Delft is a charming city known for its blue-and-white Delftware pottery. Conveniently located in between Rotterdam and The Hague, the historic city centre of Delft can easily be explored on foot, even with children! My family and I moved to Delft from Sydney, Australia about 4 years ago. My daughter was 1 at the time and we would go out into the city centre, exploring child-friendly cafes and different playgrounds. When she became a little older, I took her to watch local theatre productions and attended museum workshops. So I decided to make a good use of the knowledge gained while raising a child in a foreign city and create a Guide to Delft with Kids.
Guide to Delft with Kids is a summary of real tips on what to do in the charming city of Delft. I made this for families who just settled in Delft or the surrounding cities, and for those who plan to visit this charming historic city. I say 'real tips' because the places mentioned in the guide have been visited and rated by me - a local parent - and not sourced from other travel sites. Guide to Delft with Kids is a 4-page A4-size brochure which includes an illustrated map of Delft, a list of activities you can do with your child in Delft, a list of family-friendly cafes and restaurants, and a list of playgrounds in the historic centre. The guide also comes with a scavenger hunt Delft Art Walk for Kids which encourages children to look for various artworks in the city and seeing the city in a different perspective. Also included in the guide is a postcard featuring an illustrated map of Delft so your child can tell another family member or a friend, what a fantastic time he/she had exploring Delft!
For 7 euros, so that's the cost of 2 cups of coffee, you will receive a fun activity pack for the whole family! Guide to Delft with Kids includes the postage within the Netherlands. Once you place your order on Etsy, you will receive in the post: (1) tips on a day out with your kids in Delft, (2) art walk scavenger hunt, and (3) postcard. You can purchase the guide at my Etsy shop: studio collectionaise.
And to give you a sneak peek of what you can expect in the guide, here's a list of some of my favourite cafes and restaurants that I enjoy going with my family. Hope you find the information useful!
FAMILY FRIENDLY CAFES & RESTAURANTS IN DELFT*
* located in historic centre
BOULANGERIE MICHEL
Oude Kerkstraat 4d
Nestled behind the Oude Kerk is a French bakery Boulangerie Michel. Popular among the Delft international community, they offer freshly baked croissants, danishes, empanadas and other delicious pastries that will make you conveniently forget that you were on a diet. They also have a cafe and it is the ideal place to have a breakfast with your little ones. They also serve lunch but it gets pretty busy so go early. They have a basket full of toys and board games to entertain the little ones while they wait for their food.
TUE-SUN 8am-2pm
KEK
Voldersgracht 27
Kek is probably my favourite cafe in Delft because it's got that laid-back aussie vibe that I miss from my days in Sydney and the staff members here are super friendly. Looks like I am not the only one who loves this cafe as there’s a queue of people wanting to go in during the weekend. Dutch people don't like to queue. If they see a queue, they'll usually go somewhere else. There are just a few things that I've seen them queue: (1) oliebollen on New Year's Eve, (2) orange tompouce on King's Day, and (3) Kek. A true local gem, they serve very instagrammable food that tastes even better. The cafe is quite cosy and may not be the best place to go with a large stroller. There are sofa seating at the back and kids will love their Monkey Sandwich. If you are a coffee lover, you will not be disappointed with their coffee, they use beans from the Rotterdam Giraffe Coffee Roasters. They do not take reservations, so do go early.
WED-MON 8:30am-5pm
Proeflokaal Open
Vesteplein 100
By the entrance of Delft library, you will find a lovely lounge space and cafe Proeflokaal Delft. You can order a cup of coffee or tea at the cafe and take your order with you upstairs where the kids section is located. This concept of being able to eat and drink at the library was somewhat new to me and I totally endorse it. It's nice to sit down (for a few seconds) and enjoy your cup while you keep an eye on your child.
MON-SAT 10am-5pm
Stads-Koffyhuis
Oude Delft 133
Like Kek, this place is a go-to cafe for locals and it gets pretty packed during the weekend. They are famous for their sandwich rolls and pancakes. You'll have a good selection of food and drinks to choose from for your kids. If you're looking for a photo moment, order a leaning tower hot chocolate!
