We live in a world built ‘of, by and for’ a linear economy, where daily habits involve ‘take, make, use, and throw away’. This approach to consumption is not only resource-intensive but also unsustainable, contributing to enormous amounts of waste and greenhouse gas emissions that are driving the climate crisis to a pinnacle. Here are some facts about the fashion industry, as an example, to think about:

• Up to 100 billion new garments are produced each year, yet 87% of materials end up in landfills, contributing to 92 million tons of textile waste annually.
• Each year, 23 billion pairs of shoes are manufactured, and 22 billion are thrown away, creating a staggering amount of waste.
• The fashion industry alone is responsible for about 10% of global carbon emissions, more than the aviation and shipping industries combined.
• Textiles in landfills also release methane, a greenhouse gas that is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat, accelerating global warming.

Despite global commitments like the Paris Agreement, the climate crisis shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, projections indicate that temperatures could rise by more than 2°C if current trends continue.

But what is Circularity?

Imagine a forest. In nature, nothing goes to waste. When leaves fall, they decompose, enriching the soil for new plants to grow. Animals eat plants, and their waste becomes fertiliser. Everything in nature is reused or recycled, thus sustaining life without creating garbage.

What if we looked at our daily activities and products used in a similar fashion? Circularity offers us this opportunity, it is a refreshing alternative to the wasteful “take, make, and dispose” model. The idea is to keep products, materials, and resources in use for as long as possible, reducing waste and harmful environmental impacts in the process. By maximising a product’s lifespan, we reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with both new production and end-of-life disposal while continuing to receive the same benefits.

The city of Amsterdam is at the forefront of adopting the circular economy, with a bold target to become 100% circular by 2050. As families in Amsterdam, we have the power to make this vision a reality in our everyday lives. Here are some practical ways your family can contribute to a circular economy and make a lasting impact:

• Buy Second-Hand: Before buying new items, consider second-hand options for children’s clothes, toys, and furniture. Platforms like Vinted, Marktplaats, or local thrift shops/kringloop winkles offer great alternatives. By choosing second-hand, you reduce demand for new resources and save money—making it a win for both your wallet and the environment.
• Repair Instead of Replace: Children outgrow things quickly, and items often break. Instead of discarding them, try repairing them. Amsterdam’s Repair Cafés provide spaces where you can fix everything from broken toys to strollers. These cafés also offer advice on DIY repairs, empowering you to extend the life of your belongings. Innovative products like the Fairphone (a smartphone designed for easy repair) are great examples of circular products designed to last.
• Buy Circular Products: Look for companies that prioritize circularity, such as Patagonia, known for its durable, repairable gear, or MUD Jeans, which offer jeans that you can lease, repair, or return for recycling.
• Swap and Share: Participate in community swap events or create your own swap groups with friends and neighbours. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation provides a great analogy: A drill is typically used for only a few seconds in its lifetime so why buy one when you can share it? Swapping baby clothes, toys, and household items reduces waste and creates opportunities for others to benefit from things you no longer need.
• Upcycle with Your Kids: Get creative and turn old items into something new through upcycling. Whether it’s transforming old clothes into tote bags or using packaging for craft projects, upcycling is a fun family activity that teaches kids the value of creativity and sustainability. It’s also a great way to reduce waste and give old items new life.

Let’s start with small, intentional changes — As families in Amsterdam, we have the chance to lead by example and support the city’s ambition to become fully circular by 2050.

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Amsterdam Halloween 2024

Join a Halloween Parade!
Amsterdam Mamas Spooktacular is back! On Sunday 27 October gather together in your best costumes and parade around Beatrixpark with fellow ghosts, goblins, wizards and superheroes! Information and tickets available through our website. For the littlest monsters, up to age 8.

Trick or Treat!
What could be more fun for kids than going door to door in costume, with a goodie bag, ringing the doorbell, shouting “Trick or treat!” and (hopefully) receiving candy?

