Fien Dequecker has an Instagram account where she shares her adventures in motherhood.

As a mother of two daughters, with a passion and eye for children’s fashion, interiors and lifestyle, she knows all the best Antwerp hotspots for children (and their parents). 

Kids’ fashion

Need to unwind after all that shopping? If you’re shopping with kids, you should consider stopping at the huge playground along the quays in Antwerp’s Zuid district. Grab a good coffee to go and find a bench with a view of the river. Hooray for all these fun play areas in the big city.

2000 Antwerp

Playground along the Quays in Antwerp-Zuid

Want to eat some real artisanal Italian ice-cream while shopping? Head to Gelato Factory, Antwerp’s first ‘gelateria’! All the ice-cream is made with only the best, natural ingredients and is prepared on the spot, with passion. They have more than 20 flavours, including sorbets and frozen yoghurt. No wonder that you’ll always find people queuing patiently for some gelato goodness. Come early! Additional tip: eat your ice-cream while walking down the quays and enjoying the view of the river.

Verschansingstraat 57, 2000 Antwerp

Gelato Factory

Got something to celebrate? Want to add some oomph to your event? At Yay Conceptstore you can find the best party decorations. Whether you are preparing for a wedding, a baby shower, or a kids’ party, they have the best balloons, festive garlands and much more for each theme. Are you looking for an original gift or dress-up clothes? Check! I really love their stunning range of dried flowers too. At Nay (next door to Yay) you can find the most original items for all kinds of DIY projects (for children and adults!), including treats for birthday gift bags and trendy embroidery kits.

Riemstraat 13/ 17, 2000 Antwerp

Yay / Nay

INSct & Co is located in an old pharmacy, just outside the city centre. A must-see for curious kids and their parents! Taxidermy, but trendy: here you can shop for butterflies in a bell jar, starfish to decorate your home or even a stuffed zebra. In other words, this is the kind of cool place that always sparks our children’s imagination.

Sint-Gummarusstraat 38/40, 2060 Antwerp

INScT & Co

Attention, bookworms! You can find ‘t Stad Leest in the city centre. Besides an excellent selection of books for adults, they also sell the most beautiful and most original children’s books. Our favourite? The nostalgic ‘golden books’! While mum and dad browse the shop, children can wait on the retro children’s chairs or toadstools. Their second shop ‘Wunderkammer’ sells funky stationery and all kinds of must-haves.

Oudaan 18, 2000 Antwerp

’t Stad Leest

Bardin

In Den Olifant

A shop with a name that refers to a cosy lifestyle: Katrien at Hygge selects the most beautiful clothes, toys and deco items for new-borns and children up to 10 years of age. What makes her selection so unique is that Katrien only sells sustainable products that were made in fair trade conditions. A great way to contribute to the environment. And the perfect location for a baby registry.

Mechelsesteenweg 110, 2018 Antwerp

Hygge

Need children’s shoes? Tucked away in the Nieuwe Gaanderij gallery, you’ll find Pom d’Api, a teeny-tiny shop with the most beautiful leather shoes from Paris. We have been going there since my eldest needed her first pair of shoes. They stock timeless models in the sturdiest materials. We visit every season!

Nieuwe Gaanderij Huidevettersstraat 38-40, 
2000 Antwerp

Pom d’Api

Amazement, that is what ‘In Den Olifant’, Antwerp’s most beautiful toy shop, has been specialising in for many generations. A place that is the stuff of legend, where people of all ages can lose all track of time as they gaze at the stacks of children’s books, doll’s clothes or old school cars. Every time you visit, new surprises await. They recently moved to larger premises, for twice as much amazement! PS: check their Lego pop-up two houses down.

Lombardenstraat 12, 2000 Antwerp

100 sustainable brands under one roof? Play is the place to be! This shop sells clothes for kids between the ages of 0 and 12, from sustainable brands. ‘Sustainable is their middle name’. They sell a good selection of children’s brands here, including Tiny Cottons, Liewood, Bobo choses, and Ferm Living Kids. But it’s also a good place to shop for items to decorate the room of your baby or child. Want more? Check their other shop, which is called ‘Rewind’, where they sell sustainable furniture and home deco items.

Kloosterstraat 63, 2000 Antwerp

Play

From breakfast to lunch and pre-dinner drinks: Bardin does it all. And what’s more, children are also welcome here. In summer, children can play in the garden (with a swing), while their parents sip their coffee (or cocktail). On Wednesday afternoon, children are the VIP, with pancakes and tasty drinks on the menu. And all this in the centre of Antwerp! What are you waiting for?

