Dublin with Kids: Tips + Things to Do in 2025
Thinking of visiting Dublin with kids? You’re in the right place.
As much as Dublin has a bit of a party and social scene, it’s a great place to visit as a family as well.
I first visited Dublin in 2016 with my then-4-year-old daughter, I came back in 2025 with 2 kids (including another 4 year old.)
I love Dublin, and have never been here as a single partying lady – only as a mom with kids.
Dublin is a beautiful, friendly and very welcoming city and I have lots of ideas of things you can do here with kids.
So, let’s jump in – best things to do in Dublin with kids.
BEST Things to Do in Dublin with Kids
Here are the best things to do in Dublin as a family
1. Spend time at Saint Stephen’s Greens (park and playground)
Best for: All ages
Located right in the centre of Dublin, St. Stephen’s is a historic, Victorian park and garden of 27 acres. It’s been open to the public since 1880.
St. Stephen’s paths, trees and gardens on landscaped grounds. There is a pond where you may see ducks or swans. There’s also a playground for kids to play in.
Aside from the Christchurch Cathedral, St. Stephen’s was the one thing I did in Dublin with my daughter the first time that I just had to do again the next time we visited.
Saint Stephen’s runs adjacent to the pedestrian part of Grafton Street (mentioned below), one of Dublin’s main shopping streets, so I would combine it with a visit there. Maybe do the park and playground first, and finish the outing with ice cream on Grafton Street (there’s a gelato place called Gino’s right across from the park.)
St. Stephen’s Green Playground is suitable for ages 1 through 12, as there are smaller structures for younger kids and a separate setup for older kids. My 12 year old enjoyed playing there as much as her younger sister actually!
It’s perfectly enclosed, so you can relax on a bench and easily keep an eye on your little ones. There’s also a toddler structure for younger children.
Good to Know: Don’t be too surprised if you have trouble finding the playground at first, as the park is quite expansive. Move inward toward the main courtyard in the centre, and then walk around it until you reach the playground. I’d personally put St. Stephen’s high on your list of things to do with kids in Dublin. It makes for a low-key outing with the family, especially on a nice day!
2. Take a walk on Grafton Street
The pedestrian-only part of Grafton Street in Dublin is one of Europe’s most famous shopping streets (but it never seems to feel crowded or overwhelming.)
It’s completely car-free, stroller-friendly, and nice for an afternoon stroll, especially on a nice day.
It’s right beside St. Stephen’s, so you can easily visit them on the same day. There’s a gelato place called Gino’s right across from St. Stephens, so you can get it before or after the park.
Grafton Street is a famous historical street which started forming in the 1700s.
One thing that’s wonderful about Grafton Street is being able to see street performers. It’s a traditional spot for buskers, and you’ll see them year-round.
Other than pedestrian-friendly walking, you’ll find:
- Street performers – loved the great music, and so did our kids. Bring change or use your phone to give them some tips. My 4-year-old loved throwing some coins into their guitars
- A Disney store – we spent hours in here, and ended up buying a Disney Princess dress! There’s also a section that has Disney movies playing, and little kids can sit and colour!
- Traditional Irish bars, such as McDaids, Neary’s, Bailey Bar and Cafe, and Kehoe’s Pub (kids are allowed in pubs in Ireland until 9pm)
- Flower markets – they add such a nice touch to this beautiful street
3. Visit the Dublinia Viking Museum
Best for: All ages
Dublina Viking Museum is right beside Christchurch Cathedral (I would recommend visiting them in conjunction with eachother.)
There’s a bridge-tunnel where you can walk from Dublina right into the Christchurch Cathedral.
Dublina is a Dublin history museum with a lot of interactive activities to do with kids.
The premis of Dublina is to show you what Dublin was like while it was ruled by Vikings! (It’s very kid-friendly, visual and hands-on.)
For young kids, there are:
- Viking outfits to try on
- Viking houses they can go inside
- Opportunities to learn interesting details, like how the Vikings kept their houses warm.