Trick or treating is NOT tradition in the Netherlands so the trick or treating that happens is privately managed. There are neighbourhoods in Zuid, Buitenveldert and Steigereiland Noord in Ijburg that have active trick or treating. Here is a map of homes participating in trick or treating this year. Consider becoming a host home yourself! It is really fun to decorate the house and see all the creative costumes and happy children. Speaking of which…

Dress up and Decorate!
Whether you are hosting trick or treaters or your own Halloween party, here are some popular local businesses ready to supply you with all your Halloween gear:

• Kinderfeestwinkel: This children’s party store in De Pijp has everything you need for a Halloween party or any other party throughout the year. Warning: if your child adores big, flouncy, tutu style skirts you may not leave the store without one.
• Witbaard: Oodles of Halloween stuff – both scary and fun. Check out the huge collection of children’s costumes upstairs! Witbaard is also located close to Duikelman in case you need to visit an amazing culinary supply store for Halloween-themed cookie cutters or sharp knives for carving pumpkins.
• Louis Wittenburg, around since 1901, knows its business and is ready to supply all of the Halloween needs of our Centrum dwelling families.
• Dam in Oost has an incredible array of Halloween and many other holiday items. You can shop in-store or order online.

Carve a Pumpkin!
There are pumpkins in many grocery stores this time of year, as well as in garden centres. Don’t limit yourself to classic orange pumpkins – green, white, and yellow gourds add to the fun. Here are some ideas for beginners and more advanced carvers. Alternatively, for those who prefer not to have pumpkin flesh and seeds on the kitchen floors, consider joining a pumpkin carving workshop for children.

Get a Fright!

Halloween can be enjoyed out on the town as well.

For younger children, The Science Camp is hosting a Haunted House on Saturday 2 November. Adolescents or teens will be thrilled at the Amsterdam Dungeon which has extended hours on Saturday 26 October as well as Halloween itself. Reserve tickets now as they sell fast. Older teens (16+) can try to escape from the Amsterdam Catacombs – this escape room only minutes from Central Station will be sure to give chills and thrills.

Further afield is Walibi, a theme park about an hour’s drive from Amsterdam. During the weeks up to and just after Halloween, Walibi hosts Fright Nights for children over 12 and Spooky Days for children up to 12.

Watch a Movie! My kids are either bored or terrified by the movies I remember from my (admittedly long ago) childhood. Thankfully, there are guides for kid-friendly Halloween movies and where they are streaming. Popcorn, costumes, and a good spooky movie—you’ve got this Halloween covered!

When the kids go to bed, all of you Dutch learners/scary movie aficionados might consider watching the Dutch film The Vanishing (available for rent on Apple TV) based on the story The Golden Egg by native Amsterdammer Tim Krabbé (brother of actor Jeroen Krabbé). It was made into a Hollywood film (with a very young Sandra Bullock) but the original is much scarier – Stanley Kubrick called it the scariest movie he’d ever seen. And it’s good practice for your Dutch!

Halloween Travel in Europe

For many people, Halloween 2024 falls in the middle of Herfstvakantie. If you’re heading out of Amsterdam, consider traveling to some spooky destinations throughout Europe. Amsterdam Mama’s contributor Mary Petiet compiled a list of spooky Halloween destinations all over Europe, including two from here in the Netherlands

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We will have 2 time slots for the parade to accommodate a larger group.
1st Parade : 10:30 – 11:30
2nd Parade : 11:30 – 12:30

We will gather at 15 mins before your chosen timeslot, in front of St. Nicolaaslyceum, Beethovenplein 2, 1077 WM Amsterdam. The parades will start at 10:30 &. 11:30 respectively. We will parade from the St. Nicolaaslyceum to Beatrix Park (by the paddle pool). After a fun-tastic parade, you and your little monsters can enjoy the playground (by the paddling pool in Beatrix Park), play with other families and join our activities.

What’s Halloween without candy?! Don’t forget to bring a mini-collection bag for the little ones to take home their trick-or-treat goodies.

Our wonderful partners WOW Family Centre Amsterdam will organise a spooky activity for the kids.

Want a snack or drink? You can always stop by at Park Kiosk BEA which will be especially open for Spooktacular!

Let’s Go! Dress up in your spookiest Halloween costumes, in fact you can even decorate your strollers, bikes or steps and join us for a fang-tastic time!

Limited tickets available, so don’t miss out !!

