Amsterdam’s baby raves: families reconnect with toddler techno

It’s 1pm on a Sunday, and a line has already formed outside Noorderlicht in Amsterdam. Some attendees are dressed in flowy shirts, glitter patterns on their faces, and sunglasses, as if they are going to a music festival. But it’s not your average festival: it’s a Tiny Grooves family rave. And every parent has their kid in tow (or in a pram).

Inside the venue lies a free glitter bar, craft corner, play zone, and of course, a DJ set. The event is a chance for the young ones to dance their energy out, making naptime even easier. But parents can also unwind with their kids in sight, drink in hand.

Family raves have become a phenomenon over the past decade, most recently with toddler techno taking the world by storm. Tiny Grooves brings a similar concept to the Netherlands, providing a space for parents – and their kids – to dance, socialise, and connect.

“It’s a way to introduce your kids to the music you love, and the scene that you love, at a safe time, in a safe place, and at a time that suits your family,” says co-founder Morgan Andrews.

It originally started as a joke. Andrews and co-founder Samantha Barker had connected in 2020, connecting over their shared experience as Aussies in the Netherlands. They stayed friends, having their first kids within a few weeks of each other. And two years ago, when they were on maternity leave at the same time, they started to “lose their minds” during baby sensory classes and the like.

“They’re very much focused on your kid,” explains Barker. “We felt like there’s nothing really where us parents could really go and share an experience with our kids but have it be more catered.” Not to mention, going out to a festival – which both mothers enjoy – can be tough as a parent. The two wanted to find a way to host events for parents to connect with the person they were before having a kid, without disconnecting from being a parent. And thus, Tiny Grooves was born.

In May 2024, the two printed flyers for their first event, handing them out at parks and putting them in Bakfiets around their neighbourhood. Next thing they knew, they had a sold-out event, an equal mix of Dutchies and internationals just looking for a chance to groove with their kids.

Since then, Tiny Grooves has grown: Sunday’s event sold out all 600 tickets (priced at €18 per adult, €9 per kid, and free for those under 18 months). Some parents were hoping to just get at the door – one joking that securing tickets for this was “harder than tickets for Beyoncé.”

Yuri (who wished not to disclose his last name) was one of the lucky ones to score tickets. He used to go to many adult-only festivals, but this has slowed since having kids.

“I was drawn to this idea of having a parent meetup with a good background atmosphere and kids experience,” he says, feeding a bottle to his eight-month-old son in a Baby Bjorn. “I hope the kids catch on because it’s my fave music.”

Karlijn de Koning Strik emphasises that she has not stopped going to festivals since having a kid. But her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter always sees Strik dress up for festivals and feels left out. “Now, we can bring her too,” she jokes. “It’s nice to have a party altogether with the whole family.”

Damien and Manuela Rast appreciated the event for a different reason. Based in Zurich, they spend a few weeks each year in Amsterdam to assess whether they want to move to the city long-term with their five-and-a-half-year-old daughter.

When they saw the event advertised online, they thought it could be a great opportunity to connect with parents in Amsterdam, while still having their child by their side. It was also fitting for their daughter, who loves dancing, and immediately dragged her parents to the glitter bar.

Barker and Andrews are not sure when the next one will be: they have full-time jobs and see themselves as parents first, and family rave organisers second. But it’s clear that when they do, they will have a willing audience.

“This is the format I’m looking for,” says Damien Rast. “Most things are children’s activities or adult activities, but we’re parents with a child, and this is a perfect mix.”