- A large 3D map of Medieval Dublin
The older family members would learn a lot from the exhibits, and the younger would learn from hands-on experiences. Budget about 90 minutes to walk through the entire museum.
Tickets for Dublinia can be booked online. Children under 3 are free of
4. Explore the Christ Church Cathedral
Best for: All ages
Christ Church Cathedral is a medieval church located right in the centre of Dublin, attached to Dublina.
It was built in 1030 – almost 1000 years ago!
I know that cathedrals aren’t always listed as the first thing to do with kids in a city, but I love the Christchurch Cathedral our first time in 2016. It was one of the most memorable things we did in Dublin, and I was determined to re-visit it years later as a mother of two.
It’s just so big, majestic and there’s an underground crypt that you can explore. The stone walls and arches underground make it look very 11th century.
Keep in mind, its a 17-step staircase to get down to the crypt, so it isn’t stroller-friendly. (If you have a baby or toddler with you, then a baby carrier is your best bet.)
There’s also a gift shop at the Cathedral, which I found to be a great place to get some nice Irish souvenirs.
Outside of Christ Church Cathedral, there are beautiful landscaped grounds and gardens.
We took a break outside of the Christ Church in its landscaped gardens and relaxed with a picnic, and my 4-year-old ran around and burned off some energy.
Good to Know: You can spend anywhere from 30 minutes to literally hours at the cathedral (I’d suggest taking your time.) Make it a leisurely excursion, and don’t be in a hurry. Even with small children with you, you should still budget to spend a good hour at the Christ Church Cathedral. You can do self-guided or guided tours, which can be booked online.
5. Do the Book of Kells Experience at Trinity College Library
Best for: Ages 4+ (especially book lovers or Harry Potter fans)
Trinity College Library is one of the oldest libraries in the world, and they have a whole experience you can do which is actually pretty cool.
It’s most famous for the stunning Long Room (pictured below) and the Book of Kells, which is a manuscript from the medieval period with pictures.
There’s also a museum and a digital immersive experience, which should be entertaining for the whole family.
We wanted to see the Book of Kells, so we did the Book of Kells Experience with our 12-year-old and 4-year-old. And they both enjoyed it (more so the older one, who listened to the audioguide and appreciated the history.)
The Long Room because it may remind Harry Potter lovers of the series (However, sadly – contrary to popular belief, the Harry Potter movies weren’t filmed here.)
Trinity College is a very popular attraction, so if you do decide to make your way there, buy tickets in advance. (We had no problem getting same-day tickets on a weekday in May, but maybe it would be harder at peak season.)
Another thing I loved about the Kells Experience is that it didn’t feel crowded or overwhelming. It’s also quiet inside the long room, it was a nice experience.
There are different experiences to choose from, ranging guided to self-guided. We did self-guided, as it was easier with a little one. That way you can do as much or as little as you want. Also, the gardens outside Trinity College are a lovely place to hang out, and I saw many families with babies and kids just basking as it was a sunny day.
6. Visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Best for: All ages
St. Patrick’s, along with Christ Church, is one of the only buildings left from the medieval period in Dublin.
If you are interested in the history of Dublin and old Gothic architecture, definitely come here -they have added some features to make it kid-friendly:
In addition to the beautiful interior to the cathedral, you will also find:
- an area inside where kids can do a puzzle of the stained glass. My 4 year old enjoyed this
- a screen where they can use their finger to colour (for slightly older kids as my youngest was too young to reach)
- beautiful landscaped park outside, + a small Viking-themed playground. We spent some time playing there after visiting the Cathedral
St. Patrick’s isn’t free -you can buy tickets online to visit the inside of the cathedral, and select a timed entry. Children 0-5 are free of charge.
St. Patrick’s is about a 7-minute walk from Christchurch and Dublinia museum, so it’s a part of the very walkable and compact area of Dublin’s historic city centre.
5. Head to Phoenix Park
Best for: All ages
Phoenix Park is a woodland area just a few kilometres from the Dublin city centre.It has one of the largest enclosed parks in Europe!
