Do you know which country is home to the tallest people in the world? Hint: It is the same place that has more bicycles than residents!
Yes, we are talking about the Netherlands!
The Netherlands (often called Holland) is the flavor of the season because April 27th marks their biggest national holiday: Koningsdag, or King’s Day. As the name suggests, this day celebrates the birthday of the current monarch, King Willem-Alexander. The entire country turns into one giant street party, and it is a fantastic opportunity for kids to learn about this fascinating European culture.
If you can’t fly to Amsterdam to join the festivities, don’t worry. We have curated a list of 15 notable Netherlands crafts for kids that will bring the Dutch spirit right into your living room. From tulips to windmills, let’s explore the culture, history, and traditions of this amazing country!
Before we get the glue and scissors out, let’s learn a little about what we are celebrating.
- The Date: King’s Day is celebrated on April 27th. If this date falls on a Sunday, the party moves to Saturday the 26th.
- The Vrijmarkt: This is the one day of the year when the Dutch government allows anyone to sell goods on the street without a permit or tax. The whole country becomes a massive flea market! Kids often sell their old toys or perform music for pocket money.
- Oranjegekte (Orange Madness): The national color of the Netherlands is orange. On King’s Day, people wear orange from head to toe, eat orange foods (like orange-frosted pastries), and even dye their hair orange!
Why orange? It pays homage to the Dutch Royal Family, the House of Orange-Nassau.
15 Creative Netherlands Crafts for Kids
1. The Classic Origami Tulip
When you think of the Netherlands, you probably picture endless fields of colorful tulips. While the tulip originally came from Turkey, the Dutch fell in love with it in the 17th century, leading to “Tulip Mania.” Today, they are the world’s largest flower exporter.
- The Craft: Use square sheets of bright red, yellow, and pink paper. Fold them into simple origami tulips and attach green pipe cleaners as stems. You can create an entire paper bouquet to brighten up the kitchen table.
2. Paper Plate Windmill
Windmills are iconic to the Dutch landscape. Historically, they weren’t just for grinding grain; they were crucial for pumping water out of the low-lying lands to prevent flooding.
- The Craft: Take a paper plate and paint it with a scenic background (blue sky and green grass). Use a brad (paper fastener) to attach four paper “blades” in the center so they can actually spin. It’s a great way to teach kids about wind energy and engineering.
3. Cardboard “Klompen” (Wooden Shoes)
Before sneakers, Dutch farmers wore wooden shoes called klompen. They were warm, dry, and protected feet from sharp objects—perfect for muddy fields!
- The Craft: You don’t need wood for this. Use old cereal boxes or yellow cardstock to construct a paper version of these famous shoes. Decorate them with traditional red and green patterns using markers.
4. Delft Blue Paper Plate Art
Delftware is a famous style of blue and white pottery that originated in the city of Delft. It was created as an affordable alternative to expensive Chinese porcelain.
- The Craft: Give kids a plain white paper plate and a single blue marker. Challenge them to create a design using only that one color. Traditional motifs include ships, windmills, and floral patterns. It teaches children about monochromatic art and pattern making.
5. Dutch Canal House Diorama
Amsterdam is famous for its gorgeous canal rings. This craft helps kids understand the geography of a city built on water.
- The Craft: Use a shoebox turned on its side. Paint the bottom blue to represent the canal and use cardboard cutouts to create the row of houses in the background. You can even add a tiny paper boat floating in the foreground!
6. The “Narrow House” Drawing Project
Have you ever noticed how tall and skinny Dutch houses are? In the 17th century, citizens were taxed based on the width of their house’s facade. To save money, people built houses that were very narrow but incredibly deep and tall!
- The Craft: Have kids draw a street scene featuring these unique buildings. Don’t forget to draw the hook at the very top of the roof—since the stairs are too narrow, Dutch people use these hooks and a pulley system to hoist furniture in through the windows!
