A summer holiday full of activities for kids

The summer holidays start in Rotterdam and its surroundings on 13 July and last until 25 August. Several museums and attractions therefore organise activities during the summer months where (grand)parents and caregivers can go with the youngest ones!

Marine Museum

From 15 July to 23 August, there are plenty of cool activities to experience at the Marine Museum. Build a tracked vehicle, go on a mission like a marine or join Major Maas on patrol, with map, compass and a full rucksack, around the museum every Wednesday at 11:00 and 14:00. Along the way, there will be scrambling and tasting a marine's rations. Children from 7 years old may join the patrol. In the meantime, parents can check out the new Up to the Bone exhibition at their leisure.

To the bone

From 10 July, Marine Museum will show what it looks like behind the scenes of training for the Marine Corps. Photographer Rob Poortvliet was given exclusive access to the training by the Marines Training Centre (MOC). His lens captures the Marines in training razor-sharp: their uncertainties, the intensive training, the physical and mental exhaustion and finally the swearing-in as Marines.

As part of this exhibition, there is also an experience: Marines on Mission (recommended age from 8 years).

100% Contemporary

Children aged 4 to 12 (and anyone who still feels like a child after that) can visit Witte de Withstraat 50 from 12 July for an art adventure with something for everyone. Four large art installations show how an artist's creative process begins. Children can discover whether they are a a rebel, a sampler, a fantasist or a pioneer?

100% Contemporary is the umbrella art education platform of art institutions MaMA, Kunstinstituut Melly and TENT for pupils in secondary education and senior secondary vocational education. Especially for the Holiday Passport, the institutions created this interactive exhibition together with Studio De Ronners.

Admission is free for children. With a holiday passport, two free supervisors can accompany them.

Blijdorp Zoo

For little ones aged 4 to 12, but secretly great fun for adults too, there will be life-size Playmobil figures in the zoo until 1 September. Using an activity booklet at the entrance, a route can be followed. By participating in the scavenger hunt, there is a chance to win a meet & greet with a zookeeper.

In August, the zoo is open extra long. During these ZOOmer nights, there are all kinds of summer activities. With special guided tours, peeks behind the scenes and live music on the terraces.

Maritime Museum

The museum celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, which is why the whole summer is a celebration at the museum for young and old adventurers. From 13 July to 25 August, extra activities are organised every day, including workshops, activities, treasure hunts, boat trips and read-aloud moments where exciting maritime books are read aloud. Go plastic fishing in the Maritime District and find out what all that recycled plastic can be used for.

Scavenger hunt Handy!

Of course, the Natural History Museum always has something for children to do, such as workshops or the Nature Hour. In the school holidays, the museum often organises themed treasure hunts. This summer, the scavenger hunt is called Speurtocht Handig!

During the scavenger hunt, participants will go through the museum in search of animals to discover what tricks they have to live as comfortably as possible. For example, flippers on a land animal are incredibly clumsy!

The scavenger hunt is for all children aged 4 to 12 (there is a scavenger hunt for children who cannot read and write and a version for children who can). The scavenger hunt and entrance are free with the Holiday Passport. Companions of children with a Holiday Passport get 50% discount on the entrance fee. Without the passport, the scavenger hunt costs 2.50 plus a ticket to the museum.

Scoot Week and Skate Week

At 4,200m²,Skateland is one of the leading skate parks in the Netherlands. Skateland provides weekly lessons at all levels, for young and old, for BMX, scooter and skateboard. During holidays, the lessons are intensified with the Scootweek (scooters) and Skateweek.

A series of lessons are taught over a short period of time, with participants divided into groups according to age and level. A professional instructor teaches and at the end there is a final game.

In between, lunch will be eaten together. Skateland provides all food and drinks, so there is no need to do or bring anything yourself.

Trompenburg!

During the summer holidays, there is an expedition route that leads past different parts of Trompenburg. Along the way, there are various assignments and games to do, so that at the end all the fun things have been done. But the little participants will also have learned a lot of new things. Fun for children between 4 and 12 years old. With the Rotterdam Holiday Passport, the treasure hunt, including entrance for child and 1 adult, is free. The route is available until 25 August.

Ambition Expedition

In the run-up to the Tour de France Femme, Villa Zebra is organising a special tour workshop. This workshop is specially designed for children aged 7-12 by artist Vanessa Obinu. Using collage techniques, children create a colourful world filled with dreams, wishes and ambitions. Everyone works on an individual artwork, but in the end all the artworks will be formed into one big artwork by Evelien Schram. That object will be presented during the Tour de France Femme. By using their imagination, children discover new places and strengths within themselves in this workshop.

During Tour de France Femme on 11 and 13 August, Villa Zebra will also be the venue for Villa Zebra Family Hub. The child-friendly place during Tour de France Femme. The two days are entirely dedicated to families and the tour. Villa Zebra is then freely accessible to the public and open from 10 am to 5 pm. Pedal bikes and scooters are available, there are tour-themed workshops or take a break in the Zebra Café.