It is that time again! The Great Summer Vacation is just around the corner! Temperatures are rising and it is getting busier in the cities with tourists. If you live in such a pleasant province, you hardly need to go on holiday. That is why we dedicate our first blog to fun holiday outings around The Hague. If you do go on holiday, you can of course always try the outings on a day off!
City farm de galehoeve
A farm in the middle of the city! Children can help to their heart’s content with looking after the animals, play on the nature playground, mess around with water and play in the shade under the fruit trees or in the willow tunnel. Children enjoy being outside and learning about the animals and nature at the same time!
There is also a picnic area where you can enjoy a picnic and many activities are organized. The farm also offers teaching options for primary and secondary education!
Extra fun: You can also celebrate your children’s party here or take a school trip.
Free access
Accessibility: This trip is suitable for people with reduced mobility. It is wheelchair accessible and there are facilities for the blind.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 0900 – 1700 hrs. Different opening days and times on a number of public holidays.
Age: from 0 – 100
Address: Mient 210 2564 KR The Hague
Zuiderpret nature playground
In the Zuiderpret nature playground, children can experience nature. Playing on the playground or building huts, playing with branches or sand, water and mud. There is a fast-flowing stream where the water comes to about the ankles. Here are stepping stones, tree trunks, swing ropes and walkways so that children can cross the stream in different ways.
The playground is very extensive. Between the forest edges you will find play hills, pits and a watchtower of 3 meters high. This offers enough challenge for a fun day out!
There is a separate play area for children under 6 years old. The water is shallow here, there is a path through the bush, there are willow huts and a secluded spot with beautiful flowers!
There are various options for parents and children to sit or have a picnic! And before you eat, you can wash your hands at the tap on the site, which is very handy!
(Note! Small children do not need more than 5 cm of water to drown. Even though the water is only up to the ankles here, children should always be supervised. When drowning you will not be alarmed by a sound, it often happens in silence)
Free access
Parking nearby
Madurodam
Madurodam is the Netherlands in miniature. A very nice day trip!
Madurodam is a Dutch miniature city in The Hague on a scale of 1 to 25, opened on July 2, 1952. This tourist theme park attracts approximately 600,000 paying visitors every year. The park covers a total area of 62,630 m². The built city itself measures 17,630 m².
It is named after George Maduro, a Curaçao student who distinguished himself as a cavalry officer in the battle of the residence during the May days of 1940, and who died in Dachau concentration camp in February 1945; his parents donated the initial capital for the project, which is regarded by the Maduro family as a monument to their only son. Madurodam paints a picture of a Dutch city and Dutch society through more than 700 models of buildings from all parts of the Netherlands. A hospital and a cemetery are missing.
Address : George Maduroplein 1, 2584 RZ The Hague, Netherlands
T +31 70 41 624 00
E info@madurodam.nl
Children’s Book Museum
In the Children’s Book Museum in The Hague, children are introduced to children’s literature in a playful way. Learning, experiencing and doing are central to the museum visit. All of the museum’s exhibitions and workshops stimulate one’s own imagination and stimulate pleasure in reading children’s books. In addition to guided tours, the museum also provides museum lessons for primary and secondary schools.
Exhibitions
The Children’s Book Museum has three exhibitions for children of different ages. There is an exciting Papiria exhibition for children from 7 years old. Together with acquaintances such as Dolfje Weerwolfje, Minoes and Pippi Longstocking they defeat Inktvraat. Children from 0 to 6 years old can visit the Frog or ABC exhibition with the animals. At Ik ben Kikker the children go on an adventure in the world of Kikker. In ABC with the animals, acquaintances such as Caterpillar Never Enough, Elmo, Fox and Hare, Little Polar Bear and Miffy pass by. The playful exhibition is a feast of recognition and at the same time an adventure full of new discoveries. And playfully children discover letters, sounds and rhyming words. And the pleasure of reading.
