uitstapje

Uitstapje is a Dutch noun that designates a short outing or excursion, usually a brief trip away from home or daily routine for recreation, relaxation, or learning. The term emphasizes informality and brevity compared with longer journeys.

In everyday use, an uitstapje is typically a day trip or a few hours away, for example to a museum, park, or nearby town. People often plan an uitstapje with family or friends, or as part of a school or club activity. For instance, “we maakten dit weekend een uitstapje naar de kust” illustrates a short, leisure-oriented excursion.

In education and tourism the concept is common: schools organise uitstapjes or field trips to extend classroom learning, while travel operators and cities promote dagelijkse uitstapjes or day trips as onderdeel van een verblijf. The term can appear in phrases such as gezinsuitstapje or schooluitstap, where the diminutive underscores a temporary, low-key outing.

Etymology and related terms: uitstapje is a diminutive form of uitstap (an outing) built from the prefix uit- meaning outward and the diminutive suffix -je, with stap meaning step or act of going out. The word is often used interchangeably with uitstap in contexts emphasizing brevity or informality.