10 Things you need to know about a visit to the Keukenhof with kids

Is Keukenhof fun with children? Absolutely! More than a million tourists visit each year and this includes plenty of families. Although it is most fun for families with young children and less so for most teenagers. We will share the 10 things you need to know before visiting the Keukenhof with children.

What is the Keukenhof?

The Keukenhof is a 32 hectare garden in Lisse, Netherlands. It opened in 1950 after leading flower growers came up with the plan to make this former castle grounds into a spring garden open to the public. Keukenhof covers an area of approximately 32 hectares (79 acres) and features millions of bulbs planted in meticulously designed gardens, including tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and more.

Keukenhof with kids

The garden is open to the public for a limited time each year, typically from mid-March to mid-May, coinciding with the peak blooming season of the flowers. Visitors to Keukenhof can wander through the various themed gardens, take guided tours, enjoy boat rides on the surrounding waterways, and visit the pavilions showcasing floral displays, art exhibitions, and flower arrangements.

Keukenhof with kids

Beste time to visit the Keukenhof with kids?

We visited early in the season, and as you can see in our pictures, most of the flowers were not yet in full bloom. Visiting later will get you better pictures but also more crowds.

The Keukenhof is a very popular tourist destination, especially during the peak blooming season, so visiting on weekdays or early in the morning can help avoid crowds and make the experience more enjoyable. Additionally, purchasing tickets online in advance can save time and ensure entry, especially on weekends and holidays.

Good to know that on Wednesday afternoons, there are often additional children’s activities.

During the Dutch May holidays (two weeks starting in the last week of April) and Easter, there are also extra special activities for families, such as meet-and-greets with cartoon characters, a visit from the Easter Bunny, a treasure hunt, or a flower parade.

Keukenhof with kids

How to reach the Keukenhof

From Amsterdam, you can take a direct bus or a combination of train and bus. From Schiphol Airport, you can also take a direct bus. These buses will drop you off directly at the entrance of Keukenhof. Be sure to check the schedules and routes in advance.

An other nearby city is Leiden. This a great city to visit with plenty of kidsproof museums.

Keukenhof with kids

The Keukenhof is buggy and babyproof

The park is very accessible for strollers and wheelchairs, making it possible for everyone to visit.

At each pavilion, there is a restroom building that is kept very clean. For the dads and moms with babies, in each restroom building there is at least one toilet stall with a changing table.

Keukenhof with kids buggyproof

Bring a picknick lunch to save money

There are plenty of options to buy lunch at Keukenhof. At each pavilion, there is a shop. In the park, you can still find additional stalls here and there where they sell Dutch specialties such as smoked sausage, waffles, and herring.

We had brought some food ourselves and therefore looked for a nice spot to eat our food. Between the Willem-Alexander pavilion and the Mill, you can have a picnic. There are large hay bales and wooden tables here. We had a cozy lunch here.

Keukenhof with kids

Scavanger hunt for kids

At the entrance, our children were immediately asked if they wanted to do the scavenger hunt. If they could solve all the puzzles and answer the questions, they would receive a gift. Quite exciting and fun!

For children aged 3 and 5, it was a challenging scavenger hunt. The booklet the girls received had a map with coordinates. With the ‘compass app’ that parents or grandparents can download on their phone, the right places in the park can be found. Here, the children can find the answers. The questions were a bit difficult for these ages, but with a little help, we figured it out together. They certainly enjoyed searching and encountering all kinds of beautiful flowers along the way.

Keukenhof with kids

Boatride at the Keukenhof

The boat ride at Keukenhof is a nice relaxing experience that allows you to see the bulb fields from the water. The so calles whisper boats leave from the windmill. Don’t forget to climb the windmill first before taking the boat.

Keukenhof with kids

Playground at the Keukenhof

The playground consists of a Nijntje (Miffy) play area for the little ones and a playground for the older children. Our kids immediately ran to the zipline and climbing structure. For parents, there are plenty of spots to grab some food and drinks while the kids play. Poffertjes (Dutch mini pancakes) are also available for purchase in the playground.

Maze at the Keukenhof

Yes, Keukenhof does feature a maze as one of its attractions. The Keukenhof maze is a fun place to visit during your time in the Keukenhof with kids. It’s a labyrinth made up of hedges and pathways with various twists and turns, dead ends, and perhaps even hidden surprises

Keukenhof with kids

Petting Zoo at the Keukenhof

After the children had played to their heart’s content, it was time to head towards the petting zoo. Here, there were two peacocks, several sheep, chickens, rabbits, and piglets. One of our kids was wide-eyed with excitement and wanted to pet the sheep as quickly as possible. However, the sheep seemed a bit more wary of her than she was of them. The chickens also had their share of attention.

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