There are playgrounds, trails through the forest, and picnic areas, and even wildlife – there are still some wild deer that call this place home.
It’s a bit out of the way, unfortunately if you’re right in the city centre. However, its a short walk to the Dublin Zoo.
I probably wouldn’t come here if your time in Dublin is very short (less than 3 days), but if you have lots of time, then I think its worth it with kids.
There’s even a castle in ruins inside Phoenix Park you can check out for free, called Ashtown Castle. Ashtown is one of the many abandoned castles in Ireland.
Phoenix Park is open 24 hours, 7 days a week and entrance is free of charge. There are toilet facilities on-site, and parking nearby. Visit the Phoenix Park website to see if there are any special events going on, and to plan your visit.
6. Ride a Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus
You can see a lot of things in the city centre on food, but there are also some attractions in the outskirts of Dublin that are harder to get to.
The Dublin Zoom and the Wax Museum, among others, are ‘out of the way’ and having tickets for the hop-on, hop off bus reduces complications and makes it easier to get to those places.
There are a few different hop-on hop-off bus companies, and I saw both pretty frequently going around Dublin:
- Big Bus Tours – one free ticket for kids for every purchasing adult ticket. Lots of ticket types for different time frames to choose from
- Dublin Hop on Hop Off – 24-hour and 48-hour passes avaialbe
The cost for both is around $40 USD for adults, and kids ride free. The catch for this is that kids must be a minimum of 5 years old to ride the hop-on hop-off buses, so sadly it didn’t work out for me either time, as both times my kids were four years old!
9. Take a stroll through the historic streets of Dublin
Best for: All ages
Being from North America, I’m a sucker for European small alleyways and cobblestone streets. These streets in Dublin are lively, and don’t feel overly crowded.
You get to experience the charm of Ireland on these old streets with small alleyways, with hole in the wall restaurants, cafes, and Irish pubs.
Similar to Grafton street, most of these other streets are stroller-friendly and car-free. A lightweight stroller will be your best bet, since they’re a bit cobbly.
Check out the following historic streets for a leisurely stroll in Dublin:
- Dame Court
- O’Connell Street
- Grafton Street (mentioned above)
- Moore Street
- Henrietta Street – be sure to check out 14 Henrietta street, a 300-year-old house that is now a museum
- Kildare Street
- Cow’s Lane
Pro Tip: Get some family photos in front of the famous Temple Bar, which is found in the historic walking area. It’s the oldest pub in the world! Temple Bar is supposed to be very family friendly (as long as you’re there before 9pm as kids aren’t allowed in pubs in Ireland after that time) but it’s also a bit of a tourist trap so it’ll cost more than you’d pay elsewhere.
10. Visit EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum!
Best for: 5+
The EPIC Museum is a popular place for locals to bring their kids, as well as tourists.
You walk through 20 different visual exhibits teaching you about the sacrifices, adventures and the influence that Irish people have had on the world.
Like Dublina, EPIC is a very interactive museum, so children will enjoy it. It’s all very colourful, glowly and lit up inside so even younger kids (babies and toddlers) will be entertained.
Enter anytime between 10am and 5pm daily, and it closes for the day at 6:45pm. Give yourself about 90 minutes to explore this museum. Tickets can be booked online, and children 0-5 are free of charge.
Pro Tip: EPIC doesn’t stand for anything officially; its just an acknowledgement to the “epic” journeys that the Irish have made over time.
11. Take a day trip to Malahide Castle & Gardens
Malahide Castle is a nice day-trip idea while you’re in Dublin with the kids.
If you don’t mind venturing a little bit outside of Dublin, this 800-year-old castle is a great mix of historical, outdoor, and Irish magical fairies, and to top it off- there’s a playground!
Fairy gardens are very popular in Ireland, so if you’re only visiting Dublin, Malahide Castle is a good place to get a chance to experience them.
To see the interior of the castle, you’ll have to book a guided tour (they don’t do self-guided.)
