24 Hours in Dublin with a Toddler or Young Kids + Map & Tips
We are lucky enough to have some good friends who live in Dublin which means we’ve made our way to visit them a couple of times now (with more visits in the future, I’m sure).
On our most recent visit, we spent most of our time in Northern Ireland, however, we added one day in Dublin at the end of our trip and made some of our favorite memories there!
Because of visiting Dublin a couple of times now, we’ve found some of the best things to do in Dublin for toddlers and I’m excited to share them with you.
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IS Dublin Good for Families?
Definitely! Dublin is a very walkable city meaning you don’t have to take public transit with little kids and strollers too often. Plus, the city feels safe and people are friendly.
There are also loads of places to eat and the live traditional music and dancing was a huge hit with our kids. Our favorite part of Ireland is all of the beautiful nature spots that we loved exploring with our kids.
If you are looking for things to do outside of Dublin, check out my family-friendly guide to Northern Ireland.
WHEN TO VISIT Dublin AS A FAMILY
For the warmest weather you’ll want to visit Dublin from May to September. However, remember that even in the peak of summer, the average temperature is in the high 60°s F.
We’ve visited Dublin in both early November and early April and still had a lovely time. However, we were sure to bring sweaters, light puffy jackets, and hats (which you’ll still want to bring layers even in the summer).
How to Get Around Dublin with a Stroller
Getting around Dublin with a stroller is pretty easy! You’ll occasionally come across cobblestoned streets, but, most of the time, the sidewalks are smooth.
If you are looking for a great travel stroller, we are converted to Zoe Strollers. We have both the Zoe Travel Stroller (which fits on airplanes and rides smooth as butter) plus we have the Zoe Double Stroller which fits through doorways, turns on a dime, and ALSO is smooth as butter.
Since Dublin is such a walkable city, you won’t have to use public transit too much which makes traveling with a stroller even easier! But no worries, because you can bring your stroller right on the bus or tram in Dublin with no problem and kids under 5 years old ride free.
things to know before visiting Dublin with a Toddler
- Dublin is a very walkable city which makes traveling with a toddler pretty easy! You may need to use public transit occasionally, but not anything like if you were to visit London or Paris with your toddlers.
- Be sure to add a playground to your itinerary each day- our favorite is the one at the top of this Dublin itinerary for kids at St. Stephen’s Green.
- Remember that it rains often and can be chilly in Dublin- even in the summer. Check the weather and bring layers to ensure you and your littles stay warm.
- The easiest way to purchase tickets for public transit in Dublin is to purchase a Leap Visitor Card in advance or at the airport (plus other locations throughout the city). You can learn more about how to pay for public transit here. You may also be interested in tickets for the hop-on-hop-off bus in Dublin that offers commentary on iconic sites you pass (we haven’t done this, but I know people who love hop-on-hop-off busses).
Map of Things to Do for Families in Dublin: Perfect for One Day
*Use this interactive map to see the route for the perfect one day in Dublin as a family. Click on the full-screen icon in the top right corner to have this map open in your own Google Maps app or click on the arrow in the top left corner to see a pullout list of all points on the map*
1-DAY Dublin ITINERARY AT A GLANCE: Things to do in Dublin for Families
Morning:
- Play at St. Stephen’s Green Playground & picnic in the park
Afternoon:
- Listen to the street buskers on Grafton Street and stop by the LEGO store
- Snap a pic at Ha’penny Bridge
- Sing and dance to traditional Irish music at The Irish Dance Party at Merchant’s Arch Pub (one of our favorite things we’ve done as a family)
Evening:
- Stroll through the Temple Bar Neighborhood
- Family-friendly dinner in a cute part of town at Pablo Picante Burrito Bar
6 Fun Things to DO in Dublin with Toddlers: IN-DEPTH One Day Dublin Itinerary for families
This is exactly what we did on our most recent trip to Ireland with kids for our day in Dublin. We spent most of our time exploring Northern Ireland, but we saved one day in our itinerary to explore Dublin.
This is our tried and true itinerary that was a perfect mix of play, walking through cute neighborhoods, and the star of the day which was our singing and dancing experience at Merchant’s Arch Pub.
Seriously such a great way to see Dublin in a day with young kids.
1. Play at St. Stephen’s Green Playground
One thing we’ve learned from years of traveling with young kids is that we ALWAYS need to have a playground in our pocket. The great thing about visiting Dublin with kids is that there is a super fun playground located in the city center within St. Stephen’s Green.
St. Stephen’s Green is a park with gardens, water, a playground, and other things to see dating back to the 1600s. It’s 27 acres large making it a nice respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.
It’s a popular destination for visitors and locals alike so visiting the playground there is a great way to see an iconic spot in the city while your kids have fun at the same time.
St. Stephen’s Green gives off Central Park in NYC vibes- although it is much, much smaller than Central Park. But it’s worth a visit when you’re in Dublin (especially Dublin with young kids).
We packed a lunch with us and ate at St. Stephen’s Green after walking around and playing at the playground. This gave us enough energy for the rest of the day and we were able to go out to eat for dinner.
2. Listen to Street Buskers on Grafton Street and Swing by the LEGO Store
Grafton Street is in the heart of Dublin located right next to St. Stephens Green. It’s the big main shopping street, but it’s also known for its tradition of street busking ( aka musicians performing).
While walking Grafton Street, we passed at least five different street buskers, all playing beautiful music. Our kids (and I) love listening to street musicians and especially love giving them tips.
While on Grafton Street we also stopped by the Dublin LEGO Store (that’s a must when your husband works for the LEGO Group as a model designer and your kids love LEGO) plus the Disney Store and we picked up some super cute kids’ books from a local bookshop.