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In a dramatic sign of the escalating climate crisis, the past twelve months have been the hottest on record globally, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), a climate monitoring service funded by the European Commission. Regions across the world are experiencing unprecedented heat waves, with temperatures soaring to dangerous levels, threatening lives and livelihoods.

The global conversation about climate change often revolves around the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This target, established by the Paris Agreement, is crucial for mitigating the most severe impacts of climate change. But what does 1.5 degrees mean?

1.5 degrees explained

Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius means that by the year 2100, the world’s average surface temperature will have risen no more than 1.5°C (2.7°F) warmer than pre-industrial levels. The 1.5°C threshold was the stretch target established in the Paris Agreement in 2015, a treaty in which 195 nations pledged to tackle climate change. It’s a political target but informed by science, by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

At 1.5 degrees of warming, significant impacts will already be evident, including more frequent and severe heatwaves, increased droughts, and more intense storms. Coral reefs are likely to decline by 70-90%, and there will be greater risks to health, livelihoods, food security and water supply. Beyond 1.5 degrees, the impacts become more severe. We are already experiencing these changes, as the average global temperature over the past 12 months was 1.63 degrees above pre-industrial levels, according to C3S. Although the 1.5-degree target refers to long-term warming over decades, scientists warn that this temporary breach is alarming.

What does 1.5 degrees mean for families, and how can we adapt our lifestyles to contribute to this global effort?

Families are at the heart of communities, and the choices they make collectively can have a significant impact on the environment. From daily habits to long-term investments, each decision contributes to either exacerbating or mitigating climate change. Embracing a 1.5 degrees lifestyle involves making mindful changes that reduce our carbon footprint and promote sustainability.

Steps to a 1.5 Degrees Lifestyle for Families

Reduce Energy Consumption: According to the European Environment Agency, industry is responsible for 26% of total emissions, while households account for 25%. This means that the general public’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is nearly equal to that of the industrial sector. Therefore, using energy-efficient appliances, switching to renewable energy sources like solar or wind power, and improving home insulation to reduce heating and cooling needs can play a crucial role in reducing emissions.

Sustainable Transportation: Opt for walking, cycling, public transport, carpooling or electric vehicles over traditional fossil fuel-powered cars.

Dietary Changes: Food production is responsible for one-quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, making our daily dietary choices a significant factor in environmental degradation. According to a graphic from Our World In Data, which illustrates GHG emissions from 29 food products, animal-based foods generally have a higher carbon footprint than plant-based ones. Therefore, reducing meat consumption, especially beef and lamb which are the highest emitters, can be particularly impactful.

Waste Reduction: Minimize waste by recycling, composting, and reducing plastic usage. Aim to buy products with minimal packaging and consider second-hand options.

Conscious Consumption: Adopting a “1.5 degrees lifestyle” involves making choices that reduce your carbon footprint, such as mindful consumption, supporting eco-friendly brands, and reducing overall material consumption.

Advocate and Educate: Support policies and leaders committed to climate action and educate others about the importance of reducing carbon footprints and adopting sustainable practices.

Adopting a 1.5 degrees lifestyle is not about sacrifice at all; it’s about improving quality of life for you and your families and all future generations. Families can enjoy healthier diets, more physical activity, and a stronger sense of community. Financial savings from reduced energy and water bills are a bonus. Most importantly, it fosters a sense of purpose and responsibility, knowing that your family is contributing to a healthier planet.

The post Keeping it Cool appeared first on Amsterdam Mamas.

If the city’s hoofdgroenstructuur is a new concept for you, as it was for me, please read on, because I’ve done some digging about what it means for Amsterdam and its residents, so that you can cast your votes with some background knowledge and, hopefully, confidence!

As we are all witnessing, Amsterdam continues to grow as more people move to the city, requiring homes and other amenities. The Amsterdam Gemeente has produced the Amsterdam Environmental Vision 2050 (‘2050 Vision’), with a view to ensuring that the city’s green areas continue to be strengthened and protected as the city grows. This recognises that greenery is important for residents’ mental and physical health and recreation, as well as for nature, biodiversity, flood prevention and city cooling.

