The 13 best things to do with kids in Gouda

I had a fantastic time at the Gouda Cheese Experience! I actually arrived a little early, and the manager was already there, kindly waiting to open up. Instead of just brushing me off until opening time, he chatted with me for a good ten minutes — we talked about where I was from, world issues, and of course, cheese. He was incredibly friendly and welcoming, which really set the tone for the whole visit. Inside, the experience is both interactive and informative. The manager encouraged me to fill out the little cheese-themed activity sheet they give you, and I'm glad I did — it made me engage more with the exhibits. I ended up spending about 1.5 hours going through everything and reading all the displays. There was someone who rushed through in like 10 minutes, but honestly, this isn’t something to speed through. You get much more out of it by taking your time. Also, during the tour, if you answer all the answers on your paper, you get to become a "cheese master." 😁 At the end of the tour, there’s a great cheese tasting session, and you also have the chance to buy some cheese. Just a heads-up: if you're flying outside of Europe, you can’t bring back the full cheese wheels due to customs regulations. But the vacuum-sealed cheese is totally fine to bring home. I bought a wheel for myself and ended up snacking on it during my drive across the Netherlands — and it was delicious! Highly recommend this experience if you're in Gouda. Great staff, great cheese, and a great way to learn about a big part of Dutch culture.

We had a surprisingly good time here, learning all about Gouda, the cheese and the town! The exhibits were entertaining, educational, and engaging! Service at the front desk and during the cheese tasting was very professional and friendly. Our whole family highly recommends this experience!

So much fun. It was so hot in the museum but it does mention that as you’re going in. I went as a solo experience and it was great fun and very interactive. 5*

Was very cute! Young kids will love it. As a couple hour filler highly recommend. Self guided tour, has audio guidance via a small phone

I enjoyed this very much. They make it interactive with a quiz while you are going through. It is perfect for taking kids. The options for fun pictures at the end is a neat idea. Tasting cheese is always a plus.

A very fun experience outlining the process of Cheese making and history of Cheese trade in Gouda. There is cheese tasting with 5 cubes at the end of the experience. I could taste all the things narration was talking about for each Cheese cube. It is satisfying to sense what is said. They made it engaging with a quiz and stamp collection. In the end for the people who get all right will be given a badge of Cheese Master. The kid in me was very happy collecting it. :D

Fun, but definitely oriented to families. The last room before tasting was very crowded and there were kids being kids (crying ect.) so my patience was waning. Now we know so much about cheese. The beer afterwards was awesome.

Amazing museum. A lot of volunteers ready to help you understand even more about it. The temporary exhibition was great as well.

Lovely museum with lots of very well preserved historical painings and pottery. Really nice to visit and you can find a miniature version of Gouda city which is very interesting. Don't forget to creat your own art at the art studio before leaving the museum! 😊

Had a great time in this museum, to know about the history and stories of the city, I enjoy Jo Koster Exhibition a lot, her painting and sketches inspired me to practice more ! The torture dungeon is quite special here!

One of the finest museums in the Netherlands. It showcases the history and wealth of the city. Absolutely fascinating! The tickets are available at the St. Jans Cathedral (see separate review). Highly recommended!

This is a hidden gem that not a lot of tourists visit. You can find many medieval paintings, a surgeon’s office, pottery collections, a pharmacy, a model of the city, and even a dungeon with torture devices!

Exceptional museum about the city, history and way of life in the neighborhood. Highly recommended to visit.

Beautiful museum, friendly staff that likes telling you about the context of some of the paintings in the museum. The exhibitions are beautiful and informative. The model of Gouda of the 16th century is amazing and the stories of people during that time are also worth listening too. Recommend!

Fun experience, great waffle Fresh & tasty Almost self guided tour, around 20-40 minutes Account some time at the end to enjoy the waffle, and select a few to buy for later or for friends. Totally worth it!

Waffle factory connected to the shop. The tour starts sitting around a table, with a team member explaning an intro. She talked too long in Dutch, then translated for us in just few words which was disappointing (please be equally fair). Then we listened to the history of the shop through an audio guide. The story is interesting, but the visuals and the audio are poor. Listening to an artificial voice is just downside. Then you go into the factory and it's quite cool. You get to see how the syrup waffles are made and the staff members on the machines are cute. You get to slide into the last stage and get to taste a waffle. The tour is not too long and you get to hear a bit about the place through an audio tour which was nice.

