Optimist on Tour Zaanse Schans
Optimist on Tour is an annual water sports event where children from the region are introduced to the world of sailing and water sports in a playful, safe and educational way. This national initiative of the Watersportverbond (Water Sports Association) takes place every summer at one of the most iconic locations in the Netherlands: De Zaanse Schans.
Amidst the historical heritage, the spinning windmills, the Zaan River and the Kalverpolder, young participants climb into an Optimist, a specially designed sailing boat for children aged 8 to 12. There is also a water square with educational activities.
The water sports event for children at the Zaanse Schans!
Sailing in Optimists
On the water, children learn the basics of sailing under the guidance of certified instructors: steering, tacking, dealing with wind and maintaining balance. In specially designed sailing boats, called Optimists, children are introduced to wind direction, water awareness and initiative safely and playfully. The lessons are accessible and tailored to children aged 8 to 12, with room for fun and growth in self-confidence.
Optimist on Tour is more than just sailing. It is an educational and active programme in which children also learn about water safety, sustainability and the power of teamwork. Various additional activities are offered around the sailing location, such as practising with life jackets, interactive games about climate and technology, and creative assignments that enhance the experience of water and nature. This creates a complete experience on and around the water, in the middle of the unique heritage landscape of the Zaanse Schans.
Water playground, water laboratory & river basin table
A complete water square has been set up on the quay at the Zaanse Schans, where children can take part in numerous activities focusing on water awareness, nature and technology. For example, in the Water Laboratory they can learn how water pressure works, measure their muscle strength on a power bike and discover the importance of life jackets during the life jacket challenge.
They can also build waterways with toy gutter modules, design their own boats with craft materials and learn about climate change, sustainability and safety on and around the water in a playful way. Everything is tailored to young adventurers who want to discover, move and learn.
Rijkswaterstaat's River Basin Table
The River Basin Table: play, learn and manage the river. Rijkswaterstaat created the River Basin Table from Optimist on Tour at the Zaanse Schans. This interactive and educational sandbox allows children to discover how a river works in a playful and fun way.
How does a river form, how does it change and how does it respond to human intervention? As young river managers, the children get to work on various game assignments. How can the river remain navigable? And how do you keep your feet dry in the vicinity of a river?
Water laboratory: discover the power of water and wind
The Water laboratory is part of Optimist on Tour at the Zaanse Schans. There is much to tell about the power of water and wind. In the Water laboratory, children conduct all kinds of fun experiments with water pressure, the power of water, and the plastic soup problem.
How do fresh or salt water react to objects, what floats, and how does a whirlpool form? Attention is paid to the environment, the plastic problem, and the digestion of plastic.
Optimist on Tour Zaanse Schans
Optimist on Tour Zaanse Schans: a sporting challenge, valuable education and a unique event.
The combination of a sporting challenge, educational activities and historical heritage makes Optimist on Tour a unique event at the Zaanse Schans. While children take their first steps in a sailing boat, they look out over a landscape that has been connected to water, trade and innovation for centuries. Optimist on Tour lets them literally feel the wind in their sails, in a place where water has shaped life for generations.
Optimist on Tour at the Zaanse Schans is a joint initiative of various local and regional partners committed to youth, education and water sports. The Watersportbond works together with, among others, the municipality of Zaanstad, Stichting Stad aan de Zaan, Vereniging De Zaansche Molen, Zeilvereeniging de Onderlinge and Stichting de Zaanse Schans. The local business community also supports the event, with contributions from Dekker Watersport, OM Bouwgroep, Funderingstechnieken de Coogh, restaurant De Hoop op d’Swarte Walvis, Het Zaanse Bakkertje, Brouwerij HOOP, Eat & Meat Foodtruck and Kiss Bakery. Rijkswaterstaat is involved with the educational Riviertafel, which teaches children about water management and safety in a playful way.
With its water-rich surroundings, historic windmills and tourist appeal, the Zaanse Schans is a unique location for this water sports event. Optimist on Tour Zaanse Schans contributes to a lively and educational programme for children, with activities such as sailing, stand-up paddleboarding and canoeing, and is free of charge for participating children. If you would like to support the event as a sponsor or partner, please contact the Watersportverbond or one of the parties involved. In this way, you can help shape the future of water sports in one of the most iconic locations in the Netherlands.