We decided to only visit the outside of the castle – you can buy a ticket just for the fairy trail, walled garden and butterfly house! There’s a large playground outside for kids with picnic benches, swing sets, a large tower with a slide.
Give yourself a good 2-3 hours to spend at Malahide Castle, plus the transportation, it will keep you busy for a day.
Interesting Fact: The Butterfly House at Malahide Castle is the only one of its kind in Ireland
How to Get to Malahide Castle
Malahide Castle is about a 35-minute drive from the city centre of Dublin. There’s free parking onsite if you drive. You can take public transit from the city centre, which would take over 40 minutes.
12. See animals at the Dublin Zoo
The Dublin Zoo was one of the first Victorian Zoos, open since 1830. Today, it is focused on rehabilitation, raising awareness about animals, and conservation efforts for animal habitats worldwide.
I’m normally not a big zoo person, but I wanted to visit the Dublin Zoo for my child. It was a nice and laid back day out. When I picture most zoos, I think busy and crowded.
The Dublin Zoo however was quieter, well laid out and easy to walk around, with the layout is shaped like the number 8.
The exhibits are informative and engaging to read through, or to read to children. The animals truly seemed well cared for and in pretty big enclosures. The staff we encountered all seemed knowledgable and friendly.
Good To Know: You’re going to be outside most of the day, as there aren’t a lot of indoor enclosures, so dress accordingly. The food options for sale are slim, but the Dublin Zoo allows you to bring food in with you if you want. There are picnic tables and lawns around the zoo for you to grab a bite, break or snack anytime you need.
Tickets for the Dublin Zoo can be bought online, or at the door. There may be a line up to get in if you’re buying them at the door, like we did – so I would buy in advance online if you can.
How to Get to the Dublin Zoo
- By car: Dublin Zoo is about a 10 minute drive from the historic city centre, so its pretty close to the city compared to most zoos. A taxi fare will cost about 12-15 € for the trip. Parking is free if you drive your own car.
- By foot: You could literally walk here in 45 minutes from the city, (although I don’t think that would be a popular way to get here with small kids.)
- Public transit: The Dublin Bus leaves from Westmoreland Street, stop 320 every 15 minutes, every day. The journey takes approximately 20 min. It arrives at Infirmary Road, stop 7877. From there its less than 5 minute walk to the zoo. (This was what we chose to do.)
13. Do a kid-friendly ghost bus tour
Best for: Ages 7-14
There’s a ghost bus tour around Dublin for adults (suitable only for 14+) but they have a family-friendly version for 7-14-year-olds too.
They drive you around Dublin telling you some of the spooky tales of paranormal activity and crimes. The kid version should still probably be avoided for those who are more sensitive.
I wanted to bring my 12-year-old on the trip, but they didn’t seem to be running at the time we were in Dublin. If you have kids who are into dark or spooky things, you can book here.
14. Visit the National Museum of Ireland
Best for: All ages (temporarily closed at the time of writing)
The National Museum of Ireland is a fun way to learn about the animals, geology of the area. Admission is free, and they have lots of ideas for things to do there with kids.
It has lots of visually stimulating and interactive exhibits. They also have activity sheets and scavenger hunts for kids.
It’s not right downtown, but about a 20 minute walk. Probably best to take public transit.
15. Attend a festival
Best for: Any age
Ireland is a country of festivals, with many artsy, fun, family-friendly (and not so family-friendly) events happening year-round. Quite a few of these festivals take place in Dublin, or just outside of it.
Some of the kid-friendly festivals that take place in Dublin are:
- Dublin Pride Festival (June), It’s for all ages – Pride Village in Merrion Square has many activities for families
- St. Patrick’s Day (March) and Christmas Markets (December)
Where to Stay in Dublin with Kids
I spent hours and hours researching the best places to stay in Dublin with kids, so I really hope that these suggestions will be useful!