3. Snap a pic at Ha’Penny Bridge
Ha’Penny Bridge is Dublin’s oldest pedestrian bridge (built in 1816) crossing the River Liffey. It’s one of Dublin’s most popular spots to see.
What is convenient is that if you follow this itinerary, it’s right across the street from The Merchant’s Arch Pub where you’ll be visiting next which makes it easy to get a quick peek of the bridge before heading on with your kids.
4. Sing and Dance Together at the Irish Dance Party at Merchant’s Arch Pub (this is a must-do!)
The absolute highlight of this itinerary in Dublin for families is this visit to Merchant’s Arch Pub. A pub may not be the first place you think of when you think of places to go with toddlers in Dublin. However, if you choose the right put you and your toddler/kids will love it!
As far as Merchan’ts Arch pub goes, don’t just visit Merchant’s Arch at any time, you need to attend the Irish Dance Party which they host almost everyday at 3 PM (btw you MUST purchase tickets ahead of time).
The Irish Dance Party is a family-friendly traditional Irish song and dance event with a local musician playing music along with three Irish dancers.
It’s SUCH a fun time! Our kids loved the trad sing-a-long session mixed with dance performances and our 5-year-old loved participating in learning some new dances with us while our 2-year-old loved looking on (even though he would have been welcome to dance as well if he had felt up to it!).
Don’t worry though, if you’d rather watch dancing than participate, you can stay on the sidelines and it’s still fun!
The musician was a great host encouraging sing-a-longs and telling jokes- and we felt so welcome as a family with young kids.
In my research, it’s quite difficult to find events like this that are early enough in the day to be appropriate for young families. I am so happy I found the Irish Dance Party as it was a huge highlight of our trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Our kids still ask months later to turn on Irish music to practice their dancing! Remember that tickets are required and you can book them ahead of time here.
If you are traveling with another group that purchases tickets separately, you’ll want to email them and let them know you want to be sat together because the tables are pre-assigned. I’d also recommend asking to be sat on the main floor rather than on the overlook above.
You can purchase drinks (alcoholic and also family-friendly options like soda and juice) and you can order basic things off their menu such as sweet potato fries and hamburgers.
If you’re looking for other places to listen to live music in Dublin with kids, check my recommendations for family-friendly pubs in Dublin.
5. Stroll Through the Temple Bar Area
Before heading to dinner and then heading home for the night, I recommend walking through the Temple Bar neighborhood of Dublin. Temple Bar is right around the corner from Merchant’s Arch Pub (where the Irish Dance Party takes place).
To avoid confusion, Temple Bar is both the name of a neighborhood in Dublin and the name of a specific pub within that area.
The Temple Bar Neighborhood is a picturesque, colorful neighborhood in Dublin with cobblestoned pedestrian streets, pubs with live music, and unique shops.
It’s full of a lot of pubs that are maybe a bit too lively to visit as a family, but it’s definitely a great area to walk through as a family. You could also walk through this area on your way to the Irish Dance Party depending on how much time you have.
6. Have a chill dinner at Pablo Picante Burrito Bar
If we’re going to eat out with our kids, we want it to be quick, family-friendly, and tasty with food on the menu that our kids will eat. And it’s a bonus if it’s a cute place with good vibes.
I know that burritos are in no way ‘Irish’, but Pablo Picante Burrito Bar is located in a super cute area of the Dublin and the walk to it was lovely. Plus, the vibe is great and we can always count on our kids to eat a quesadilla or something along those lines.
We ordered at the counter where we all chose various burritos ( you can choose from different types or make your own, plus some quesadillas, chips, and salsa). It was a hit all around.
Pablo Picante Burrito Bar is a great lunch or dinner option if you want a relaxed place to eat in a cute area of Dublin.
Additional Fun Things for Families to Do in Dublin
If you’re someone who loves a good tour or experience once in a while (I know I am) then these are some great options for you! These are all experiences in Dublin for families that we have either done or considered doing.
- Afternoon Tea Vintage Bus Tour of Dublin: We ALMOST booked this afternoon tea vintage bus tour of Dublin but it just didn’t work with our schedule. Our 5-year-old was super interested in it- it looks so fun!
- Dublin Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Guide and Little Museum Entry: Explore Dublin by bus with guided commentary along the way and hop off wherever it looks interesting plus you get entry to The Little Museum of Dublin.
- Dublin Sightseeing Cruise on River Liffey with Guided Commentary: Scenic river cruise in the heart of Dublin hearing stories about Dublin’s history and architecture
- Visit Malahide Castle and the Fairy Trail just an hour of public transit from Dublin center, We planned to do this but got rained out :/ Our kids would have loved the Fairy Trail!
- The Irish Dance Party Sing-a-Long and Dance-a-Long at Merchant’s Arch Pub: So fun! One of our favorite family memories. It’s an afternoon experience of singing and dancing to traditional Irish songs, and the whole family is welcome!
And that is my recommendation for the best itinerary for spending one day in Dublin with a toddler or young kids! We felt that this was a great Dublin itinerary for our family that helped us get a great feel for the city and have some special experiences.
Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below and I’ll be sure to get back to you!
🇮🇪 LOOKING FOR MORE ABOUT IRELAND?
DUBLIN:
🎵 3 Amazing Family-Friendly Pubs in Dublin With Live Music
WESTERN IRELAND:
🐏 8 Dreamy Things To Do In Killarney Ireland With Kids
➡️ 18 Amazing Things To Do in Dingle Ireland with Kids
🐴 Jaunting Cars Gap of Dunloe: How They Work
🚘 Conor Pass Dingle Peninsula: What To Expect
NORTHERN IRELAND
✨ 19 Lovely Places to go in Northern Ireland for Families + 5 Day Itinerary & Map
👉 Crossing Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge with Kids (Even Toddlers & Babies)
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