Days out & things to do with kids

National Museum of Ireland - Country Life

The National Museum's home for rural Irish life, set in parkland at Turlough near Castlebar. Interactive galleries and hands-on ac…

Céide Fields

World's oldest known field systems (5,500+ years). Guided tours explain prehistoric farming and neolithic life.

Westport House

18th-century mansion with 300 years of history. Guided tours, pirate queen stories, Greek artifacts.

The Clarke Museum of Irish History

The Clarke Museum of Irish History in Ballina, Co. Mayo (formerly the Jackie Clarke Collection) — 400 years of Irish history throu…

Dublin Zoo

One of Ireland's most-loved family days out, in Phoenix Park, Dublin — over 400 animals across 70 species, with keeper talks, a pl…

National Botanic Gardens

The National Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin, Dublin — glasshouses, an arboretum and thousands of plant species across beautiful gard…

Zipit Forest Adventures – Tibradden Wood

Zipit Forest Adventures in Tibradden Wood, up in the Dublin Mountains and about 30 minutes from the city — ziplines through the tr…

Dublinia

A hands-on Viking and medieval museum at Christ Church in the heart of old Dublin — walk a recreated Viking street, try on costume…

Galway City Museum

FREE admission! 3 floors at Spanish Arch. Exhibitions: Sea Science, Medieval Galway, The Claddagh, Galway Hooker boat, Revolution…

Galway Atlantaquaria

Ireland's largest aquarium with 170+ species. Touch pools, ray pool, ocean tank, fin whale skeleton. Summer Science workshops (11…

Wildlands

Indoor and outdoor activities - climbing, adventure courses, nature trails.

Slieve Aughty Experience

Pet farm, self-guided walks, arts & crafts, toddler playground, Enchanted Forest.

Hazel Mountain Chocolate

A bean-to-bar chocolate factory in the Burren, Co. Clare — watch the chocolatiers at work through the open viewing area, then brow…

Ennis Library

Clare's main library in Ennis (the de Valera Library) — free to join, with Storytime for little ones, Summer Stars summer reading,…

Shannon Library

A free public library in Shannon, with Storytime for young children, Summer Stars summer reading and STEM and craft events through…

Kilrush Library

Kilrush's free public library in west Clare, with children's Storytime, Summer Stars summer reading and hands-on STEM workshops (M…

Coille Mara Forest School

Forest school, children’s yoga and nature crafts in Sneem. Child-led outdoor sessions where children explore nature in a safe but…

Aqua Dome Tralee

One of Ireland's largest indoor waterworlds, in Tralee, Co. Kerry — water slides, pools and warm tropical temperatures year-round,…

Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium

Ireland's largest aquarium, on Dingle harbour in Co. Kerry — sharks, penguins, otters, a walk-through ocean tunnel and touch pools…

IMC Killarney Kids Club

Weekend-morning kids' film screenings at IMC Killarney, Co. Kerry — cheap and easy for younger children. Check the IMC site for th…

WhenWeekend mornings (see site for films & times)

Wild Ireland

A wildlife sanctuary in the woods of Inishowen, Co. Donegal, home to rescued wolves, brown bears, lynx and wild boar — animals tha…

Letterkenny Central Library

Donegal's main library in Letterkenny — free to join, with Storytime for little ones, LEGO and craft workshops, Summer Stars summe…

Buncrana Community Library

A free community library in Buncrana on the Inishowen peninsula, with Storytime for preschoolers, Summer Stars summer reading and…

Twin Towns Community Library

The Twin Towns library in Stranorlar — free to join, with children's Storytime, Summer Stars summer reading, LEGO and craft worksh…

Glendeer Pet Farm

Animals to pet and feed, playground, fairy trail, indoor and outdoor areas.

Shannon River Adventure

Kayaking, canoeing, pier jumping, raft building, archery, climbing wall.

Glenview Folk Museum

Traditional Irish cottage life and farming history.

