Hey. This is AmsterDads. The weekly newsletter for spontaneous international Dads living in Amsterdam.
It’s for Dads who want to keep having adventures. With their kids. Plus: tips for escaping them sometimes!
In this week’s email:
🎟 Weekend Events: Winterterras & Sint²
⛳️ Activities: Skate, jump, or chill
🚗 Day Trips: Get out of Ams
and…
👩❤️👨 Date Night Tips: Fiery cocktails & more
🍻 Man Time: Sans the fam
🎟 Weekend Events
It’s hard to keep up with kid-friendly happenings in Amsterdam. You’re busy during the week. Most event websites are crap. In Dutch. And the Facebook groups… 🤢
Don’t worry - I spend the week scouring, so you don't have to…
💁🏻♂️ My Top Kids+Dads Events in Amsterdam this Weekend:
🔥 A ‘Winter terrace’ with food & activities. Het Amsterdamse Winterterras sounds like fun for the whole family, with food, drinks, games, music & (kids) programming taking over the Gashouder in Westerpark. On each Thursday - Sunday, from now til December 4
🎅 Sinterklaas arrives. Love or hate the old (racist?) guy. Chances are your kids are excited he’s coming. Sinterklaas arrives in Amsterdam this Sunday by steamboat, then continues on horseback. Kids line the route to wave at Sint and his friends (slaves?), as traditional Dutch sweets rain down on them. See the route here. If you’re new in Ams, and don’t know what I’m talking about, read this.
🏮 Sint Maarten. A bit like Halloween, but only for smaller kids (2-8). Kids carry home/school-made ‘lampions’ (lanterns) around, and sing songs at neighbours doors to earn their candy. It’s pretty cute. Happening this Friday 11, early eve. Find out more
⛳️ Activities
Tired of going to the same playground every weekend? Mix it up. Do something new.
⛸ Ice Ice baby. Ice-skating starts up at Museumplein this weekend. Iconic spot. Too worried you’ll break a hip (old man)? Maybe you’re better off watching the kids from the bar, with a Glühwein. 🍷
🦘 Jump Around! At Jumpsquare. Don’t be like all the boring dads sitting on the sidelines scrolling their phones. Jump with your kids. And try to keep up. It’s a great workout. 🥵
🎆 Moving art. Looking for something a little less strenuous? More cultural? Both my kids loved this (as did we). See photo of my fam there below
🚗 Day Trips
Amsterdam is full of things to do, but it’s also good to escape for a day. Especially if the weather is sunny (like this weekend).
🧚♀️ Fairytale Theme Park. If you’ve never been to Efteling, you should go. It’s like the Disney of NL (without being so over the top). When I told my 7-year old Olly we were going this weekend, he screamed at the top of his lungs out of excitement! 😅
🎨 Museum Voorlinden. An interactive modern art museum out in nature, that the whole family can enjoy. You’ve probably seen friends Instagramming photos from under a pool? That’s Voorlinden. Pretty cool. See photo below of my son Olly there
🚘 Don’t own a car? No worries! I use MyWheels. Super convenient and affordable car sharing. I use one that has a fixed parking spot right outside my house. If you book your first trip with my link, you’ll get €25 off.
👩❤️👨 Date Night Tips
🍸 Drinks. Ever notice how most cocktail bars in Amsterdam are a bit dull? Tales & Spirits is different. Lively vibe. Exciting (fiery) drinks. Upbeat music. We loved it. See gif from when we were there below
🍽 Dinner. Top notch service and exceptional food in a canalside library setting. Brasserie Ambassade is perfect for a romantic date night.
🎭 A Show. The 35th edition of IDFA is on right now. Tons of docos to choose from. I’d recommend seeing something on at Tuschinski Groot Zaal (big hall). It’s a spectacular old cinema. And grab a movie-inspired cocktail at Bar Abraham.
👀 No one to watch the kids? We use Sitly to find quality babysitters, and have since little Leo was 6 months old.
🍻 Man Time
Being a Dad is great. Family-time is fun. But it’s also a lot of work! You need some wind-down time with mates too.
🧗♂️ Go Bouldering. Looking for something to do with your guy friends that isn’t just a bar? Go bouldering at Monk in Noord. It’s basically rock-climbing without the ropes. Fun. Challenging. They also have a bar with a good selection of local beers.
Thanks for reading. Have a great weekend!
Cheers,
Dan
📣 This is the 1st edition of this newsletter, and I’d love to hear what you think. Reply to this and let me know: What did you like? What was missing? (or take the simple poll below)
Also, if you liked it - it could be great if you could share it with a couple of other Amsterdam Dads you know! 🙏
Great stuff Dan! Not sure how easy it would be but perhaps we can crowd source a list of helpful resources /links as well. I’m thinking plumbers, handy men, mechanics etc.