backwards

Why do kids always want to climb up the slides? And the tunnel slides?

capes

Superheroes wear nothing but a cape, don't they?

vibrant colours

These girl friends were capturing the essence of the autumn colour palette, teaming olive green with plum purple, brown and turquoise. Have I mentionned the red hair?

spring in autumn

These sun dresses with flower print permit us to forget for a moment that the days start getting shorter.

tutus encounter

They didn't know each other until they met in their tutus to immediately get friends.

It happens quite often in Amsterdam (should I generalize to the large country?) to see kids dressed up on the sreet.

Olympics

Once a week, I take my daughter to The Little Gym, a great place to develop children's motor skills, from 4 months to 12 years of age.
Every exercice is like a game but also a way to increase their flexibility, balance and rhythm.

I really like these sweatpants with the flash of colours on the waist belt - they were bought at Babygap Japan.

dizzy

I don't see how they did not get sick with all that circling round and round.

be strong

Boys think they're strong and can face challenge.
Just like their fathers maybe?

street hockey

Hockey is a popular sport in the Netherlands. You often see children (boys and girls) training on the street or riding their bike while holding their stick.

I spotted this hockey boy from far (as you can see he's pretty visible with his bright orange leg protection, helmet and stick) and got closer.
So did the football boy who thought he could join in the fun.

please go green

Have you ever tried to talk to traffic lights so they turn green quicker?
She did.

like spies

After school, three kids were standing on the roof of the school, throwing stuff off with an unusual instrument.

lonesome cowboy

control tower

The control tower, as they called it, was one of their favourite points in the children's section of the Library. They climbed the spiral staircase to the top and peeked around.

shhh

The new Public Library of Amsterdam is an exciting and stimulating centre for both adults and children.
Each floor has its own theme (7 in total), starting from the basement which is reserved for children. With the large red sofas, giant animals and various reading corners, children feel like at home.
Don't you think it's a good way to encourage them to read?

The giant giraffe serves to illustrate a song written by the famous Dutch author Annie M.G. Schmidt (you can read the words on the big cubes pile).

over the rainbow

She had the paddling pool to herself.
Coincidentely, her bright pink red shirt was a good match with the rainbow slide.

two helmets on

Almost everyone has a bike in Amsterdam, but hardly anyone- any kid, wears a helmet. It's even quite common to see kids in a standing position on the back seat of the adult's bike.

You'll understand why I found it quite unexpected, and sweet, to see both little girl and doll wearing a helmet.

fight

One girl, one boy, a fight.

wild

Her game was to swing on the monkey bar super fast.

ny feel

A hip-hop style, red brick buildings and a Mercedes car. This made me think of Manhattan.

power rangers

I like to sneak a peek into children's bedroom and observe them play.

Here, the power rangers had been fighting and were enjoying a much deserved rest.

To eventually return to their inanimated state.

sky boots

I realise that accessories have caught my attention this week.
Here's another example of how they can really pull an outfit together.

white socks

This boy has an attitude, with his straight long hairstyle and white socks.

one uniform, two styles

Yesterday was their first day of school and they seemed happy to get together again. They ran about 1km hand-in-hand, hiding behing every corner they would find.

Although they're wearing the same uniform, they have a personal sense of style: short white socks for the French girl, black knee high socks for the Japanese.

juicy

I don't know what they were doing in their bathrobe and flip-flop walking down the street, but that was a nice surprise.
Luckily enough, I was standing in front of a fruits store when they got closer.

lovely truc

Lovely truc means lovely thingy.
Charlotte is the creator of this new jumpers brand for kids and she's probably the only person wishing it was cold in Paris.
The D-day is tomorrow.
We wish you rain Charlotte!

She sent me this photo as an example of what inspired her first collection.
You can find Lovely Truc jumpers at Le Bon marché, Lillibulle and soon on lovelytruc.com

focus

If you look closely, you can see the boy sticking out his tongue. What? No one else does this when they concentrate?

no more paddling

The paddling pools are now empty but are still a fun place for children to use.

do not

Children have a sense of privacy.

three kids

Three kids were standing apart in the schoolyard. Probably to share something special.

slide

Kids don't need a board to skate.

full-face

If you look closely, you can notice that Nintje always stands facing the young reader, even if the action makes it illogical - see here, here, here.
Another example of Bruna's search of straightforwardness and simplicity.

zappa plays zappa

This is a kid who lives on my street . His name is Sam, he's 13yo and we like to call him the cool guy of the neighbourhood: he's always out walking in tee-shirt or riding around on weird machines.
Today, he was proudly riding on his dad-kick-scooter-that-requires-a-licence.

in the sun

It always feels good to take a ride in the sun, along the canals.

caught with his hand in the bag