Kids

Children are a very important part of the expat population. The success of a placement abroad depends largely on whether the children (the family as a whole) manage to settle in in their new country. Luckily, the Netherlands is probably one of the smoothest countries to ease into. There are many international schools (see the end of chapter 8), almost everyone speaks English (a language also spoken by a large majority of the expats), general health and health care is excellent, and… there is a whole lot to do!
Read on through this chapter to learn about day care, the Child Benefit, parental leave, birthday parties, Sinterklaas, shopping and general entertainment and a host of other subjects.

Child Care

1. Kinderdagverblijf (Day Care): Something of a merger between day care and nursery school and is available for children between the ages of 0 and 4. Some of the kinderdagverblijven also have arrangements for older children (until the age of 12) for after-school hours and school holidays.
2. Gastouder (Host Parent): A host parent usually has children of her own and entertains a group of children in her house. Note!: Sending your child to a gastouder or making use of a leidster / oppas also qualifies for employer and government contributions, provided it meets certain requirements.
3. Oppas (Baby-Sitter): In the evenings and on weekends, you will probably find a high school or university student in your neighborhood who will be willing to baby-sit your child.
4. Au Pair: Almost all au pairs are found and placed with the help of an au pair organization, of which there are quite a few in the Netherlands.
5. Buitenschoolse / Naschoolse Opvang (After School Hours Care): This is an organization that takes care of your children after school hours and during holidays. Your school can tell you more about how to contact them.
6. Peuterspeelzalen (Toddler Groups): Toddler groups for children age 2 – 4 and are open in the mornings. Usually, they are connected to a primary school and allow an easy transition from the speelzaal to the school.

Other types of child care are: Flexibel Kindercentrum (open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week), in the larger cities; Project: an arrangement whereby a certified kindergarten / nursery school teacher comes to your (or someone else’s) house; and the Moms and Tots Groups of International Women’s Clubs. For a list of women’s clubs, see our info-links.

Verjaardag (Birthday)
 
Kids’ birthdays are, of course, Very Important Events. Luckily, the Dutch think so too. So, what do they do about them? On the day of the birthday, the birthday boy or girl gets to trakteren at school. This means that at some point in the morning, he or she hands out little items of food to his or her classmates. Some parents put a lot of effort into making these packages look fun: they make bugs or boats or dolls by arranging the cheese, pickles or carrots just so.

Dutch children also get to give birthday parties, to which they invite a couple of their best friends from school and/or the neighborhood. Interestingly, kids often have two birthday parties: one with fun and games for the kids from school and the neighborhood and one for the extended family (including their kids). What you organize for the former (more official) party more or less depends on your budget and your imagination.

If your kid is invited to a Dutch birthday party, the invitation will state when and where it is taking place and what to bring in terms of, for instance, a bathing suit or a dress-up costume. The Dutch are not into big expensive gifts: generally speaking something in the price range between € 6.50 and € 12 will suffice. And of course: do not forget to arrive ON TIME. This is Holland, remember?

Sinterklaas 

Sinterklaas is the children’s friend in the Netherlands. He and his Zwarte Pieten arrive in the Netherlands around the middle of November. Between this day and December 5th (his birthday), he visits schools, kinderdagverblijven, companies, stores and hospitals – after which he returns to Spain.

During this same period, children leave a shoe underneath the chimney every night with a little something for Sinterklaas, Zwarte Piet or even Sinterklaas’s horse and sing a little song – hoping to encourage Sinterklaas to leave them a little gift, which they will find in their shoes in the morning. These gifts are just minor, preparatory, gifts; the real thing is on December 5th itself, on which day the family gets together (mostly in the evening) in happy anticipation of a visit from the great man himself. Usually, the parents leave a sack with gifts with the neighbors and ask them to bang on the window and deposit the sack by the front door, so that they can open the door and exclaim in surprise that Sinterklaas appears to have left a whole sack of goodies!

Once the entire family has outgrown the fantasy stage, a different type of festivity is arranged whereby, by means of a ‘lottery’, each member of the family draws another member to make a surprise gift (called a surprise, pronounced sirpreezuh) and compose a poem for. These are often very personal, home-made gifts and more often than not involve an element of teasing (particularly in the poems).

