When we go to a new place, I like to make sure there are things to do for young kids. Ainsley is old enough now to want to participate in activities.

I was pleasantly surprised at how many great activities there were for kids in Dublin. Most of the things listed below are things we did, a couple are ideas I heard from locals, but we were not able to visit [hello unpredictability traveling with little ones].

-Dublin Zoo. I’m thrilled when a city has a great zoo. This one did not disappoint. I’m not sure if it was the weather or that the zoo is just that good, but all the animals were out and about. Ainsley was so excited to be close to so many cool animals.

-Feed the ducks in St. Stephens Green. The park is home to a variety of ducks, and it turned out to be quite fun for Ains to be able to feed them. A tip: Quite a few birds also frequent this place, so be prepared to be swarmed.

-National Gallery. Many of the museums in Dublin are free, making them nice places to explore without feeling guilty if you need to leave early. The National Gallery has a room where kids can color and create and be loud if they want. It’s a wonderful place to introduce them to art.

-Parks. Dublin really has some wonderful parks. It’s always nice when you’re in a bustling city to have an open green space. I’m not sure how they do it, but even in January the parks were green [and some even had flowers]. Here’s a list of some we strolled through.

-Playgrounds. In the middle of much of the green space are playgrounds full of tumbling and climbing equipment. We loved having a spot for Ainsley to have a little piece of home and be around other kids.

PARKS: 

-St. Stephens Green [our favorite]

-Phoenix Park [has the zoo in it]

-Iveagh Park

-Merrion Square Park [has a great playground-also where the Oscar Wilde statue is]

One more thing to add: 

-Imaginosity, Dublin Children’s Museum. Another highly recommended museum was this children’s museum. Definitely worth checking out if you have little ones.

I enthusiastically recommend Dublin if you’re looking for a city that welcomes children. Let me know in the comments below if it’s now on your bucket list 🙂