A number of Amsterdam residents have collected more than 11,000 signatures, objecting to certain elements of the 2050 Vision, and these are enough to trigger a public referendum on it, asking residents whether they are for or against the hoofdgroenstructuur. This is an advisory referendum, and its result is non-binding, but it will provide the Gemeente with a feeling for the public mood surrounding its proposals.

Against

You can read more about the reasons to vote against the hoofdgroenstructuur via this link: https://rhgs.nl

For

You can read more about the reasons to vote for the hoofdgroenstructuur via this link:

https://www.amsterdam.nl/wonen-leefomgeving/hoofdgroenstructuur/

Rather counterintuitively, the main reasons cited for voting against the hoofdgroenstructuur is that its green protections don’t go far enough and nor are they binding by law. Instead, those fighting against the Gemeente’s plans want to see further consultation with residents that result in stronger protections for the city’s green places.

Happy voting to you all tomorrow!

The post Tomorrow’s Vote on Amsterdam’s Green Space Policy – What’s it all About? appeared first on Amsterdam Mamas.

In 2022, Noord was ranked at number 32 out of 51 by the Time Out magazine as one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world. According to this publication, when going from the centre of the city to the northern side it is as if one steps into “a different world”. A more vibrant and coloured world that has managed to retain its “post-industrial charm” and become a central point for innovation and art. In fact, the NDSM is known as one of the most significant artistic incubators in the Netherlands, housing around 400 artists, designers, and architects.

History

The Northern part of the city started to take shape with the opening of the North Sea Canal in 1876, and the construction of the Oranjesluizen near Schellingwoude in a focused effort to stop the threat of the Zuiderzee. Around the same period, massive stretches of the Ij were reclaimed on the north side of the canal. At first this space was used for heavy industry and port-related activities. As the people working for these companies needed easy access to get to work, the ferry services were created that we are using to this day. The more people were circulating back and forth, the more obvious it became that it was necessary to create more living spaces on this side of the IJ. As a result, in 1900, Johan van Hasselt, then the director of the Public Works Department, developed a design meant to create living and working spaces in Amsterdam Noord. This plan was considerably adapted for residential construction in the area and in 1921, Amsterdam Noord was annexed to the city.

Housing

Amsterdam Noord successfully combines traditional, industrial, and modern architecture. However, the renewal and development of new neighbourhoods has recently made necessary a new division of this district of our city. As such, it is divided into 3 parts: Oud-Noord, Noord-West and Noord-Oost. As the name indicates, Oud-Noord includes the oldest neighbourhoods in Amsterdam Noord as Buiksloot, Nieuwendam, and Vogelbuurt, with small houses built in traditional Dutch style. While Noord-West consists of neighbourhoods made up mostly of apartment buildings and old and new Dutch houses (Banne Buiksloot, Kadoelen and Oostzanerwerf). The Noord-Oost part of Amsterdam Noord is considered the heart of this district, with its recently built houses and apartment buildings in Buikslotermeer, Elzenhagen and Waterland.

Family fun/Places of Interest/Parks

• Noorderpark is in the heart of Amsterdam Noord. Usually there are some activities or creative workshops organized at the Gele Pomp and at the Roze Tanker there are concerts or shows. Children can play at the Bloemenkwartier playground and during the summer can have a fresh dive into the Noorderparkbad. At the entrance of the park is located one of the best ice-cream parlors in Amsterdam, Ijskoud de Beste.
• The Tolhuistuin is one of Noord’s cultural oases. Where culture, art and culinary innovation come together. On its grounds, you can find a concert hall, a restaurant, a garden, a dance school, exhibition spaces, and workspaces. In collaboration with various organizations, they create concerts and performances that go from hip hop lessons to vegetable gardening workshops.
• The Vliegenbos is the oldest forest in Amsterdam, and it is full of elms. If you are looking for a bit of adventure let yourself wonder it’s winding paths.
• Situated at the outskirts of Amsterdam, NoordOogst is a unique and inspiring urban farming project that has a wild beautiful garden and its own nature playground where children and adults alike can climb, roll, jump, root and play with water to their heart’s content. The playground is always open during the day and the access is free of charge.
• Het Twiske is a considerable recreation area above Amsterdam Noord where you can enjoy nature, walk, cycle or sail. There are places where you can bask in the sun and you can take a swim, as well as a playground, a petting zoo and adventure park for children. There are viewpoints where you can watch birds and a small port where you can rent a boat.

