Amsterdam (Rough Guide) - Martin Dunford [164]
KinderKookKafé
The Pancake Bakery Prinsengracht 191 (Grachtengordel west) 020/625 1333, www.pancake.nl. Busy, well-known pancake and omelette house that caters especially well for children. The pancakes are delicious, and kids are kept entertained at the table with pens, paper and novelty toys. Children’s pancakes start at around €5.50 with toy; adults’ pancakes also start from €5.50 – but no toy. Daily noon–9.30pm.
Kids’ Amsterdam |
Shops
Azzurro Kids P.C. Hooftstraat 122 (Museum Quarter and Vondelpark) 020/673 0457, www.azzurrokids.nl. Perhaps the city’s chicest kids’ clothes store, stocking labels such as Diesel, Replay, Armani and Baby Dior. Mon 1–6pm, Tues–Sat 10am–6pm (Thurs till 9pm), Sun noon–5pm.
De Beestenwinkel Staalstraat 11 (Old Centre) 020/623 1805, www.beestenwinkel.nl. Well-made stuffed toy animals, in all shapes and sizes. Mon noon–6pm, Tues–Fri 10am–6pm, Sat 10am–5.30pm, Sun noon–5.30pm.
De Bijenkorf Dam 1 (Old Centre) 020/552 1700. This department store has one of the best (and most reasonably priced) toy sections in town. Mon 11am–7pm, Tues & Wed 9.30am–7pm, Thurs & Fri 9.30am–9pm, Sat 9.30am–7pm, Sun noon–6pm.
Broer & Zus Rozengracht 104 (Jordaan and Western docklands) 020/422 9002, www.broerenzus.nl. Cool, urban streetwear and gifts with a funky twist for babies and children up to age 8, from T-shirts with logos to wooden toys and cute bags. The range includes the store’s own clothing label plus a few mid-range Dutch children’s designers. Tues–Fri 10.30am–6pm, Sat 10am–6pm.
De Geboortewinkel Bosboom Toussaintstraat 22 (Museum Quarter and Vondelpark) 020/683 1806, www.degeboortewinkel.nl. Specialists in all kinds of stuff for new or expectant parents, from quality clothes and bedding to prams and furniture. Mon 1–6pm, Tues–Sat 10am–6pm.
Intertoys Heiligeweg 26 (Old Centre) 020/638 3356, www.intertoys.nl. Amsterdam’s largest toy shop, with branches throughout the city. Mon 11am–6pm, Tues–Fri 9.30am–6pm (Thurs till 9pm) Sat 9.30am–5.30pm, Sun noon–5pm.
De Kinderbrillenwinkel Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 129–131 (Old Centre) 020/626 4091, www.kinderbrillenwinkel.com. Shop specializing in spectacles for children of all ages, with a selection of very stylish frames for adults available next door at Marcel Barlag Visuals. Wed–Sat 11am–6pm (till 5pm Sat).
Oilily P.C. Hooftstraat 131–133 (Museum Quarter and Vondelpark) 020/672 3361. This marvellous children’s clothing chain has been dressing the luckiest Dutch kids in colourful – and, let’s face it, pretty expensive – outfits since the 1960s, and is still going strong here in its flagship Amsterdam location. Mon 1–6pm, Tues–Sat 10am–6pm (Thurs till 9pm).
Teuntje Haarlemmerdijk 132 (Jordaan and Western docklands) 020/625 3432, www.teuntje.nu. Large shop stocking a wide range of prams and strollers, including models by Bugaboo and Easywalker, as well as carriers and highchairs. The store also sells toys, a good range of clothing (0–8yrs) and shoes. Mon 1–6pm, Tues–Fri 10am–6pm, Sat 10am–5pm.
Tinkerbell Spiegelgracht 10 (Grachtengordel south) 020/625 8830, www.tinkerbelltoys.nl. A wonderful shop full of old-fashioned toys, mobiles, models and kids’ books, with all purchases beautifully gift-wrapped. Mon 1–6pm, Tues–Sat 10am–6pm, Sun noon–5pm.
Sports and activities
Most visitors to Amsterdam tend to confine their exercise to walking around the major sights, but if you do get the urge to stretch your muscles, there’s a wide range of sports to enjoy. In winter – if it’s cold enough – skating on the frozen waterways is the most popular and enjoyable activity; other winter sports are mostly played in private health or sports clubs, to which you can usually get a day pass, though many are well outside the city centre.
The chief spectator sport is football. Amsterdam is home to the legendary Ajax (pronounced “eye-axe