Exploring Dublin with Kids: Top Activities and Family Adventures

Unlock the Best of Dublin's Family-Friendly Attractions and Experiences in 2024

If you want things to do in Dublin with kids- you are in the right place! You will find plenty of fun family attractions in Dublin. 

This is a friendly maritime city located on the Eastern coast of Ireland. There is something for everyone here.

Toddlers and babies will love the Dublin zoo, Children can dress up like a viking at the Dublinia Museum, and teenagers will love hanging out at the hip Temple Bar (street).

The weather in Dublin is fairly mild. It is never terribly hot in the summer and the winters are usually well above freezing.

It does rain throughout the year with December being the wettest with occasional snow fall.

There is lots to do year round including bike ride in the parks in the warmer months and interesting museums to explore in the colder months.

21 Best Things to Do in Dublin

• Grab some takeout or pack a picnic lunch and head to St Stephen's Green which is a lovely park. There are playgrounds for the kids to climb on and lots of green space for your toddlers to run around. Bring some bread to feed the ducks.You can stroll the walkways with your babies and check out the fountains, sculptures and flowers. Great to escape the hustle and bustle of Dublin.

• A tour of the Glasnevin Cemetery is one of the interesting things to do in Dublin with kids. Your family can get a crash course on the fascinating history of Dublin and learn about the many historical figures that are buried here. The guides are excellent and really bring the stories to life including some about gravedigger! There is also a museum and restaurant here. If you have Irish roots your children will have fun searching the Genealogy Stations for info on your ancestors!

• Kids will enjoy the Dublinia Viking World. It is an interactive museum that highlights the history of the Vikings and medieval times in Ireland. Children will love dressing up in the clothes and lots of hands on stuff for them too!

More Fun Things to do in Dublin with Kids

• Take a guided tour of the Jeanie Johnston with your family. This is a recreated tall ship from the 1850's. This type of boat was used by the Irish to emigrate to North America and escape the devastating famine in Ireland. Children will enjoy exploring this ship and learning the history of its passengers including a 15 year old girl and her 12 year old brother who sailed alone to start a new life. This is one of the best things to do in Dublin with kids! My daughter loved it! Amazing tour! Included on the Dublin Pass
  
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• Enjoy the Merry Ploughboy Irish Music Pub with your kids.This is a lively evening filled with traditional music, dancing and excellent pub food. A 3 course dinner is included. Great for all ages, your toddlers will love dancing to the music!

• Kilmainham Gaol Historical Museum offers an interesting tour. It will give your family an insight into Ireland's struggle for freedom. Teenagers and older children will be intrigued by the stories of the prisoners and seeing the dreadful living conditions. Included on the Dublin Pass.

• Irish House Party is a fun night out. Excellent music, Irish dancers and tasty food.  You can even join in and sing a song or learn a traditional Irish dance. Kids under 16 half price (when accompanied by parents).

 

More Things to do in Dublin with Kids

• St Michan's Church offers a tour of its crypt complete with open coffins and mummies! You can even touch one of the mummies for good luck! Depending on your children this will either be incredibly exciting or incredibly scary!! There are a few uneven steep stairs to navigate to get inside. The church itself has a beautiful stain glass window and wooden organ.
  
  
• Your little sports fans will enjoy a visit to Croke Park Stadium. You can take a tour here and learn all about Ireland's national sport called Hurling. This is played with a stick and ball. Also learn about Gaelic Football which is an action packed ball game. You can see the pitch, VIP areas and players tunnel. There are fun interactive games for children. Better yet try to book tickets to see a live match!

• Watch the dog racing at Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium with the kids. This is a fun evening where you can enjoy dinner with the locals and bet on which dog is going to be the fastest! Children will have a great time trying to predict the winner! Bets start at 1 Euro.

• A stroll through the Botanic Gardens are a fun way to escape the city and enjoy the flowers, plants and trees. There are interesting sculptures throughout. In the summer there is a trail especially for kids. There are lots of birds and squirrels to see here.

• The National Museum of Ireland is one of the interesting Dublin family attractions. If you are faced with a rainy day head here and explore the exhibits. The locals call this the Dead Zoo. Babies, toddlers and children will be fascinated with the quirky taxidermied animals and skeletons from around the world. Best of all its free!

More Cool Things to Do in Dublin with Kids

• The Dublin Zoo is one of the fun family attractions. Great for babies, toddlers, children and teenagers! There are lots of exotic animals like tigers, elephants and giraffes. They have some multi species exhibits which are interesting to see. Don't miss out on the feeding times! Included with the Dublin Pass.
  

• Guinness Storehouse would definitely be rated as my dad's favorite Dublin attraction, kids however will enjoy it too! You can take a tour of the facilities and learn all about the history and brewing of Ireland's most famous beer. Finish it off with a fresh pint for the parents and a soda for the kids. Included with the Dublin Pass.

• Hop on Hop off Bus is a great way to explore Dublin with children. Kids will love riding these open air double decker bus that will bring you to many of the cities attractions. They have live commentary on some buses as well as audio guides including ones designed just for kids! You can also take a Viking Splash tour which is an amphibious vehicle that tours the land and water.

• Teenagers will love a visit to the lively Temple Bar. This street is filled with pubs, restaurants, theaters and souvenir shops and live music. Children will love seeing the street performers here. Never a dull moment. It is fairly tame in the day and early evenings. There is a farmer's market on Saturdays. Stop by the Ark Children's Culture Center and see what's on. They often have plays and workshops for the little ones. One of the best things to do in Dublin with your kids!

• A great pub for a family meal is O'Neills Bar and Restaurant. With live Irish music and countless rooms and true Irish food, this is the palce for a hearty breakfast or delicious lunch! Kids welcome until 930pm.

• Enjoy exploring the Dublin Castle. There are stately rooms, thrones and even a moat! The grounds are lovely and there is a tour which will tell you all about its fascinating history.

• Going for a family bike ride in Phoenix Park is one of the fun things to do in Dublin with kids. There is a bike rental company that offers kids bikes, baby carriers and even tandem bikes! Children will love exploring this park. You can stop at the playgrounds, check out the monuments and see the gardens. Stop by the visitor's center on Sunday mornings from 11-12pm for a free children's workshop. Combine this with a visit to the Dublin Zoo located on the grounds.

• If you are traveling with babies or toddlers and young kids (under 9) then take a break and head to Imaginosity. It is an indoor playground located in the Beacon South Centre. The kids can run and play with the imaginary diner, garage and market. There is a roof top garden (weather permitting). It has a 2 hour time limit.

• Visiting Newbridge House and Farm is one of the best things to do in Dublin with kids. There is an 18th century mansion and working farm to explore. Kids will love seeing the animals including the ponies and piglets. There is an excellent adventure playground for the kids and a tearoom serving homemade goodies. Great way to experience the beautiful Irish countryside. Located a few minutes North of Dublin.

• A hearty Irish stew, boxty and colcannon are some of the tasty Irish food for kids to sample on your family trip! Stop by a local restaurant for some good home cooking and a pint of Guinness for the parents! Beware some pubs do not allow children inside, although most are child friendly till 930pm.
• Read more about the Dublin Pass here.
  
• Read more about Ireland with kids here.
• Read about UK with kids here
• Read about Europe holidays for kids here.
  

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