Exloo with Kids: Top 10 Things To Do and Family Holiday Guide

Exloo sits at the heart of the Drenthe Hondsrug, a landscape shaped by ancient glaciers and dotted with hunebedden — the prehistoric megalithic tombs that make this corner of the Netherlands unlike anywhere else in the country. The village itself is small and quietly distinctive: a classic esdorp, meaning it grew up around shared farmland, and that unhurried, rooted character still shows in its layout and pace today.

Quick facts for families visiting Exloo

Top 10 things to do in Exloo

1. Walk the historic esdorp layout of Exloo itself — the circular field pattern and old farm plots are genuinely worth a look, not just a backdrop.
2. Cycle or walk to a hunebed in the surrounding Hondsrug landscape; several are accessible within a short distance of the village.
3. Plan a proper sit-down lunch rather than eating on the move — the pace in Exloo suits it, and children settle better for the afternoon.
4. Head to Drouwenerzand for a full beach and outdoor activity day if the weather is good; it pairs well with an Exloo base.
5. Check the programme at D20, the cultural and events centre in the village, for anything running on your visit day.
6. Use the surrounding heathland and forest paths for a short nature walk — keep it under an hour with younger children.
7. Pick up a local bakery snack or regional product rather than defaulting to chain options; the village scale makes this easy.
8. Combine Exloo with a visit to Kabouterland if you are travelling with children under about eight — the two work well together in a single day.
9. Keep the afternoon looser than the morning so there is room to linger somewhere that turns out to be a hit.
10. End the day with a drive or short cycle through the surrounding Hondsrug countryside rather than heading straight to the motorway.

Top 10 things to do in Exloo for kids

1. Visit Kabouterland, the gnome-themed outdoor attraction that works particularly well for younger children who need something story-led and imaginative.
2. Book the Boomkroonpad at Outdoor Center Boomkroonpad — walking through the treetop canopy is a different kind of adventure that older children especially enjoy.
3. Let children collect hunebed stamps or photographs; the stones are tactile and strange enough to hold attention longer than a typical museum exhibit.
4. Give kids a role in navigating: a simple printed map of the village or a route downloaded before you leave puts them in charge of something real.
5. Pack a ball or frisbee for the open green spaces around the village — unstructured time outside is often what children remember most.
6. Head to Drouwenerzand for water play, sand and space to run; it removes the need to manage children’s energy anywhere else in the day.
7. Let children choose whether the afternoon goes to Molenveld or somewhere else on the list — a genuine choice lands better than a managed one.
8. Build in a dedicated snack stop at a fixed point in the route rather than eating on the go; sitting down resets the group.
9. Bring a change of clothes if you are near water or the weather is uncertain — being able to say yes to spontaneous paddling is worth the extra bag weight.
10. Swap a planned stop for longer time at whatever has genuinely caught their interest; the day works better when you follow that signal.

Best family activities in Exloo

Exloo rewards families who are happy outdoors. The Hondsrug landscape around the village offers heathland, forest and farmland within easy walking or cycling distance, and even a short loop from the village centre gives children something to look at beyond pavement and parked cars.

For a more structured day, the area around Exloo has several named attractions worth building a visit around. Kabouterland suits younger children well, with its outdoor gnome-world setting that encourages wandering rather than queueing. Older children tend to get more from Outdoor Center Boomkroonpad, where the treetop walkway offers a physical challenge and a view of the Drenthe forest from an angle most visitors never see. Drouwenerzand adds a beach day to what might otherwise be a purely inland trip, and is close enough to Exloo to work as a half-day pairing.

Where to stay near Exloo

Exloo sits in an area well served by forest holiday parks and family campsites, which means you can often find accommodation with on-site facilities — pools, playgrounds, bike hire — that extend the day beyond what the village itself offers. This matters more if you are staying several nights and need the children occupied across multiple days.

For a shorter visit, a campsite or holiday park within five to ten minutes of the village keeps logistics simple and means attractions like Drouwenerzand and Kabouterland stay within easy reach without a long drive at either end of the day.

Nearby places to visit

1. Drouwenerzand (Drenthse Hondsrug) is the closest major outdoor destination — beach, water and open space make it a natural complement to the village-and-countryside character of Exloo.
2. Kabouterland is well suited to families with younger children and is close enough to combine with an Exloo morning without the day feeling rushed.
3. The hunebedden of the Hondsrug run through this part of Drenthe and several are reachable by bike from Exloo — a good fit if your children have any appetite for history or outdoor exploration.
4. Emmen and Assen are both within reasonable driving distance and offer larger museums, shopping and indoor options that work well as a wet-weather alternative to Exloo’s outdoor appeal.

Family travel tips

1. Download an offline map of the Exloo area before you arrive — mobile signal in parts of the Drenthe countryside can be patchy.
2. Check opening times for Kabouterland and Outdoor Center Boomkroonpad before building them into your plan; hours vary by season.
3. Bring waterproof layers even in summer — Drenthe heathland weather changes quickly and the open landscape offers little shelter.
4. Use the village green or any open space as a genuine stop, not just a shortcut between activities.
5. Leave room at the end of the day for the drive back to be calm; finishing while everyone is still in good spirits makes the whole trip easier to repeat.
6. Let children carry something — a camera, the snack bag, the map — so they have a concrete stake in how the day goes.

FAQ

Is Exloo good for kids?

Yes, particularly for families who enjoy being outdoors. The village is small and unhurried, the Hondsrug countryside around it is easy to explore on foot or by bike, and named attractions like Kabouterland and Drouwenerzand are close enough to anchor a full family day.

What are the best things to do in Exloo with kids?

Walking or cycling to a hunebed, visiting Kabouterland for younger children, tackling the Boomkroonpad treetop walk for older ones, and pairing the village with a trip to Drouwenerzand for outdoor space and water play are all strong options depending on the age group.

How long should families spend in Exloo?

A relaxed half-day covers the village itself comfortably. A full day makes sense if you are combining Exloo with one of the nearby outdoor attractions — Drouwenerzand or Kabouterland add enough to justify the longer visit.

What can families do in Exloo when it rains?

Rain hits harder in an open landscape, so it is worth identifying a covered option before you go. Assen and Emmen both have indoor museums and larger facilities within driving distance, and D20 in the village occasionally has indoor programming worth checking in advance.

Where should families stay near Exloo?

Forest holiday parks and family campsites in the Hondsrug area around Exloo are a natural fit — many have their own facilities and sit close enough to the village and its nearby attractions to keep travel times short across a multi-day stay.

Nearby Attractions

• Drouwenerzand (Drenthse Hondsrug)
• D20
• Kabouterland
• Outdoor Center Boomkroonpad
• Molenveld