The sun is shining, the whole day is still ahead of you and you want to get out and celebrate summer with your family. Dordrecht has all kinds of places where you can enjoy this beautiful (summer) weather.
Cozy together!
Extra nice: catering with a play area
If you go out with the whole family, it's nice to choose a place where your offspring are also having fun. After all, happy children, happy parents! Fortunately, there are plenty of restaurants in Dordrecht with a play area.
As at Villa Augustus, the green pearl of Dordrecht. A location where you can eat delicious organic food with products from their own garden, but certainly also a place where you can have a good time with children. On the grounds outside there is an old tractor and two swings on which children can play under the watchful eye of their parents. Also fun: walking through the garden with your children and looking at all the things that grow and bloom at Villa Augustus. From the garden, on your plate: not only fun, but also educational for children.
Another nice address to visit in the summer with the kids: Restaurant The Warehouse. Chances are you won't be able to drag your kids away, because not only is there a play corner inside, so is there outside. In the hidden city garden, Het Magazijn has a cool tree house with slide, in a special children's corner where kids can romp around. A place that is actually never empty, explains Fokke Wagner. "People really enjoy having a bite to eat with the family and knowing that the kids are having fun. Families really look for places where children are also welcome, we notice. Keep them coming, we're really looking forward to summer!"
Kat in 't Bakkie we certainly can't withhold from you either. Drink coffee while the kids have room to play: that is the motto at this coffee shop in Dordrecht. There is a kind of living room atmosphere. Half of the store is set up as a coffee shop and the whole other half is the domain for children. Handy: no matter where you sit at Kat in 't Bakkie, you can always see the kids. The playroom has all kinds of toys, such as a kitchenette, puzzles, a doll's bed, wooden blocks and magazines. Giving children space in the hospitality industry is a spearhead of Kat in 't Bakkie for a reason, according to Marieke Alberts. "Here you can quietly drink coffee without it getting cold and without being embarrassed if your kids might make some noise."
Out on the town
Where do you go with kids on a nice day? Right: into your own city, where you will find not only children's bookstore De Giraf and the National Education Museum, but you can also climb the tower of the Grote Kerk, for example.
At the National Museum of Education children can experience what their (grand)parents' school days were like. The whole family will enjoy writing with a real crown pen or drawing on a blackboard, and is an old school desk really comfortable? This whole summer there is the exhibition "Tree rose fish. Children 8 years and older can do a scavenger hunt through the Letterbos and receive a code for the Griezelbus Escaperoom. For offspring a little younger, there is also a fun scavenger hunt. There are all kinds of activities and if you want to take a break from all that, you can do so on the terrace!
Quietly browsing among a whole zillion children's books? You can at children's bookstore The Giraffe! An ideal place for the whole family. There are books for children just born to reading material for children up to 18 years. Thus, there is a suitable book for every child in the family in the colorful assortment. "We try to get children to read," says Femmie van Dodewaard. "And we succeed quite well! We find the summer period a very enjoyable time. Children then come to us with the whole family to pick out a book for the vacations. They then go to the cash register with a whole stack, which we also call 'vacation stacks'. Great to see children armed with books heading to their vacation destination."
If you want to see the city from a different perspective, an idea is to climb the tower of the Great Church Climb. Spectacular views guaranteed! Don't choose an overly hot day, because you have to give it a go if you want to see Dordrecht from above. Namely, climbing 275 steps. But it's worth it: a panoramic view of the inner city and beyond, because you can look in the direction of Geertruidenberg, the Euromast, Gorinchem, Gouda and Moerdijk. And if you are lucky, you can even spot the tower of Breda during your panoramic activity! The church tower can only be climbed when the church is also open, which is Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sundays and holidays from noon to 3:30 p.m.
Playing outside to your heart's content
Of course, with good weather it is ideal to get out and enjoy the outdoors. We don't want to withhold these tips to do with children.
Going on a beaver scavenger hunt is a good plan when you are Biesboschcentrum Dordrecht visit. The word says it all: this activity is all about beavers. During this scavenger hunt, children learn everything about the large animals that can be found in the Biesbosch. They look for beaver tracks while doing all kinds of tasks. All kinds of facts are passed along to give children not only something fun, but also something educational. You can find out how much a beaver actually weighs and look for beaver friends. So look around carefully to see if you spot any other animals in the beaver forest. The route of the neighboring climbing forest passes partly over the beaver forest, so there is every chance that you will "see some flying" as well! Especially in the summer, Biesboschcentrum Dordrecht is a very nice place, where you can play outside. There are also many activities in the fresh air.
What better place to play outside than a playground? Playground Victorie in the Land van Valk is highly recommended. This play oasis is open all summer long! Children can climb on the brand new climbing apparatus, there is a place to play soccer and if you want to swing or hop on the seesaw, you can do so as well. Because of the summer period, there is a fun extra activity every week: from a playback show and bouncy castle to a puppet show and the arrival of reading hero Gerard Laurens of Library AanZet. And if it's really hot, no doubt your kids will love cooling off at the sprinkler system. This playground is especially fine for children up to the age of ten. It is a quiet, relaxed place where your children can play safely, since the playground is located in a block of houses and has only one entrance, which, moreover, always has someone at the gate. And if you come on Wednesdays, there will be French fries!
The free children's pool the Paddenstoel in Wantijpark is the place to be this summer. The pool, popularly called the splash pool, is fun because it is a stepping stone to "real swimming" for the little ones. Whole generations were already using the splash pool! Not surprising, according to Johan Heijboer of the Dordrecht municipality. "It is located in a quiet, beautiful area: the Wantijpark. The splash pool is open during the days that the 'big Wantijbad' is open. It does have to be 22 degrees or more; after all, the water is not heated." The pool has been renovated and has just reopened. A complete treatment plant has been made and toilets have been added. And if the children feel like playing, they can do so at the brand new playground equipment. In short: the little ones will have a great time in and around the splash pool!