Activities and clubs

• De Sterrenmakers organize many of the neighbourhood clubs in Amsterdam Noord. Children are invited to choose from a wide range of activities such as cooking, art, film making, design and fashion.
• Noordje is a non-profit organization that has a mission to make art and culture accessible to all children. To stimulate children’s creativity, to increase their confidence and self-awareness, and to teach them how to work together, they organize Writing and Reading Labs in different parts of the neighbourhood as well as Art Labs.
• Amsterdam Noord has its own Muziekschool. Here children learn to sing, dance, and play a wide range of instruments such as electric guitar, drums or piano.
• Telekids Musicalschool offers musical, dance and singing lessons for children from 4 to 16 years old.

Schooling

Elementary schools

Education in Amsterdam Noord is a mix of old and new, that caters to various education methods. There are schools that offer an education based on the Montessori concept such as Montessori Boven ‘t Ij. Also, schools based on a Waldorf concept such as Vrijeschool Kairos and Waldorf aan de Werf. If you are interested in the Dalton method of education, the most known schools are De Ijsbreker and De Zeven Zeeën. And should the Jenaplan concept have caught your interest, the best schools in the area are De Biënkorf and Het Wespennest. But if you are looking for a more experimental education style, you will find the Kindercampus Mokum and Klein Amsterdam schools more to your liking.

Secondary schools

In Amsterdam Noord there are also secondary schools such as:

• Hyperion Lyceum a public secondary school that offers education for vwo level (gymnasium- en and atheneum+).
• Metropolis Lyceum which offers a Dalton education style for vwo-, havo- of mavo level.
• Xplore Agora Amsterdam is a secondary school based on an experimental concept for vmbo-t, havo and vwo level.
• Damstede Lyceum that offers education for havo and vwo level (gymnasium and technamsium).

Shopping

Noorderlingers know that the biggest shopping center in Amsterdam-Noord is Winkelcentrum Boven ’t Ij near Buikslotermeerplein. Since the opening of the Station Noord, the shopping center has become accessible to residents of Amsterdam from other areas too. No doubt one of the attractions is one of the biggest Amazing Oriental Supermarket in Amsterdam.

Markets

• Pekmarkt
  Van der Pekstraat
  Open on Wednesdays from 09:00
• IJ-Hallen
  (Flea Market)
  T.T. Neveritaweg 15
  Weekend, ± every 3 weeks
• Biologische en boerenmarkt Amsterdam
  Winkelcentrum Boven ’t Y
  Open on Saturday from 08:00 to 09:30
• Markt Buikslotermeerplein
  Monday 12:00 – 18:00
  Tuesday – Saturday 08:00 – 18:00
• Buiten Markt
  Every first Saturday of the month
  From 11 to 16, at Noordoogst
  Meteorenweg 272-280

For a first-hand account, from fellow Mamas, about living in and around Amsterdam, check our Neighbourhood  Guide Series.

The post Neighbourhood Guide: Amsterdam Noord appeared first on Amsterdam Mamas.

Almere is a municipality in the province of Flevoland and is part of the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area (MRA). It is divided into Stad, Haven, Poort and Buiten. Almere’s location is quite convenient as it’s less than a 20 minutes’ drive to Amsterdam and it is very well connected to Schiphol, Amsterdam Central and Amsterdam Zuid by intercity NS trains as well as via buses. The great thing about Almere is the varied natural landscapes – Almere has multiple beaches, parks, woodlands and an abundance of waterfronts. Alongside the striking modern architecture and outdoor artworks, Almere Centrum has more than 400 shops, places of cultural interest and cinemas. Overall, Almere, like many other neighbourhoods in the Netherlands, is safe, peaceful and friendly. With rising housing prices in Amsterdam, more and more families who are looking for larger homes and family-friendly areas are moving to Almere due to attractive housing prices.

Housing

Almere is a new city, widely spread city over a polder, surrounded by fascinating places of natural beauty and with modern architecture. The land on which the city sits, the Southern Flevoland polder, was reclaimed from the IJsselmeer from 1959 to 1968. The first house was finished in 1976, and Almere became a municipality in 1984.

