The Hague with kids: what works for which age, with prices and opening days

The best things to do in The Hague with kids depend on their age. Under 6: the Kinderboekenmuseum (€14 from age 2), Madurodam, the beach and the playgrounds. From 6 to 12: Museon-Omniversum (€14.95 for a child, open every day), the Gevangenpoort, Panorama Mesdag and Sea Life. Teenagers: Escher in Het Paleis, the Mauritshuis and the sea. Under-19s enter the Mauritshuis and Panorama Mesdag free, and the beach and the parks cost nothing, so a family day here can cost far less than the adult prices suggest. All prices and hours below were checked on the venues’ own sites on 19 October 2026.

Discover The Hague is a small local company that guides private tours in the city, and when a family books, the guide adapts the route and the stories to the children’s ages. This post answers the questions that come before that: what works at which age, what is open on a Monday, how far things are from each other, and what a realistic family day looks like.

Which things to do in The Hague with kids suit which age?

Attraction	Best for	Child price	Adult price	Closed	Time needed
Kinderboekenmuseum	0 to 12	€14 (age 2+), under 2 free	€14	Monday, outside school holidays	1.5 to 2 h
Museon-Omniversum	4 to 12	€14.95 (4 to 11), under 4 free	€17.95	Never	2 to 3 h
Madurodam	4 to 12	€22.50 online, under 3 free	€22.50 online	Never	2 to 3 h
Sea Life Scheveningen	All ages	from €20 online	from €20 online	Never	1 to 1.5 h
Gevangenpoort	8+	€7.50 (4 to 17), under 4 free	€15.00	Never	1 h
Panorama Mesdag	6+	free up to 18	€17.50	Monday	45 min
Escher in Het Paleis	7+ and teens	€8.00 (7 to 12), €11.00 (13 to 17), under 7 free	€14.50	Monday	1 to 1.5 h
Mauritshuis	6+	free up to 18	€21.00	Never (Monday from 13:00)	1 to 1.5 h
Beach at Scheveningen	All ages	free	free	Never	Half a day
Westbroekpark, Zuiderpark	2 to 12	free	free	Never	1 to 2 h

Times needed are our estimates; prices are the online or standard price on each venue’s site. The Museumkaart is free at the Kinderboekenmuseum, Museon-Omniversum, the Gevangenpoort, Panorama Mesdag and the Mauritshuis, and not valid at Escher in Het Paleis or Madurodam.

What works for toddlers and children under 6?

The Kinderboekenmuseum is the one museum in The Hague built for this age. It shares the Koninklijke Bibliotheek building next to Den Haag Centraal (Prins Willem-Alexanderhof 5, entrance on the first floor) with the Literatuurmuseum, and its exhibitions are play spaces around children’s books: Ik ben Kikker and ABC met de dieren mee for ages 0 to 6, Papiria for 7 and over, a reading tent where picture books come to life, and a short fairy-tale experience of about seven minutes that runs daily. Open Tuesday to Friday 10:30 to 17:00, Saturday and Sunday 09:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays outside the school holidays. Everyone aged 2 and over pays €14; under 2 is free; a family ticket for exactly four people is €12 each. You can only get in with a ticket bought online in advance, also with a Museumkaart. The books are Dutch classics, so it works best for families who read some Dutch or children happy to play without the words.

Sources: Kinderboekenmuseum tickets, denhaag.com.

Madurodam suits children from about 4, and under-3s are free. We wrote a full post on whether Madurodam is worth it, with prices, the tram and the ages it suits, so we will not repeat it here.

For the youngest, the best value is outdoors: the beach and the playgrounds further down this post cost nothing and wear children out well before lunch.

What suits children from 6 to 12?

Museon-Omniversum, in the Statenkwartier on tram 17, is the best all-round choice: a hands-on science and natural history museum joined to a dome cinema. It is open every day including Mondays, 09:30 to 17:00. A day ticket bought online costs €17.95 for adults and €14.95 for children aged 4 to 11 and includes one dome film; under-4s are free but have no seat of their own in the dome. Tickets at the desk cost €0.50 more. Plan two to three hours. Source: Museon-Omniversum tickets.

The Gevangenpoort, the medieval prison gate at Buitenhof 33, three minutes from the Mauritshuis, has its cells and instruments of punishment still in place. Children from about 8 tend to find it more gripping than any painting. Open Monday 11:00 to 17:00, Tuesday to Friday 10:00 to 17:00, weekends 11:00 to 17:00. Adults €15.00, ages 4 to 17 €7.50, under 4 free. Source: Gevangenpoort ticket shop.

Panorama Mesdag, Zeestraat 65, is a single painting 14.6 metres high and 114.5 metres around, showing Scheveningen beach in 1881, seen from a dune platform in the middle. Children expect a painting on a wall and get a beach all around them. Open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 17:00, free up to 18, adults €17.50. Forty-five minutes is enough. Source: Panorama Mesdag ticket prices.

