Jeugdvakantieland at Rotterdam Ahoy: dates, tickets and activities

HAPPENING 10-21 AUG 2026 | Jeugdvakantieland returns to Rotterdam Ahoy from Monday 10 to Friday 21 August 2026, turning the venue into a huge summer playground for children aged 2 to 12. The event runs daily from 10:00 to 16:00, with indoor and outdoor activities included in the entrance price.

For Rotterdam families spending part of the summer holiday in the city, Jeugdvakantieland is one of those practical lifesavers: one ticket, many activities and enough space for children to move, build, climb, splash, skate, craft and burn through a serious amount of holiday energy.

Twelve days of play

Jeugdvakantieland is taking place for the 68th time this year. The organisers describe it as the largest indoor playground in the Netherlands, with five halls at Rotterdam Ahoy filled with activities for children and their parents or carers.

The event has a clear social purpose too. It is meant to offer a full day out during the summer holiday, especially for children and families who are not going away. That makes it less of a standard event and more of a Rotterdam summer tradition.

Inside Ahoy, children can move between different activities without needing separate tickets once they are in. The programme includes attractions, crafts, sports, circus, theatre, water activities, BMX, climbing, hut building, skating, ice skating and lasergaming.

That mix matters because families can shape the day around the energy level of the child in front of them. Some children will head straight for water and movement. Others will happily sit down to make something, watch a show or build a hut with the intense focus of a tiny architect.

Activities inside and outside

Jeugdvakantieland uses both indoor and outdoor areas, which helps on classic Dutch summer days when the weather cannot make up its mind. If it is hot, there are water attractions. If it rains, Ahoy still has plenty happening inside.

The event is also designed so parents and carers can keep an eye on things while children explore. They can watch from a distance or join in, depending on the activity and, let’s be honest, the adult’s tolerance for chaos before lunch.

The activities are broad enough to work for different ages within the 2 to 12 range. Younger children can focus on calmer play and creative activities, while older children can look for sport, climbing, skating, gaming and bigger attractions.

That makes Jeugdvakantieland useful for families with more than one child, where nobody agrees on anything except wanting chips eventually. A full day out where everyone can choose their own corner is not to be sniffed at.

Tickets and practical details

Jeugdvakantieland 2026 takes place from Monday 10 to Friday 21 August at Rotterdam Ahoy. The event is open every day from 10:00 to 16:00, including the weekend.

Rotterdam Ahoy lists the event in halls 2 to 6, with access via RTM A. Tickets are available online and Ahoy lists entry from €10 including service fee.

Jeugdvakantieland also mentions discounts for visitors with a Rotterdampas or Jeugdvakantiepaspoort. Check the current ticket information before booking, because discount conditions can depend on the ticket type and pass used.

Tickets and practical information are available through the official Jeugdvakantieland and Rotterdam Ahoy websites.

A summer option in Rotterdam-Zuid

The location at Ahoy makes Jeugdvakantieland easy to combine with public transport, especially for families travelling by metro to Zuidplein. It also keeps the event indoors enough to be predictable, which is a gift during the school holidays.

For Rotterdam, the appeal is simple: children get a full day of play, parents get one clear destination, and the city gets a summer event that keeps thousands of young Rotterdammers active, creative and busy. That last word is doing a lot of work, naturally.

How to get there

Jeugdvakantieland takes place at Rotterdam Ahoy, next to Zuidplein in Rotterdam-Zuid. The venue is easiest to reach by metro via Zuidplein station, with bus connections nearby and parking available around Ahoy. Families travelling by public transport can walk from the metro station to the venue in a few minutes.