MON-THU 9am-5pm
FRI 9am-8pm
SAT 9am-5pm
Ekoplaza
Vrouwjuttenland 33-35
Ekoplaza is an organic supermarket with stores all across the Netherlands. My daughter and I spent many mornings at Ekoplaza Delft because my daughter is an early riser and Ekoplaza is one of the few places in Delft that is open from 8:30am, almost every day. At Ekoplaza Delft, they have a little play kitchen in the cafe so you can enjoy your choice of organic drinks and food in peace while the little one is nice and busy.
MON-FRI 8:30am-7:30pm
SAT 8:30am-7pm
SUN 12-6pm
JANS DELFT
Brabantse Turfmarkt 87
A lovely spot to have a delicious lunch or afternoon tea, Jans has a play area for kids (that reminds me of Harry Potter's room under the stairs if I'm being honest) and if you are lucky, you might be able to claim a table right next to the play area.
TUE-SAT 9:30am-5pm
SUN 10am-5pm
BIJ DE ROOS
Phoenixstraat 111
The cafe Bij de Roos is located on the ground level of the Delftse Molen de Roos. They use organic flour from the mill to bake cakes, pastries and breads. On a warm day, enjoy your food and drinks outside in the community garden next to the cafe.
WED-SAT 9am-5pm
SUIKERBUIK
Hippolytusbuurt 22-24
Suikerbuik is the best place to meet up with a fellow parent(s). It has a large play area at the back and they serve delicious pastries from their own bakery. For kids, order ‘Decorate Your Own Cupcake’ and they will receive a palette with a plain cupcake and some DIY decorations to keep them entertained.
TUE-SAT 8am-5pm
SUN 12pm-5pm
BAR SIL
Beestenmarkt 5
Just a few blocks away from the Markt is the Beestenmarkt where the livestock trade took place between 1595 to 1972. The plaza is now full of restaurants and Bar Sil is one of them. They have two sandboxes in their outdoor seating area and it is the perfect place to hang out during the warmer months. The fact that they also have a kids menu is a big plus.
MON-THU 9:30am-12:30am
FRI-SAT 9:30am-1am
SUN 10am-7pm
GRK & ZO
Verwersdijk 32
Also a few blocks away from the iconic central Markt is another charming but less busy square called the Doelenplein. Here, you’ll find popular restaurants like LEF (go here if you love beer) and HANNO (go here for international cuisine). But the one with a sandbox is GRK & ZO. They also have a kids pita plate that comes with fries and a very Dutch kids dessert called appelmoes.
WED-FRI 4pm-10pm
SAT-SUN 12pm-10pm
DE GIST
Phoenixstraat 4C
Not far from Delft Station is De Gist. From the distance, it looks like a local watering hole for students. But once you build up the courage to step inside, it has that vibe of a weekend family pub lunch. No baby changing rooms but they do have high chairs, colouring pencils and a basket full of toys. Go here for lunch or early dinner, before the place gets busy with students.
SUN-THU 9am-1am
FRI-SAT 9am-2am
DE PIZZABAKKERS
Markt 9a
Just behind the Stadhuis is a pizzeria De Pizzabakkers. Although not unique to Delft and you’ll find De Pizzabakkers in other cities, this place is very child-friendly. Ask a staff member for some ‘play-dough’ and they’ll give your child some pizza dough to play with while they wait for their food. And most importantly, they make really nice pizzas here.
MON-THU 5pm-10pm
FRI 5pm-10:30pm
SAT 4pm-10:30pm
SUN 4pm-10pm
Like what you see so far? Then check out Delft with Kids Guide on my Etsy Shop and grab a printed copy of the brochure. The 4-page brochure comes with a nice scavenger hunt Delft Art Walk for Kids and a greeting card featuring an original illustrated map of Delft! The guide is 7 euros, including shipping fee within the Netherlands.
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