Accessibility
The Children’s Book Museum is housed together with the Literature Museum in the Koninklijke Bibliotheek building. The main entrance of the complex provides access to the entrance of the museum, which is located on the first floor. The KB complex is located between Central Station and the Utrechtsebaan (A12) in The Hague. You can travel to The Hague Central Station by train, tram or bus. There you take the side exit of track twelve (the Randstadrail). If you walk straight ahead, you will come to the entrance of the Koninklijke Bibliotheek (the KB complex).
If you come by car, keep the A12 from Prins Clausplein in the direction of The Hague (Utrechtsebaan). Take exit 2 (P-Centrum) and use the navigation address Prins Willem-Alexanderweg 5. Right next to the museum is the Centraal Station/New Babylon parking garage.
Lego land Discovery Center
Legoland Scheveningen will be the sixth indoor park in Europe, you will find them in Manchester, Berlin, Oberhausen, Istanbul and Birmingham.
Legoland Discovery Center cannot be compared with Legoland in Denmark.
It is an indoor attraction with multiple rides for the whole family. You will find LEGO Building & play zones, a 4D cinema and a miniature version of The Hague and Scheveningen, of course made of LEGO bricks.
There will also be special birthday rooms for fun children’s parties.
All this will be found in 3,000 square meters with the attractions mainly underground.
Price Legoland Scheveningen
A standard ticket for a visit to Legoland Scheveningen costs € 18.25. Children aged 2 and under can play for free.
It is very likely that there will also be combination tickets with the adjacent Sealife Scheveningen. Tickets are expected to be available online once Legoland opens.
Address : Beach road 13, 2586 JK The Hague
Sea life Scheveningen
SEA LIFE Scheveningen gives you a special insight into the wonderful underwater life of our oceans. Come face to face with sharks and rays. Learn about sea turtles and dangerous piranhas. And meet the friendly otters and penguins in their beautiful enclosure. SEA LIFE has no fewer than 45 aquariums with sea creatures and is open every day. The indoor attraction therefore always offers a varied outing for families with children between the ages of 3 and 11, even if it rains or is bad in The Hague. Kids can attend the daily feeding of the animals or go on a scavenger hunt, and during the school holidays there are additional youth activities that can be attended free of charge. Located on the boulevard of Scheveningen, SEA LIFE can be perfectly combined with a visit to the beach. This way you can turn your day out into a real day at sea!
Feeding times
Every day in SEA LIFE there are fun (feed) presentations with the different animals, which you can attend. You will receive the program with the exact times at the entrance.
Underwater tunnel
A typical tropical experience is the underwater tunnel in SEA LIFE. Here you will experience what it is like to take a dip in the tropical seas. Surrounded by sea creatures and beautiful corals, you will be amazed by the magical underwater world in which the fish and sharks swim above your head.
sensory pool
Want to experience underwater animals up close? This is possible with the interactive sensory pool of SEA LIFE! Several underwater animals that live near the shore can be touched under the guidance of an employee. This way you can feel a real starfish, hold a crab and learn everything about these animals.
Virtual Reality and I-Sandbox
Take a seat in the diving cage, put on a real old-fashioned diving helmet and start a virtual underwater adventure. Sitting on a chair it becomes a dive with 360 degrees view and beautiful and also exciting sound effects. Along the way you will encounter jellyfish, sharks, moray eels, beautiful corals and many more beautiful animals.
Also have an interactive 3d sandbox with an educational touch that the children can play with for hours. A sandbox where the sand comes to life and rivers and mountains are created by your touch.
Look behind the scenes
SEA LIFE Scheveningen always offers a special look behind the scenes during school holidays and weekends. During this tour, you and an employee will visit the animal shelter, the laboratory, the kitchen and pump installations. Help with water testing, see where the food is prepared and discover even more about the underwater world. (Please note: Animal feeding is not part of the tour.) A behind-the-scenes tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and is suitable for ages 10 and up. Pre-booking is required (070-3542100), but it is also possible to register at the cash register if there is still room.