Is the Mauritshuis worth it with children?

Yes, if you keep it short and give the children a job. Visitors up to 18 enter free (a booked time slot is still advised), and the museum has a family offer: the free Mauritshuis app has a family audio tour, “Animals in the Mauritshuis”, for ages 6 to 12, and the service desk in the foyer hands out a bird-spotting trail through the paintings. In the foyer there is a life-size 3D version of Girl with a Pearl Earring that children may touch. The museum is open Monday 13:00 to 18:00 and Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00; adults pay €21.

If you would rather someone else held their attention, our private Mauritshuis tour is one hour inside the museum with a guide for your family alone, €199 for the whole group. The guide meets you at the reception inside the museum and adapts the stories to the children’s ages; mention them when you book. Museum tickets are not included, but you can add them at checkout. Our Mauritshuis visitor guide has the rest.

Sources: Mauritshuis visit, Mauritshuis for children.

Which museum suits teenagers?

Escher in Het Paleis, Lange Voorhout 74, eight minutes from the Mauritshuis: more than 120 prints by the artist of impossible buildings and interlocking animals, in Queen Emma’s former winter palace. Teenagers who like puzzles or design usually stay longer than their parents. Open Tuesday to Sunday 11:00 to 17:00, closed Monday. Adults €14.50, 13 to 17 €11.00, 7 to 12 €8.00, under 7 free; the Museumkaart is not accepted. Source: Escher in Het Paleis admission.

For the rest, teenagers tend to vote for the beach, the pier and a free afternoon. Our overview of museums in The Hague covers the Kunstmuseum, the Louwman car museum and the others.

Sea Life and the beach at Scheveningen

Sea Life Scheveningen, Strandweg 13 on the boulevard, takes you from Dutch waters to the deep ocean in 13 themed zones, with a tropical section, an underwater tunnel, otters, jellyfish it breeds itself and daily feeding times. Online tickets start at €20 against €25 at the desk, and online tickets include a time slot. It is open every day; on the day we checked the hours were 10:00 to 18:00, with the desk closing at 17:00, but they change by season, so check the site. Source: Sea Life Scheveningen.

The beach is free and wide, 15 to 20 minutes by tram from the centre: tram 1 stops at the Kurhaus, tram 9 ends at Scheveningen Noord. The pier has a Ferris wheel, and Scheveningen also has a LEGOLAND Discovery Centre. Kijkduin, further south, is quieter and popular with families. The safety rules from The Hague International Centre: swim only where lifeguards are on duty, marked by red-and-yellow flags; check the flag colour when you arrive; and pick up a free wristband at a beach post to write your child’s name and your phone number on. Source: The Hague International Centre.

Where are the dunes and the best playgrounds?

The dunes are about 15 minutes from the city centre, according to denhaag.com: Westduinpark is one of the largest nature areas in the city, and Meijendel, between The Hague and Wassenaar, is where children can look for foxes and Scottish Highland cattle.

Westbroekpark, Kapelweg 35 in Scheveningen, near tram 9, has a large playground, ponds, playing fields and rowing boats for hire at tea room De Waterkant. Its rose garden has about 20,000 rose bushes that bloom from late June to October. In winter, from 1 October to 1 April, the rose garden gates are open 07:45 to 16:15. Source: denhaag.com, Westbroekpark.

Zuiderpark, in the south of the city, is the big one: a six-metre play castle for older children, the Ot en Sien playground with swings and seesaws on sand for the little ones, the Zuiderpret nature playground with water, sand, mud and branches (bring boots and dry clothes), three play lawns of 14 hectares in total, and a swimming pool with a 45-metre slide and a toddler pool. Check 9292 or the HTM journey planner for the best tram from where you are staying. Source: denhaag.com, Zuiderpark.

Closer to the centre: the playground in the Paleistuin, the palace garden behind Noordeinde, entered from the Prinsessewal; the sand playground at the edge of the Scheveningse Bosjes, Ary van der Spuyweg 1, not far from the Peace Palace; and the Robin Hood playground in the Haagse Bos for ages 6 to 12, with a zip wire, a suspension bridge and climbing walls. Sources: denhaag.com, playgrounds, The Hague International Centre, parks and playgrounds.

Is the tram an attraction in itself?

For a four-year-old, yes. Tram 1 runs all the way from Delft through the centre to Scheveningen, and tram 9 runs from Den Haag Centraal past Madurodam to the sea, so the ride to the beach is part of the outing. Tap in and out with a contactless bank card or phone (OVpay), using the same card both times. Children aged 4 to 11 travel at the reduced fare, and an HTM children’s day ticket costs €1.50 against €8.60 for an adult day ticket. Source: HTM fares.

On Sunday afternoons, the Haags Openbaar Vervoer Museum in the old tram depot at Parallelweg 224 is open from 12:30 to 17:00, in 2026 until 13 December, with heritage trams to climb into. Prices and the Sunday heritage tram rides are on hovm.nl.

