Family Days Out in Rotterdam

Children get plenty from Rotterdam, as long as the day is built in short blocks. This page lays out half-day blocks you can mix, plus a wet-weather backup. All prices are in euros.

Block 1: ships and harbour

Start with the SS Rotterdam on Katendrecht. Its Uitwaaien & Zwaaien tour is the one for families, with the character Kapitein Kaap, and it takes about 1.5 hours at your own pace. Tickets are €13.45 for adults and €8.50 for ages 4 to 12, and the route has wheelchair access. The tours run daily from 10:00 to 17:00, with the last start at 15:30.

A different view comes from the 75 minute Spido harbour tour, at €18.75 for adults and €10.55 for children. Boats leave from the foot of the Erasmusbrug.

Block 2: animals

Diergaarde Blijdorp at Blijdorplaan 8 is Rotterdam Zoo, and the Oceanium forms part of it. A dated adult ticket starts at €27.50 on the zoo’s site, and the shown hours are 09:00 to 16:00. Keep a safe distance and leave the animals unfed. Rotterdampas holders can visit once at the reduced price of €5.

Block 3: up high

The Euromast at Parkhaven 20 gives every ticket-holder a children’s scavenger hunt. General tickets start at €13.50 online, and the Euroscoop rotating lift is in the complete ticket. Visits can run into the evening, since the doors close at 22:00.

Block 4: small spaces

At Overblaak 70, the Kijk-Kubus is a furnished cube in which the walls and windows are all tilted. Children under 12 pay €1.50 and under 4 enter free. Allow a short visit, then eat at the Markthal, where the stalls are open from 10:00 Monday to Saturday.

Block 5: windmills

Kinderdijk suits a half day. A child ticket is €9 for ages 4 to 12 and includes the boat tour and the bird theatre. The WaterShuttle from the Erasmusbrug takes under 30 minutes, with a separate ticket. Hours change by season, so look at kinderdijk.nl .

Wet weather

  • Maritiem Museum Rotterdam, at Leuvehaven 1, gives a free second ticket on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
  • The Fenix Museum of Migration is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00.
  • The Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen needs an online time slot and is open Tuesday to Sunday.

Water safety

Children should not swim or paddle in the Nieuwe Maas or in the harbour basins. For a lake beach, use the sand beach on the Kralingse Plas, stay beside your child at all times, and note that boat rental asks for a swimming certificate.

Tips

  • Cycle paths run beside many streets, so hold young children’s hands at crossings.
  • Tap in and out with a contactless card on the metro.

Read more: Rotterdam activities and the 3-day itinerary . Ship details are on ssrotterdam.nl , and family tours can be searched on GetYourGuide .