Amsterdam childcare is well regulated and heavily oversubscribed, and those two facts shape everything about how you should approach it.
Registering while pregnant is normal here rather than excessive, because the waiting list, not the price, is what usually decides where your child ends up.
This covers the types of care and who they suit, what you will actually pay, and how to find and secure a place.
Choosing The Right Childcare Option In Amsterdam
Match the type of care to the week you actually work rather than the week you would like to.
A kinderdagverblijf is full daycare for children from about ten weeks to four years, with trained staff, fixed routines, naps, meals and outdoor play.
Amsterdam centres typically open 7.30am to 6.30pm, which is the pattern at Partou, Kindergarden, CompaNanny and the other large providers, and it is built around two full-time working parents.
A peuterspeelzaal is toddler playgroup, usually a few half days a week, and suits families who want social contact and some Dutch exposure without full daycare hours or cost.
For school-age children, buitenschoolse opvang covers before school, after school and the holidays, and holiday coverage is the part to check carefully because Dutch school holidays are long and not all BSO contracts include them.
Before signing anything, verify four things: the opening hours, which weeks the location closes, what language staff use with the children, and the LRK registration number.
Every registered location appears in the Landelijk Register Kinderopvang and is inspected by the GGD, whose reports are public - read the most recent one for any location you are seriously considering.
Costs, Subsidies, And What Parents Actually Pay
Prices are quoted per hour, and the bill is calculated on contracted hours rather than the hours your child is actually present.
A contract running 7.30 to 6.30 is charged as eleven hours whether you collect at five or at half past six, which is why the monthly figure surprises people who did the arithmetic on their own working day.
Amsterdam daycare commonly runs around €12 to €13.50 an hour, with after-school care nearer €10 to €12, and bilingual or fully English locations sitting above both.
Ask for a sample monthly invoice rather than an hourly rate, because that is the number you will actually pay.
The main relief is kinderopvangtoeslag, the childcare allowance, available where both parents work, study or meet another qualifying condition.
It reimburses a share of your costs based on income - but only up to a statutory maximum hourly rate, which in 2026 is €11.23 for daycare and €9.98 for after-school care.
Since Amsterdam providers routinely charge above those figures, the excess is paid entirely by you on top of your income-based share, and a euro an hour of headline difference between two nurseries is not a euro an hour of difference to your household.
Compare providers on the gap above the cap, not on the sticker price.
How To Find, Compare, And Secure A Place
Speed matters as much as fit in Amsterdam, and many families register before the birth to secure a preferred start month and neighbourhood.
Register at several locations across more than one provider and more than one neighbourhood, because availability varies enormously within the city.
The large chains give you the widest coverage: Partou has locations across every district, including Reigersbos in Zuidoost and Christoffel on Louwesweg in Nieuw-West, while Kindergarden runs central sites including Vondelstraat 37 near the Vondelpark and Voormalige Stadstimmertuin near the Amstel.
CompaNanny operates from the World Fashion Centre at Koningin Wilhelminaplein 13 in West, and De Kleine Wereld runs IKC Frankendael on Laing’s Nekstraat in Oost.
All of them run the standard 7.30am to 6.30pm weekday pattern, so the differentiator between them is location, waiting list and hourly rate rather than hours.
When you tour, ask the questions that affect your actual week.
How are handovers managed if you do not speak Dutch, what happens when a staff member is sick, how long is the settling-in period and is it charged, and are meals, nappies and outings included or extra.
Ask also what the staff turnover has been in the last year, because continuity of carer matters more to a small child than any facility on the tour.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does childcare work in the Netherlands for families living in Amsterdam?
Care is provided by registered providers listed in the LRK register and inspected by the GGD.
The main types are daycare for children up to four and after-school care from four to twelve, with the childcare allowance covering part of the cost for qualifying households.
How much does daycare typically cost in Amsterdam, and what’s usually included?
Around €12 to €13.50 an hour is typical, charged on contracted hours rather than attendance.
Meals, snacks and daily care are usually included, while nappies, outings and bilingual programmes are often billed separately.
How can I calculate my childcare allowance (toeslag) in the Netherlands?
Use the official calculator on Toeslagen with your income, contracted hours and care type.
Remember it reimburses only up to the statutory maximum hourly rate, so anything your provider charges above that is entirely your cost.
Where can I find English-speaking or international daycare options in Amsterdam?
English-speaking and bilingual provision is far more common here than elsewhere in the Netherlands, particularly in Zuid, Buitenveldert and the centre.
Ask each location directly which language staff use with the children rather than which languages staff speak, since the two are different questions.
What’s the difference between bilingual daycare and fully English daycare in Amsterdam?
Bilingual settings use Dutch and English in a structured way through the day, so children pick up both.
Fully English settings use English as the language of care, which suits shorter postings but comes with longer waiting lists, higher rates and no Dutch exposure before school.
Is there any free or subsidized childcare available for parents in Amsterdam?
Free childcare is not a general entitlement, and kinderopvangtoeslag is the main support for working families.
The city funds limited preschool places for children assessed as needing early language support, which is applied for through the consultatiebureau rather than through the nursery.
