Check the dates of the school holidays (schoolvakanties) in the Netherlands in 2026 and 2027 and find out how the Dutch school holiday system works. Here is everything you need to know.

Last updated: 13 October 2026 by Anastasia Dudina

School holiday regions in the Netherlands

The Netherlands are divided into 3 school holiday regions: North, Central and South. Spreading the school holidays across the regions helps control peaks in holiday traffic. Here is the overview of these regions, with their provinces and municipalities.

The holiday dates below are for the 2026/2027 school year, for primary, special and secondary education. Please note that all dates are inclusive.

Tip! Planning a visit to Disneyland? Eurostar train tickets are available for travel up to December 12, 2026. You can book your direct train tickets now. At Eurostar official website you can also book a Disneyland train + hotel package.

School holidays in the Netherlands in the school year 2026/2027

* These dates are advisory. For the exact dates please check your school’s agenda.

Autumn holidays 2026 (Herfstvakantie): what to do

Autumn break falls on 10-25 October, depending on your region (see the table above). Here are five fun activities running during the 2026 herfstvakantie, a mix of rainy-day indoor picks and seasonal outdoor events:

• NEMO Science Museum (Amsterdam, 10-25 October): take an AI Challenge where visitors try to spot which online gamers are real versus AI-generated, the Game On exhibition on video game history, and extra hands-on workshops (chemistry experiments, building spinning tops and sorting machines). Included in the I amsterdam City Card (from €29 per card for 3 attractions for kids).
• Space Expo (Noordwijk, 10-24 October, ages 6+): visit a 30-minute interactive session called Asteroid Detectives, where kids investigate craters and clues to solve a space mystery tied to ESA’s HERA asteroid mission. Included with admission, no reservation needed.
• CORPUS (Leiden/Oegstgeest): no special autumn exhibit this year, but it’s fully indoor and weather-independent, and CORPUS itself notes it gets busier during the break, so booking your time slot ahead is worth it.
• Zuiderzeemuseum (Enkhuizen, 10-25 October): an old-fashioned Oudhollandse Kermis will take place with free vintage funfair rides (flying swings, a carousel, a shooting gallery) included with admission, plus a special evening kermis from 18:00 – 21:00 on 17 and 24 October. Included in the I amsterdam City Card (from €29 per card for 3 attractions for kids).
• Dutch Open Air Museum (Openluchtmuseum, Arnhem, 10-26 October): Uitgelicht evening lantern walks led by the Night Watchman through atmospherically lit historic buildings, plus a GPS treasure hunt about WWII and craft workshops.

Tip! Starting from June 2026, you can order the I amsterdam City Card (from € 40) or I amsterdam City Card Explorer: Special Edition (from € 29) for children.

If you visit NEMO Museum, Artis Royal Zoo and A’DAM Lookout (entrance tickets for children cost € 21,50 + € 27,50 + € 12,50), with the I amsterdam City Card Explorer you pay € 29 instead of € 61,50. In these guides you can read more about the I amsterdam City Card and I amsterdam City Card for kids.

Public holidays in the Netherlands in 2026 and 2027

Besides the school holidays above, the Netherlands has a set of national public holidays. Here is the full list for 2026 and 2027, based on the official government.nl overview.

* Good Friday is not a statutory public holiday for every employee, but banks, insurers, government offices and many businesses close.
** Liberation Day is a full public holiday for everyone only once every 5 years (next in 2030). Outside those years it is a regular working day for most adults, but schools close on 5 May every year.

Is Sinterklaas a public holiday in the Netherlands?

No, Sinterklaas (5 December) is not an official public holiday in the Netherlands. Schools, shops and offices stay open as normal, though many primary schools hold their own small in-class celebrations earlier in the day. It is a much-loved children’s tradition rather than a day off work or school. Read our full guide to Sinterklaas in the Netherlands for how it is celebrated and what to expect.

Can I take my child out of school?

Please note! In the Netherlands children start school at the age of 4. Until they become 5, you can take them out of school for extra days off. But when children reach the age of 5, they must go to school every school day. It is not allowed to take them out of school to go on holiday.

Things to do with children in Amsterdam

Many of the picks below are Amsterdam museums that work well for a rainy holiday afternoon. If you’re planning several, it’s worth checking our full guide to Amsterdam’s best museums first, some offer family tickets or free entry with a city card.

Things to do near Keukenhof with kids

Things to do on Texel with kids

When does school start in the Netherlands?

When does school start in the Netherlands?

School starts again on the first school day after each region’s summer holiday ends, so the exact date depends on where a school is (North, Central or South region) and typically falls in the last week of August or the first week of September.

When does school start after the 2026 summer holidays?

After the 2026 summer break, school started again on 17 August (North region), 24 August (South region), and 31 August (Central region).

When does school start after the 2027 summer holidays?

After the 2027 summer break, school starts again on 23 August (North region), 30 August (Central region), and 6 September (South region).

Dutch school holidays are set by the government and published years in advance. The full official schedule is available at government.nl. Note that while national holidays such as King’s Day (27 April) and Liberation Day (5 May) are not school holidays in the formal sense, most schools close on these days.

Related articles:

• Things to do in the Netherlands with kids
• Efteling guide: tickets, prices & tips
• I amsterdam City Card: prices & discounts
• Advent calendars: for kids and adults
• Christmas markets in the Netherlands
• Easter in the Netherlands: dates and tips
• Museums opening hours on Christmas and New Year’s Day