Zwangerschapsverlof – Pregnancy Leave 

In the Netherlands, women have the right to 16 weeks paid leave. This may be initiated between 4-6 weeks prior to the estimated due date. The law states that you may not work from 4 weeks before, until 6 weeks after, delivery. When you take up your actual leave should be determined together with your employer.
During pregnancy leave you receive 100% of your normal wages – either directly from the social security office or via your employer. If you were self-employed, until this year, there was no such arrangement. However, the parliament has decided on a motion to introduce the Zelfstandig en Zwangerregeling (Self-Employed and Pregnant Regulation), which gives self-employed mothers a right to a 16-week pregnancy leave. If all goes well, this regulation entered into force on July 4, 2008.

Kinderbijslag – Child Benefit 

If you are living in the Netherlands and/or are employed and pay Dutch wage taxes, then you are entitled to kinderbijslag. This holds true not only for your own children, but also for either a step or foster child (in case of legal guardianship). Payment is made on a quarterly basis directly into your bank account up until your child is 18 years of age. The amount paid out is based on the age of your child and is currently set at € 236.77 for children aged 6-11.

Vacation
 
According to Dutch law, all children as of the age of 5 are leerplichtig and must attend school (unless they are sick). Exceptions may be made for parents who are required to work during standard school holidays and vacations, generally up to a maximum of 10 days. Extraordinary family situations such as special birthdays, anniversaries, illness or death are other exceptions.

The Consultatiebureau 

Within six weeks after your child is born, you will take your child to visit the Well-Baby Clinic (consultatiebureau) for the first time, where you are helped by a nurse and/or a pediatrician who can answer any questions you might have. Here, they monitor the growth and development of your child and record this in the Groene Boekje (‘little green book’ - also available in English). They also make sure your child receives all the necessary shots.

Fun Things to Do 

On our web page Things to Do in Your Free Time, you will find lots of activities and places to visit with your children. The local VVV (Tourist Information Office) is also an excellent source of things to do.

Zoos: The Expatriate Animal Population of Holland 

Features
All the parks have wheelchair facilities and playgrounds for children to let off steam. All of the parks have special activities such as ‘behind the scenes’ tours, special demonstrations or times to watch the animals being fed by the zookeepers. This is sometimes connected with the opportunity for the public to ask the staff questions about the animals. Almost all, if not all, zoos have an English-language guide. It is possible for school groups or clubs to go on educational visits to the parks or a museum and there are reductions for the admission fees for groups in general.

Amersfoort Zoo
This large zoo near Amersfoort has provided its animals with increasingly spacious and comfortable habitats over the last decade, bringing it on a par with all the other large zoos in the Netherlands. It has a Savannah, encircled all the way around, allowing you to circumnavigate the area and enjoy the animals as they graze and drink peacefully, a Night Area, where you can wander the jungle at night, a Japanese Garden, a Medieval City and of course, plenty of animals.
Address: DierenPark Amersfoort, Barchmann Wuytierslaan 224, Amersfoort, tel.: 033 422 71 00, Internet: www.dierenparkamersfoort.nl.

Apenheul
Apenheul is the largest monkey and ape zoos in the world with thirty species of apes, monkeys and prosimians, some of which are allowed to roam freely. Also the world’s largest group of captive gorillas lives in Apenheul, living peacefully with other animals such as macaws, capybaras, otters, tortoises, and many others.
Apen-natuurpark Apenheul, J.C. Wilslaan 21-31 (Park Berg en Bos), P.O. Box 97, 7300 AB Apeldoorn, tel.: +31(0)55 357 57 57. Internet: www.apenheul.nl  
Apenheul is open from April 1 - Oct. 31.

Artis Zoo
The winding paths, majestic trees and the monumental historical buildings still give Artis – which was founded 160 years ago – a special, 19th century atmosphere. There are more than 8,000 animals in the zoo, as well as two museums, the Zoological Museum and the Geological Museum, a very sophisticated Planetarium and a magnificent, recently renovated Aquarium.
Plantage Kerklaan 38-40, 1018 CZ Amsterdam, tel.: +31(0)20 523 34 00. Internet: www.artis.nl  

Avifauna
Avifauna is one of the largest bird parks in the world. The birds come from the tropics or from the cold North Hemisphere. There are more than 450 species of birds, in beautiful settings, which are expertly and lovingly taken care of. Avifauna is not only a zoo specialized in birds, it is also actively involved with endangered species breeding programs and bird protection activities.
Vogelpark Hotel Rederij Avifauna, Hoorn 65, 2404 HG Alphen aan den Rijn, +31(0)172 48 75 75. Internet: www.avifauna.nl  

