Activities for Children in Delft

Ways to keep Your Children Active During The Summer And Beyond

These days, it can be a challenge as a parent to pull your children away from their screens, especially during their school breaks. Although video games do have their merits (see “12 Surprising Health Benefits of Playing Video Games” here), it’s important that children engage with others face-to-face, remain physically active and expand their horizons. With summertime upon us, it’s a good time to help your child build upon an existing interest or discover something new. Whether you want to spend more quality time together with your children or get them out of the house so that you get a break from parenting, there is a huge array of options of children’s activities in the Delft area from which to choose.

The Importance of Staying Active, Mentally and Physically

As we learn new tasks, our brains create more synaptic connections and when we provide repetition of tasks and information to our brains, it strengthens those connections. This process of neuroplasticity begins in utero and continues into adulthood. However, the greatest number of neural connections are made during childhood. Click here for a concise overview of brain development in young children. To learn more about continuing to create new synaptic connections as adults, check out “6 Ways to Rewire Your Brain” by Crystal Raypole here.

You can help keep your children active and engaged both mentally and physically, and there is a plethora of options to choose from in the Delft area. Whether your child is interested in the fine or performing arts, sports, scouting or gardening, you will find something on the list in this article with which to engage them.

Tagging onto Onica King’s blog article from May 2018 entitled “Get Out!,” the following is a list of activities for children in Delft. These organizations, facilities and lessons have been researched to reflect current websites and changes that have occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Activities for Children and Parents to do Together IN DELFT

Museums

• Museum Prinsenhof Delft
• Vermeer Centrum Delft
• Royal Delft Museum
• Museum Paul Tetar van Elven
• Medisch Museum ‘De Griffioen’
• Science Center Delft/Botanical Garden

Galleries

• 38CC Gallery, rotating exhibits
• Galerie Terra Delft, Nieuwstraat 7, ceramics
• Artline, Voldersgracht 18, contemporary art

Activities for children

Performing Arts, Theatre, Dance

• De Vak Centrum voor de Kunsten: theatre for various age groups, beginning at age 4
• Circuskabel: circus techniques, acrobatics and juggling
• Kelly deVos Luchtacrobatiek: aerial acrobatics
• Dance for Life Studio: toddler dance, kindergarten dance; jazz, street dance, hip hop and modern
• Dansschool Wesseling: kindergarten class, ballroom, jazz, ballet, hip hop and street dance
• Degas International Dance Academy: ballet, jazz, modern and acrobatics
• C.L.E. Dance Studio: age 3.5 to adult; ballet, street dance/urban, acrobatics, modern and show dance

Music

• Koorschool Delft: singing, choir
• Rootz Muziekscholen: guitar, bass guitar, voice, piano, drums, violin, flute, double bass, clarinet, saxophone
• Kunstinn Muziekschool: guitar, bass guitar, voice, piano, drums
• Vioolschool Delft: violin
• De Vak Centrum voor de Kunsten: accordion, recorder, flute, clarinet, guitar, bass guitar, voice, piano, keyboard, drums & percussion, organ, violin, cello, double bass, trumpet (age 8+), saxophone (8+)

Fine Arts

• De Vak Centrum voor de Kunsten: art lessons for ages 5-7; drawing & painting for ages 6+. This organization also offers combination classes (drawing, painting, making music, singing, playing with language, acting and dance) for various age groups, beginning with toddlers (age 2.5)
• Studio Jocelyn (online classes only at this time): drawing, painting and origami
• Dorrith de Roode: sewing (in Den Haag)

Sports

Baseball & Softball: Blue Birds

Basketball: Basketball Association DAS

Biking/Cyclo-Cross: De Spartaan

Bouldering:

• Bouldercentrum Delfts Bleau
• Revolt Bouldering Gym

Bowling:

• Gasterij ‘t Karrewiel (no lessons or leagues, but does have bumper bowling for children)
• Bleekmolens Race Planet (also has go-karting)

Cricket: DSV Concordia (need club membership)

