Kidsmusicweek 2026, what's there to do?

Kidsmusicweek 2026 at de Doelen: full of music, discovery and making music together for everyone

From 20 to 29 March 2026, de Doelen opens its doors for Children’s Music Week. During these days, the building is dedicated to young listeners and creators, the musicians of the future. With a varied programme of workshops, baby concerts, participatory activities and interactive performances, de Doelen offers children the opportunity to experience music anew and discover instruments and sounds that may still be unfamiliar to them.

Children’s Music Week is a nationwide celebration of music, centred on discovery, participation and wonder. On Friday 20 March, the national opening will take place at de Doelen, where schoolchildren will perform in the Doe Maar Mee Band on the stage of the Grote Zaal, together with musicians from the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.

Meespeeldag – music for and by children
Saturday 21 March | from 12:00 | Jurriaanse Hall and foyers

During Meespeeldag, the Jurriaanse Hall becomes a stage for young musical talent from Rotterdam. Children’s orchestras from the Rotterdam Youth Symphony Orchestra and SKVR, as well as the Melodymakers of Zangexpress, will perform concerts at 13:00 and 15:00.

Between 12:00 and 16:30, the hall and surrounding foyers are freely accessible. Before and after the concerts, children can take part in a variety of musical activities, including an instrument parade and the Orchestra Explorer. Partners such as SKVR, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, TOON Rotterdam and Zangexpress provide additional activities. Meespeeldag is free of charge, and children are encouraged to bring parents, family and friends.

Baby Concert UMI – a sensory journey for the very youngest
Saturday 21 March | 10:00 and 11:30 | Eduard Flipse Hall

For babies aged 6 to 18 months, de Doelen presents UMI, an interactive dance and music experience developed by Wonderland Collectief under the direction of choreographer Makiko Ito. Inspired by the ocean, dancers and musicians take babies and their parents into a sensory world of sound, colour and movement. Each performance responds to the young audience, making every edition unique.

Sound Explorers – a sound safari with Ensemble Modelo62
Saturday 28 March | 11:00 and 15:00 | Eduard Flipse Hall

Sound Explorers is an experimental music theatre piece inviting families to explore reality through sound and other senses. The musicians of Ensemble Modelo62 guide the audience on an adventurous sound safari.

As explorers, children and adults search together for hidden sound treasures. Along the way, participants create and collect their own sounds and contribute to a shared musical adventure. Intimate mini concerts alternate with creative moments in which children draw their own logbook. The performance gradually evolves into a collective composition, ending in a festive procession through the streets of Rotterdam.

Workshops in Studio 5, the Doelen Workshop | 21 to 29 March
A Piano in My Sketchbook (5+) & Beat Making with Beatmeester Dennis (5+ and 8+)

Live music and visual art come together as pianist Panos Gklistis and visual artist Silvia Bolognesi invite children to experiment with sound and image. With Beatmeester Dennis, children use iPads and music apps to produce their own beats and are introduced to digital music production through play.