Few days in Dublin with toddler - where to go?

caprilicious

Later this month I'm planning to spend a few days midweek with in Dublin my 2.5 year old & 3 month old.
I'll be staying over on the Northside, where would be good to take them both?
I hope to try & pack in a trip somewhere each day & try keep the costs down as much as possible.

So far on my wish list is

Sealife Bray & walk on the prom (my toddler hasn't been on a train before so plan to take the dart)
Natural history musuem - this one is a maybe as I was thinking of doing this the same day as visiting Bray but might be a bit too much travelling

Newbridge house/demense - she's animal mad & I've heard the farm there is brill

Possibly Ardgillan park

After that I've a few maybe's I'd appreciate feedback on

Imaginosity - is there much in it for a 2 year old or is it geared more at older kids?

Tayto park - I brought her to Dublin zoo a few weeks ago & she wasn't too pushed with it. Is Tayto park any different/better?

National Aquatic Centre - she hasn't beem swimming before though so I'm not sure if she'd enjoy it. would it be particularly busy with it being the Summer hols?

Is there anywhere else that'd be worth visiting?

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Hannibal Smith

Imagonosity is fine for a 2 year old. A bit expensive but so much fun

dublinlady

caprilicious wrote: »

Later this month I'm planning to spend a few days midweek with in Dublin my 2.5 year old & 3 month old.
I'll be staying over on the Northside, where would be good to take them both?
I hope to try & pack in a trip somewhere each day & try keep the costs down as much as possible.

So far on my wish list is

Sealife Bray & walk on the prom (my toddler hasn't been on a train before so plan to take the dart)
Natural history musuem - this one is a maybe as I was thinking of doing this the same day as visiting Bray but might be a bit too much travelling

Newbridge house/demense - she's animal mad & I've heard the farm there is brill

Possibly Ardgillan park

After that I've a few maybe's I'd appreciate feedback on

Imaginosity - is there much in it for a 2 year old or is it geared more at older kids?

Tayto park - I brought her to Dublin zoo a few weeks ago & she wasn't too pushed with it. Is Tayto park any different/better?

National Aquatic Centre - she hasn't beem swimming before though so I'm not sure if she'd enjoy it. would it be particularly busy with it being the Summer hols?

Is there anywhere else that'd be worth visiting?

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Botanical gardens?

Sounds like ya have a great list tho!

Davidth88

Tayto Park is ok for slightly older kids TBH , also , don;t go near it on a wet/showery day , there is little shelter.

train out to Howth to see the boats etc , there is a pretty good playground there

Phoenix Park , the playground is very good , and the coffee shop is good, however does not really allow buggies in ( it's too small ).

Moonbeam

Farmleighmin the Phoenix park is lovely too.

Davidth88

Moonbeam wrote: »

Farmleigh in the Phoenix park is lovely too.

+1 on that , lovely for a picnic .

caprilicious

Brilliant, thanks a mill for all the suggestions!

Glad to find that out about Tayto park as it'd be a bit of a drive to get there, I'd hate to waste the journey only for her not to be interested!

The Botanical gardens is somewhere I've always meant to go I must give that a go & will try Farmleigh also if the weather cooperates.

Howth I think would be a nice stop too when we're on the dart anyway, years since I was there!

Thanks all, I'm looking forward to this trip now. I'll have the little lady worn out after the week of sight seeing

2xj3hplqgsbkym

I recently brought my 20 month old to Imaginosity, he really liked Level 1 but had no interest in the rest. I am pregnant and found the 3 flights of stairs (probably about 30 steps each) quite difficult with him so if you are on your own I imagine it would be difficult with baby too.

Ardgillan playground is beautiful but quite similar to Newbridge so I would reccommend Newbridge because of the pet-farm there too.

There is a children's play centre in Coolock in the Leisureplaex that would be great for 2 and 1/2 year old, especially on a rainy day, think it is about $6.

Havn't been to the Natural History Museum with my little boy yet but I would imagine they would probably need to be a good bit older to have an interest in it.

rubadubduba

here is a place for the kids over in sowrds .

http://www.kidszoneswords.com/#!parties

there is another place in finglas but i cant think of the name of it .

caprilicious

Angela Tart Wrecker wrote: »

Havn't been to the Natural History Museum with my little boy yet but I would imagine they would probably need to be a good bit older to have an interest in it.

Thanks Rosebush, that's handy to bear in mind about all the walking involved. If there's only a small section of the place that would be suitable to her age group, then I might be as well waiting until she is a little older to fully appreciate it.

I think the National history musuem trip was more for me haven't been in ages but yep might also be one to add to the list for when she's a bit older.

Thanks rubadubduba I forgot about kidzone, was there years ago. That's a little closer to where I'm staying so might be another one worth a visit

nozzferrahhtoo

caprilicious wrote: »

Newbridge house/demense - she's animal mad & I've heard the farm there is brill

I wrote about going there here. As you will see I heartily recommend it. If you get the weather plan for a whole day there, take in the free playground, and even have a disposable BBQ or two with you as many other people did.

caprilicious wrote: »

National Aquatic Centre - she hasn't beem swimming before though so I'm not sure if she'd enjoy it. would it be particularly busy with it being the Summer hols?

I was there the same day I wrote the link above. It was.... ok but nothing special. There is a toddler area but my girl (2) did not like it at all. Too loud, too clammy and warm, too much water shooting around. It just overwhelmed her and she wanted to get away from it. Even now going swimming with her back here in Germany she says "Not where the boat is" referring the to the pirate ship in the toddler area of the NAC. I keep having to tell her we are going to a different place with no ship.

That said the toddlers and kids who were enjoying that part of the NAC were enjoying it a lot, so it might be just mine who freaked.

The main swimming area however I found quite relaxed and we floated around its circuit a few times having a good time. She had floating wings so she could drift around herself and the circuit has a current so it gently dragged us around the entire circuit at a leisurely pace. We liked that a lot.

One criticism though... and one I have read on other forums where the NAC has been mentioned.... is that the really really shallow part, where toddlers can walk in and out of the water themselves.... is JUST where they pump in the air that cools the whole building down. My toddler likes walking in and out of the water on her own so I went straight there. First time she walked out she got an attack of the shivers and blue lips from the cold air.

caprilicious

Thanks for the reply nozzferrahhtoo. It was your excellent recommendation of Donabate demense that made me put it to on my definite list of places to visit

Some very handy points to bear in mind about the NAC too

NextSteps

caprilicious wrote: »

I think the National history musuem trip was more for me haven't been in ages but yep might also be one to add to the list for when she's a bit older.

I brought my toddler there and he absolutely loved it. Lots of things to point at, and space to run around.

CommanderC

You could check this out.

http://ark.ie/events/view/awakening-curiosity-for-families