8 Things to do in Utrecht with Kids
Last Updated: September 9th 2024.
Utrecht is a fun city to live in, I’ve been living here for 25 years and loved the city since I moved here for attending university. We decided to raise our son here and have no regrets. There’s plenty to do with kids of all ages. When they’re toddlers as well as preschoolers. I will name just a few of the fun things to do in Utrecht with kids. Both Yuri and us enjoyed these 8 things immensely. Utrecht is one of the best cities in the Netherlands to visit, so if you’re visiting with young kids, check out this list.
1.Spoorwegmuseum
One of our all-time favorites to do in Utrecht with kids is the railway museum or Spoorwegmuseum in Dutch. We’ve been there plenty of times, and it’s fantastic. Your kid doesn’t need to be a big train fan to enjoy himself here. For us it’s a 10 minute bike ride. But you can also reach the museum by car. The museum has a parking lot right in front, but especially when there’s an event it’s fully occupied fast.
What’s even more fun is going to the museum by train. There is a special train that goes from Utrecht Central Station to Utrecht Maliebaan. The trainstation you arrive at is in the museum. The museum is in the old Maliebaanstation which has been built in 1874. We went a few times with the train to the museum, but in the afternoon there’s no train back for a few hours. We had to take the bus, which is a 5 minute walk. On bike works better for us, but otherwise I would say arrive at the museum by train. Nowadays there’s a train going each hour.
The museum is child friendly, it has slides outside, a small kids only train and more attractions which are fun for kids of all ages. Next to the attractions there are also shows. For instance a conductor who tells of his last ride on the Orient express. Inside and outside there are different locks and barrels displayed. You’re allowed to go inside a few. The museum has a regular set-up and temporary exhibitions. It’s a museum in which the kids can play, and the parents can join in, which gives also the experience of being inside a train, but next to hands on experience there’s also a “serieus” part.
Special Events at the Spoorwegmuseum
The museum hosts events, like the Thomas the Train weekend in May. We’ve been a few years in a row when Yuri had the age that he loved Thomas the Train. Yuri loved seeing the “real” Thomas the Train. They had Thomas the Train blow steam. There’s a show with Thomas the Train and friends. Thomas the Train episodes were shown and a secluded place where the kids can play with the Thomas the Train sets. We have good memories from the times we went here. Yuri’s best memory revolves around the food. The blue waffles are the main attraction according to Yuri. (Second was the blue icecream.) The downside was that when we visited the railway museum again, Yuri expected there to be blue waffles, and was disappointed that they only had them once a year. Sadly Thomas the Train didn’t visit the museum in 2024.
Another event the railway museum hosts is the Chugginton week during fall break in October. We went once, liked it, but had big expectations, which weren’t met, because of the Thomas the Train weekend. There was less to do around the Chugginton theme Chugginton. No real life Chugginton trains or Chugginton show. Chuggington week seems not to be hosted anymore at the museum.
Winter Station at the Spoorwegmuseum
Another fun event we’ve been to several times and which is for all ages is the Winter Station. This is during Christmas break, which lasts 2 weeks in December and Januari. It’s fantastic to roast marshmallows above a fire and to skate on the rink they have set-up inside the museum.
Spoorwegmuseum
Maliebaanstation 16
3581 XW Utrecht
https://www.spoorwegmuseum.nl/
+31 30-2306206
Entrance is until the age of 3 for free. Up from the age of 4 the entrance is 19.50 Euros. Opening hours are Tuesday till Sunday 10 am – 5 pm. Parking ticket costs 12.00 Euros.
2.Museum Speelklok
We’ve been numerous times to Museum Speelklok (Musical clock or street organ museum) with Yuri. It’s in the city centre, in between the stores. Whenever Paul needed to go shopping, he took Yuri with him and did the one hour tour. They loved it, although they knew it by heart after a few visits. The tour has been changed and shortened since then, Paul and Yuri still miss a few of the things they used to show.