7. Tricolor Heart Flag
The Dutch flag features three horizontal stripes: Red (courage), White (peace), and Blue (loyalty).
- The Craft: Cut a large heart shape out of cardstock. Have the children collage it with torn strips of red, white, and blue paper. This “mosaic” style adds texture and makes for a beautiful window decoration to show solidarity on King’s Day.
8. 3D Paper Canal Houses
Take the drawing project to the next level by building 3D models.
- The Craft: Use recycled milk cartons or small juice boxes as the base. Wrap them in colored paper and draw the brick details and windows. Group them together to form a cozy Dutch neighborhood.
9. Toilet Roll Royal Family
You can’t have King’s Day without the King!
- The Craft: Upcycle empty toilet paper rolls to create King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. Use orange paper for their outfits (of course!) and gold foil or yellow paper to make tiny crowns. Draw on their faces and use cotton wool for hair.
10. The King’s Day Orange Crown
While the Dutch King doesn’t wear a crown every day, the children certainly do on April 27th!
- The Craft: Create a jagged crown shape out of bright orange cardstock. Decorate it with sequins, jewels, or red-white-and-blue ribbons. Staple the ends together to fit your child’s head so they can be “King for a Day.”
11. Sinterklaas Paper Shoe
In the Netherlands, Christmas traditions are slightly different. Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) arrives in mid-November. Children leave their shoes by the fireplace (or radiator) hoping for treats.
- The Craft: Fold a simple origami shoe or construct one from construction paper. This is great for a lesson on global holiday traditions. Fill it with a few “pepernoten” (tiny spiced cookies) for an authentic touch.
12. 3D Spinning Windmill Model
For older kids who want a challenge, try building a standing 3D windmill.
- The Craft: Use a toilet roll for the tower and construct a cone roof from paper. For the blades, use stiff cardstock attached with a pin so they spin freely. Talk about how the Netherlands uses modern wind turbines today to generate green electricity—connecting history to the future!
13. Tulip Field Perspective Art
The Keukenhof gardens are world-famous for their rows of millions of tulips.
- The Craft: This is an art lesson in “one-point perspective.” Have kids draw a horizon line and a vanishing point in the center. Draw lines radiating out from that point to create rows of flowers that look like they stretch on forever. Use bold, bright crayons to color the rows.
14. The Steamboat (Pakjesboot)
Legend says Sinterklaas travels from Spain to the Netherlands on a steamboat called Pakjesboot 12.
- The Craft: Use an empty egg carton as the base of the boat. Paint it grey or black, add cotton ball “smoke” coming out of cardboard chimneys, and fill the egg cups with tiny pretend gifts.
15. Miffy (Nijntje) Ears
Did you know the famous white bunny Miffy is Dutch? Her original name is Nijntje (short for konijntje, meaning little rabbit), and she was created by Dutch artist Dick Bruna.
- The Craft: Make a Miffy headband! Cut long, rounded white ears out of stiff paper and attach them to a paper headband. Draw Miffy’s signature “x” mouth on a paper mask to complete the look. Reading a Miffy book after making this craft is a must!
Fun Dutch Games to Play After Crafting
Once the crafts are dry, why not try some traditional King’s Day games?
- Koekhappen (Bite the Cake): Hang slices of gingerbread or soft cake on a string. Blindfold the children (or keep eyes open for little ones) and have them try to eat the cake off the string without using their hands!
- Spijkerpoepen (Nail Pooping): It sounds silly, and it is! Tie a string around your waist with a large nail hanging down the back (like a tail). Try to lower the nail into the neck of a glass bottle by squatting down. It’s harder than it looks and hilarious to watch.
Final Thoughts
The Netherlands is a country rich in history, art, and innovation. From the masterpieces of Van Gogh and Rembrandt to the modern marvels of water management, there is so much to admire.
We hope these Netherlands crafts for kids inspire you to put on something orange, grab a stroopwafel (syrup waffle), and celebrate the vibrant culture of the Dutch.
