Dutch children are regularly judged to be among the happiest in the world.
A UNICEF report published in May 2025 ranked the Netherlands highest for overall child wellbeing among 43 countries, ahead of Denmark and France.
The Netherlands also came out on top of Children’s Society research into life satisfaction among 15-year-olds in Europe, while the WHO ranked Dutch young people among the highest for friendships and family support internationally.
Of course, there’s no clear evidence that Avondvierdaagse directly causes higher wellbeing, but the tradition reflects values that are widely associated with positive outcomes: time outdoors, social connection, independence and community participation.
Keep reading to find out.
Avondvierdaagse: a very Dutch tradition
Roughly translating to “four-day evening walk”, Avondvierdaagse is a walking festival that takes place every year in early summer.
Across the Netherlands, hundreds of thousands of children spend four consecutive evenings exploring their neighbourhoods alongside school friends, completing a 5km or 10km route each night.
In a nutshell, Avondvierdaagse is a celebration of community, resilience, and the outdoors.
It’s also considered to be an example of “gezelligheid”, a difficult-to-translate Dutch word that blends togetherness, cosiness, and the sense of wellbeing that comes from spending time with others.
Today, Avondvierdaagse is wildly popular. Supported by thousands of volunteers, the event sees approximately half a million people in 700 locations take part each year. In fact, Avondvierdaagse has become so widespread that a variation of the tradition integrating elements of South American Carnival is now celebrated in Suriname, a former Dutch colony.
4 lessons on happiness from the “four-day evening walk”
While Avondvierdaagse may be a Dutch event, you clearly don’t need to live in the Netherlands to reap its benefits. There are plenty of lessons that you can take from the philosophy of the festival and apply to your life. Here are four of them.
1. Let your kids take the lead
Dutch parenting is widely praised for encouraging children to be independent from an early age, and Avondvierdaagse is a clear reflection of that philosophy.
Instead of planning family walks yourself, challenge your kids to shoulder some of the responsibility. Let them navigate (with a map), decide where to stop, carry the snacks, or plan the route.
By rotating “walk leader” responsibilities, you could give your children a greater sense of ownership and build their confidence.
2. Explore your neighbourhood with fresh eyes
Although the routes usually cover familiar territory, Avondvierdaagse encourages children to experience their own neighbourhoods from an unfamiliar perspective.
You can do the same by walking different routes each week, stopping at nearby landmarks that you’ve never visited, or setting out to discover the hidden green spaces near your home.
By doing this, you can help your children to associate exercise not just with fitness, but with curiosity and adventure.
3. Celebrate participation, not performance
One of the most charming aspects of Avondvierdaagse is that it isn’t a race, and it doesn’t matter who crosses the finish line first.
Every child who completes the entire four-day event receives a medal (along with a bouquet of flowers and mountains of sweets).
This reinforces the idea that showing up and making a genuine effort is just as important as winning. By bringing this mindset into your family excursions, you can help your kids build confidence and resilience.
Whether they’re learning new skills, trying out for a local sports team, or simply attempting to form healthier habits, be sure to reward effort, not just results.
4. Fall in love with your local community again
Avondvierdaagse isn’t just about walking. It’s also about the entire community coming together, from the volunteers organising the event to neighbours cheering on the participants in the final stretch.
There are plenty of ways to experience that sense of connectedness in your own life.
Get involved in local volunteering efforts (for example, tree planting, litter clean-ups, community gardening, and so on), take part in local events, or simply stop to chat with your neighbours when you’re out for a walk.
These are all great ways to feel more connected to the place where you live.
Please note
This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at individuals only.