The museum has automatically playing music instruments on display. During the tour they demonstrate a few, mostly older, instruments, like a bunny popping out of a cabbage, and a self-playing piano.
There’s also a self-guided tour, during which you can play with some of the new instruments built specifically for the museum. Kids can go on a search to find monkies all around the museum. The monkey is the mascotte of the museum. Each picture of the museum has a music note which they have to color on a piece of paper. At the end they can puncture this out and play on a musical instrument.
Extra’s at Museum Speelklok
During schoolbreaks the museum hosts shows and other extra things for kids to do. Next to that they have temporary exhibitions, there was one about automatically playing robots who play an instrument. Which was fun and interesting to visit in Utrecht with kids.
Museum Speelklok
Steenweg 6
3511 JP Utrecht
https://www.museumspeelklok.nl/
+31 30-2312789
Entrance fee is for 4 till 12 year 8.00 Euros, youths from 12 till 17 years old is 11.50 Euros, a ticket for adults costs 15.50 Euros. Opening hours are from Tuesday till Sunday 10 am – 5 pm. Museum Speelklok is about 15 minutes walking from Utrecht Central trainstation.
3.Domtower
The Domtower is the proud landmark and symbol of Utrecht. You can see it from afar and it means home for us. A visit to Utrecht shouldn’t be without climbing the Domtower. It’s a top thing to do in Utrecht with kids. The Dom tower was originally part of the Dom church, but in 1674 there was a tornado in the city. One of the things it destroyed was the middle part of the church. Separating the church and tower, built between 1321 and 1382, forever. The Domtower is 112 meters and 32 centimeters high. You’re able to see the whole of Utrecht from above.
Our Experience
You can climb the tower with a tour, there are special kidstours. Paul has taken one of those tours with Yuri a few years back. They explained a lot about the history and working of the tower and let the kids do things too. Sadly Paul and Yuri didn’t make it all the way up, since Yuri had to go to the bathroom around the 400th stairstep. The toilets were all the way down. Paul went down with Yuri on his shoulders, who promised his dad not to pee on him. There was no point in going back up again afterwards. So unfortunately Paul didn’t get to enjoy the view from up high.
In 2019 I went with Yuri and his class to the Domtower and we got to see the view from up high, which was certainly worth climbing all those stairs for.
Domtower
Domplein 21
3512 JC Utrecht
+31 30-2360010
Entrance up from 13 years old is 13.50 euros, 0-3 years are for free, 4 till 12 years is 8.50 euros. Open from 10am till 5pm every day of the week.
4.Wilhelminapark
Yuri’s favorite playground when he was 3 to 4 years old. After that he was too busy playing with friends to go here with me. But I have some good memories of going here with Yuri. A perfect hidden gem outing in Utrecht with kids.
The Wilhelminapark is a park on the eastside of Utrecht, which has a playground, a huge grassfield, walking paths, a restaurant, trees, water and shrubs. Across the middle of the park runs a busy biking path. The park is in full use, when the first rays of sunlight are showing in Spring people are having picnics on the field. There’s people playing soccer and the neighbourhood organises events.
Yuri loved the playground especially. The playground is great in both winter and summer time. There’s a special part for toddlers, but also a more daring part. Yuri could play here for hours. I didn’t mind being here with Yuri, it was a bliss to be in the park. The playground is surrounded with a fence with 2 entrances.
Wilhelminapark
3581 NP Utrecht
Free entrance, payed parking.
5.Kayaking
There are several spots in Utrecht where you can rent a kayak to go out and about on the canals in Utrecht. We went kayaking at Botenverhuur de Rijnstroom, which is outside the city center. From here it’s easy rowing to for example Amelisweerd and Rhijnauwen, two beautiful estates with forest where you can have a lovely picnic after the rowing, which we did.
It was perfect to row and having a good workout, while in the meantime enjoying the sun and all the green surrounding you.