Since it is a suburb in Flevoland, Netherlands, the houses tend to be generally bigger than the houses in Amsterdam city while also being more affordable. In general, Almere offers multiple types of housing including connected houses, corner houses, big stand-alone houses along the canal and apartments. You can also expect to get your own parking spot in many houses.

The buildings are relatively new, and the architecture is different to the iconic canal houses in Amsterdam. Streets are larger with plenty of parking spots, and parking in most of Almere is free of charge.

Schooling

Almere is home to two international schools, two universities of applied sciences, 17 secondary schools and almost 100 primary schools. The city has public schools as well as schools that provide lessons based on a particular pedagogical vision or religious conviction. Examples of the former are the Dalton, Montessori or Jena-plan educational systems. There are also schools based on Catholic, Reformed, Protestant, Ecumenical and Islamic principles, along with schools that offer a high standard of special needs education. Here are the international schools in Almere:

• International Primary School Almere
• International School Almere

In order to accommodate the growth in the number of international students in the Amsterdam Area, Almere is building the International Campus. IPSA and ISA will move into this new building together. It will be built in the new neighbourhood Stadstuinen Poort with capacity for 700 students.

Places of Interest / Family Fun

City Estate de Kemphaan

The Kemphaan estate is located in a wooded area called Almeerderhout. It is a place where you can enjoy hiking, cycling or walking in the midst of wonderful nature, indulge in delicious pancakes, go climbing, visit the city farm, or stay in the luxurious estate accommodation or a camp site on the estate. The estate itself is open to visitors throughout the year, free of charge.

Oostvaarderplassen Almere

The Oostvaardersplassen is a national park which is host to thousands of geese and waterfowl, alongside Heck cattle, Konik horses, red deer and foxes. Start your walking or bicycle excursion from De Oostvaarders Nature Experience Centre or visit the Ecokar to discover the Oostvaardersplassen together with the guide from Staatsbosbeheer. Spot the animals in their habitat with Stad & Natuur’s impressive binoculars available for you to use.  With a bit of luck, you may see the rare white-tailed eagle!

Beaches in Almere

• Almeerderstrand is a spacious beach on the IJmeer. Enjoy sunbathing, walking, and watching the beautiful sunset in the summers with a drink at the Poort Dok beach pavilion or take a dip in the refreshing water by the beach all through the year. Explore the multiple events around culture, entrepreneurship and children organised by Strand Lab.
• Play to your heart’s content on the Lumiere beach on the Weerwater and enjoy a nice bike ride on the beautiful cycling path.
• Almere Haven beach is also great fun for the little ones. In addition to water and sand, this sandy beach also offers play equipment and a beach bar & brasserie (De Jutter).
• Fantasiestrand is another great beach, which offers water, sand and grass. Watch the cool stunts of the water skiers with the little ones or maybe take a chance at the water ski itself with your older kids at the Lido.

Almere Public Library

At the Almere Public Library you can borrow a book, study in peace or enjoy the youth theatre at the Nieuwe bibliotheek (The New Library) in Almere. With 4 different branches at Stad, Haven, Poort and Buiten, visit the library nearest to you. The library offers free membership to children until the age of 18 years old and an adult membership starts from 18 euros per year. Even non-members can use the library for a quiet place to read, or a cup of tea/coffee. The library regularly organises educational and fun activities for young and old. From free reading sessions for toddlers to youth theatre, workshops and new films every week, there’s always something to do! The library offers a Taal café education, explore different career paths and provide consultation on government benefits.

The neighbourhood is quite diverse and is a fair representation of Amsterdam’s cosmopolitan nature with plenty of restaurants serving different cuisines, cafes, sports clubs, ethnic grocery shops and few shopping areas.

– From the Mamas.