Lough Rynn Estate & Gardens

A 300-acre lakeside estate around a Victorian castle, now a hotel, with grounds you can usually walk. There's a three-tiered walle…

WhenGrounds open in daylight; a working hotel, so check ahead first

Zipit Forest Adventures – Farran Park

Zipit Forest Adventures in Farran Woods, 20 minutes from Cork city — ziplines and high ropes courses winding through the forest ca…

MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory

A 16th-century castle on the edge of Cork city, now an award-winning science centre — interactive space exhibits, a planetarium st…

Fota Wildlife Park

One of Ireland's best-loved family days out, on Fota Island in Cork — cheetahs, giraffes, monkeys and kangaroos roaming across ope…

Ballincollig Regional Park

A large riverside park on the banks of the River Lee at Ballincollig, Cork — woodland and river walks, picnic areas, playing pitch…

Zipit Forest Adventures – Donadea

Zipit Forest Adventures at Donadea Forest Park — their newest and most wide-ranging course yet, with ziplines and high ropes throu…

Lullymore Heritage & Discovery Park

A family discovery park on an island in the Bog of Allen at Rathangan, Co. Kildare — a pet farm, indoor play centre, mini golf, ro…

Dúlra Cill Dara

A Kildare social enterprise connecting children and families with nature through forest school, wilderness camps and outdoor exper…

WhenWeekly forest school, seasonal camps & guided nature days (booking required)

Irish National Stud & Japanese Gardens

Kildare's famous home of Irish horse racing, where you can watch mares and foals grazing the paddocks and learn how champion raceh…

WhenOpen daily, 9am to 6pm (last admission 5pm)

Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery

One of Ireland's largest and oldest megalithic cemeteries, older than the pyramids, spread across the fields near Sligo town. It's…

Caves of Keash

17 caves in limestone hillside with prehistoric and mythological significance.

Funny Bones House of Fun

10,000 sq ft indoor adventure! Pirate-themed play frame, 10m slide, trampolines, air cannons, sports cage. VERTIGO: 7m climbing wa…

Sligo County Museum

Local history, Yeats collection, archaeological finds.

Lough Key Forest & Activity Park

350 hectares of woodland, water and adventure near Boyle. Younger children love the Adventure Play Kingdom, fairy trail and lakesi…

Rathcroghan Visitor Centre

Celtic Royal Site. Learn about Iron Age Ireland, cave of the Otherworld (Oweynagat).

Arigna Mining Experience

Underground mine tours led by ex-miners. 400 years of mining history.

Strokestown Park & Famine Museum

Georgian mansion with National Famine Museum. Important Irish history.

Laois Forest School

Woodland-based outdoor learning near Rosenallis. Small groups (max 12) run in six-week blocks, alongside seasonal camps, school wo…

WhenSix-week class blocks, seasonal camps & workshops (booking required)

Portlaoise Library

Laois's main library in Portlaoise — free to join, with weekly Tales & Adventure Storytime (Wednesdays, 4pm), a fortnightly Baby B…

Portarlington Library

A free public library in Portarlington with a packed children's calendar — weekly events, seasonal Storytime (ages 3–8) and a week…

Mountmellick Library

Mountmellick's free public library — Kids' Cooking Workshops, Saturday-morning Lego Free Play (drop-in, 10.30am–12.30) and a weekl…

Grounded in Nature Forest School

Child-led forest school at Shankill Castle. Term-time afternoon sessions and school-holiday forest camps for ages 5–15 — bushcraft…

WhenAfternoon sessions Tue–Fri (term time); older children (11–15) Tuesdays 4.30–6.30pm; holiday forest camps Tue–Thu 10am–2pm

Jurassic Newpark

A prehistoric-themed adventure park on 25 acres just outside Kilkenny, with life-sized animatronic dinosaurs, an inflatable bounce…

Castlecomer Discovery Park

Home to Ireland's Longest Zipline | Skywalk Challenge | Archery | Junior Woodland Adventure Course | Boating Activities

Nore Valley Park

An open pet farm and activity park at Bennettsbridge, Co. Kilkenny — bottle-feed lambs and animals, pedal go-karts, tractor-and-tr…

Templetown Beach

Sandy, blue-flag beach. Toilet facilities. Parking. The beach is Lifeguarded during the bathing season, and Lifeguard times can be…

AirBound Trampoline Park

A trampoline park in Dundalk, Co. Louth, with wall-to-wall trampolines and jumping activities — a bouncy way for kids and teens to…

IMC Dundalk Kids Club

IMC Dundalk's Kids Club, Co. Louth — great-value weekend-morning family film screenings, an easy outing for younger children. See…

