Child & baby first aid (kinder-EHBO)

🚑 What it is and why it matters

• On average more than 100 children a day in the Netherlands end up in A&E after an accident — most of them in and around the home. Knowing how to react in those first minutes (choking, a hard fall, a burn, a febrile seizure) really does change everything.
• What it's like: usually a few hours of online theory at home, plus one practical afternoon where you actually practise — CPR on a baby dummy, the choking grip, the recovery position. You leave with a recognised certificate (the Oranje Kruis "Eerste Hulp aan Kinderen" certificate is valid for 2 years, then topped up with a short refresher). Honestly one of the most useful — and surprisingly fun — afternoons you'll spend as a parent.
• 💰 Good to know: because it's a certified course, it's often reimbursed through your aanvullende (supplementary) health insurance. It varies per insurer and package, so check your own policy first — but for many families the course effectively pays for itself.
• 🧑‍🍼 Choosing a babysitter? Ask whether she has a child first-aid certificate — it's a real green flag. And if she doesn't, suggest she takes the course: it's affordable, often reimbursed, and makes her more bookable. A lovely win-win for both sides.
• In and around Amsterdam several providers run the course in English (great for expat families) — see the links below. Het Oranje Kruis and the Rode Kruis are the two national standards, so look for a course that certifies through one of them.