Daily Life

• Play Areas: There are many play parks for each block of houses in Almere–making the neighbourhood not only very green, but also very family friendly.
• Grocery stores are scattered across the neighbourhoods of Almere– Albert Heijn, Vomar, Aldi and Jumbo, are larger supermarkets but you also find several specialised stores like India, Surinami, Japanese, Middle Eastern etc. grocery stores as well.
• Farmers Market: Almere hosts a weekly Farmers market, every Wednesday & Saturday, at Almere Centrum and every Friday at Almere Stad Centrum from 9am to 4pm. The market carries fresh cheeses, eggs, vegetables and fruits, fresh meat, fish, and the freshly, hand-made Dutch stroopwafels!
• Shopping: You can find a wide variety of shopping stores at Almere centrum as well as Almere Stad. Explore the furniture shopping centre Doemere in Almere Buiten with stores like Swiss Sense, Leen Bakker, etc.

Sports

If you want to get active in Almere, you can choose from many indoor and outdoor sports facilities. Almere’s sports fields are spread over seven sports parks. In addition, there is a Top Sports Centre, six sports halls, eleven sports halls, gymnasiums, a dojo and three swimming pools. You can choose from a variety of sports including swimming, skateboarding, tennis, basketball, football and more. Explore the Sport en Cultuur website to learn more about various sport activities around Almere for both young children and adults.

Learning Dutch

BC “Before Corona!” most of the Dutch classes in Almere used to be in person, now you more easily find Dutch courses online. However, if you are looking for an in person experience you can always visit the Almere public library for their weekly coffee time to practice your Dutch speaking skills. Registration at the public library is free of charge for children and it costs a small amount for adults. For in person classes you can join Suitcase Talen, Taalbureau Symbol or De taal Brigade.

It’s green, safe and houses are lovely and of a good size.

– From the Mamas.

Kids-friendly activities

Almere government places a special focus on developing the culture and focusing on the overall development of children. Hence, there are multiple activities and initiatives around the city, many subsidised by the government. Here, I list a few of them:

• Kleur in Cultuur offer a range of activities for children between the age of 4 to 14 years. From fashion workshops to theatre, singing, dancing, visual arts and music, they have it all! The cost of the activities ranges from free workshops to a few euros per session.
• Mamacafe: JGZ Almere regularly organises Mamacafe for young mothers to connect with other mothers in the area. They regularly host workshops around variety of topics including breastfeeding, independent play, massage for babies, potty training and more which are completely free of cost!
• Droomspeelbus: The droomspeelbus organises different activities for multiple age groups. You can expose your kids to different activities like balancing, walking, rolling, climbing, etc. with gym classes or inspire them to try new sports like hockey or stake-boarding with free after school lessons.
• Kunstlinie Theatre: Kunstlinie theatre often hosts kid-friendly theatres and musicals for kids of all age groups. Join a Nijntje or Winnie the pooh musical, watch a youth theatre, explore an art installation or join a theatre workshop, Kunstlinie offers it all throughout the year!
• Kermis in Almere: All through the year, you can find different fairs at different locations in Almere. Enjoy the summer fair, join an Indian food festival or explore the Halloween feest at Almere centrum depending on what you like the most!
• Boerderij: Do your kids enjoy playing with the farm animals? Visit one of the 6 kids-friendly boerderij (farms) in Almere including Den Uylpark and de Beestenbende.

For a first-hand account, from fellow Mamas, about living in and around Amsterdam, check our Neighbourhood Guides Series.

The post Neighbourhood Guide: Almere appeared first on Amsterdam Mamas.

History of Diemen

Diemen is a little slice of paradise, even though its name would suggest otherwise (I couldn’t resist sneaking in a bit of wordplay). The gorgeous neo-Romanesque tower of the Sint Petrus Banden kerk (church) is a prominent feature of the municipality and definitely one of the highlights of my walking route across Hartveldseweg, the main road connecting Diemen to the A10. Oud-Diemen in Diemen-Noord is another spectacle to behold. It used to be the centre of Diemen in the past and still contains the characteristic Dutch style gabled houses with painted wooden shutters, some going back to 1774.

Diemen was originally established as a fishing village along the river Diem, which is where its name comes from. It is also much older than Amsterdam, excavations revealing the first settlers to have arrived in the 11th century. It is a charming town with a bustling centrum complete with its Albert Heijn XL in Diemerplein, the main shopping centre. Diemerplein is surrounded by picturesque red-brick houses, a sun-dappled square on one side which becomes a sprawling terrace in the summer, and a basisschool on the other. The theatre can also be found on this road. The deep blue ‘Theater De Omval‘ building would be hard to miss. It’s a little gem, hosting jazz afternoons, serving coffee and drinks in a very charming and spacious café, and of course showing films and performances for all ages. The building is now also home to the OBA (library), newly renovated with a gorgeous interior and a separate reading/ play room for the youngest readers.

