King’s Day 2026 in the Netherlands for children: what international families need to know (and how your child learns from it)

King’s Day is one of the most visible and joyful celebrations in the Netherlands. Streets turn orange, children play games, and the whole country feels different for a day.

For international families, it can feel a bit overwhelming at first. What exactly is being celebrated? Why is everyone dressed in orange? And how can you help your child understand and be part of it? This is exactly where language and culture come together.

In this article, you’ll discover what King’s Day 2026 is about, what the King’s Games are, and how you can use this period to support your child’s Dutch naturally.

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What is King’s Day in the Netherlands?

King’s Day is the national holiday of the Netherlands, celebrating the birthday of King Willem-Alexander.

It takes place every year on April 27. If this date falls on a Sunday, the celebration moves to the day before.

On this day, the Royal Family visits a different city each year. They join local celebrations, meet people, and take part in activities. This visit is broadcast live on Dutch television and widely followed.

For children, it’s mainly about fun, games, and being part of something bigger. For international parents, it’s an important cultural moment that helps children feel more connected to life in the Netherlands.

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A simple explanation of the history of King’s Day in the Netherlands

King’s Day has changed over time.

It originally started in 1885 as a celebration for a young princess’s birthday. Later, it became Queen’s Day, celebrated on April 30 for many years.

Since 2014, after Willem-Alexander became king, the Netherlands has celebrated King’s Day on April 27.

You don’t need to go deep into history with your child. Even a simple explanation helps build understanding and vocabulary around family, time, and traditions.

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King’s games 2026: a great starting point for children

On Friday, April 17, 2026, children across Dutch primary schools will take part in the King’s Games (Koningsspelen).

This day focuses on healthy eating and physical activity. Children often start with a shared breakfast and then join sports and games at school.

The official song this year is Ola Olee. Listening to it, singing along, and moving to the rhythm is already a great way to engage with Dutch in a natural way.

If your child goes to a Dutch primary school, they will most likely participate. If not, this is something you can easily recreate at home.

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Typical King’s Day traditions that children love

King’s Day is known for its unique traditions. These are often the moments where children naturally pick up language.

• free markets, where children sell their own toys
• dressing in orange, from simple accessories to full outfits
• traditional Dutch games like sack races and “koekhappen”
• music, performances, and activities everywhere

These situations create real-life language opportunities. Children use words like buy, sell, win, lose, try again, and learn how to interact with others.

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Why this day matters for your child’s Dutch

Children don’t learn a language only from books. They learn through experience.

Days like King’s Day help children:

• understand words in context
• practice speaking in real situations
• build confidence
• connect language to daily life in the Netherlands

In our experience, these are the moments where children start to feel that Dutch is not just a school subject, but something they can actually use.

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How to celebrate King’s Day at home

Even if you are new to the Netherlands, or if your child is not yet fully part of a Dutch school, you can still make this day meaningful.

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Create your own games

Set up simple activities like a mini sports day, a small obstacle course, or traditional games. Organise a mini King’s Day with games such as sack races, an obstacle course or a treasure hunt.

You can set up traditional Dutch games at home, in the garden, or at a playground, such as cookie or bacon biting, tin can throwing, sack races, nail hammering, and an egg race. Don’t be too quick to assume your children are too old. Two years ago, we had the greatest fun during the pandemic with our 14- and 17-year-old children.

On the Scouting pages, you can find some great ideas for these traditional Dutch games..

Talk while you play

Use simple Dutch words during activities. Keep it light and natural.

Use what you’re doing as a starting point for conversation.
“What did you buy?”
“Who won?”
“What colour do you see?”W
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Watch and discuss

Watch the children’s news about the King’s Games and King’s Day together. Discuss the programme with your child and, for example, plan your own King’s Day and King’s Games together.

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Get creative

Make a crown or decorate something in orange. Whilst crafting, you’ll naturally use language about colours, shapes and instructions.

Making hats or crowns is great fun, but there are many more ideas to be found, for example, via this link from Kleuteridee. Whilst crafting, give instructions on what your child can do, discuss shapes, colours, actions, etc. This way, crafting also becomes a language-based activity.

Stamping sheets: words to stamp or copy out about King’s Day from a magazine or newspaper. Or use one of the preschool worksheets you can find on Google. For example, search on Google for ‘preschool stamping King’s Day’ or ‘King’s Day vocabulary’

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A small but useful language detail

You might notice that “Koningsdag” is written with a capital letter in Dutch. That’s because official holidays are written with a capital letter. It’s a small detail, but one that helps children understand how the language works.

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How we use this theme in our lessons

In our online lessons, we often work with real-life themes like King’s Day. For us, it’s not just about vocabulary. It’s about helping children understand situations they encounter in daily life in the Netherlands.

That means:

• learning words they actually hear around them
• practising conversations linked to real experiences
• adapting everything to the child’s age, level, and motivation

A younger child will learn through play and listening. An older child might discuss traditions, culture, or even compare it to their home country.

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Would you like this for your child?

If you would like your child not only to learn Dutch but also to feel more confident and at home in the Netherlands, this is exactly what we focus on. Our lessons are fully tailored to international children and always connect language to real-life situations.

You are very welcome to book a free introduction meeting to see what would suit your child best.