Yuri rowed also, found this scary at first but super fun afterwards. He liked the rowing, combined with a picnic and playing in the water. An energetic outing to go on in Utrecht with kids.
Botenverhuur De Rijnstroom V.O.F.
Weg naar Rhijnauwen 2
3584 AD Utrecht
+31 30-2521311
Open from March 1st till Octobre 31st, Monday – Sunday 9.30am till 6pm.
Free parking on the weekends, and after 11am. Monday till Friday it’s paid parking from 6am till 11am.
Prices vary from 6.00 euros for 1 hour in a one person kano, till 90.00 euros for an 7 persons silent electric boat.
6.Gamestate
The biggest arcadehall in the Benelux, at least they claim to be. As of 2024 it definitely isn’t the largest arcadehall anymore in the Benelux. We had been to arcadehalls before in the USA and Yuri (and Paul) loved them. So when we heard one was opening in our hometown, we just had to go there. First time Paul and Yuri went there was in 2019. They loved it. We visited several times since. It’s in the city center, so easy to go to when we have some shopping to do. We even had Yuri’s 9th Birthday party here, which was awesome.
In conclusion if your kid is into games, this is something for you, to do in Utrecht with kids.
Gamestate
Mariaplaats 13
3511 LJ Utrecht
https://www.gamestate.com/utrecht/
You buy a Gamestate Playcard. On this card you place money, with which you can play. Opening hours Sunday till Thursday 12pm – 12am, Friday & Saturday 12pm till 1am.
7.Stadsboederij Lunetten De Koppelsteede
On walking distance from our home is this fun petting zoo with different animals, a toddler playground, a nature playground, a coffee bar and community gardens. We don’t come here as often anymore, but when Yuri was little we visited weekly.
We enjoyed the farm year round. Yuri always loved the playground outside most. When he was older we only went once a year during apple plucking season. The farm hosts a “Oogstfeest” or harvest festival. You can pluck apples, and take them home with you. This is just one of the activties hosted on that day.
Stadsboederij Lunetten De Koppelsteede
Koppeldijk 115
3524 SK Utrecht
+31 30-7533850
Free entrance.
Opening hours Tuesday till Sunday 10 am – 5 pm.
8.Zwembad de Krommerijn
In the summer this swimming pool opens up for recreational swimming. There’s a kiddie pool, a large sunbathing lawn, a bigger swimming pool and a competition pool. With beautiful weather this place is perfect to spend an afternoon. We went here once with a few parents and kids from our street. A perfect outing on a warm day in Utrecht with kids.
Zwembad de Krommerijn
Weg naar Rhijnauwen 3
3584 AD Utrecht
They work with 2 different seasons: September till April and May till August. In the off season there’s no free swimming, you can only swim when you have a subscription. In the Summer there’s free swimming without a subscription, there is however a fee to enter.
That’s a Wrap on Our Things to do in Utrecht with Kids
So this were the 8 things we have enjoyed doing with Yuri in Utrecht in the last 8 years.
If you want to read about other ideas to do with kids in Europe, you can find that for instance in our blog about the Dordogne in France.
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9 Comments
Taylor
Wow, I didn’t realize Utrecht offered so much for kids. This all looks like fun!
Cosette
Yes, it’s a very kid friendly city.
Maria
I love Utrecht! It’s my favorite Dutch city. Also seems great for kids 🙂
Cosette
Yes, I love my hometown, although I also love Maastricht a lot speaking of Dutch cities.
Bri
Looks like the city has a lot to offer for kids! We love the Netherlands
Julia
Hello! You have definitely had a great time in all these places. Utrecht looks like a kids-friendly city!
Under flowery sky
Railway museum sounds so fun, awesome ideas..
Jessica
The apple picking on the farm looks so fun! They don’t have any orchards like that here in Spain, which is a shame because we loved them in the U.S.
Kelly Ratcliff
We don’t have children but we would definitely enjoy views from Domtower. Museum Speelklok looks very interesting for both adults and children. Thanks for the ideas!