I shouldn’t have been surprised that the rain didn’t stop the Dutch kids. It had been storming all day, and the evening forecast didn’t look much better. But at 5 p.m., hundreds of children started showing up—many on bikes—along with their parents at Amsterdam’s Westerpark, a popular city park in a more residential part of the capital. Today, the park serves as a starting point: volunteers handle registration, and groups of kids gather, dressed in raincoats and excited to begin either a 5-kilometer or 10-kilometer walk through the nearby neighborhoods.
This is the second night of Avondvierdaagse, which means “four-day evening walk,” organized by a group of local volunteers. It’s not a race, but if children complete all four nights, they earn medals, a bouquet of flowers, and, if they’re lucky, lots of candy. This isn’t just happening in Amsterdam. Across villages, towns, and cities in the Netherlands, hundreds of thousands of Dutch people are doing the same thing: every year, kids spend four early-summer evenings exploring their neighborhoods with school friends and parents as part of the Week van de Avond4daagse. Some places held their walks earlier; others were doing them the following week. A version of this tradition has even spread to Suriname, a former Dutch colony. There are also four-day cycling and swimming events. According to the Royal Dutch Walking Association (KWbN), which helps organize these events, half a million people take part each year at 700 locations across the country, supported by tens of thousands of volunteers.
“The event is just so Dutch—you don’t really see this anywhere else,” says fellow volunteer Judith van Oudheusden as we bike from one checkpoint to another to catch the wave of kids at a different part of the route. We’re in charge of stamping their cards to confirm they’ve completed this section of today’s 10-kilometer walk. A full card means they can get their medal on the last day, a goal many are determined to reach. Tonight, they’ll walk along the western edges of the neighborhood, through green city parks like Erasmuspark and Rembrandtpark, and along charming residential streets, catching a glimpse of the historic Molen de Otter windmill on the way back to Westerpark. Van Oudheusden took part in the activity as a child, she says, and later walked with her own kids when they were younger. Volunteering now feels like coming full circle.
Avondvierdaagse started as a military tradition, explains Inger Leemans, a professor of cultural history at the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. The first march was held in 1909 in Nijmegen as a military training event. But when World War II broke out, different towns began organizing their own walks for soldiers. After the war, civilians were invited to join them: the four-day marches in Nijmegen grew into an incredibly popular event where tens of thousands of soldiers and citizens walked together in solidarity. Aimed at older participants, this is now the largest walking event in the world, with 45,000 people from over 80 countries walking the same 30-kilometer, 40-kilometer, and 50-kilometer routes each year. According to Arno van Gemert, a team leader for programs and projects at KWbN, the Avondvierdaagse is like the event’s “little brother or sister,” mainly focused on primary school children and their parents.
“It’s interesting that this walk—with its military roots—became one of the symbols of Dutch national identity, especially for a country that doesn’t often see itself as a military nation,” says Leemans, who also took part in the tradition growing up in Leende, a village near the Belgian border. Most people now see it as a national event.It’s similar to other celebrations like King’s Day, a national holiday marking the Dutch monarch’s birthday, with street parties, flea markets, and lots of orange clothing. Avondvierdaagse even has its own traditional treat: half an orange topped with a white Wilhelmina peppermint, wrapped in a piece of muslin for kids to suck on while they walk. Many children were enjoying one along the route.
While the original walks weren’t necessarily about promoting exercise, Avondvierdaagse has become a way to encourage kids to enjoy being outside and moving their bodies. “It’s important that children are physically active and can develop their motor skills from a young age,” says Sanne de Vries, a professor of physical activity in childhood at Leiden University Medical Center. Encouraging children to complete the full week of walking—rain or shine—and rewarding them at the end can help build a positive connection with physical activity. “A lasting positive emotion is key,” she adds.
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The start of a four-day walk in Amsterdam in 1958. Photograph: Alamy
It also helps build resilience. “It’s been presented to them as a big challenge because it’s 5km and sounds really hard,” says Fernanda Gomes, 44, who is walking the shorter route with her seven-year-old daughter, Alicia (who is snacking on the traditional orange as we speak). “Even if it’s raining, they still do it, and the message behind it is great for the children.”
Dutch kids are consistently ranked among the happiest in the world. This year, a Unicef report again placed them first out of 44 Western countries for overall well-being and mental health. Strong social relationships were highlighted as a key factor. Research shows that Dutch children have close bonds with their peers. Additionally, many Dutch parents work part-time, giving them more time to spend with their kids. Children also enjoy more independence: parents let them roam more freely, and many start young, cycling to and from school on their own.
These social connections are evident at Avondvierdaagse: the walks give children a chance to spend time not only with their parents but also with their school friends outside the classroom. Some even wear matching shirts to represent their school—one reads “Ren voor je leven,” Dutch for “run for your life.” “It’s fun with friends,” says Robin Astill, 10, who is walking with her mom and a friend.
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Children who complete the event receive medals. Photograph: Judith Jockel/The Guardian
“I like that it’s something that happens every year and you get exercise from it,” says Ansel Howard, 13. “It’s something people have been doing for a long time, and you can do it with friends and family and just enjoy it.”
