As soon as parenthood hits, life changes. Your time is not yours anymore; your life is no longer just about you and your job and your partner and your travels. No, your world turns on its head and becomes something bright and beautiful and new.
And with that newness come new pleasures, new joys, new ways to spend your time. You may not be jetting off on far-flung adventures with no notice or dining out every evening, it’s true, but there is so much to see and do—and through the wondrous eyes of your child.
No one knows that shift better than Roxy and Kiki van der Noordt. Parents, sisters, friends (and now business partners), the pair saw the need for an innovative play space that was as inspiring for the parents and caregivers as it was for children. To answer that need, they created Playhood. With a good café and a refreshing space where quality playtime is central, Playhood is like nowhere else in Amsterdam—or even in Europe. “We hope to unburden parents and give them a ‘Yes, we would like to come back here’ feeling because they feel don’t have to think about anything but relaxing and seeing their kids have fun," Kiki notes.
The sisters and the team at Playhood have built something novel, something magical. Playhood is a world unto itself; it’s a place where the same true, deep exploration that happens when we adults travel can happen for little ones. It’s also a place where people and children from both Amsterdam and abroad can mingle, share ideas and form connections. “We are very popular among people visiting from abroad, and we always have half our minds tuned into the expat/international world.” With this global approach to play, Kiki and Roxy help foster curiosity in the children who visit Playhood and their parents.
When they’re not dreaming up big ideas for how to make Amsterdam’s first (and most beautiful) indoor playground even more engaging—there are holiday camps and birthday packages in the works—they’re both doing all they can to excite their own children, expanding their minds and their worlds. Naturally, that includes travel. “Traveling by car is our favorite, as the children can listen to stories or music with us,” Kiki says. Because the journey is as important as the destination when travelling with wee ones in tow.
“For us, picking the right destination matters; our children are still very small, so we try to avoid long plane journeys at the moment. But that's okay; we can save them for when they are a little older and focus on European destinations now. There is so much out there to discover and enjoy,” Roxy chimes in. “We love traveling to sunny destinations like the Algarve, France, Greece and Turkey!”
It’s crucial to pick locations that are child-friendly and have enough to do to keep the kiddos occupied. Of course, you needn’t entertain them 24/7 (that’s what hotel babysitters are for!), but it’s clever to have a plan when you’re on the go. Kiki and Roxy try to spend as much time outside when they’re on holiday with the kids; they also make sure they have a long list of beaches, hiking routes, museums with children’s programming and not-too-fancy restaurants at hand. Plus a roleplay venue like Playhood or two if they can find one.
If all else fails, a well-stocked travel bag can come to the rescue. The sisters behind Playhood always tote a few puzzles and colouring books along when they head off on vacation. And as long as they don’t skip naps, keep the kiddos fed and ask loads of questions to give them a sense of independence, pretty much every trip is a success.
For a family of happy campers on hols, make sure you:
Think PLAYHOOD sounds like a dream?
Celebrate Family Travel Days at Playhood with 30% off!
Explore the exciting new play concept in Amsterdam, where kids can dive into roles like firefighters, pizza chefs or even be the mayor. And here's the best part—bring along an extra child or adult for free!
Use the special offer exclusively crafted for our friends in the Hood, gloobles readers with the code "GLOOBLESFRIENDS" get a fantastic 30% discount on Playhood's ticket page.
T&Cs: Valid until July 31st, with a minimum purchase of 3 tickets required for the 30% discount. Reservation per time slot is necessary.
Playhood is conveniently located near Centraal Station at Danzigerbocht 15 in Amsterdam Houthavens.
Don't miss out on this unforgettable day of family fun at Playhood!