Waalwijk with kids: what can you do?

With children, start in Waalwijk at the Hoefsven, better known as 't Lido, with a playground, a deer park, a rowing pond and woodland right up against the dunes. In the centre is the Schoenenkwartier, a museum with a trail, a mini catwalk and workshops for children aged 4 to 12. In winter there is a skating rink on the Raadhuisplein (town hall square).

Zandpad tussen dennentakken dat uitkomt op de open zandvlakte van de Loonse en Drunense Duinen
Photo: Steven Lek, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

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Play outdoors at the Lido, go exploring indoors at the Schoenenkwartier, and skate in the centre in December.

What exactly is the Lido in Waalwijk?

The Lido is the local name for the Het Hoefsven recreation area, on the edge of Waalwijk against the Loonse en Drunense Duinen. The municipality mentions a deer park, a playground, a rowing pond and wooded surroundings1. So it is not a swimming pool with a lifeguard, but a nature and play area.

The playground is called Speeltuin het Lido and is at Hoefsvenlaan 5. Children can climb, slide and swing there, while parents sit at picnic benches4. The area is also the setting for the annual Lidocross, over unpaved paths through "the Lido recreation area"5. On 20 December 2026 there is a 600-metre Mini Lidocross there for children aged 4 to 75.

Can you swim outdoors in Waalwijk?

Yes, at three spots where the Omgevingsdienst (regional environmental agency) checks the water quality from 1 May to 30 September. They are Het Hoefsven, the town beach De Surfvijver and Hof van Capelle2. The current quality for each spot is on zwemwater.nl.

There is no supervision at any of these spots, so swimming is at your own risk and the bottom can slope steeply. Always keep children within arm's reach. From 1 April to 1 October dogs are not allowed, and barbecues and open fires are banned all year round2. That keeps the beaches quiet and clean for families.

You can swim at Zwembad Olympia and at the Zidewinde outdoor pool39. Times and prices are on the pool's website.

What do children do at the Schoenenkwartier?

The Schoenenkwartier on the Raadhuisplein is a museum that lets children get hands-on. For children aged 4 to 12 there is a trail with Okke de Spin (Okke the Spider), a mini catwalk to show off your favourite shoes, and workshops in the Schoenenlab (shoe lab), where you get to work with real leather. You can also hold a children's party there6.

The trail is included free with a child's ticket, and children up to and including 3 get in free67. Note that the museum is closed on Mondays8. All prices and opening hours are on the page about shoes and leather.

From 15 October 2026 the exhibition Head over Heels: Stapelgek op hakken! (crazy about heels) runs, covering five centuries of heels.

Which events are fun for children?

There are plenty of family outings on the calendar, especially in December.

  1. Waalwijk IJsparadijs, from 12 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 on the Raadhuisplein10.
  2. Mini Lidocross, Sunday 20 December 2026 at the Lido, for children aged 4 to 7.

For a short walk with young children there is the 3-kilometre Spreekwoordenroute Waalwijk (proverbs route)12.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Lido in Waalwijk a swimming pool?

No. The Lido is the local name for the Het Hoefsven recreation area, with a playground, a deer park, a rowing pond and woodland. You can swim outdoors there, though. The water quality is checked in summer, but there is no supervision.

What is there to do in Waalwijk with young children?

The Mini Lidocross on 20 December is for children aged 4 and over. The playground at the Lido is an easy choice all year round.

Can you go skating in Waalwijk?

Yes, in winter. The Waalwijk IJsparadijs is a covered skating rink on the Raadhuisplein, open from 12 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. You can hire skates there. The rink is closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Where is the Lido playground?

Speeltuin het Lido is at Hoefsvenlaan 5 in Waalwijk, in the Het Hoefsven recreation area. There is equipment for climbing, sliding and swinging, and there are picnic benches for parents. The area borders the Loonse en Drunense Duinen, so you can easily combine a visit to the playground with a short walk.

Sources

  1. Gemeente Waalwijk, Natuur (nature) (accessed 16 October 2026), www.waalwijk.nl/recreatienatuur
  2. Gemeente Waalwijk, Openbaar zwemwater (public bathing water), www.waalwijk.nl/openbaar-zwemwater
  3. Gemeente Waalwijk, Recreatie en toerisme (recreation and tourism), www.waalwijk.nl/recreatie-en-toerisme
  4. Fietsnetwerk.nl, Speeltuin het Lido (secondary), www.fietsnetwerk.nl/en/places/lido-playground-waalwijk
  5. ACW'66, Lidocross 2026, lidocross.acw66.nl
  6. Schoenenkwartier, Kinderen (children), schoenenkwartier.nl/kinderen
  7. Schoenenkwartier, Entreeprijzen (admission prices), schoenenkwartier.nl/entree-prijzen
  8. Schoenenkwartier, Openingstijden (opening hours), schoenenkwartier.nl/openingstijden
  9. Zwembad Olympia, zwemmeninwaalwijk.nl
  10. Waalwijk IJsparadijs, www.waalwijk-ijsparadijs.nl
  11. GO Waalwijk, www.gowaalwijk.nl
  12. Bezoek de Langstraat, Familie en kids (family and kids) (secondary), www.bezoekdelangstraat.nl/actief-zijn/familie-kids

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