Parents also enjoy Avondvierdaagse. Rebecca Astill, 46, took part when she was younger; as a parent, it’s a chance to explore more of her surroundings. She’s walked with her kids 10 times, first with her son and now with Robin. “You get to see more of your neighborhood and walk through parts you don’t normally go through,” she says. The organizers specifically choose routes to show participants new places, and the route changes every year. “That’s the art and skill of the routemaster,” says organizer Philip Bueters, who walked as a parent with his own children years ago.
Astill also likes that it’s a social opportunity—a feeling shared by many other parents. “At school, you usually see other parents for just a few minutes,” says Joost de Koning, 44, as his five-year-old, Noa, trails behind us at the start of a 5km walk. “But this brings the school community together.”
Avondvierdaagse is such a positive event that it’s hard to find any downsides. Some have questioned whether the walks are inclusive enough—for people with disabilities, for example, or those from different cultural backgrounds. In Amsterdam especially, the event’s participants may not always reflectThe event reflects the diversity of the local population and tends to attract higher-income parents in the neighborhood.
[View image in fullscreen: Lucas at the finish line in Westerpark, where volunteers hand out flowers. Photograph: Judith Jockel/The Guardian]
Another challenge: while the event’s charm lies in being run by volunteers, it can be a huge effort. “In recent years, some events have had to stop because there weren’t enough volunteers,” says Bueters, who joined the neighborhood organizing committee when the last group of volunteers retired. “People are happy to help out now and then, but not for four days straight.”
Avondvierdaagse is very much a community effort. Locals donate their time, businesses provide food and flowers, and the KWbN supports local committees (and gives out the sought-after medals)—all because they understand how important the event is for the kids and the area.
“It has survived for decades because it brings communities together in a simple, healthy way, without screens,” says van Gemert of KWbN. As he explains, there’s a specific Dutch word for it: Gezelligheid. The word doesn’t have a perfect English translation—maybe coziness or togetherness—but you know it when you see it. “It captures the Dutch spirit of being active outdoors, no matter the weather, combined with a highly organized community effort.”
And while Avondvierdaagse is uniquely Dutch, that doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. “It’s not something the government invented to get kids to exercise; the formula can be copied,” says Bueters. Aicha Lagha, another volunteer, agrees. “I think it can work anywhere there’s a community, or where you want to build one,” she says.
In Westerpark, as I wait at the finish line on the last day—when the sun is finally shining—that sense of community is strong. A few hundred meters from the finish, volunteers hand out flowers from a local florist. Family members wait patiently to celebrate the achievement: one grandma arrived 20 minutes early to make sure she could see her seven-year-old grandson walking with her daughter. “It’s a very special event,” she tells me, remembering walking in it herself as a child—“and that was a long time ago,” she jokes.
As more and more kids cross the finish line, the area turns into a big celebration: children dance to Snollebollekes’ 2015 hit Links Rechts, jumping left and right in a line during the chorus in what has become a kind of national tradition. Some kids climb a statue for a photo. Parents are celebrating too, proudly taking pictures of their kids with their medals.
As I leave, Joost Klein’s 2024 Eurovision entry, Europapa (another local kids’ favorite), is playing for the third time in 20 minutes. No one seems to mind, and nobody cares that the weather is turning cloudy and rainy. They’re too focused on the party. There are no English words that fully capture the pure joy filling the area. It’s just gezellig.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about the Dutch walking tradition and its connection to happy healthy children
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 What is the Dutch walking tradition
Its the habit of having children walk or cycle to school stores and activities from a very young age often starting around age 4 Parents rarely drive them for short distances
2 Are Dutch kids really that much happier and healthier
Yes studies consistently rank Dutch children among the happiest and healthiest in the developed world They have low stress high physical activity and strong social connections
3 How does walking make kids healthier
Walking daily builds strong bones muscles and cardiovascular health It also helps prevent childhood obesity and improves sleep quality
4 How does walking make kids happier
Walking gives kids independence fresh air and time to chat with friends or parents This reduces anxiety boosts mood and builds confidence
5 Is it safe for young kids to walk alone in the Netherlands
Generally yes The Netherlands has excellent bike paths low traffic speeds in residential areas and a strong culture of looking out for children Many kids walk in groups or with a parent until age 8 or 9
AdvancedLevel Questions
6 Is it just the walking or are there other factors
Walking is a big part but its one piece of a larger puzzle Dutch parents also prioritize free play balanced school days with little homework and a cultural emphasis on gezelligheid
7 What about bad weather Dont they get sick
No Dutch parents dress kids in waterproof coats and boots They believe theres no bad weather only bad clothing This builds resilience and exposure to fresh air actually strengthens the immune system
8 How far do Dutch kids typically walk
For a 6yearold it might be 12 km to school For older kids walking or cycling up to 5 km to a friends house or sports practice is common
9 What if the school is too far to walk
If its more than 34 km kids often use a bakfiets
