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Hello Reader, Autumn has officially made its 2026 debut! Temperatures are slowly dropping and the nights are drawing in, but that certainly does not mean a shortage of exciting family activities on the weekend. We’ve rounded up our top picks for spontaneous weekend outings, along with a look ahead at some special upcoming events to pop on your calendar for the months ahead. Dive into our curated list of unique local experiences below! Call for Volunteers: Amsterdam Mamas Spooktacular Parade The Amsterdam Mamas Spooktacular Parade is back, and we need your help to make it a special day! Date: Saturday 24th October Time: 10:00 AM – 15:00 PM Location: UJ Klaren Park (Tweede Weteringsplantsoen) We’re looking for volunteers to: Help set up and take down the venue, distribute candy, guide families, and keep the spooky vibes flowing through the park Volunteer perks: 1 free adult ticket, 1 free child ticket. Join us in bringing this magical community event to life! Costumes are optional, but enthusiasm is a must. To sign-up: Spooktacular volunteer sign-up 2026 Events Happening This Weekend De Kleine Krakeling Family Theatre: Storytelling & Puppet Stages Running this Saturday and Sunday afternoon at Theater De Krakeling (near Westerpark), this venue hosts special interactive autumn plays and visual puppet performances for children aged 3 to 10. It is a cozy indoor theatrical outing featuring lively stage props, physical comedy, and light audience participation to keep young minds thoroughly entertained. Tickets are approximately €11 per child (€14 for adults) and can be reserved directly online at Theater De Krakeling. Leather Bag Making Workshop This weekend, get creative and hands-on by making your own leather bags. Learn the basics of leatherworking—cutting, stitching, and assembling—all in a step-by-step guided workshop that will result in your very own leather bag design. Sign up for your children ages 12 and up; you can also do it together as a parent & child activity or for you and your friends! There are still slots available for both 26 September and 27 September. Make your choice on the website. Harvest Festival What stands out quickly about living in Amsterdam is the diversity of cultures and traditions present. Not everyone practices the same religious or cultural celebrations, but the Wereldmuseum gives children the opportunity to experience and get to know a worldwide variety of celebrations. Whether it’s time for Christmas, Eid, Día de Muertos, Sundays at the Wereldmuseum Feestwinkel means it’s party time! For this weekend, 27 September will be celebrated with a Harvest Festival theme as observed in many parts of the world including Chinese Moon Festival, American Thanksgiving, German Erntedankfest, Jewish Sukkot, and Argentine Fiesta de la Vendimia. Junior Stop-Motion Animation Lab Taking place this Saturday afternoon at IJpromenade 1 (Amsterdam Noord), Eye Filmmuseum hosts an interactive digital filmmaking workshop for pre-teens and young teens aged 8 to 14. Guided by media educators, kids construct miniature sets, design clay characters, and edit short digital stop-motion films inside the museum studio. Tickets are €15 per youth participant and can be reserved directly on the Eye Filmmuseum website. Ongoing & Upcoming Events Asian-Filipino Culture Celebration The international Filipino community is celebrating because, for the first time, their heritage and culture will be featured in an international film. On 10 October, everyone is invited to experience Filipino food, culture, and community through a private screening of Forgotten Island at FC Hyena in Amsterdam Noord. But before the movie starts, games and other surprises will be prepared—Filipino-styled and more! Other Asian makers will also be participating in the market, making it one fun Saturday spectacle for a rich, cultural, and colorful experience. If you’ve never had Filipino BBQ before, this is a great introduction. Tickets and more information on the agenda can be found here. Cinekid Festival 2026 The world’s largest media and film festival for children returns this autumn during the school holiday (10 – 25 October), with Pathé Amsterdam Noord serving as its main hub. Beyond international film premieres and kleuter workshops, kids aged 3 to 14 can explore the massive MediaLab—an interactive playground featuring virtual reality games, digital art installations, and futuristic media workshops. Because holiday time slots and MediaLab passes sell out fast, parents are encouraged to browse schedules and pre-book tickets online via Cinekid Festival. Almond Blossom Painting Studio Workshop @ Van Gogh Museum Running on select weekend afternoons throughout late September and October (1:30 PM – 3:30 PM) at Museumplein, this studio programme lets children aged 6 to 12 step into the shoes of a master painter. Guided by museum art educators, participants explore Van Gogh’s original masterpiece inside the museum before painting their own canvas using acrylics in the private studio space. Tickets are €15 per child (includes all materials and museum entry), and advance booking via the Van Gogh Museum is required as class sizes are strictly capped. Art Camp for the Autumn Holidays In October, schools will have a one-week break for the Herfstvakantie. If you are looking for a week-long activity that would keep your kids active, engaged, and creative, Amsterdam Museum is offering a free art camp for kids aged 9 – 12 years old. The autumn camp will be held on Monday 12 October, to Friday 19 October, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, in select public libraries around Amsterdam. Sign-ups are still open but running out fast. Children participating in the programme are expected to be present for the entire week. Quickly sign up here. Parents’ Corner Friday Evening “Wine & Clay” Pottery Session @ Studio Keramiek Designed as an adult getaway to de-stress after a busy week, Studio Keramiek hosts relaxing Friday evening pottery sessions (19:30–21:30) in central Amsterdam. Parents can learn wheel-throwing and hand-building clay techniques with a glass of wine in hand while listening to smooth music in a cozy indoor studio. Tickets cost €38 per person (which includes all clay materials, firing, and drinks), and pre-booking is required via Studio Keramiek Amsterdam. Yayoi Kusama Exhibit The works of Yayoi Kusama, one of the most celebrated artists of contemporary art, are displayed at the Stedelijk Museum for a limited time. Make sure to visit the museum to see her innovative, sometimes controversial, style up close through paintings, drawings, sculptures, and installations. Tickets are available online. Do note that if you are a Museumcard holder, the Kusama collection has an additional fee to make the exhibit possible. Complete details can be found here. Partner’s Message A special invitation for the Amsterdam Mamas community! We’d love to welcome you and your little ones to WOW Family Center — a warm and joyful place for families to connect, learn, play and grow together. Come and discover our classes for parents & babies, toddlers, parents & toddlers, and older kids — with something special for every stage of your family’s journey. Special offer for Amsterdam Mama members: Enjoy 10% off when you purchase one of our 3 WOW Family Center Club Cards through the special link. Choose your WOW Family Center Club Card. Discount code: wowmamas Choose the Club Card that suits your family best and enjoy our wonderful selection of classes and activities together. We can’t wait to welcome you and your family to WOW Family Center! We endeavour to include everyone and are happy to mention events connected to all special holidays/festivities. Please email us with events/celebrations you want us to mention. AM will make the ultimate decision on what to publish. A team of volunteers compiles this newsletter, and we would welcome some new colleagues on the team. Are you interested, and do you have a few hours to spare every few weeks? Please contact Amsterdam Mamas for more information at info@amsterdam-mamas.nl This Weekend Roundup was compiled by Jackie C. Liban. The above information is given to the best of our knowledge and ability, but please check the event links to confirm details. These are often events that the Amsterdam Mamas cannot personally recommend from experience but are provided as a starting point to help you find activities that are a good fit for your family. If you have seen any upcoming events that we should know about, please let the newsletter team know by replying to this email. Thanks, and have a good weekend! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. |
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