Cartoonist Jan van Haasteren (89) is designing a stamp and puzzle this year
The annual Children's Stamp Campaign kicks off today. At RKBS De Rozenbeek in Velserbroek, cartoonist Jan van Haasteren unveiled the Children's Stamp and the special edition Children's Stamp puzzle he designed. This week, during the Week Against Loneliness, over a hundred thousand children from across the Netherlands will be going door-to-door with the Children's Stamps to support children who feel severely lonely. The proceeds from the Children's Stamp Campaign support projects that strengthen the resilience of these children by providing a safe space, access to sports and games, or a buddy. The Children's Stamp Campaign runs until Wednesday, October 1, 2025.
The 2025 Children's Stamp Campaign was festively launched at RKBS De Rozenbeek in Velserbroek. Children's idol Klaas van Kruistum hosted the event, where he symbolically placed the first order. Jan van Haasteren unveiled the Children's Stamps, which the renowned illustrator designed especially for the campaign week. The children in grades 7 and 8 sang the song "Samen alleen" (Together Alone) by teen pop group NXT, which is about loneliness. The song was created in collaboration with Children's Stamps and singer-songwriter Danique.
Special children's stamp and jigsaw puzzle by Jan van Haasteren
Specially for Kinderpostzegels, 89-year-old cartoonist Jan van Haasteren designed a special children's stamp, issued by PostNL. The stamp depicts twelve children playing and having fun together. Amidst the cheerful details and the artist's signature jokes—such as the spy under the paving stone, the shark fin, and the bandage on the trash can—the message "everyone participates" is central. The design thus aligns with the theme of the children's stamp campaign: "Together against loneliness."
Jan van Haasteren: "It's special that my drawing is now featured on the children's stamps. Some of the most impressive names have come before me: Dick Bruna, Marten Toonder, Jan Kruis, and Joost Swarte, for example. I consider it a great honor to be included in this list."
The stamp design is inspired by an earlier drawing by Jan van Haasteren. A detail depicting children playing in a sandbox has been developed into cheerful stamps. The renowned artist has also adapted his work specifically for Kinderpostzegels (Children's Stamps), making the drawing available this year as a special edition jigsaw puzzle. A one-time donation can be made at the door or through the webshop. Products such as themed cards, a bandage tin, and holiday cards designed by children in collaboration with card partner Hallmark are also available both at the door and online.
Loneliness among children: a growing problem
With the theme "Together against loneliness," Kinderpostzegels is committed to combating the growing problem of loneliness among children. Sofie Vriends, director of Kinderpostzegels, emphasizes: "We are shocked by the extent and severity of loneliness among children. As many as 1 in 10 young children feels lonely often or always. Moreover, our research shows that the life satisfaction of lonely children drops drastically within two years: from a 6.6 in primary school to a 4.4 in secondary school. This is very worrying, especially considering the serious long-term consequences this can have."
Research on childhood loneliness, conducted by Utrecht University and the Verwey-Jonker Institute on behalf of Kinderpostzegels, shows that in every primary school class, two to three children feel lonely often to always. Factors such as (online) bullying, school pressure, and a lack of support from their community play a significant role. This has serious consequences: these children feel less happy and are more likely to experience mental and physical problems related to stress, such as headaches and sleep problems. That's why support for Kinderpostzegels is so urgently needed.
Read more about the research into loneliness in children here.