We are traveling to Ireland in March and looking for things to do in Galway and Dublin with a 4 year old. We are looking for the best things to do specifically for him, not for the grown ups (already have that worked out). We'll also be in Dingle if you have ideas for little kid friendly activities around there!
Posted by
Washington, DC USA
845 posts
Galway has lots of street musicians and other street performers such as jugglers. Your child might enjoy watching them. You can easily move on whenever he gets bored. Salthill (walk or bus from Galway center) has some sandy beach areas that you son might enjoy planing in if it is not too cold and windy in March. I know that the Atlantiquaria is a well known aquarium in Salthill though I did not visit it.
Posted by
Bellingham, WA
1641 posts
The Dead Zoo? Better known as the Natural History Museum. There is also an actual zoo out in Phoenix Park.
Posted by
Mountains of S. Oregon
1077 posts
In Dublin,
As adults, we really enjoyed two unusual museums. On separate trips we went to the "Little Museum of Dublin" and later "The Leprechaun Museum". Both are vaguely similar, in that they are more of a performance by your guide than a building full of relics or art. For example, the Leprechaun Museum has a group of 6 or so go serially into three separate rooms, each with a "stage set". The guide relates an Irish folk tale, more like a stage actor than narrator. Lots of hopping around, emotion, etc. along with some audience participation. Each guide has different favorite tales, so it's unpredictable - at least one will be about leprechauns? The Littlest Museum had two rooms, each full of posters and a few furnishings. A larger group just stands in the middle of the room while the guide hops around pointing out things with his/her cane, relating more modern Irish history, again with some audience participation.
A four year old would find it fun, I think.
The Dead Museum has lots of animal skeletons, which some kids enjoy. We enjoyed it as adults.
In Galway, it's not too far to old castle ruins, the bridge across the river, and the harbor.
Most pubs allow kids until the kitchen closes, so an early music session should be lots of fun for a tyke. You could even get them a Guinness Zero (just don't get them confused on the way back from the bar!).