Vondeltuin

Good stuff

• (Normally) a large sandpit close to the outdoor seating area 

• Great location within Vondelpark so you can take the kids for a roam around the park afterwards

Beware

• Not a great bad weather option

The full details

It had been quite a long time since we had been to Vondeltuin. When we are in the area we tend to default to Groot Melkhuis instead, for no particular reason other than habit, so I was looking forward to returning after this hiatus.

We’d had an energetic morning, so in fact both toddlers were asleep when we arrived. I took advantage of this and ordered a Leffe Blonde 0%. The non-alcoholic beer menu is more than just tokenistic, which always sets things off on a positive note. 

After they woke up came the next piece of news, and it was less welcome. The gate to the large sandpit around the back of Vondeltuin was locked closed! On the other side, diggers and bulldozers were clanking and scraping like a scene from one of the big toddler’s favourite books. 

But we were unperturbed. We decided to check out the refreshments. It had started to spit with rain so they went for hot chocolates to warm the spirits. There was no section for kids’ drinks on the menu and I baulked slightly at the idea of spending €8 on two hot chocolates from the main drinks section, most of which would end up decorating their jumpers and coats. I asked the waitress if she could make small ones and she did two of these happily for a much more digestible €5. 

Vondeltuin is yet another establishment to add to Amsterdam’s confusingly large collection of cafes that are wonderful for kids in good weather but completely unremarkable in rain. The indoor seating area is small and does not have a lot of space.

Outside is another story. Aside from the out of service sandpit, there is a huge seating area with loads of space for children to roam if they get fidgety. There are overhanging trees and low level shrubs, home to many birds and insects ready for inspection. There is a range of seating choices, including picnic benches and also low level pallet benches, which can serve as both a convenient changing space (the toilets are inside up a narrow set of stairs) and as a novel play apparatus.

The menu is quite extensive, with a small kids’ section and six types of toastie! 

The rain started to pick up so we made our way, but not before stopping to deeply observe the work of the machinery behind the gate. We will have to make another visit to inspect the fruits of all that labour.