Spriet box had us at hello. That is to say; if 'hello' is the website of the Dutch brand. That website is headlined with: “Quality time with your child. More wonder. Less hassle”. That's the nail on the head. Because YES, quality time with the kids. But nooooo… No inspiration or worse: the strength to keep coming up with something new. As much as it hurts to admit that, it's just true. So if a brand 1) understands that, and 2) also has a truly and incredibly fun solution, then we would like to praise it. With this one. Spriet box is FUN!

And the implementation is simple: kids in the shared car, to the nearest forest, grab a Spiet box and you are guaranteed a great afternoon.

Yeah yeah yeah, but what IS it then? Spriet-box is a compact box (fits through the letterbox, which also makes it a super fun no-time-to-go-to-town gift) with craft activities, treasure hunt cards and even your own plants, all in the spirit of nature. And there is even a box with everything you – or actually: your little one – should know about poop. The shit Naturally. Success assured, we can tell you.

Okay, okay, a weekly or monthly visit to the Efteling may not be for everyone, but if you want to make the kids, and yourself, happy, then plan a visit to the iconic Brabant amusement park because, let's be honest, there are In all the years that Efteling has existed, there is still no park that surpasses the Kaatsheuvel village. All year round, moreover. And if you want to go one step further, make a weekend of it. There's really nothing as nice as spending a few nights in the domain of Klaas Often and his friends, i.e. Bosrijk, one of the holiday parks that are part of the Efteling. And immediately our favorite. The cottages on the lake are furnished just like your own home (everything is there - so nice!), but with breakfast service. Ha! And not only that: there is also a great good night service: you just have to indicate it and Klaas Often will come and tell the little ones a bedtime story in person. And then provide those children's heads with one of the nightcaps that hang in the house... It doesn't get more fun. Or at least: every day (including the arrival and departure day) you and the entire club can enter the park half an hour earlier than all other guests (avoid the lines!) and you can walk in and out as often as you want. About all the fun We don't need to say anything more at Efteling, right? Let's go! Efteling

Of course, we cannot forget the always-fun-to-visit castles in this list. So here we are! Admit it, yes you, there is nothing more fun than spending a day wandering around such a huge (mysterious) building. As a real knight, damsel, prince(ess) or duke(ess) you can taste and smell the atmosphere of castle life (that smell remains a thing) and discover together with the children what was hidden behind the castle walls.

Here you can read about our favorite ones kid proof castles in the Netherlands!

Oink oink, bééehhhh, kukeleku en grunt. Once the little one manages to imitate even one of these sounds, you're stuck with it. Watching the critters! Because it remains something very special in the eyes of those children. And we think that is a spectacle. Win-win. But fortunately, as parents we still have a choice. Hello, dilemma: which petting zoo is really fun for child + parent? Don't worry!

We did the research and found the nicest petting zoos in the Netherlands.

It is really no punishment to take a walk in nature. Not even during the somewhat wet, gray days. Get some fresh air, let the children run wild and enjoy the oh-so-beautiful nature. Nature near Amsterdam? Yes, there is. No, not it we all know Vondelpark or the Amsterdamse Bos. So here are three nice forests/parks near Amsterdam!

• South Kennemerland National Park – the perfect place to take an autumn walk in the forest or dunes. At the entrance you will find Kraantje Lek (great for all kinds of goodies). Be sure to have a cappuccino to go and let the children play in the playground.
• Diemerbos – this is a real urban forest (260 hectares in size) with something for everyone. Wonderful for walking, cycling, sports, playing or bird watching. There is also a play forest for the kids and you can enjoy a snack and a drink at House of Bird.
• Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes – here you can walk for hours (if the kids are okay with that), on existing roads and paths, walking routes or off road 'strolls'. Oh yes, and the tip for guaranteed spotting deer.

A cozy café for the grown-ups with cake and coffee, while the little ones pick apples and blackberries and chase after the chickens scratching around. It might not be right around the corner, but the bike ride via Westerpark and De Bretten is well worth it. Once on location, you’ll find bushes full of berries, raspberries, and strawberries, and trees with crisp apples and sweet pears. At the entrance, you receive a basket full of containers to fill and a carton of eggs. After all, there are chickens hopping around in the orchard, and you can collect the eggs yourself. In the middle of the grounds sits the spacious little café where you can – naturally – order fresh apple juice and homemade fruit tart. Everything is, of course, completely organic, sustainable, and eco-friendly, but secretly (also) just plain delicious.

Fruit garden of West

We often mention this as our favorite place, very often. And that has everything to do with the fact that the nice place is one of thousands where it is (invariably) possible to start a conversation and keep it going among the kids playing non-stop around you. Tap Leak it is and always will be. Outside you sit right next to an amazing playground and with your buttocks on a rattan chair with sheepskin. You won't hear us complaining. In fact: the little ones are happy, we are happy, we can easily stay here for a few hours.

