Tips for a (rainy) day out in Almere with the kids

This is a blog by Mommy Dearest

Almere is not immediately the first city I think of for a day out. Yet we were pleasantly surprised last week when we had to be there for a film premiere. I imagined myself in a shopping Walhalla. Coincidentally, the following week I received an invitation to come to Almere for the day.

Jumping Jack

It was a good thing it was a drizzly day, because for the afternoon programme, the children got to go jumping at Jumping Jack for an hour. The girls had a visit to a trampoline high on their autumn holiday must-do list, so that wish came true early.

Jump centres are mega popular with children. At Jumping Jack, it was therefore quite busy, due to the weather and the many birthday parties. Fortunately, only a limited number of children are allowed in at the same time. After an hour, there is a change and a new group arrives. The girls were a bit sad that they were only allowed in for an hour, but afterwards they were completely exhausted after an hour and were fine with it.

At Jumpig Jack, you can jump from trampoline to trampoline, jump in a big tub of foam rubber or try out a free running course. Besides an hour of free jumping, you can also take various lessons here. There are many instructors walking around who keep a close eye on everything. When Little Sister came to me because she had hurt herself, they immediately came to ask if she was OK. Fortunately, after a kiss, she was able to continue jumping. Upstairs in the hall is a platform where parents can sit comfortably or where the children can relax and drink some water. It's all well organised at Jumping Jack.

Treat and Play Pancake House

What better way to end the day than with a delicious pancake. A bit out of the centre, in Nobelhorst in Almere Hout is the restaurant Smullen en Spelen. Next to the pancake house you will find an archaeological site and playground, where educational programmes for children can also be organised. Unfortunately for us, it had been so wet all day that the children could not go outside to play. But not to worry, children can also play plenty inside.

The children of course ordered a children's pancake with sweets and I composed my favourite pancake with bacon and apple myself. Daddy Dearest is not a fan of pancakes, so he was happy to be able to order chicken satay with fries instead of a pancake. After another delicious dessert, we drove home, tired and satisfied. Almere really surprised us today, on this rainy day, and we will definitely come back.

Visit Almere

So we were completely unaware that there is so much to do in Almere. Because did you know that Almere has been named the Best Inner City 2017-2020? That's certainly a deserved title. Underneath this huge shopping centre (with slide down the stairs for children) is also a huge car park where you can easily park your car. The centre is also easily accessible by train. From the station to the centre, you can follow the Walk of Fame. Follow the route along the tiles and learn more about Almere. Each tile tells you about a meaningful event, development or an important person. Via the QR code on the tile, you can see more background information about the history of this New Town.

If you want to know more about what's on offer in Almere, visit Tourist Information Almere (De Diagonaal 199) and get inspired about what's possible in Almere.