The summer holidays have begun in earnest and with temperatures set to rise, nobody wants to be stuck at home this weekend.
Regardless of where you are in the country, there is no shortage of things to keep the kids busy and we’ve rounded up some of the best to help you with your plans!
Ireland’s biggest free summer festival returns to Dublin this weekend and has enough to keep both children and adults entertained!
Bosco, Titan The Robot and Doctor Kaboom are just some of those who will be performing at the event, with everything from science shows and street spectacles to live music.
The action kicks off from 12pm each day and you can find full details here.
Kids love a trip to the aquarium but why not take things one step further and take them to sea?
Located in stunning Connemara, these guys run one-hour scenic and wildlife nature tours and will allow the kids to handle real shellfish, get a glimpse of sea otters and learn about the wide range of sea birds that live in the area.
The boats also have underwater viewing panels so they’ll be able to take a peek under the sea!
Boats depart at 11am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm, 4pm and 5.15pm and you can find out more here.
Where can you find a circus, a theme park and a zoo all in the same place? Tayto Park! Fossett’s Circus is the latest addition to this popular spot (with four shows each day), with other attractions including a 5D cinema, several thrilling adventure rides and that famous Cú Chulainn rollercoaster.
Admission to Tayto Park is €14 for adults and children over three years of age. You can book tickets and see full details here.
Take a step back to the golden age of rail as the family explores the beautiful countryside in a period carriage.
The journey itself takes around 40 minutes but special Family Fun activities take place every Sunday – so grab up a picnic in Kilmeaden village and make a day of it!
Family tickets are priced from €20 (two adults and one child) and there are five departures per day. Find out more here.
You’ll earn some major brownie points with the kids if you pack up the car and take them to a water park this weekend!
This water sports centre in Athlone offers a range of activities including kayaking and paddle boarding but the main attraction is definitely Ireland’s largest inflatable water park – so much fun!
Admission is €15 an hour for adults and €10 an hour for children aged six to 14. See more here.
The younger members of the family will have a great time at ‘Europe’s largest indoor activity centre ‘, which has tunnels, slides, and ball cannons for children up to 11 and a soft play area for younger kids.
All children are given security tags on arrival so parents can chill out and read a newspaper or watch one of the widescreen TVs.
Opening hours are 10am to 6.30pm and admission starts at €5.Find out more here.