Tap Leak

As soon as the little one manages to imitate even one of the well-known animal sounds, you're stuck with it. Watching the critters! Because it remains something very special in the eyes of those children. And we think that is a spectacle. That's why we regularly pack our bags (visiting petting zoos is often an autumn/winter thing... Unwritten rule?) to visit the bunnies, donkeys, cows and goats. And the Vechtse Hoeven in Maarssen is exactly the kind of petting zoo you want, namely in the middle of a park with a terrace where you can also order a beer and bitterballen, while the children have fun on the bouncy castle or on 1 of the 100 bicycles.

The Vechtse Hoeven

In any case, we enjoy staying in the 'Gooi and Vechtstreek', with the children but certainly also without them. Nothing but fun here, promised.

We highlight Groeneveld Castle (just like the pancake house Hendrik by the way) just a little extra (ok, and also the Hoorneboeg just a little longer) because the Castle may not be on your to-do list right away, and that's a shame! The castle is a stone's throw from Amsterdam and Utrecht. Not only is it beautiful and always fun to visit, there are also all kinds of activities on a regular basis kids activities organized all year round.

Image via Instagram

A museum boring? Not at all, but you've come to the wrong place at this museum. It Railway Museum Utrecht is more than just a museum. It’s not about statically looking at trains (although that is of course possible too), but about doing, seeing, and experiencing. The Railway Museum has pulled out all the stops to let everyone discover, in every possible interactive way, how the train has changed the world. A small example: you literally walk through trains. There are also attractions and a simulator. As the icing on the cake, you go in search of all the railway animals that live close to the tracks.

So even if you're not a train expert, or haven't been collecting trains since you were little, everyone has a great time here. Let's take the train to the Railway Museum in Utrecht.

Railway Museum

It thunders and lightnings and it rains meters… of water. Sometimes you have days like that. Raindrops tapping against the windows and water trickling from the gutters. And sometimes those days come as a gift; lounging on the couch and staying in the warmth and coziness of the house all day long. But. But with kids… Sigh. Then things are often a little different. Although we are quite used to this these days.Prepared. With what? With the very best (you wish that you could be a child again for a while) rain entertainment ever.

Here you can read all about better rain entertainment!

Hello the Achterhoek! You would easily overlook this part of the Netherlands that touches Germany. Shame, right? Ever heard of it The Chicken Family? You want it. A farm for six to ten people in the middle of the greenery in the Achterhoek. The farm is located on a large piece of land surrounded by large trees and two ponds. And: your four-legged friend can come along.

The Chicken Family

A handsome duo this: both places are quite family-friendly (for the whole family, not just the kids) and just really nice. And both in Zeeland. The name of The greenhouse tells you right away what to expect: a catering location was created in and around a greenhouse. Chickens scratch around the fruit trees in the garden and if it rains (it is still autumn), the drops patter on the windows of the greenhouse - very cozy and it is a bonus that you can actually sit inside just as nicely as in the garden. For the little ones, a corner of the garden was set up as a (tasteful) playground, there are all kinds of reading and activity books with the theme 'gardening' and a play kitchen was set up at the back of the wooden extension. Everything is prepared with a lot of love and you can taste it; everything that is served in the greenhouse and tea garden comes from the greenhouse, the garden or the area.

You will also find a large nature and play farm in the middle of the Zeeland landscape, just outside the small village of Grijpskerke (near Goes): Hof Pop. There are bouncy castles, a sandbox and trampolines. Bunnies hop through and around the 'experience garden' and there are attractive seating areas for young and old. There is even an old caravan to climb in and through.

You will find Brasserie To the Dobben in the Hurdegarypsterwarren nature reserve – don't worry, we can't pronounce it either and ultimately that's not what it's all about. After all, the most important thing is the place and how we feel there. Here it was joy that predominated and for this reason. First of all, that unpronounceable place is simply a picture to look at. The area is a patchwork of fields, grasslands, trees and flowers in which all kinds of animals frolic around. There are countless walking and cycling tours to follow and in certain areas you can even go off the beaten track to wander around and pick flowers and blackberries. You don't have to tell us that twice. The second and equally important point is that the Brasserie itself is a nice place to settle down before or after the tour (or both). The coffee is good and the cake slices are large. For the kids there is a screened playing field with wooden play equipment and there are goats walking around that can be petted.

A villa! A bistro! An outdoor playground! A boutique hotel! Green, Maastricht around the corner and only just opened. We actually approve of everything about Villa Kanjel. The playground was built from wooden poles, is located in the middle of nature (no cars or other danger in sight - and yes, there is a fence around the water) and was the first part to receive the stamp 'finished' by the people behind Villa Kanjel . The terrace gets ten points, the playground eleven, the food and reasonable prices at least nine and a half points. The rest of the renovation plans for the monumental villa continued steadily, resulting in a tasteful boutique hotel with a handful of rooms in the Limburg greenery. Above all, the rooms had to be spacious so that there was room for everyone and no additional rooms had to be booked (due to the annoyance of the owner, who had experienced this all too often). And there is plenty of room for the children to run wild in the evening while the parents catch their breath.

Bonus points for wonderful Maastricht just around the corner. Read more: Bart's best of Maastricht