A cute factory tour with lots of delicious samples. It’s a mini Willy Wonka waffle factory. Well done. Kids (and 71 year old me) enjoyed the slide to the little cafe. Nice displays in the factory and the robotic waffle assembly is intriguing.

Great tour my kids really enjoyed getting to see the production machine and learning about the history!

Didn't expect the factory to be hidden behind a tiny store front. It's a shorter version of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. You start with an informative engaging video about the company. Then you walk in a hamster wheel, turning the mixer. The assembly line was so interesting. Definitely continue upstairs. There is a slide, yes SLIDE, to the final room. I felt like a kid again, laughing my way down. Two enthusiastic thumbs up!

OMG! I would give them 10 stars if I could. The tour was fantastic (even kept our super active 9 year old engaged), the waffles delicious, but what really makes this place is the tour guides. The 2 ladies we had show us around today were nothing short of amazing. Kept the kids really engaged, and having fun whilst getting a little information into their heads at the same time. Can't fault the place and definitely fantastic value for money.

The video was very fun and informative. They were accommodating for all languages. We got to tour the factory and even make and taste Siroopwaffles. We bought the “extra ticket” and had a tea and coffee at the end which was worth it. It was very nice and the host was very helpful and kind to both adults and children. We had free samples of the siroop liquor which was tastey! Happy we did this on our visit even if it’s more a tourist experience it is worth it.

Great experience for kids who are into dinosaurs. Our 4 year old daughter enjoyed running around through the dino experience, pretending to be a palentologist brushing sand off of "buried" fossils, and then playing in the bouncy castle and on the huge playground. Worth the hour drive from Amsterdam. Do check the weather ahead of time though because if there is any chance of wind this place will be super windy (which can mean freezing if it's cold without the wind).

Overpriced for what you actually get - borderline rip-off pricing for an old, poorly maintained park. The walking trail is pleasant once you locate it, but signage is deliberately poor so visitors get funneled toward paid attractions instead. Arrived at 10:15am, just after opening, and found trash scattered throughout the grounds. The fiberglass dinosaur displays are cheap-looking and poorly maintained - honestly laughable quality for what you’re paying. Food is overpriced processed junk at theme park rates. Hard to justify those prices for what amounts to reheated convenience food. Serious safety concern: the maze has exposed thorn bushes with no barriers or warnings. Our 2-year-old ran straight into one and got scratched up. This is a legitimate hazard that management needs to address immediately. The park has potential with better maintenance and honest pricing, but currently feels like they’re taking advantage of families. Your money is better spent elsewhere until they get their act together.

We had an absolutely amazing day at the Dino Experience Park. a lot of dinos to see, a lot of space to walk and play and loads of activities. From jumping in bouncy castles to drawing. From painting in a huge triceratops to searching for treasures in the mining field. Walking in a minigolf course, "crossing a river by boat", finding dinos in a cave under a waterfall. Kids (and parents) had a blast. They went above and beyond for us. Our kid lost a comfort/safety toy in the park. I've send an email with the description of the toy and in a few days they found , posted and we received it. They even included some gifts for the children. I have no words to describe how awesome our experience - during and post - visit was. Thank you again Michel an Dino Experience Crew!

Good with kids. There are some moving dinosaurs, but main features are: - Touring by playing Golf - Speeltuin (Kids play area)

Read the reviews. I did but still thought it was a good idea to come...absurdly expensive and ridiculous park. Sorry for the honesty. There are some old dinosaurs that barely move. A mini golf that is just sad to see. Theres basically nothing in this place! Then they have some inflatable jumpings, and a park. That's it. For this price it should be against the law to offer this little and charge this much! On their website they make it look amazing I will never come back. Came only with one of my kids but wont be here again! Go to a natural museum then to a normal park. Its a better investment.

Great outing for the kids- own food can be taken, but there is a cafe with food and drinks. Tokens can be bought at reception for some rides- Would not buy more than 5 tokens. Dino cinema also and clean bathrooms.

Great place for kids. There's lots to do. Mini golf, little rides, bouncy castle, walk to see dinosaurs, hunting for fossils etc. There is a reasonably priced restaurant onsite. Toilets are available (including baby change and disabled). Small gift shop. I would recommend that you bring coins as the rides only work with 2eur coins. Staff are friendly and helpful.

A great walk in between old ships. Take a free minute to get the warm chocolate at the small cafe. Great breakfasts as well.

Nice port to see historical Dutch ships

Not a lot of actual boats and ships, but a nice place to hang out (there's a bar right by the lock) on a fine summer day. Very chill.

