What are the best rainy day activities in Dublin to keep kids active and happy? In this post, we list our favourite ways to spend a rainy day in Dublin with children.
There is no getting away from it: in Dublin, it rains often and, if you have children, this means that finding indoor fun activities is crucial to keep their sanity (and yours!) during wet, dark days.
I often look out of the window in despair, when stormy weather hits and while I appreciate that sometimes the best things to do is just to wear a rain jacket, welly boots and go ignore the rain, sometimes I need something a little more appealing than a ‘there’s no bad weather, only wrong clothing attitude’.
So, I put myself to work and compiled a list of the the best rainy day actives in Dublin for toddlers and kids of primary school age.
I originally wrote this list in 2017 and since thens, sadly, some of the best kids’ indoor attractions in Dublin have closed (Imaginosity, the Explorium…).
Now, in 2023, I have updated this list with new ideas and addresses.
On this page, you find my list of kid-friendly things to do on a rainy day in Dublin and indoor activities that now look at me from my fridge door and inspire me whenever I need it.
Please note: I wrote this list based on what my kids enjoy. I receive no compensation and no incentive to list a certain place, all the mentions are unsolicited and reflect our experience only.
Table of Contents
Indoor playgrounds / indoor play centres in Dublin
Dublin has a few indoor play areas that are a lifesaver when it rains.
They all have different set ups, but they usually have high padded climbing frames and slides: most include and under 3 area and cafe facilities.
Some my kids particularly enjoy are:
Kidspace: I originally got to know Kidspaces in Rathfarnham Village as this was the closest to us but they have two locations: one in Rathfarnham and one in Rathcool.
My kids always loved it here, especially when toddlers and up until about age 7.
Now they are a little older and have outgrown it, but all their friends’ younger siblings tell us it is still as fabulous as it was for us!
This a nice, not-too-big play centre with an under-3′ soft play area, climbing frames and a coffee shop serving hot and cold food.
Suitable for kids age 0 to 8.
Funky monkeys: Funky Monkey is a huge indoor play area in Dundrum shopping centre with climbing frames, slides and some role play areas.
Kids adore it, while parents usually have mixed feelings: they love seeing the kids playing but find the noise levels and the lack of natural light a bit intense.
It is however a fabulous place for the kids to play safely and you are guaranteed to have them exhausted and ready for bed by the end of their playing session!
Cafe with snacks and drinks is onsite. This is a very popular place for birthday parties and gets very busy especially at weekends.
Go Kids Go is an indoor playcenter and children party venue in Coolmine, Dublin 15 and it is open both to party groups and general play.
Inside, you find adventure play areas by age with a baby area for under 2s, junior area for up to age 5 and senior area for age 5 to 12, which is great as other locations do not cater to older siblings.
Bring the kids to Dublinia
Dublinia, the Viking Museum of Dublin, may strike you as a touristy place; however, I find it a brilliant place also for local kids!
Unlike a placenter, this is is a spot you are likely to only visit once, or once every few years at most; but it is perfect for a rainy afternoon in Dublin and you may feel you enjoy it as much as the kids!
Dublinia is an indoor museum just beside Christchurch cathedral.
Inside, you have a reconstruction of Dublin in Viking and ancient times and you a the kids find yourself walking along the streets of the city as they would have been at the time.
To add to this immersive experience, you will find here a chest of clothes for kids to try on, a role play area, a super fun part of the museum where kids can try their hand at medieval games and tons of information about the city’s history.
We found it brilliant with small kids and even better with school age kids. It’s one one our favorite kids’ attractions in Dublin!
Find here >>> our Dublinia review
Play at Rainforest adventure golf
Located in the big Dundrum shopping centre, itself a good place to find refuge from the rain, Rainforestrest adventure golf is an indoor crazy golf course with a Mexican jungle theme.
We first discovered it thanks to a friend’s birthday party and the kids had loads of fun: as well as the mini golf courses, it also has a cafe area serving sandwiches and pizza.
Booking recommended (and essential on weekends and bank holidays)
Find info here >>> https://www.rainforestadventuregolf.ie
The Ark
The Ark is a space dedicated to teaching art to children and is perfect for creative kids, both local and visiting!
Their programme involves workshops for kids aged 2 to 12 and aims to get them to experience theater, literature, art and creative endeavours.
The Ark is in Temple Bar so we usually mix it with a treat of some sort in one of the cafes in town!
Go to the pool
Several indoor swimming pools in Dublin have pay as you go tickets and lanes reserved for families.
They get very popular on weekend and some operate with fixed times and turns but they are an excellent escape from the rain.
For little kids, one we love is Cheeverstown: the pool is part of a special needs school and has lovely warm water and an area with shallow water perfect for non-swimmers.
Floats, balls etc are provided. Being part of a school, rather than a leisure centre, no cafes or additional facilities are available but the swimming is great.
For a high energy activity, a great place is Aquazone at the National Aquatic Centre, a real waterpark with slides and splash areas. Children under 3 go free, adult supervision is mandatory.
Go to the library
I love libraries and I was delighted to discover many have good children sections equipped not just with books but, often, board games and colouring supplies.
You can easily spend at least a couple of hours in them, they are free and some even have programmes specific for kids such as story time or more hands on activities for older children.
The ones I am most familiar with are in the South Side of Dublin (Ballyroan and Rathmines are great) but you can find a list of many more of them with opening hours here.
Build a bear
If your house is not already exploding with teddies, building your own bear is a great way to get the kids entertained and go home with an extra toy.
The build a bear workshops is both in is in Dundrum Shopping centre and in Blachardstown.
The one we are more familiar with is the Dundrum one, which has been the excuse for several days out at the shopping center for all of us!
Our favourite way it to then finish the trip there with a treat from Starbucks or even dinner in Milano, one of our favorite family friendly restaurants in Dublin.
Go jumping in Jumpzone
Jumpzone has been a favorite party location for my kids and their friends for the entirety of primary school and it is indeed a fab place for a rainy day in Dublin!
Jumpzone is an indoor trampoline park with bouncy areas, climbing, Ninja, dodgeball areas and more (It reopened in 2021 fully refurbished) and it’s great for parties but also for ‘open jump’ sessions.
This is a super fun place, booking essentials (3 differnt locations) >>> https://jumpzone.ie/
Climbing walls
If you have adventurous kids, then they may enjoy a trip to one of Dublin’s climbing walls.
Due to the nature of this activity, this is an idea out suited to kids who may then want to take a course and make it a regular activity, than a one off thing.
However, taster classes and introductory sessions can be be a great way to spend a afternoon and see if climbing is something you may add to their activity schedule.
There are a few in the city such as :
- Gravity Climbing center in Inchicore, Dublin 8
- Awesome Walls in Finglas
- Dublin Cimbing center, Dublin 24
Go to the cinema
You probably don’t need me for this one, but you never know! You can find a list of cinemas and what’s on here >> https://entertainment.ie/cinema/cinema-listings/dublin/
Additional resources to make the most of your time in Dublin
If you are planning a family visit to Dublin, these resources may come in handy. Start with our very own family guide to Dublin, packed with tips and advice on the best activities and sites for kids You can find our selection of family hotels in Dublin here. I hope you enjoyed these 10 things to do in Dublin on a rainy day with kids!
What to do in Dublin with kids when it rains? Dublin is famous for its bad weather so we put together a list of the best rainy day activities for kids in Dublin so they can have fun indoors whatever the weather
