The official patron of Scouting Nederland is Queen Máxima, the wife of the Dutch King, Willem-Alexander.

During World War II all Scouting movements were prohibited and officially dissolved in the Netherlands, because the organizations refused to merge with National Youth Storm, the Dutch Nazi youth organization.

The four separate organisations (NPV, KV, NPG and NG) existed until 1973, when they all merged into Scouting Nederland (SN).

The emblem of "De Nederlandse Padvinders" consisted of a Fleur-de-lis and a banner with the Scout Motto "Weest Paraat" .

The emblem of "Het Nederlandse Padvindstersgilde" (NPG) consisted of a ten-point white star for the ten lines in the Girl Scouts law on a blue Trefoil for Girl Scouting/Guiding with the Scout Motto "Wees Bereid", variants are still in use by Het Surinaamse Padvindsters Gilde, Het Arubaanse Padvindsters Gilde and Padvindstersvereniging van de Nederlandse Antillen.

Het Nederlandsche Meisjesgilde had the same emblem with an eight-point star but with the letters NMG.

The Motto before the merger was for Boy Scouts Weest Paraat and for Girl Guides Wees Bereid.

The Constitution of WOSM states that the Promise should include a reference to Duty to God,[4] but six countries, including the Netherlands were granted the right in the 1920s by Lord Baden-Powell to additionally use an alternative promise without a reference to God.

[5] WOSM decided in 1932 that no new exceptions would be made and expressed the hope that the few remaining countries would stop using any promise lacking a reference to Duty to God.

Scouting Nederland is open for everyone irrespective of belief, race, skin colour, handicap, political context, sexual preference, or age.

Apart from the standard age groups, Scouting in the Netherlands has a separate division for handicapped members, called the Blauwe Vogels (BV, (Blue Birds) or Bijzondere Eisen (BE, Special Needs)).

The total fleet of all Dutch Sea Scout groups consists of 54 guard ships, 120 tugboats and motorboats, 100 Lelieschouwen, 1,550 Lelievletten (iron sailboat for 6 persons) and 40 Juniorvletten (smaller size of the Lelievlet).

This is being replaced by a redesigned Welpen programme with a second main character, the girl Shanti, and more water animals.

Members are called Water Scouts from 12 to 16 years or more often Zeeverkenners, a unit is referred to as Wacht (Watch).

A patrol is called bak, its leader Boots(man) and his/her assistant Kwartiermeester.

The (Matrozen ter) Wilde Vaart (sailors of the high seas in English) are the Sea Scouting version of Explorers, a unit is referred to as Afdeling Wilde Vaart uses Lelievletten or Lelieschouwen.

The camp is held for members of Scouting Nederland from the northern Netherlands provinces of Frisia, Groningen and Drenthe.

[10] From early 1954 until 1995, Troop 18 of the Transatlantic Council of the Boy Scouts of America was active at Camp New Amsterdam, near Soesterberg.