Beautiful harbour. Great view early in the morning.

Amazing place in the heart of the city to enjoy the serenity

Beautiful view in the center of Gouda

A good collection of classic working boats.

Here, the visitor can learn about the history of waffle making in Gouda as well as see how they are produced. The waffle themselves were really flavourful, and you can taste they are made with real butter.

The best siroopwafel — perfectly balanced, not overly sweet, and absolutely irresistible! If you have time, I highly recommend booking a factory tour in advance—it’s bound to be an amazing experience. Definitely worth a visit, and don’t forget to buy plenty so you won’t regret it later 🤤

The highlight was definitely the factory tour at the back. The improvement I would suggest for the tour is to improve on the text to speech translation for the beginning part of the tour show.. surely it isn’t hard to get a better voiced person to voice the initial video? The audio guide was decent, and the siroopwafels were delicious.

Very sweet siroopwafel factory (pun intended) The tour was super interesting, the production line worked relentlessly, and at hte end of the tour you'll get a fresh baked waffle. Enjoyable for both young and adults Definitely worth a visit.

Best tasting siroopwafel. The wafers are more crunchy and the syrup is more flavorful with a hint of cinnamon & nutmeg? The experience in the factory was nice. Don't forget to take the slide! Would do it again & now the other stoopwafels just taste mediocre. Haha.

Good experience and a nice look into behind the scenes on how this special stroopwafle is made. You get to try their waffle at the end and have a cup of coffee or tea. They have a store front if you just want to purchase their specific stroopwafel. They taste different than any other waffle I’ve had. 🤤 so delicious. Staff was so friendly to a tourist like myself which made all the difference. Wonderful experience, I would recommend at least getting a couple packages of their specific stroopwafles!

We bought a few packs of siroopwafels here. The syrup is rich and sweet, and the outside is very crispy — definitely a quality product. However, personally, I still prefer the classic stroopwafel. Worth trying if you’re in Gouda and want a different take on the traditional Dutch treat.

Fun indoor climbing for the little monkeys. There is food , drinks and enough seats for a break of for parents to sit.

Website says healthy food, well there used to be more of that. Large portions of the menu are blacked out, leaving mostly fried products, tosti or pancakes. So for hungry adults; it is better to go to Ballorig Gouda. The rest is pretty decent and family friendly.

I was disappointed. There is no place for shoes and outerwear. No soap in the toilet. Inactive staff. Small amount of attraction for kids of 3. Big space and nothing to do. I am not sure that I would like to go there one more time with my child.

A nice monkeytown. Could be a bit more light indoors. I like the upstairs Lazer tag.

This is our favorite playground, wide space, different things to do and for the bigger children nice activities like laser game They also have a separate place for small events great service and great team! enjoy :)

better choice of food than most softplays. not too big. just big enough. good wifi. parking. clean toilets despite sunday. overall quite nice!

Good place to let the kids run free. Lots to keep them amused. With the new test lab is there a lot of fun for the little ones.

Great place for the kids to drain some energy and enjoy themselves. There is something for all ages and its fun and safe. There is an insane amounth of birthdays parties. I personally like my guests to interact with each other and therefore I think it's less suitable for that, but if you just want the kids to have fun and not have to take care of anything except a cake this is a great choice. It's busy, so I would recommend to keep an eye on your kids at all time. There is a place to eat snacks and have a drink. Toilets everything present. Front door doesn't open without a button hanging out if reach of the kids which is a good idea.

It's the best kids indoor playground so far as i have been to . It's bright and clear . All the things look well -maintained . The staffs are really nice .The price at restaurant are reasonable . It's worth 5 starts even 6 stars !!! We all love it !

Great indoor playground for a 1.5 year old. Lots of fun activities for adults and children to enjoy. Open kitchen with freshly prepared food (or fastfood if you crave it). Plenty of parking space. Flooded with natural daylight, but does tend to get warm on summer days. Ballorig Gouda also offers an annual entry ticket. It's good value if you go there more than once a month.

Very nice, lots of challenging and fun play options for all kids from 0-10. Unfortunately they keep cutting the opening hours. On a Saturday opening at 10 is way to late, almost nap time once we're there. Even during vacation they close now at 18. I used to go with the kids for an hour after work/dinner until bedtime, but no more.

nice size, not too large or too small. nice menu with more healthy options than the usual softplay offer. no banging music. clean overall, even on sunday. clean bathrooms. new undamaged play material. nicely organized. downsides: not a lot of parking spaces but we did go on a rainy sunday so what did we expect 😂 and also we couldnt find any tables with electricity plugs for the laptop, so no option to work there while kids play. overall, very nice place!

