King's Day with kids

On Monday, April 27, Eindhoven will be one big party again – even for the littlest ones. From eating Dutch syrup waffles to hunting for great vintage items, here are our tips for an unforgettable King’s Day with your kids!

Decorating bikes

Get up early and decorate your kids’ bikes, scooters, or balance bikes with orange and red-white-and-blue streamers and balloons. Clip a Dutch flag into the flag holder, tie some old cans to the back, and you’re good to go. This is a classic King’s Day tradition and a core memory for generations of Dutch kids!

Exploring flea markets

Sure, some worn-out teddy bears are better left behind, but if you look closely, you might find real treasures. Or maybe your kids want to sell their own old toys? That works too! Bring a blanket, set up shop, and start selling. Flea markets can be found all across the city. Check out this list to find every King’s Day flea market near you.

Playing games and winning prizes

Ever heard of spijkerpoepen (nail-pooping) and koekhappen (gingerbread-biting)? These are typical Dutch games you’ll often see during King’s Day celebrations. Spijkerpoepen is a game where you tie a nail on a string, wrap the string around your waist, and squat down to 'poop' the nail into a bottle, and koekhappen is a game where you try to bite slices of Dutch peperkoek (gingerbread) hanging from a string – without using your hands. Give it a try; there’s never a dull moment on King’s Day! In the always lively Stadswandelpark, you’ll find traditional Dutch games every year. The park also features a special kids’ area with workshops, music, games, and more. Look also for a grabbelton (a grab bag or lucky bin) and win a prize, or compete in zaklopen (a sack race).

In Woensel-West, around Edisonstraat and Celsiusplein, there’s plenty of entertainment for the little ones. From dance performances by primary school ’t Palet and free face painting as the Lion of Orange, prince or princess, to inflatable attractions. Piet Hein Eek is also celebrating King’s Day with a flea market. Here, you’ll find plenty of fun kids’ activities, and children can burn off energy on the bouncy castle.

Orange glory: make it a costume party!

On King’s Day, the streets explode with orange. It’s a beloved tradition to wear bright orange outfits, or go head to toe in red, white, and blue: the colors of the Dutch flag. The more creative, the better. Complete your outfit with fun accessories like a crown, orange hair spray, flashy glasses, or a big hat, topped off with the Dutch flag painted on your cheeks. HEMA is a great spot to grab fun King’s Day outfits, even for the littlest ones. And while you’re there, don’t forget to pick up an orange tompouce (a custard slice) for yourself – yummy! Thrift stores also go all out during the holidays, offering plenty of fun King’s Day finds. Want to know where to snag the best treasures? Check out this list of local thrift shops.