Blijdorp Zoo
At Rotterdam Zoo you can walk from continent to continent, meeting fascinating animals that feel perfectly at home in the surroundings that emulate their natural habitat. Two new additions made in 1999 are Gorilla Island, which is part of the African continent, and the new owl enclosure as well as such as the bat cave, the nocturnal house and the Rivièrahal complex with a wide range of fresh and saltwater fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds and tropical plants. Recently, the Rotterdam Zoo added the ‘Oceanium’.
Rotterdam Zoo / Blijdorp, Van Aerssenlaan 49, Rotterdam, tel.: +31(0)10 443 14 95 (you will get a Dutch “selection menu”, but if you hang on, an operator will come on the line who can help you in English). Internet: www.rotterdamzoo.nl  

Burgers’ Zoo
Burgers’ Zoo is a modern, but genuine jungle! This zoo located near Arnhem, covers more than 45 hectares and houses more than 3000 animals. Burgers’ Bush has a spectacular tropical rain forest growing in this zoo as well as a living desert, the first Lion Park of continental Europe and a large Underwater world, in which you feel like you are walking miles under the water’s surface.
Burgers’ Zoo, Schelmseweg 85, Arnhem, tel.: +31(0)26 442 45 34. Internet: www.burgerszoo.nl  

Dolfinarium Harderwijk
Enjoy a delightful summer day with the dolphins? Of course there are dolphins at Dolfinarium Harderwijk. But the great thing is: there is more: the new Lagoon, a new biotope with dolphins, fish, seals and sea lions all living together, the stingrays at the Ray Reef, Seal Wetlands and Fort Heerewich, which is a modern rescue and research center for sick or injured dolphins. Other attractions are the walrus and seal shows, a humorous 3D-pirate film and a breathtaking submarine trip on the S.O.S. Barracuda, as well as the Super Playground.
Dolfinarium Harderwijk, the World of the Sea, Strandboulevard Oost 1, 3841 AB Harderwijk, Postbus 9114, 3840 GC Harderwijk, tel.: +31(0)341 46 74 67. Internet: www.dolfinarium.nl

Emmen Zoo (Noorder dierenpark)
Emmen Zoo is famous for the manner in which the park’s habitats reflect the continents of the world. The animals reside in the part of the world where they belong, allowing them to behave as naturally as possible. You can spend hours enjoying the butterfly and hummingbird garden, AmeriCasa, the rat’s sewer, and the exciting exhibitions in the natural history museum, Biochron. While there are also beautiful aviaries and a garden section called the Hof van Heden that are wonderful to walk through.
Noorder Dierenpark Emmen, Hoofdstraat 18, Postbus 1010, 7801 BA Emmen, tel: +31(0)591 85 08 55. Internet: www.noorderdierenpark.nl  

Naturalis
Natural History and High-Tech Multi-Media
At Naturalis, nature is exhibited in all its colors and diversity and the museum is truly a combination of natural history and high-tech multi-media in a modern, artistic and technologically advanced setting. For almost two centuries, animal and plant specimens, stones, minerals and fossils have been collected, studied and preserved – make sure you spend some time with the dinosaurs! Exhibition rooms have seven permanent displays focused on themes such as nature and culture, Old Egypt, Taoism, Islam, and the Enlightenment. In addition to the permanent expositions, Naturalis also displays temporary exhibitions.
National Museum of Natural History, Darwinweg, Leiden, tel.: +31(0)71 568 76 00. Internet: www.naturalis.nl  

Ouwehands Dierenpark in Rhenen
This is a wonderful family zoo, close to Arnhem, but off the beaten track. It was established 75 years ago and has retained that early-19th century cozy feel. It has a huge bear habitat with rescued circus bears, and a gorgeous polar bear pool, where kids can press their noses up against the glass and be inches away from these huge white animals, a seal show, and much more. The popular Dutch children’s series Zoop was situated and filmed here. Extra-special is its huge, indoor, all-wood-mulch-and-sand playground for children (RavotAapia), with rope-bridges, sand games, waterplay, huts, caves and slides – at no extra charge. Even if the weather doesn’t clear up all day, making it impossible to see the animals, you can still spend a full day in this indoor children’s habitat and have the children begging you to go back soon!
Address: Ouwehands Dierenpark, Grebbeweg 111, Rhenen, tel.: 0317 65 02 00, Internet: www.ouwehand.nl.

For useful addresses and websites, please use the info-link button at the top of this page

More on these subjects can be found in The Holland Handbook 2010 - 2011