Mechelsesteenweg 102, 2018 Antwerp

Fien Dequecker has an Instagram account where she shares her adventures in motherhood.

As a mother of two daughters, with a passion and eye for children’s fashion, interiors and lifestyle, she knows all the best Antwerp hotspots for children (and their parents). 

Kids’ fashion

Need to unwind after all that shopping? If you’re shopping with kids, you should consider stopping at the huge playground along the quays in Antwerp’s Zuid district. Grab a good coffee to go and find a bench with a view of the river. Hooray for all these fun play areas in the big city.

2000 Antwerp

Playground along the Quays in Antwerp-Zuid

Need children’s shoes? Tucked away in the Nieuwe Gaanderij gallery, you’ll find Pom d’Api, a teeny-tiny shop with the most beautiful leather shoes from Paris. We have been going there since my eldest needed her first pair of shoes. They stock timeless models in the sturdiest materials. We visit every season!

Nieuwe Gaanderij Huidevettersstraat 38-40, 
2000 Antwerp

Pom d’Api

Want to eat some real artisanal Italian ice-cream while shopping? Head to Gelato Factory, Antwerp’s first ‘gelateria’! All the ice-cream is made with only the best, natural ingredients and is prepared on the spot, with passion. They have more than 20 flavours, including sorbets and frozen yoghurt. No wonder that you’ll always find people queuing patiently for some gelato goodness. Come early! Additional tip: eat your ice-cream while walking down the quays and enjoying the view of the river.

Verschansingstraat 57, 2000 Antwerp

Gelato Factory

INSct & Co is located in an old pharmacy, just outside the city centre. A must-see for curious kids and their parents! Taxidermy, but trendy: here you can shop for butterflies in a bell jar, starfish to decorate your home or even a stuffed zebra. In other words, this is the kind of cool place that always sparks our children’s imagination.

Sint-Gummarusstraat 38/40, 2060 Antwerp

INScT & Co

Got something to celebrate? Want to add some oomph to your event? At Yay Conceptstore you can find the best party decorations. Whether you are preparing for a wedding, a baby shower, or a kids’ party, they have the best balloons, festive garlands and much more for each theme. Are you looking for an original gift or dress-up clothes? Check! I really love their stunning range of dried flowers too. At Nay (next door to Yay) you can find the most original items for all kinds of DIY projects (for children and adults!), including treats for birthday gift bags and trendy embroidery kits.

Riemstraat 13/ 17, 2000 Antwerp

Yay / Nay

Attention, bookworms! You can find ‘t Stad Leest in the city centre. Besides an excellent selection of books for adults, they also sell the most beautiful and most original children’s books. Our favourite? The nostalgic ‘golden books’! While mum and dad browse the shop, children can wait on the retro children’s chairs or toadstools. Their second shop ‘Wunderkammer’ sells funky stationery and all kinds of must-haves.

Oudaan 18, 2000 Antwerp

’t Stad Leest

A shop with a name that refers to a cosy lifestyle: Katrien at Hygge selects the most beautiful clothes, toys and deco items for new-borns and children up to 10 years of age. What makes her selection so unique is that Katrien only sells sustainable products that were made in fair trade conditions. A great way to contribute to the environment. And the perfect location for a baby registry.

Mechelsesteenweg 110, 2018 Antwerp

Hygge

Amazement, that is what ‘In Den Olifant’, Antwerp’s most beautiful toy shop, has been specialising in for many generations. A place that is the stuff of legend, where people of all ages can lose all track of time as they gaze at the stacks of children’s books, doll’s clothes or old school cars. Every time you visit, new surprises await. They recently moved to larger premises, for twice as much amazement! PS: check their Lego pop-up two houses down.

Lombardenstraat 12, 2000 Antwerp

In Den Olifant

100 sustainable brands under one roof? Play is the place to be! This shop sells clothes for kids between the ages of 0 and 12, from sustainable brands. ‘Sustainable is their middle name’. They sell a good selection of children’s brands here, including Tiny Cottons, Liewood, Bobo choses, and Ferm Living Kids. But it’s also a good place to shop for items to decorate the room of your baby or child. Want more? Check their other shop, which is called ‘Rewind’, where they sell sustainable furniture and home deco items.

Kloosterstraat 63, 2000 Antwerp

Play

From breakfast to lunch and pre-dinner drinks: Bardin does it all. And what’s more, children are also welcome here. In summer, children can play in the garden (with a swing), while their parents sip their coffee (or cocktail). On Wednesday afternoon, children are the VIP, with pancakes and tasty drinks on the menu. And all this in the centre of Antwerp! What are you waiting for?

Mechelsesteenweg 102, 2018 Antwerp

Bardin