It's winter, it's cold and we seek warmth together and tell stories. This Christmas vacation you can discover the wonderful winter forest without a thick coat on at the Zaans Toneelhuis.

Six artists transform our first floor into a sensual forest where you can wander around. During your tour there are all kinds of things to discover and do where your imagination and creativity will be stimulated. You can also search for the various winter creatures hidden in the forest.

On Thursdays there is a special edition in which some wonderful creatures really come to life and you experience a winter adventure with them. Five actors crawl into their roles and take you on their quest for answers in which the forest comes even more alive.

The forest was created for children ages 3 to 10, who, accompanied by their parents, can explore the forest on their own.

• Wednesday, December 27, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.: open walk-in

• Thursday, December 28, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.: open walk-in

• Thursday, Dec. 28, 12 p.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.: performances (reservations)

• Wednesday, January 3, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.: open walk-in

• Thursday, January 4, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.: open walk-in

• Thursday, Jan. 4, 12 p.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.: performances (reservations)

The Winter Forest is an initiative of Zaans Toneelhuis to also give space to visual art and introduce children from the neighborhood to the imaginative power of art. The forest is freely accessible during the Christmas period (or a donation afterwards) and on Thursdays there are a number of performances that can be visited for a fee.

In the reception area, children who need to wait a while, or have just finished, can color and drink a cup of hot chocolate.