School’s out for the next couple of weeks and children will be throwing off their uniforms with glee. But just because they aren’t in the classroom, they don’t have to stop learning. There are wonderful places at home and abroad to visit with children over the Easter break, to have fun and learn something new about the world. Here’s a selection.
Airfield Farm, Dundrum, Dublin 14
Suitable for all ages. €10 adult/€5 children/range of family tickets
Set up in 1974 by the Overend family, this 38-acre working farm offers city children a glimpse of rural life. Visitors can see the Jersey cows being milked or watch eggs being collected each morning. A haven for wildlife and plants, children and adults will enjoy the tranquillity and lush surroundings of the woodlands, the ancient hedgerow and the wild pond. The food produced on the farm is turned into meals and snacks served in Overends restaurant at Airfield – real field to fork. There are also hands-on exhibits and for any budding petrol-heads out there, a trio of vintage cars. airfield.ie
Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park, Co Kildare Suitable for all ages. €9 adult/€7 child/€28 family There is so much to see and do here that children will absorb knowledge without even realising it. From the John Doorly House (built for the bi-centenary of the Rebellion in 1998) to the mud-wall cottage, to the Stone Age settlement and early Christian exhibition, it’s like a walk through time. The park is also home to Ireland’s first biodiversity trail which takes you through bog and lakelands to discover lots of wildlife. There is also a fairy bush and plenty of space for children (and parents) to let off steam and wind down with lunch in the on-site café. lullymoreheritagepark.com, tel: 045-870 238
Atlantic Air Venture, Link Road Shannon, Co Clare
Suitable for seven- to 90-year-olds. Two-hour museum visits €20, simulator €45.
This is a must for aircraft enthusiasts of all ages. Just a few minutes from Shannon airport, this small museum has a good collection of aviation paraphernalia, a few excellent examples of airplanes – some of which visitors can sit in – and also offers flight simulation packages. Young children can learn how to fly planes on a basic system (a little like a computer game), while older children and adults can get into a cockpit and learn tips from a real pilot. The realistic images make it feel as if you are circling and eventually landing a plane at your chosen airport – thrilling, even for those in the back seat. This is well worth a visit if you are in the locality and while not a day-long activity, those with a keen interest can spend a few hours before heading down the road to the airport to see some real action. atlanticairventure.com, tel: 061-363687
Glasnevin Cemetery and Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin
Suitable for all ages. Glasnevin tickets online: museum only €6 adults/€4 children, museum and tour €12 /€8/€25 family. Kilmainham 47 adult/€3 child/€17 family
Although not on the same site, both are within easy reach for those living in Dublin or visiting for a day. Glasnevin Cemetery is the final resting place to an astonishing almost 1.5 million people. Every gravestone has a story to tell and visitors may feel overawed by the history and life stories within its surrounds. Kilmainham is also a gateway to the past and children will be fascinated to hear of its famous inhabitants and the heroic and tragic events which took place inside the thick stone walls during Ireland’s emergence as a modern nation from 1780s to the 1920s. glasnevintrust.ie, 01-882 6550 heritageireland.ie, 01-453 5984
Westport House, Co Mayo
Suitable for all ages. €21/€16.50/€60 family for house and pirate park.
Westport House and gardens is both educational and fun. The house is stunning and even the youngest child will enjoy peering into bedrooms and parlours which were inhabited as far back as 1650. There are 30 rooms open to the public, offering an insight into life in this stately home. Artwork and antiques are everywhere and there are wax figures of famous playwrights. There is plenty of space to let off steam in the grounds, on a boat on the river, or in the Pirate Adventure Park. Have lunch in the tea rooms or bring a picnic. westporthouse.ie, tel: 098-27766 Eagles Flying, Ballymote, Co Sligo Suitable for all ages. €9.90/ €5.90/€29.90 This lovely sanctuary for birds of prey in Sligo is informative and interactive . Having a life-long fear of birds, I approached it with trepidation – but having told the handler of my phobia, he coaxed me into venturing closer, little-by-little, and after an hour of watching them at very close quarters, I had progressed to a cautious respect for our feathered friends. The children were transfixed by the range of birds at the sanctuary and their apparent prowess, and absorbed lots of information on habitats, diets and the need to preserve the environment for birds. There are plenty of other animals on-site and if the weather is good, visitors can sit around and enjoy their packed lunch while Brian the pot-bellied pig will demolish any crumbs by your feet. eaglesflying.com, tel: 071-9189310
Boda Borg, Lough Key Forest and Activity Park, Boyle, Co Roscommon
Suitable for anyone with a competitive streak. €15 two hours/€20 day pass.
With unreliable weather, a trip to the Swedish-inspired Boda Borg in Lough Key Forest Park is a great way to spend the afternoon. Using ingenuity and teamwork, players decipher the meanings behind various cryptic puzzles (there are 15 quests with up to 47 challenges to solve in the two storey Boda Borg). Great fun once you know what you are doing, but be prepared for a period of adjustment as everyone battles to control their competitive edge. Lough Key is great for a whole day out – it also includes the Lough Key Experience self-guided tour (€7.50/€5/€20) and an Adventure Play Kingdom (€5 day pass, parents free; combination tickets €20/€22/€65). While there is a café on-site, many bring their own picnic to enjoy in the lush surroundings. loughkey.ie, tel: 071-967 3122
Castlecomer Discovery Park, Co Kilkenny.