Children’s parties
SEA LIFE Scheveningen is ideal for (birthday) parties for children from the age of five. The kids are transformed into pirates and go in search of the treasure or they are painted and look for the pearl. In between the assignments, the children can of course also view the fish and attend fun (feed) presentations. The children’s parties in SEA LIFE are offered with food, a drink and an ice cream. A party lasts about two hours in total. No children’s parties are possible during the school holidays and not in the afternoon on Sundays. For more information, please contact SEA LIFE!
Conservation
In addition to showing the beautiful world of seas and oceans, SEA LIFE is also committed to nature conservation. The attraction makes people aware of the importance of this and makes regular contributions to the conservation of marine life. SEA LIFE wants to ensure that the underwater world will not only be visible in its aquariums, but that you can also admire it in real life.
Opening hours
SEA LIFE is open all year round except Christmas Day. Extended opening hours apply in the summer months of July and August. During holidays and weekends it can be busy between 12:00 and 15:00. Wheelchair users are therefore advised to visit the attraction outside these peak times. Unfortunately, with the exception of assistance dogs, dogs are not allowed in SEA LIFE. Photography is allowed, but not with flash.
Tickets
Tickets for SEA LIFE can be purchased online in advance through the attraction’s website. Sealife.nl also regularly offers great discounts and combination tickets that make a visit cheaper. In addition, discount vouchers for SEA LIFE are available at the counter of VVV The Hague. Children under three years old are free. An average visit to SEA LIFE takes about an hour and a half, but the ticket remains valid all day, so you can go back in later in the day. The extra activities on weekends and school holidays are free.
Address : SEA LIFE Scheveningen, Strandweg 13, 2586 JK THE HAGUE
Monkey forest
A super nice play forest near the Tapuit, the visitor center of Dunea in Meijendel.
This play forest was developed together with children from the Montessori school in Wassenaar. The entrance to the Monkeybos is free and a favorite with a lot of kids!
Children can literally and figuratively experience nature here. Building forest huts, climbing trees, from the cable car, on the watchtower, walking through huge water pipes and much more! You really have to come and experience it for yourself.
The Monkey Forest has 2 entrances: 1 on the side of the Wheatear and 1 on the side of the picnic meadows. On a sunny day, get on your bike, bring picnic gear and a ball and you’ll have hours of fun here!
Address :
Meijendelseweg 40-42
2243 GN Wassenaar
Phone: 088 347 4849
E-mail: visitor center@dunea.nl
Closed on Mondays
Tuesday to Friday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 10am – 5pm
Holidays: De Tapuit is also open on regular holidays
Mappa Mundia
Mappa Mundia is the newest attraction of Avonturia de Vogelkelder and stands for Zoo, Fun & Expo, a small-scale zoo in The Hague. In the world of Mappa Mundia fantasy and reality go hand in hand. Since 11 May 2019, Mappa Mundia has expanded and is open to the public 7 days a week. It is a combination of a zoo, experience, fantasy, exhibition and education. In the world of Mappa Mundia you can enjoy yourself as a family, a real day out in The Hague (South Holland) with the whole family or with the family.
Mappa Mundia is the collective name for world maps that differ from the real world maps. This world map was captured by various explorers who brought fantasy stories to life and did not dare to leave at all. They had cool stories about mermaids, faunies and creatures with huge feet that they used as umbrellas in warm weather. Yet there were also stories that were not fantasy and turned out to be real, Mappa Mundia: A world map on which fantasy and reality go hand in hand.
The expedition through Mappa Mundia starts at the Gold Digging House, here you also get a map, so you can’t get lost!
You then go through various worlds, from Archaeological Excavations, Cave Systems, the Adventure Tree, temples, stalactite caves, the Port of Bombay, via the Princess Emely boat to the Rat Sewer in The Hague in search of the wonderful world of Professor Das. Visit Professor Das’ house on Jan Huybersplein and discover the Pinguin Academy. Along the way you come across the collections of Professor Dastegen’s far travels. The route he has traveled and all the special things and the wonders of the World, which the professor has experienced, taken with him and explored.
