For the second time in almost 2 years of this newsletter, I get to say — happy Tuesday!
Sorry for the day delay on sending this — I just got back from vacationing with my partner & toddler in the Austrian Alps. If you have a toddler, you know why I needed an extra day to recover from the vacation. Despite my incredibly depleted and yet also fulfilled state, I’m happy to report that the little one met a life-sized unicorn (huge, I know) and can’t stop saying the word “fun-i-cu-lar.”
👩⚕️ Dear Dr. Mom: When and how should I start potty training?
Y’all voted, and APP delivered: Our top advice topic was on potty training! This issue, we’ve teamed up with certified potty training coach, Evgenia Baydikova — a.k.a. The Potty Doula — to answer our questions about the dreaded potty.
Summer's a popular season to start potty training, but what if you didn't have to wait for a "readiness" sign at all? Evgenia walks us through Elimination Communication (EC): learning and responding to your baby's toileting cues from birth, rather than treating potty training as a toddler milestone. Some highlights:
Training vs. learning: Conventional toddler training approaches (like Oh, Crap) tend to be parent-led — a shorter but (if my own experience is any indication) agonizing period. EC embraces two-way communication, where you're reading and responding to your baby's potty cues — longer and more gradual. One's a skill you teach, the other's a milestone that develops on its own.
Potty skills as 4 foundations: It’s not just one skill that your child is learning. Body awareness, communication, understanding, and physical ability all contribute to independent toilet use.
You can start with the potty now: You can practice EC alongside, before, or instead of conventional methods, starting with just 20 minutes of diaper-free time after a feed or wake-up.
The goal of EC isn't perfection or getting every pee or poop in the potty — it's to develop mutual awareness and reduce dependence on diapers over time.
Potty training doesn’t have to be a sudden, all-or-nothing sprint — you can start at any time. Instead of readiness and completion, we can reframe potty use as a communication milestone — or per Evgenia, it may actually not be a milestone at all!
Did you know there’s a map of all of the free water fountains in the city? Included below!
🗓️ What’s happening around town
Looking for something fun to do with your little one? Here's a selection of upcoming activities and events for babies, toddlers, and their parents.
APP & Friends
Fri 24 Jul @ 12:00-13:30 — De Baarsjes
For the American expecting and new parents in the community — come swap experiences navigating the differences between American and Dutch pre- and postpartum care. Hosted at Papote, so bring your little one along! 🇺🇸🤝🇳🇱
Wed 29 Jul @ 10:30-12:00 — De Baarsjes
APP is teaming up with Danielle from Singing Mamas for a pop-up sing and picnic in Rembrandtpark! Homemade snacks, babies and toddlers roaming in the grass, and our — untrained, but lovely — community voices harmonizing with the leaves in the wind... We're going for maximum cozy vibes for this hang. Come join us!
Keeping cool in the heat
Waternet manages over 500 free public water taps across Amsterdam — and now you can explore their locations in map form! A super useful resource for making it easy to find clean drinking water while out and about with thirsty little ones.
The Koeltekaart Amsterdam provides a city-wide map of cooling spots that open during warm days when the Amsterdam Heat Plan is active. These locations offer a free, accessible place to escape the heat for all residents, complete with drinking water, toilets, and seating.
Heatwave #infinity, eh? GoBebop has compiled a list of places with air conditioning to keep the family cool during the hot weather. My personal tip: When in doubt, head for the museums — they always have A/C 👩🎨
West
Wed 15 Jul @ 09:30-10:30 — Cremerbuurt
The lovely folks at Move 'n Meet are hosting a free Summer Outdoor Special workout at one of my favorite local playgrounds in Oud West, J.J. Cremerplein. It's fully gated, so parents may actually get some peace to exercise while little ones play with the provided toys and mats outside.
Fri 17 Jul @ 10:00-11:00 — Bos en Lommer
Join Little West for a casual summer park meetup in Erasmuspark featuring bubbles, music, and fresh air for children and their caregivers. The cost is €5 per child; registration is required via the link in their Instagram bio.
South
Sat 18 Jul @ 15:00-18:00 — Stadionbuurt
Head over to WOPL! for a dedicated, relaxed afternoon of connection for local expat families. Their terrace is open and free to visit with the whole family — fun outdoor activities to keep the little ones entertained included.
Sat 18 Jul @ 17:00-20:00 — Gaasperdam
Craving good food, good company, and new friends from around the world? Join parents in Zuidoost for a cosy potluck picnic in Gaasperplas. Meet fellow international families in the neighborhood, swap stories and maybe discover your new favorite dish!
Mon 20 Jul @ 11:30-15:30 — Stadionbuurt
A free neighborhood afternoon at the Olympic Stadium for all ages — free lunch buffet, face painting and crafting for kids, a workout session for parents and little ones, puppetry, silent disco, chair massage, and a swinging musical close. Come solo, with neighbors, or with the whole family 🏟️
Sat 25 Jul @ 12:00-15:00 — Vondelpark
Mama Circle is hosting a summer picnic in Vondelpark, offering a relaxed space for moms to connect and enjoy the afternoon with their babies in the grass.
Starting 25 Jul — Rivierenbuurt
This annual theater festival in Martin Luther Kingpark features colorful tents, terraces and restaurants; where theater makers and musicians walk around, and sometimes give spontaneous outdoor performances. There's also a Children's Parade every day with theater, music, and creative workshops.
East
Starting 16 Jul (Weekly on Thursday) — Oosterdokseiland
Experience live music, drinks, and stunning views on the NEMO rooftop every Thursday evening. They'll play all kinds of music all summer long — a lovely way to end an afternoon play session at the science museum with your little one.
Sat 18 Jul @ 14:00-16:00 — Transvaalbuurt
This Saturday, Krugerplein is transforming into a fun-filled place for children and everyone who still feels a bit like a kid. Stop by for delicious pancakes, get your face painted, step into the storytelling tent, and enjoy many more fun activities for the youngest and oldest alike.
Center
Sun 19 Jul @ 14:30-15:30 — Rokin
Celebrate Rainbow Family Day at Lola's Huis with a multilingual storytime and arts and crafts in collaboration with the beloved folks from Regenboog Verhalen (Rainbow Stories) 🏳️🌈 Open to the littlest ones up to 12 years old with their families.
Sat 25 Jul @ 11:00 — Burgwallen-Oude Zijde
The Pride Walk Amsterdam is a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, starting at the Dam 🌈🏳️🌈 It's a walk and an event all in one, open to all ages!
Online
NDSM Mamas & Friends is a new community initiative for moms aged 25-35 located in Amsterdam Noord. They host informal, "trendy" meetups including coffee dates, brunches, and walks to help local mothers connect through their WhatsApp group. I am neither trendy nor that young, but it seems like a cool new community focused on Noord, which is lovely to see 💅
Researchers from the University of Heidelberg and Complutense University are studying how Spanish-speaking families in Europe maintain Spanish as a heritage language with their children. If you emigrated here (or anywhere in Europe) from a Spanish-speaking country, your experience would be valuable — the survey takes about 15 minutes. Kudos to Mimi from Growing Up Multilingual for surfacing it! (She’s a great follow in general for multilingual support.)
Did you find an event today? Consider donating to support our work and keep this newsletter free for the community.
Until next time,
Alex from the Amsterdam Parent Project (APP)