What do you do with kids in The Hague when it rains?

Go indoors to Museon-Omniversum, the Kinderboekenmuseum, Sea Life or the Gevangenpoort, all of which work in any weather. Madurodam stays open in the rain and has indoor attractions, but the miniatures themselves are outdoors. Our post on what to do in The Hague when it rains has half-day and full-day indoor plans.

What is open on a Monday with kids?

Open: Museon-Omniversum (09:30 to 17:00), the Mauritshuis (13:00 to 18:00), the Gevangenpoort (11:00 to 17:00), Madurodam and Sea Life, plus every park and the beach. The Kinderboekenmuseum opens on Mondays only in the school holidays. Closed: Escher in Het Paleis and Panorama Mesdag. A Monday works well as Museon in the morning, the beach after lunch.

A sample family day in The Hague, with times

For a family with children of about 5 to 11, Tuesday to Sunday, dry weather.

• 10:00 Mauritshuis, first slot. One hour with the family audio tour in the app, then the 3D Girl with a Pearl Earring in the foyer.
• 11:15 Walk about ten minutes past Noordeinde Palace to the Paleistuin playground, entrance on the Prinsessewal.
• 12:00 Lunch around the Noordeinde or the Plein.
• 13:15 Panorama Mesdag, Zeestraat 65, 45 minutes.
• 14:15 Tram 1 from the Zeestraat area to the Kurhaus, 15 to 20 minutes.
• 14:45 Sea Life, about an hour and a half, or straight onto the sand if the sun is out.
• 16:30 The beach and the pier.
• 18:00 Dinner in Scheveningen, then tram 1 or 9 back.

Rainy day: replace the playground and the beach with Museon-Omniversum on tram 17. Monday: start at Museon at 09:30, take the Mauritshuis at 13:00, finish on the beach. With an older child who likes cells and armour, add the Gevangenpoort after the Mauritshuis; it is three minutes away. For the adult version of the day, see The Hague in one day.

How does a private family tour work?

There is no special children’s tour; what we offer is a private tour, which is why it works with children. On our private walking tour of The Hague, it is just your family and your guide, never other travellers, and the guide adjusts the pace, the stories and the length to the children in your group. Mention their ages when you book. The tour usually takes about two hours, past the Binnenhof, the Hofvijver, Noordeinde Palace and De Passage, costs €199 for the whole group of up to 20 people, not per person, and can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before the start. You choose the start time. Our guides work in English, Dutch, German, French, Spanish and Italian.

If you would rather go at the children’s own speed, the self-guided audio tour of The Hague is 1.5 hours and 2.3 km for €10.99; families often share one phone or listen on separate headphones. For family reunions and groups of 20 or more, see families and friends.

Frequently asked questions

Is The Hague a good city for kids?

Yes, more than most Dutch cities, because the beach is 15 to 20 minutes from the centre by tram and the big children’s attractions, Madurodam, Museon-Omniversum, Sea Life and the Kinderboekenmuseum, are all on tram lines. The centre is flat and mostly paved, which is easy with a stroller. Distances are longer than in Delft, so plan on the tram rather than walking everything.

Which museums in The Hague are free for children?

The Mauritshuis and Panorama Mesdag are free for everyone up to 18. Escher in Het Paleis is free under 7, the Gevangenpoort under 4, Museon-Omniversum under 4 and the Kinderboekenmuseum under 2. Madurodam is free under 3. With a Museumkaart, children enter several of these free as well, but not Escher or Madurodam.

What can you do with kids in The Hague on a Monday?

Museon-Omniversum, the Mauritshuis from 13:00, the Gevangenpoort, Madurodam, Sea Life, the beach and the parks are all open. Escher in Het Paleis and Panorama Mesdag are closed, and the Kinderboekenmuseum opens on Mondays only in the school holidays. Museon in the morning and the beach in the afternoon is a good Monday.

Do I need to book the Kinderboekenmuseum in advance?

Yes. The museum only admits visitors with a ticket bought online beforehand, and that includes Museumkaart holders, whose ticket costs nothing but still has to be booked. Tickets are €14 from age 2, and a family ticket for exactly four people is €12 each.

Is it safe to swim at Scheveningen with children?

Swim only where lifeguards are on duty, marked by red-and-yellow flags, and check the flag colour when you arrive. Never let a child go into the sea alone. Free wristbands are available at the beach posts so you can write your child’s name and your phone number on them.

Is a private tour suitable for young children?

Yes. Every tour we run is private, so the guide adjusts the pace, the stories and the length to the children in the group; tell us their ages when you book. The price is per group, €199 for the walking tour or the Mauritshuis tour, so children do not add to the cost.

See The Hague with your family and a Discover The Hague guide

Book the private walking tour of The Hague, €199 per group for about two hours, at the pace your children set. Add the private Mauritshuis tour, €199 per group for one hour, or take the self-guided audio tour for €10.99 if you would rather stop at every playground on the way.

Photos: Cqui, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.