding experiments and making. Kids bring their own lunch.
A nature day camp on a private, enclosed forest site in the Tuinen van West, Amsterdam's biggest green area, next to a horse sanctuary and fields of grazing cows and sheep. Each week follows one fantasy story, with puzzles and scavenger hunts that build to a Friday finale. Kids pick between active games, nature art and free play, and some weeks add pony riding, archery or farm visits.
A multisport summer camp from Monkey Moves, based at DVH Amstelveen. Instead of one sport all week, kids try a mix that can include ball games, athletics, dance, judo, gymnastics, climbing and obstacle courses, plus team games and fun activities. No sports experience is needed, and activities are pitched to each child's age and level. It suits energetic kids, and shy or less sporty ones too.