Diemen-Zuid is calm and green. The local schools are easily reachable by foot which is perfect for families with primary school-aged children.
– From the Mamas.

Public Transport

The proximity of the municipality to Amsterdam has made it very popular. Tram 19 connects you to Amsterdam Oost and eventually stops at Sloterdijk Station at the end of the line. The Sprinter takes you directly to Amsterdam Central Station in 10 minutes and Schipol Airport in 30. The metro in Diemen-Zuid also connects you to Amsterdam Central Station via Amsterdam Oost, along the Amstel. Bijlmer Arena Station is a 15 minute bus ride away. If you don’t have a car, it can feel inconvenient to have to rely on public transport all the time if you aren’t better connected. I live in Diemen-Centrum and still feel irked sometimes when I have to walk the ten minutes it takes to get to the nearest tram stop, while pushing a wailing toddler in her stroller. I can imagine someone living further away would feel even less inclined to walk that distance.

Activities and clubs

I was pleasantly surprised when I first moved here by the number of activities available for kids of all ages. A free playgroup for 0 to 4 year olds called the spelinloop is offered 3 days a week in Diemen-Centrum, Zuid and Noord. There’s another one starting soon in Holland Park. The Muziekschool Diemen is another hot favourite, offering classes for children as young as 8 months old. For children from 8 years old there are also horse-riding lessons at Manege De Eenhoorn. From football to dance classes, there’s something for every kid.

Schools

The schools here have generally good reviews, but waiting lists can be very long. The international school, AICS, is a 15 minute bus ride away from Diemen-Centrum. Swimming schools can also have long waiting lists.

Housing

The houses are a mix of the old and the new. Holland Park boasts some of the newest buildings, while the older parts of Diemen have the picturesque houses that, while pretty to look at from the outside, might be fixer-uppers or with low energy efficiency ratings. Information about housing prices and renting can be found on funda.nl.

Parks and other attractions

Diemen boasts a ‘nature’ playground, De Omloop in Diemen-Noord, which becomes a lively barbecue spot during the summer. Another lush green playground with a zip-line and a dedicated barbecue area has recently been inaugurated in Diemen-Centrum. Diemen-Zuid is dotted with playgrounds, big and small. Holland Park is also not far behind with three lovely playgrounds having recently sprung up. Diemen Sniep even has options for rainy days: Monkey Town and Street Jump. My kids and I are especially fond of visiting the little boerderij or petting zoo located next to the bridge which connects Diemen-Centrum to Sniep. The Diemerbos is also a favourite among both locals and non-locals. ‘House of Bird’ is located here: a gorgeous eatery with a playground right next to it, the winning combo. The kids can also follow a bird route and get a diploma when they complete the trail. Residents also get to enjoy having a Rataplan in the vicinity. It has a cosy café on the first floor where visitors can enjoy a hard-earned cup of coffee after browsing through the huge thrift store.

If you’re moving from the city (refer to our Amsterdam Neighbourhood Guide series), Diemen might seem a bit too quiet in the beginning. It differs from area to area, naturally. If you are a coffee snob living in Diemen might mean that you’d have to go to Amsterdam to get your fix. However, a new(ish) cafe in Holland Park DSTRCT DZ has reasonable coffee, complete with fancy latte art. Before I bought my coffee machine I took countless trips to Watergraafsmeer just to have a good cappuccino. Thankfully, that’s not too far from Diemen. Options for dining out are limited, although a couple of great Italian restaurants are located here. When I first moved to Diemen four years ago, there were hardly any food delivery options. Now, however, takeout options have expanded considerably.

As my family prepares to leave the Netherlands, heading further West, I look back at my time here, in Diemen, and can’t help but feel content.

For a first-hand account, from fellow Mamas, about living in and around Amsterdam, check our Neighbourhood Guides Series.

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