Diving: DSZ

Field Hockey:

• Reijswijkse Hockey Club
• Ring Pass Delft
• HUDITO
• Hockey Club Klein Zwitzerland (in Den Haag)

Figure Skating: Haagsche IJsclub (in Den Haag)

Football (soccer):

• SV De Hollandse Leeuw
• DSV Concordia (need club membership)
• VV Sepneuten
• SV Wippolder
• Delftsche Voetbal Club
• DHC
• DSV Full Speed
• Vitesse Delft

Golf: DSV Concordia (need club membership)

Gymnastics:

• DOK Delft (also includes kindergarten gym)
• Sparta Delft

Horse Riding:

• Prometheus Ruitersport
• Manege de Prinsenstad (located near the Rotterdam/Den Haag airport)

Inline Skating:

• De Nootdorpse IJsClub
• Delftse KunstIJsbaan Vereniging (DKIJV)

Jiu Jitsu & Judo: Budo Gouweleeuw

Judo:

• Team Gouwe Sports
• Zempo

Kitesurfing (age 12+):

• Kev’s Kiteschool (in Kijkduin, Den Haag)
• Kitesurfles.nl (Kijkduin/Scheveningen)

Korfball:

• CKV Door Eendracht Sterk
• CKV Excelsior
• Fortuna

Lacrosse: Den Haag Lacrosse

Parkour: Jump Freerun (in Den Haag)

Rowing: Rowing Club de Delftsche Sport (age 11+)

Rugby: Rugby Club Delft

Running: Dobbeloop

Skateboarding:

• Skatepark Sweatshop (in Den Haag) – has lessons, also in stunt scooters and graffiti
• Delft Skatepark – skatepark only, no lessons

(Indoor) Skiing & Snowboarding: Snow World (various locations, Zoetermeer is closest to Delft)

Speed Skating:

• DKIJV
• Long-track takes place at De Uithof in Den Haag
• Short-track is at ice rinks in Den Haag & Zoetermeer
• Summer activities (inline skating) at DKIJV’s clubhouse in Delft

• SilverDome (in Zoetermeer)

Swimming:

• Sportsfondsen Delft/Zwembad Kerkpolder
• Zweminstituut
• DSZ (competitive swimming, age 7+)

Synchronized Swimming:

• DSZ (starts at age 6)
• ACZ Synchroon (in Capelle aan den IJssel, east of Rotterdam)

Table Tennis:

• DHC Table Tennis Association
• Pingwins Table Tennis Association (in Den Haag)

Taekwon-Do: Tim Kool Sportschool

Tennis:

• Tennisschool Delftsdubbel
• Tennisschool Koster
• Delftse Tennisbond
• Ring Pass Delft
• DSV Concordia (need club membership)

Track & Field: AV 40

Water Polo (Mini Polo for kids):

• DSZ
• Mini Polo d’ Elft

Scouting

• Hedera
• Marco Polo Delft
• Paulus Delft

Nature, Gardening and Outdoor Fun

• Kindertuinen Delft: gardening
• De Papaver: nature, sustainability, outdoor fun; also has take-home educational packets to rent for paper-making, cheese-making, and more
• Buyten Delft (“City Farm”): animals, splashpark, pony therapy and outdoor fun
• Outdoor Delft: outdoor paintball, archery tag, archery and disc golf

Activities for the Mind

• Delftse Schaakste: chess
• De Bonte Bouwplaats: building with Legos; robotics

Summer Camps

Some of the websites above include summer camp options, including Scouting Paulus and De Bonte Bouwplaats. Click on the links for activities that interest your child(ren) to look for others. This site lists many summer camps around The Netherlands and beyond.

Enjoy the Summer!

Another way to enjoy spending time with your children, along with other parents, is to join Delft MaMa! Specifically geared for children up to four years of age, this group meets every Friday from 11:00-12:00 at Kindergarden Delft Zuid. For more information, click here.

If you know of any other children’s activities in the Delft area that were not included in this article, please mention them in the comments section. Thank you!