Do you want to relax? That is possible, on the Jan Huybersplein you can take a seat at the tables in a very special location. In this beautiful square you are surrounded by centuries old buildings, a train station, piranhas and much more! You can also order a snack or drink at the Patisserie, one of the many special buildings located on Jan Huybersplein. At the very end of Mappa Mundia you arrive at Avonturia’s Kitchen, where you can enjoy a snack, drink or fresh adventurous sandwiches in a natural environment!
Mappa Mundia, formerly known as Avonturion, has been named the cheapest zoo in the Hague Region by the AD, according to research by RTL Nieuws! On average you will lose 92 euros at a zoo for 2 adults and 2 children in the Netherlands, at Mappa Mundia in The Hague this is only 23.80 in total for 4 people.
In addition to Mappa Mundia, Avonturia offers various other activities for children and adults. There are two starting locations for activities, the Gold Search House and the Zooper Camp. In addition, Avonturia is also the largest pet store in the BeNeLux, which is simply accessible for free, this is an experience in itself! Mappa Mundia and Avonturia are a household name in South Holland, a unique experience for the whole family.
Mappa Mundia is open 7 days a week during the opening hours of Avonturia de Vogelkelder.
Reservations are not necessary, you can come whenever you want!
PLEASE NOTE: Mappa Mundia is unfortunately NOT wheelchair accessible!
Reservations are required for large groups, schools and children’s parties.
Address :
Avonturia the Bird Cellar
Kerketuinenweg 3
2544 CV The Hague
Play farm Zoetermeer
The Buitenbeest is a unique combination of a real city farm in old buildings and a modern and beautifully landscaped nature playground. The petting zoo and the playground are directly adjacent to each other and are connected by means of a bridge. This makes a visit to this destination in Zoetermeer with the children an afternoon or morning filling activity. Because there is actually something for every age and everyone, this is a nice family outing. The big advantage: you don’t have to go to two different destinations. By the way, Zoetermeer is well covered when it comes to outings with animals or in nature, because City Farm De Balijhoeve, Play Forest De Balij and City Farm De Weidemolen are also located in Zoetermeer.
Animals at the petting zoo
The list of animals that can be kept on this cozy city farm / petting zoo is impressive. Especially because of many animals there are several breeds around. And it doesn’t just stop at looking, because it also involves a lot of doing. You can pet the sheep and goats, but the parents can also grab guinea pigs that can be placed on the children’s lap. You can also sit between the large rabbits (Flemish Giants).
These animals can be found there:
(Dwarf) goats
Three breeds of sheep
Cows
pigs
Two breeds of chickens
chickens
Quakers
Four breeds of rabbits
guinea pigs
The city farm also has a number of old agricultural tools with explanations. A nice lesson in agricultural history for the older children.
Playing on the nature playground
There are several play options; for the smaller children there is a small playground on the city farm with seesaw chickens and a trampoline. When you cross the bridge you come to an activity center (there is a lot to do at the weekend) where you can also find the nature playground of Het Buitenbeest. It is in the middle of the residential area, so it is not really in nature, but an outdoor playground has been chosen with tree stumps, water pump where the children can let the water flow down the hill and lots of wood in the play equipment.
Practical
Going out with the kids is of course the easiest if there is a toilet. Play farm Het Buitenbeest has both a toilet and catering. You have to be careful with parking. There is a limited number of spaces at Voorweg 93 in front of the entrance to the city farm. It is easier to park in the residential area at the entrance to the nature playground of Het Buitenbeest. For this you can enter Belvédèrebos 259, 2715 VP in Zoetermeer as the address. There are also charging stations for electric vehicles there.
Main entrance Belvédère forest 270
2715 VP
Zoetermeer
Access to the play island with activity center, greenhouse, nature playground and childcare De Drie Ballonnen.
Address Entrance animal area:
Foreway 93
2715 NG
Zoetermeer
Animal section:
Phone: 079-3520624
Email: Buitenbeest@zoetermeer.nl
Facebook: City farm Het Buitenbeest
Twitter: @BuitenbeestZM
Opening hours:
Mon to Sun from 10:00 to 17:00
