Children's Book Week 2026: the best activities by region in the Netherlands
Your kid has no idea it's about to walk a red carpet. On Wednesday 30 September, AINSI theatre in Maastricht rolls one out for the Kinderboekenbal, the opening night of Kinderboekenweek 2026. Spot aan is the theme this year, spotlight on, and your little ones feel it all over the country: until Sunday 11 October, libraries and theatres everywhere have a stage waiting for them to stand on. Free, and close by.
Kinderboekenweek in North Holland
Amsterdam has two dates worth knowing. On Friday 3 October, OBA Javaplein turns into a festival ground from 11am to 2pm, full of theatre and workshops, with author Iven Cudogham (known for Anansi) as a guest. The Amsterdam Kinderboekenweek Festival is free. Two days later, on Monday 5 October, OBA CC Amstel pushes the books aside for an afternoon of crafts, music and discovery. Bring your youngest along: the Kinderboekenweek Festival runs from 2pm to 5pm and is suitable from age 3.
Kinderboekenweek in Utrecht
Bibliotheek Overvecht opens its doors on Saturday 3 October for kids who secretly think they have a hidden talent. At the Spot aan! Talent Festival they get to prove it on stage, free, from noon to 4pm, from age 4. You clap in the front row a little harder than necessary. Bibliotheek Neude runs the Spot aan! Scavenger Hunt for the whole of Kinderboekenweek, a free search through the shelves for kids aged 4 to 12. On Sunday 4 October, author-illustrator Harmen van Straaten, who made this year's official Kinderboekenweek picture book, reads there himself from Herrie in de tent. Free, an hour long, from age 4. A week later, on Wednesday 7 October, the same library stages the play Donnie wil de hoofdrol. Forty minutes of theatre from age 4, from €8.50.
Kinderboekenweek in South Holland and Rotterdam
The Literatuurmuseum in The Hague fills the whole month with theatre. From 30 September through 25 October, Licht uit, spot aan! runs, from €14.00 and suitable from age 2, including the interactive picture book show Sjors en Ruud. In the same building, you can drop by year round for the Kinderboekenmuseum. For your toddler there's Ik ben Kikker, for kids from age 2 there's ABC met de dieren mee. In Leiden, biologist and toxin specialist Mátyás Bittenbinder shows up at Naturalis on Wednesday 4 October at 1pm for a meet & greet about his new book full of carnivorous plants, from €18.00 and suitable from age 8. Missed the Utrecht show of Donnie? Studio de Bakkerij in Rotterdam plays it again on Tuesday 20 October.
Kinderboekenweek in Gelderland
Nijmegen brings two generations of book lovers together. On Sunday 4 October, Nijmegen author Julie de Graaf mixes storytelling with breakfast at De Vereeniging, from 10am to 11am, from €5.00 and suitable from age 3. A week later, on Sunday 11 October, De Lindenberg throws its whole building open for the Nijmegen Children's Book Festival: circus acts and an animation festival, split by age group from 4 to 12. Entry is free, individual workshops like Het Licht-LAB cost €4.00 to €5.50. Arnhem closes out the week with circus and illustration at the Grote Kinderboekenfeest in Rozet Kronenburg, Saturday 10 October and free. In Groesbeek, kids bring their favourite book to life with music, dance and theatre on Sunday 4 October during the Grote Groesbeek Kinderboekenweekshow, from age 6. CODA Apeldoorn fills Saturday 10 October with workshops and performances during the free Kinderboekenweekfeest. You can meet authors Tineke Honingh and Milouska Meulens for a signature, and the highlight of the afternoon is the award ceremony for the Apeldoorns Uiltje, the local children's book prize.
Kinderboekenweek in North Brabant
Breda is this year's Kareltje town. On Wednesday 30 September, Nieuwe Veste Haagse Beemden opens a theatre workshop built around the pirate from the Mus & kapitein Kwaadbaard books, free and from age 7. A week later, Kareltje jumps off the page onto an oversized sheet of paper at Nieuwe Veste Zuid during the drawing workshop, from age 8. In between, on Saturday 10 October, your kid competes at the Bob Popcornshow for the win in the big Bob Popcorn Quiz. Free, from age 6. In Den Bosch, Lars Jenissen, who won an Emmy at fourteen, tells kids what that felt like on Sunday 4 October at Kennisbende. In Sint-Michielsgestel, you and your kid build a proper mini theatre out of a cardboard box on Wednesday 7 October for their favourite book characters. In Berlicum, kids design their own slogan and poster that same day at Zet jezelf in de spotlights!, and it costs you nothing.
Kinderboekenweek in Limburg
Heerlen kicks off Kinderboekenweek not once but three times. On Wednesday 30 September, Poppodium Nieuwe Nor opens with Rock Aan!, a peek behind the scenes of a real music venue. Chances are your kid has already grabbed the bass guitar before you've finished reading the programme. On Friday 2 October, the main hall of SCHUNCK Glaspaleis turns into a glitter dance floor for Het Kinderboekenbal, costumes included, from age 8. On Sunday 11 October, PLT wraps things up with the BoekieWoekie Festival, including a hip hop workshop, free and from age 4. Maastricht opens the week on Wednesday 30 September with its own Kinderboekenbal at AINSI theatre, with a show by Paul van Loon, from age 6.
Kinderboekenweek in Overijssel
Zwolle celebrates the Groot Zwols Kinderboekenfeest on Sunday 11 October at Stadkamer, from 11am to 3pm and from €5.00 per child. An illustrator shows how a drawing comes to life, a storyteller takes your kid into a tale, and the Verwonderhut has plenty to discover. As a parent, you spend that morning taking way too many photos of a kid who stopped looking at you ages ago. In Enschede, Theater Sonnevanck stages the musical SUPERMENS gezocht on Friday 9 October, about setting boundaries and standing up for yourself. In Nijverdal, ZINiN Bibliotheek turns the whole building into Vol Avontuur on Saturday 3 October from 1pm to 4pm, with an escape room and a Lego corner for kids who'd rather build. In the ZINiN Theatre, Dolfje Weerwolfje en Foeksia de Miniheks plays, from age 6. Older kids design their own Banksy sticker, the youngest ones program a little robot called Cubetto.
Kinderboekenweek in Groningen and Drenthe
Forum Groningen has kids build their own flying hotel out of cardboard on Saturday 3 October from 10.30am to noon, inspired by the book Hotel Zweefkees: their own floors, made up guests, and a weathervane to help it take off. From age 8, €7.50. In Stadskanaal, your kid pulls colourful masks out of a suitcase on Wednesday 30 September during the Maskermeiden theatre workshop, no pressure to perform, and free. The next day, Theater Pannenkoek in Musselkanaal takes kids and grown ups into 1001 Dag, about a little witch who wants as many online followers as possible. If you're sitting there with a toddler on your lap, you'll know exactly when they jump at the roar, and when they roar right along with it.