WhenWeekend mornings (see site for films & times)

Lú, Drogheda Festival of Light

Drogheda's free festival of light, with large-scale projection shows lighting up the town's historic landmarks, including the Old…

WhenAfter dark

Lough Boora Discovery Park

A rehabilitated bogland turned discovery park in Co. Offaly — an award-winning sculpture park, a Fairy Avenue woodland trail, cycl…

Playtown Tullamore

A big indoor play centre in Tullamore, Co. Offaly — multi-level soft play, slides and climbing frames for burning off energy, with…

Birr Castle Demesne

A 120-acre demesne in Birr, Co. Offaly — award-winning gardens, riverside trails, the giant 19th-century Great Telescope, a hands-…

IMC Tullamore Kids Club

IMC Tullamore's Kids Club, Co. Offaly — great-value weekend-morning family film screenings, an easy low-cost outing for little one…

WhenWeekend mornings (see site for films & times)

Carlow Brick Show 2026

A LEGO® fan show at the Woodford Dolmen Hotel in Carlow — huge custom models, dioramas and MOCs built by LEGO enthusiasts, spannin…

WhenTimed entry slots, 11am–5pm

IMC Carlow Kids Club

IMC Carlow's Kids Club — budget-friendly weekend-morning screenings of family films, an easy low-cost outing for younger children.…

WhenWeekend mornings (see site for films & times)

The Big Barn Bash – Family Food Festival

A brand-new two-day family food festival at Coppenagh House Farm, celebrating food, farming, family and the outdoors. The programm…

When31 Oct – 1 Nov 2026

Samhain Festival 26

Carlow's Halloween festival, a celebration of folklore, fire and fun across venues in and around Carlow town. Family highlights in…

When22 Oct – 1 Nov 2026

The Irish National Heritage Park

An open-air museum near Wexford town telling 9,000 years of Irish history — 16 full-size reconstructions from a Stone Age camp and…

Seal Rescue Ireland

Ireland's only seal rescue and rehabilitation centre, at Courtown Harbour, Co. Wexford — see rescued seal pups recovering on a gui…

Pirate's Cove

A pirate-themed family fun park at Courtown, Co. Wexford — Ireland's largest adventure golf, plus bumper boats, mini jeeps, a game…

Wexford Town Library

Wexford town's free public library, with Storytime for little ones, Summer Stars summer reading and children's events through the…

Grange Stone Circle

The Grange Stone Circle in Limerick is a remarkable symbol of the Bronze Age. This 4,000-year-old circular enclosure, the largest…

Moonpreneur Robotics (Limerick)

A hands-on robotics programme for young makers from Moonpreneur, with free in-person trial sessions in Limerick. Build and tinker…

King John's Castle

Limerick's big riverside castle, right on King's Island by the Shannon. Children can climb the towers and walk the battlements, an…

WhenOpen daily; 9.30am to 6pm in summer, to 5pm in winter (last entry an hour before)

Foynes Flying Boat Museum

The story of when Foynes was the last stop for the great transatlantic flying boats in the 1930s and 40s. The showpiece is a full-…

WhenOpen daily 10am to 5pm (last admission 4pm)

Clara Lara Funpark

A big outdoor adventure funpark in the Vale of Clara near Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow, with water slides, go-karts, rowing boats and can…

Zipit Forest Adventures – Djouce Park

Zipit Forest Adventures at Djouce Park near Bray and Greystones — a purpose-built high ropes experience with courses suited to all…

Greenan Maze

A family farm and maze in the Wicklow hills near Rathdrum — twisting hedge mazes, farm animals to feed, woodland playgrounds, natu…

Hidden Valley Adventure Park

A big outdoor adventure park in Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow — an aqua park and splash zone, treehouse adventure golf, downhill tubing, l…

Mollie Moo's Pet Farm & Playground

A pet farm and playground at Tudenham near Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, with cows, pigs and sheep to meet, plus crazy golf, go-karts,…

IMC Athlone Kids Club

Great-value weekend-morning kids' film screenings at IMC Athlone in the midlands. A cheap, easy cinema outing for younger children…

WhenWeekend mornings (see site for films & times)

IMC Mullingar Kids Club

IMC Mullingar's Kids Club, Co. Westmeath — great-value weekend-morning family film screenings, an easy low-cost outing for little…

