suggest a family day out (with 3.5 yr old)

dinneenp

Hi,
We're living in Galway, have 3.5 year old daughter and 8 month old baby. We are thinking of going to Dublin Zoo next weekend (Nov 27th) but I'm thinking it might be nicer in the spring.

Anyone any suggestions of a 'family day out' that's within 2 hours of Galway next weekend?

thanks,
Pa.

CK2010

it might be a bit of a journey (and may not interest you or your daughter at all) but we took our little girl, who just went three in august, to the W5 science and discovery centre in the odyssey, belfast.

we didnt think she'd be too pushed about it but we were curious so we went in anyway cause it was free for her. i think it worked out at around 16euro for us two adults then. it is more for the older kids tbh but they have a brilliant kids area called START for the younger kids and she LOVED it! but even the main areas interested her and she almost cried when we had to leave!

i know its out of the way but it is great! it might be a bit wasted on her at parts (my girl loved doing the experiments regardless of the fact that she didnt understand-they all looked like amazing toys to her) but its interesting for parents as well!

we made a day of it and went to victoria square shopping centre once it was a bit dark (around five or six) and it was all lit up with christmas lights which had her in awe!

http://www.w5online.co.uk/w5-information/what-is-w5/

cynder

Ailwee cave. http://www.aillweecave.ie/aillwee_cave_admission.htm
Your best of phoning dont know when the xmas scene starts.

coole park, gort.

bunratty castle, co clare http://www.shannonheritage.com/Special%20offers/Bunratty%20&%20Cliffs/

moher hill pet farm, co clare (open week after next) http://www.moherfarm.ie/

Fota wildlife park (cobh) http://www.fotawildlife.ie/

national aquatic centre, dublin. http://www.nationalaquaticcentre.ie/NAC_TimesPrices.php


http://www.dayout.ie/things-to-do/families

If its a nice day i would go to dublin zoo its only a 2hour drive from galway, you could stop off and do a bit of xmas shopping too. Its an idea to have portable dvd players in the car for long journeys. Im traveliing from clare so hoping there is no snow, i have to go up as my lady is in crumlin hospital on monday, (she has to go up every 3 months) but at the same time were making a weekend of it:).


*im going ice skating at arnotts, with mine,

byhookorbycrook

Ailiwee may well be chokkers with Santa-visit people.

Fittle

That would be a pretty long trip for a 3.5yr old, and the weather is not supposed to be great this weekend, so I'd trust your gut, and leave the zoo till springtime. Dublin Zoo is just fab, but I found my son was about 5 before he really began to enjoy it (previously, he would be exhausted after an hour of walking, and certainly didn't enjoy the animals as much as when he was that bit older).

My suggestion for a 3.5yr old would be a train journey just about anywhere!!!! I know, even now, and my son is 8, he still loves the train as we normally drive everywhere, and the train is such a novelty. Sometimes, I just hop on the train, get off anywhere, have a stroll around, and get the train back home, and he has had a great day out.
I think as the weather is getting colder, it's harder to keep a 3.5yr old (and baby) entertained outdoors, so maybe even make a big day out visiting santa at your local shopping centre. Enjoy whatever you do Op!

CK2010

i wish my girl liked trains! 3 years commuting every day to college on one kind of killed it for my one! the bus is her novelty now but i hate it!

Fittle

Lol - I get very sick on buses so am not a fan either!

My lad just loves the train...think it stems from his obsession with tomas the tank engine when he was younger!

Some of our best days are spent jumping on the train, hoping off after a few stops, getting an ice cream in some part of dublin we've never been before, and getting the train home! Cheapest days ever:D

Sleepy

The pool in Leisureland is great for small kids. National Acquatic Centre in Blanchardstown is a bigger version but it's a long drive for a swim!

Monkey Business up on the Western Distributor is a set part of any trip home to Galway for our two (5 and 2, though they've been going regularly since the youngest was about 7/8 months).

CK2010

we're lucky with our one, that the journey kind of is the main attraction for her, she loves looking out the window, shes really observant so she sees things we dont!

loishasdied

great idea from previous [psters but jst a thought:
i took my almost 4 year old for a walk the other day and for the first time in along time had time to let his walk at his own pace stopping when he wanted to look at leaves on the ground, a funny brick in a wall, some litter someone very silly must have thrown on the road, and other funny little things, he had a smile on his fface the whole way as he commented on everything and was in a great mood for the day. we both really enjoyed it

Fittle

I have to agree.

Like I said, my lad is 8 now and his best memories are not of the various leisureplex's we went to, not the aquatic centre, not legoland....

They are almost always the days we went off to the park, and he would wear wellies and kick the leaves around or jump in puddles...more recently, he's mad about football and money is being spent of footballs in sports shops (approx 15euro:eek:) However, he spends night after night practising 'skills' with a balloon (15cents:D) and just loves it...

Most of the best memories we can give our kids are free:D

cynder

loishasdied wrote: »

great idea from previous [psters but jst a thought:
i took my almost 4 year old for a walk the other day and for the first time in along time had time to let his walk at his own pace stopping when he wanted to look at leaves on the ground, a funny brick in a wall, some litter someone very silly must have thrown on the road, and other funny little things, he had a smile on his fface the whole way as he commented on everything and was in a great mood for the day. we both really enjoyed it

Fittle wrote: »

I have to agree.

Like I said, my lad is 8 now and his best memories are not of the various leisureplex's we went to, not the aquatic centre, not legoland....

They are almost always the days we went off to the park, and he would wear wellies and kick the leaves around or jump in puddles...more recently, he's mad about football and money is being spent of footballs in sports shops (approx 15euro:eek:) However, he spends night after night practising 'skills' with a balloon (15cents:D) and just loves it...

Most of the best memories we can give our kids are free:D

Thats why i also put in coole park,

http://www.coolepark.ie/



I was up there myself with my 3 kids at the weekend, took over 125 photos, it was a bit cold but they had a great time playing hide and seek and monsters with daddy, we all brought our bikes the boys bikes went in the boot and we had a carrier for mine and the 11 year olds.

One of the boys stabilisers broke off and the other one got a flat tyre, then the 3 year old decided to run off after daddy (daddy was on my bike) and got lost, i had to leave the 2 boys bike behind and carry the 5 year old to go look for the 3 year old, all in all a very active day, a stop off at mcdonalds on the way home does no harm either:D.

dinneenp

Thanks. I might try Coole Park out. We have a 7 month old and a standard buggy so it'd have to be flat. I phoned them and they said the smaller track is buggy friendly.

cynder

We've being going there for 5 years, we took a single buggy with a newborn and a double buggy, its nice in the summer for picnics too, might meet you up there someday in the summer. People even have bbqs there in the summer.

There was a couple with a 3 year old having a picnic there on sunday, there is plenty of space for the kids to run around. There is a wooded area aswell as the gardens, make of it what you will, and you can get some good photos in too (if the 3.5 yer old will stand still, mine wont).

Sleepy

Arran Islands could be a good day trip. A jaunt on a boat would be great craic for your daughter.