This place really takes care of a family with kids... It is safe for a wide range of kids ages... There is nice place for parents... Coffee drinks and snacks are available... Wifi is free... In simple words the parents can have some long looked for peace of mind for a little while... I liked the place and how it is designed... Though it was a rainy day... It had good amount of light...

My 15 months old boy loved it there. Safe environment to play and lots of cool stuff to play with. Not to expensive and you only pay for your child.

2/3 of the trampolines were shut, there was no one at the counter despite the fact, that it was not too crowded. The worse trampoline center out of the whole network.

Second time here, compared to some other Jump centres JumpSquare is better overall. Music at a normal level and disco-lighting somewhat on the background. When choosing relatively quiet hours for jumping you'll get all the space for a good session. From a privacy point of view I absolutely don't understand why I am forced to enter my complete address and telephone number when signing up and accepting rules and own-risk policy.

Fun trampoline park, need to choose the right time, otherwise it can be very busy. You can get something to eat and drink for a decent price.

Friendly people there and always ready to help

Great and big area with trampolines. Great staff on the floor helping out. Big area to sit and have a snack or coffee.

Soo much fun, really nice staff who taught me how to do a backflip! It is quite expensive but it is totally worth it!

Super leukkkkkk

Great place to walk your dog, especially on a nice day. Crazy that Restaurant Paviljoen Reeuwijkse Hout has decided NOT to admit people with dogs, even outside. Would have been a great place to have some lunch after a walk with the dog.

Goudse Hout is a beautiful piece of nature, perfect for anyone looking to unwind and enjoy the outdoors. The walking paths are peaceful and well-maintained, making it a great spot for both a short stroll and a longer walk. It’s a lovely place to relax, surrounded by greenery, open meadows, and fresh air. What makes it extra special is how dog-friendly it is. It’s the ideal location to go for a walk with your dog—there’s plenty of space to roam and explore, and the calm atmosphere makes it enjoyable for both pets and owners. Whether you’re looking for a quiet moment of relaxation, a refreshing walk, or a nice outing with your dog, Goudse Hout is definitely worth visiting.

A lovely park, full of canals and flowers, a variety of birds and a good balance of shade and sun. A good 1-2 hours of relaxed walk.

Goudse Houd is lovely! We didnt get to spend much time, but riding thru was lovely. Cycle paths are well maintained, its quiet and pretty. A lot of bird life and spotted here and there with water puddles and benches to enjoy the scenery

Lovely natural, recreational area only minutes from nice, well livable neighborhoods in Gouda. Goudse Hout is still in development, but already worthwhile and enjoyable.

Gorgeous place to walk with your doggos or alone. lots of wildlife... beautiful views. With parking space easy to arrive.

Lovely place,I visited here while visiting my brother

Lovely place to take your kids. Lots of animals, a vegetable garden and lovely gardens with paths to walk through. There is a small café to have drinks and light lunches. To enter they ask a small donation towards the upkeep and running of the farm.

Best place with kids who love pets. Has a big playground and lots of pets. The goats are very cute. You can pet and feed them. Lovely place for a sunny weather.

Very friendly place, everything is green and cozy. You got friendly little sweet animals, baby goats, chickens etc.. I've spend 10 minutes with little goats, bought a Dahlia flower for my home garden and I already felt better. On the entrance you got some flowers you can buy by taking the flower and paying the suggested price. Entrance is free for kids and 1.50€ for the adults if I remember correctly. You can throw the coin to the bucket or scan QR code and pay via phone, as requested. They kindly ask for paying because entrance is just open but come on, we got such a nice place going for such a low price so all we can do is be fair and honest and pay like a decent human being. Also there are playgrounds for kiddos, some gardens and I think I saw a restaurant and icecream. I will be back, place is awesome and very relaxing.

Small farm but has it all! No entrance fee but appreciate a token.

Lovely Kinderboerderij in Gouda. Loads of animals in a spacious place. It has a wonderful and peaceful atmosphere. You can have here coffee, tea, toasties as well on a good price. We will definitely visit again

Nice place to go there with your grandchildren (in our case). You can get a cup of cappuccino but prices are commercial. Keep an eye out the children, the place is crowded.

Very nice children farm! Many animals and birds, well organised. Pleasant eating area. Possible to arrange birthday party as well! With entertainment.