Kids may get bored in Amsterdam's art museums, but they're likely to be interested in the Anne Frankhuis. At Kindermuseum TM Junior, Linnaeusstraat 2 (tel. 020/568-8233; www.tropenmuseumjunior.nl; tram: 9 or 14), a section of the Tropenmuseum, kids learn about exotic tropical countries and their people through stories, songs, dances, games, and paintings. The Science Center NEMO does a good job of appealing to the inner nerd. Madame Tussauds is always fun for kids, though if they're too young, they could be frightened by the wax statues.
Older kids might appreciate the sheer white-knuckle excitement of -- well, chess, actually. It's played with giant plastic pieces on an open-air board on Max Euweplein, named after a Dutch grandmaster, next to the Casino behind Leidseplein. They can even challenge one of the minor masters who hang out around there. If all else fails, take them to Intersphere Lasergames, Prins Hendrikkade 194 (tel. 020/622-4809; www.lasergames.nl; bus: 22, 42, or 43), where in a gloomy, mist-suffused futuristic world they can zap each other until the electric sheep come home.
The street barrel organ performances (mixed with the rattle of money as the organ-grinder tries to persuade you to make a donation) are always interesting. There are also the pretty melodies emanating from the bells of five 17th-century carillons: Westertoren (Tues noon-1pm); Zuidertoren (Thurs noon-1pm); Munttoren (Fri noon-1pm); Oude Kerkstoren (Sat 4-5pm); and Koninklijk Paleis (occasional) -- these concert times are in addition to frequent regular chimes. That should hold their attention for around 30 seconds.
Children can be amateur farmers for a while at Geitenboerderij Ridammerhoeve, Nieuwe Meerlaan 4 (tel. 020/645-5034; www.geitenboerderij.nl; bus: 170 or 172), inside the Amsterdamse Bos. They get to feed 150 goats and lambs (along with chickens, a calf or two, and a few potbelly hogs); clean coops and pens; milk a goat; bottle-feed baby animals; and maybe even, between the months of January and April, be lucky enough to see kid goats being born. On Saturdays, they can watch goat's milk being turned into cheese. The farm is open March to October, Wednesday to Monday from 10am to 5pm; and November to February, Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Admission is 1.50€ ($2.40).
Before taking the kids back to the hotel for a nap, take them out to the tiny Kinderboerderij De Dierencapel, Bickersgracht 207 (tel. 020/420-6855; bus: 18, 21 or 22), an urban petting zoo in the Western Islands neighborhood, west of Centraal Station. Endearing piglets, kids (of the goat species), lambs, chickens, ducks, and rabbits nibble, root, and peck along the banks of the Bickersgracht canal; there's a play area too. It's not a bad place to bring a picnic when the weather's fine. The petting zoo is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 4:30pm; admission is free.
Equally entertaining is Kinderboerderij De Pijp, Lizzy Ansinghstraat 82 (tel. 020/664-8303; www.kinderboerderijdepijp.nl; tram: 12 or 25), a children's farm off Ferdinand Bolstraat in the down-at-the-heels De Pijp (the Pipe) urban district south of the center. Here, in addition to the animals mentioned above, kids can get close to donkeys, ponies, peacocks, and turkeys. The farm is open Monday to Friday from 11am to 5pm, and weekends from 1 to 5pm; admission is free.