During my 2nd trip to Dublin, I chose to book the Family City Escape Package with the Grafton Street Hotel. It included buffet breakfast each morning, a teddy bear and treats for the kids, and a family room with two bunk beds (pictured above.) The location was excellent, and service was awesome. We would definitely recommend it to others in Dublin with kids.
Other Family-Friendly Places to Stay in Dublin
Budget: Parnell Apartments. They’re a short walk to the Old Town area and all the landmarks, and you have a kitchen where you can prepare your own food. This is where I chose to stay before I had to change dates, and then they didn’t have availability for my new dates.
Mid-Range: Staycity Aparthotels. Located right downtown, and there’s a restaurant on-site with a child-friendly buffet!
Want to treat yourself and family? There are a few castle hotels located just outside the Dublin city centre
Is Dublin Kid-Friendly?
Yes, Dublin is very family-friendly. Both times I went there with kids, I found it to be a lovely city to spend time in and ideal for a family.
I know that it has a reputation for parties and nightlife, but it never felt unsafe and I found there were always little tidbits to make things kid-friendly.
To sum it up, the following attractions can all be accessed in a less-than-20-minute (stroller-friendly) walk:
- Christ Church Cathedral
- St. Patrick’s Cathedral
- Dublinia
- St. Stephen’s Greens
- EPIC museum
- Grafton Street and other streets in the historic old town
A few other attractions, such as the Dublin Zoo and Malahide Castle, are the only ones that you have to venture a little bit outside the city for, but they are still accessible by public transit.
A few things to keep in mind about Dublin with kids:
- This goes for Ireland with kids in general, but kids are not allowed in pubs after a certain time.
- There are some pubs that don’t allow anyone under 21 years old to visit (even though legal drinking age in Ireland is 18, so I’m not sure why that is.)
Is it Safe to Visit Dublin with Kids?
Like many other cities, the crime rate in Dublin has increased since the pandemic, but it is still lower than other cities around Europe, especially the UK.
The population of Dublin is currently around 1.2 million people (which is actually still quite small in comparison to other European capital cities. )
The crime rate in Dublin is lower than several cities in the United Kingdom.
These stats will show you how Dublin measures up against London, and you’ll see that it is still statistically safer.
Inevitably, as with most major cities, there may be pickpockets that target tourists in Dublin, so you’ll need to just exercise caution.
Generally , though, most crime that does take place happens in the outskirts of the city, which is not typically where you’d be spending your time as a tourist.
Getting Around Dublin with Kids
Here are your options for getting around in the city with your family
Dublin doesn’t have a metro or any kind of underground system, so you have three options in terms of getting around:
- Stay somewhere central and walk. This is what we did, and from our experience, it worked out perfectly because the city is very walkable. Most of the activities below we travelled to on foot, with a 3-year-old, with no issues.
- Taking the bus or rail. Dublin has a really good transit system. It’s worth it to familiarize yourself with it only if you plan to to Phoenix Park or the Zoo because everything else is close enough to get to on foot. Buying a Leapcard for visitors will allow you to go anywhere in the area using the bus or train, for about 8 € a day. They also have plans for 3 days or 7 days. The Leapcard is also applicable on the airport express buses, so its worth it to purchase your Leapcard before you land in Ireland.
- Driving (makes sense if you’re Irish and visiting from out of town, but as a foreigner, I wouldn’t recommend renting a car for Dublin only.) Ireland’s main parking garage chain is called Q-Park and there are several locations within Dublin where you can leave your car safely as you explore. Dublin can be a busy city to drive in, especially during the rush hour (when we flew in, it took an hour to get from the Dublin Airport to the city centre- purely congestion and traffic.) So personally, I wouldn’t recommend a car.
Final Thoughts on Visiting Dublin with Kids
So, is Dublin kid-friendly? YES! We hope that this article helps you make an informed decision about a trip to Dublin with the kids. It’s a great family trip, and a beautiful city. I think every member of the family will appreciate it for slightly differnet things.
Another city to consider right across the pond from Dublin is Liverpool, which also has fantastic activities for families.