Forums » Netherlands » Family life in the Netherlands

• 00tony

  
   

  March 1, 2007 5:44:13 PM CET

  I am looking for a place to chill out in for Sunday brunch that has a small area for kids to play. Closest I have found so far is MacDonalds! Please help, there must be somewhere if Holland is as child friendly as it is supposed to be.
• kaye

  
   

  March 1, 2007 9:34:46 PM CET

  There's a book called "Kid's Gids in English" that lists several child friendly restuarants, I knowq they have it at the tourist office.
  
  In Delft the cafe of the the Naturwinkel (near the market) has a play corner, but I don't think they're open on Sundays.
  
  K.
• billiethekid

  
   

  March 3, 2007 9:07:15 PM CET

  There is a place at the end of my road called Crunch. There are always loads of people in there on Sunday mornings, people with buggies and small kids some of them. But I've never been in there so I don't know if they have a play area.... Ow I just found their web-site: Yes they do have a play area! http://www.crunchcafe.nl/ Hope you like it!
• planetearth

  
   

  March 4, 2007 10:47:13 PM CET

  The Kicking Horse Cafe inside the Paagmann bookshop on 'the Fred' in the Statenkwartier is open on Sundays with English newspapers available, very child friendly (changing stuff, space to play around but no play area as such, a wooden horse tosit on, 2 internet stations, lots of childrens books) and the best bit is TOTALLY SMOKEFREE!!!! The coffee is also delicious. Staff friendly and child tolerant too.
• 00tony

  
   

  March 6, 2007 4:24:26 PM CET

  (kaye)

  There's a book called "Kid's Gids in English" that lists several child friendly restuarants, I knowq they have it at the tourist office.
  
  In Delft the cafe of the the Naturwinkel (near the market) has a play corner, but I don't think they're open on Sundays.
  
  K.

  
  
  I had a look at that book. The only have one place in Den Haag and all it has going for it as a family restuarant is that "it has sturdy furniture" Not so useful. But thanks anyway
• 00tony

  
   

  March 6, 2007 4:27:23 PM CET

  (planetearth)

  The Kicking Horse Cafe inside the Paagmann bookshop on 'the Fred' in the Statenkwartier is open on Sundays with English newspapers available, very child friendly (changing stuff, space to play around but no play area as such, a wooden horse tosit on, 2 internet stations, lots of childrens books) and the best bit is TOTALLY SMOKEFREE!!!! The coffee is also delicious. Staff friendly and child tolerant too.

  
  
  Looks like I am not alone in detesting smoke filled restaurant. I will definitely visit this place. Any place that is smoke free deserves our patronage.
• 00tony

  
   

  March 6, 2007 4:29:42 PM CET

  (billie the kid)

  There is a place at the end of my road called Crunch. There are always loads of people in there on Sunday mornings, people with buggies and small kids some of them. But I've never been in there so I don't know if they have a play area.... Ow I just found their web-site: Yes they do have a play area! http://www.crunchcafe.nl/ Hope you like it!

  
  
  Thanks Billie, I like there description as a parent friendly place, just what I am looking for.
• 00tony

  
   

  March 6, 2007 4:32:14 PM CET

  I found the bean and bagel place in the bookshop in the Passage. The cafe is next to the children's books so there is a place for the kiddies to sit and read and draw. And its smoke free and has free internet Wirelesslan
• planetearth

  
   

  March 6, 2007 4:59:45 PM CET

  (00tony)

  I found the bean and bagel place in the bookshop in the Passage. The cafe is next to the children's books so there is a place for the kiddies to sit and read and draw. And its smoke free and has free internet Wirelesslan

  
  
  Yeah I go here too but the coffee and sandwiches are way better in Paagmann!
  Paagmann has only been totally smoke-free since the refit within the last 12 months but they did used to have a non-smoking area.
  
  The truth is that most places in NL are child friendly apart from the smokiness...the Dutch seem much better than the English at tolerating children...nearly all restaurants produce crayons and paper for them...its just that you take pot luck on the smoke thing....which is a big but really...hence why we always seem to end up in V&D (I loathe that place because of overexposure to it) and the Bijenkorf just because they have non-smoking areas.
• leanne68

  
   

  March 7, 2007 7:59:38 PM CET

  (planetearth)

  Yeah I go here too but the coffee and sandwiches are way better in Paagmann!.

  
  I'll second the kicking horse as being kid friendly, with yummy sarmies ... but the cuppachino is awful ... imho
• planetearth

  
   

  March 7, 2007 9:04:16 PM CET

  Just goes to show we can't all agree on these things! The hot chocolate is good too!
• leanne68

  
   

  March 8, 2007 4:33:43 PM CET

  (planetearth)

  The hot chocolate is good too!

  
  
  Delicious! My son always has his with a dollop of whipped cream ... and the dollop is HUGE ... enough for me to enjoy a spoonful on my hc too!
• 00tony

  
   

  March 8, 2007 6:10:23 PM CET

  (planetearth)

  Just goes to show we can't all agree on these things! The hot chocolate is good too!

  
  
  My kids have had hot chocolate nearly every place we have been to since we arrived so I guess we will HAVE to go there
• planetearth

  
   

  March 18, 2007 6:56:51 PM CET

  (00tony)

  (planetearth)

  The Kicking Horse Cafe inside the Paagmann bookshop on 'the Fred' in the Statenkwartier is open on Sundays with English newspapers available, very child friendly (changing stuff, space to play around but no play area as such, a wooden horse tosit on, 2 internet stations, lots of childrens books) and the best bit is TOTALLY SMOKEFREE!!!! The coffee is also delicious. Staff friendly and child tolerant too.

  
  
  Looks like I am not alone in detesting smoke filled restaurant. I will definitely visit this place. Any place that is smoke free deserves our patronage.

  
  
  Was in Paagmann yesterday and noticed people smoking in one small confined area - don't know if this was just because of 'Book week' but it was still 100% smokefree in the main section which is where most of the seats and computers are....so probably not an issue.
• planetearth

  
   

  March 26, 2007 8:02:25 PM CEST

  Bella Luce in The Passage in The Hague has a no-smoking area and kids menu which is a good sign things may be changing as it is fairly new. Le Passant in contrast also in the Passage can be horribly smoky.