Suitable for all ages. Park free, €2 for all-day parking
This 80-acre park is a wonderful place for a day out. It is a popular venue for educational school tours and learning about flora and fauna of the woodland is very much part of a visit. Those with a mathematical mind can take on the maths and numeracy trail (they have excellent packages for schools). There’s a museum, indoor education rooms and a café for inclement weather, but there is nothing nicer than exploring the grounds. There’s a playground, walk, jog, or run around the woodland trails, or try navigating an orienteering trail. Activities such as boating (€15), fishing (€5) and the exciting and challenging tree-top walk (€12.50) are extra, but it was worth it to see the children’s faces when they landed a trout in the well-stocked lake (given the small size of the fish each one was returned to its watery home unharmed, a lesson in itself). This is a full-day venue offering education and fun for the whole family. discoverypark.ie, tel: 056 444 0707
Cork City Gaol
Suitable for children, but not the very young. €8/€5/€25
This atmospheric place is a must for anyone with inquisitive children. There is a huge amount of educational content on a tour of the jail and just enough creepiness to keep them enthralled without being scared. The gaol occasionally has additional temporary exhibitions and for an added frisson of danger, evening tours are available (but it might be wise to leave smaller children tucked up in bed for this one). corkcitygaol.com, tel: 021-4305022
Bushmills Distillery, Giant’s Causeway, W5 and Titanic, Co Antrim
All of these venues are suitable for children but perhaps not the very young. Bushmills £7.50/£4. Giant’s Causeway £9/£4.50/£22. W5 £8.50/£6.50/£25.50. Titanic £15.50/£7.25/£39
On a family trip to Belfast and surrounds, there’s much to see and do. On a recent trip we packed it in: First stop Bushmills Distillery which my children hugely enjoyed because of how well everything was explained and tour of a working factory was fascinating for them.
The Giant’s Causeway was impressive (and very windy) and the visitor centre had an educational film and factual exhibits. There is a café and shop, but you can avoid the commercial aspect by bypassing the entrance.
The Titanic exhibit was incredibly moving (if a little chaotic) and gave a great insight into what happened on the fateful night in 1912.
W5 is a great place to spend an afternoon or even a full day – with various interactive exhibits where children can exercise all of their senses. There are four areas to explore – Discovery, Go, See and Do. My youngest particularly enjoyed the Go section where he got to explore space and built his own K’nex car. bushmills.com; titanicbelfast.com; nationaltrust.org.uk; w5online.co.uk
Off the island
Micropia – Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Suitable for all ages - €14/€12
As well as being able to see live microbes busily at work in Micropia, the world’s only microbe museum, high-tech machines allow visitors to take full body scans to see what bacteria are living in your body. Microbiologists are on hand to answer questions during an interactive tour, and lab assistants can be seen cultivating microbes behind a large glass window. It’s a fascinating insight into the hidden world around us and will do wonders for encouraging children to wash their hands. micropia.nl
Vasa Museum, Stockholm, Sweden.
Suitable for all ages. Adults 130 SEK (€14); under 18s free
This huge wooden ship sank in 1628 and was retrieved from the seabed in 1963. Over the years it has been carefully restored and is a stunning exhibit. The vessel is so big there are several floors dedicated to viewing each deck. A poignant collection of belongings, along with lots of interactive information make this a really interesting place to spend an afternoon.* vasamuseet.se
Science and Natural History Museums, London, UK
Suitable for all ages. Free
London is a wonderful place for museum visits, and entrance is often free. The Science Museum is a must for anyone with inquisitive children as there is so much to see and do.You could easily spend the day poring over the interactive exhibits. From the Big Bang and the human body to cutting edge experiments and hands-on participation, the kids will learn so much.
In the nearby Natural History Museum, lovers of the animal kingdom, and in particular the dinosaur world, will be enthralled. With what seems like examples of every creature that ever lived – not to mention the life size T Rex – you will be kept busy for hours.
There is a café in both museums, but plenty of space outside for a picnic – so if you want a totally inexpensive but educational day out in London, this is perfect. sciencemuseum.org.uk nhm.ac.uk
La Cité des Enfants, Paris, France.
Suitable for all ages. €12/€3
Those with young children will especially like this museum as it is very interactive and hands-on, with all exhibits aimed at children under 10. From creepy-crawlies to water experiments, an IMAX movie, and a favourite of ours, a TV studio with various backdrops so children can create their own programmes – this is definitely worth a visit if you are in Paris. cite-sciences.fr
NOTE: Prices above are generally for adult/child/family. Please check information, opening times, prices, by phone or online, before visiting. Some venues require or recommend advance booking.
*This article was amended on March 27th