WhenWeekend mornings (see site for films & times)

Belvedere House, Gardens & Park

A grand lakeside estate outside Mullingar with gardens and parkland made for family wandering. The star is the Jealous Wall, Irela…

WhenGardens and park open daily from 9:30am (seasonal closing)

Activate Waterford

A 25,000 sq ft indoor family entertainment centre in Waterford city, with bowling, soft play, climbing, laser wars and interactive…

King of the Vikings

A virtual reality Viking adventure in Waterford's Viking Triangle, set in a handcrafted replica Viking house among the ruins of a…

WhenDaily, 10am to 5pm (Sundays and bank holidays from 11am)

Ardmore Open Farm & Mini Zoo

A 16-acre open farm and mini zoo in Ardmore, home to over 250 animals including rare breeds, exotic species and farm favourites. T…

Waterford Suir Valley Railway

A heritage narrow-gauge railway in Kilmeadan taking you on a nostalgic 40-minute journey back to 1878, along 10km of the old Water…

WhenSummer season, April to September

Deerpark Forest Park

A 160-hectare Coillte woodland on the shore of Lough Ramor at Virginia, Co. Cavan — easy family walking trails past historic bridg…

Cavan County Museum

A county museum in Ballyjamesduff, Co. Cavan spanning the Stone Age to the 20th century — and home to the largest outdoor replica…

Erica's Fairy Forest

A magical little fairy forest near Cootehill, Co. Cavan — a woodland trail dotted with fairy doors and houses, created in memory o…

Silver Bear Centre

A build-a-bear workshop in Bawnboy, Co. Cavan, inside the Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark — make and stuff your own teddy, take a teddy…

Cloughjordan Ecovillage

Welcome in Cloughjordan! We would be delighted to welcome you in our village and ecovillage! Here we are several home-ed families…

IMC Clonmel Kids Club

Weekend-morning kids' film screenings at IMC Clonmel, Co. Tipperary — great value and easy for younger children. Check the IMC sit…

WhenWeekend mornings (see site for films & times)

IMC Thurles Kids Club

Weekend-morning kids' film screenings at IMC Thurles, Co. Tipperary — cheap and easy for younger children. Check the IMC site for…

WhenWeekend mornings (see site for films & times)

Rock of Cashel

One of Ireland's most spectacular medieval sites, a hilltop cluster of a round tower, a roofless Gothic cathedral and carved high…

WhenOpen daily year-round (9am to 5:30pm in summer, to 4:30pm in winter)

Longford Library

Longford's main library in the county town — free to join, with Storytime for little ones, Summer Stars summer reading, children's…

Ballymahon Library

A free public library in Ballymahon, south Longford, with Storytime, Summer Stars summer reading and children's craft events.

Edgeworthstown Library

A free public library in Edgeworthstown (Mostrim), with children's Storytime, Summer Stars summer reading and family events throug…

Granard Library

Granard's free public library in north Longford, with Storytime for young children, Summer Stars summer reading and craft events.

Monaghan Town Library

Monaghan town's free public library, with Storytime for little ones, Summer Stars summer reading and children's craft and story ev…

Carrickmacross Library

A free public library in Carrickmacross, with children's Storytime, Summer Stars summer reading and family events.

Castleblayney Library

Castleblayney's free public library, with a dedicated children's area, Storytime, Summer Stars summer reading and craft events for…

Clones Library

Clones library (the county headquarters), free to join, with Storytime for young children, Summer Stars summer reading and childre…

Trim Castle

Trim Castle. Tours available.

Púca Festival

Ireland’s Halloween heritage festival across Trim and Athboy, the ancient home of Samhain — fire shows, a lantern procession, proj…

When29 Oct – 1 Nov 2026

Emerald Park

Ireland's only theme park and zoo, at Ashbourne, Co. Meath, with 45+ rides and attractions alongside a large collection of animals…

Loose Rein

Loose Rein is a group where young people can spend time with the horses and animals, get outdoors, explore creative activities, ch…

WhenWednesday 10:30-13:30

Online Social Club (ages 9–14)

A safe, friendly online social club for neurodivergent children (autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia) — fun, games, talks and laughs…

WhenWeekly evening sessions (book via Eventbrite)