Household Budget
Family Entertainment on a Budget
10 Fun Activities for Families to Enjoy for Free or for Next to Nothing
Whether it’s the school summer holidays, or festive activities in the run up to Christmas, planning for family days out can be a year-long pressure for parents on a tight budget.
Family entertainment can be costly, and a cause of stress for parents who are penny-pinching but who don’t want to disappoint their children who expect trips to the zoo and the cinema when they have free time from school. This blog entry aims to highlight some of the free and low cost activities available in Ireland that offer genuine fun for all the family! These fun activities listed below should help to relieve the burden of constantly searching for cost-effective days out for you and your clan.
For more information on any of the activities listed below, please visit www.discoverireland.ie.
1. Museums
All of the museums in Ireland are free of charge to members of the public. These museums offer a fun and educational day out for the family. From the Natural History Museum and the Pearse Museum, to the Irish Museum of Modern Art and local County Museums, there is something in Ireland for everyone.
2. Libraries
Local libraries provide a range of free services for families. As well as book rentals, local libraries in Meath also organise and host book readings, IT classes, themed art competitions at Christmas, Easter and Halloween, as well as fancy-dress parties over the Halloween break and visits from Santa at Christmas. These events are a great source of seasonal entertainment, and all of them are free of charge and educational for your children.
3. Cinema
While the cinema can be an expensive outing, where there is an occasion to celebrate, such as a birthday, or where you want to splash out on a treat, the cinema is a fun day out for everyone, and it doesn’t have to cost the earth. Many cinemas are now offering discount rates for families to matinees at the weekends. Generally speaking, you save 20% on cinema tickets just by going to a movie before 5pm, but if you are looking for greater savings, then try the kid’s clubs which are held on a Saturday morning across the country, and also look for special discount days at the cinema, usually a Tuesday or Wednesday, where cinema tickets are as little as €5, and where there are deals on combo meals.
4. Festivals
Recently, in Ireland, there has been a revival of sorts in local, community, family-orientated festivals. Festivals are sprouting up all over the country, and they are an excellent source of entertainment for families with small children. All of these festivals offer free admission, and they provide a unique opportunity for children to learn some history or some new skills while having fun at the same time. Some of the top festivals in Ireland include Street Performance World Championships, Dublin Viking Festival as well as some more local festivals including the Dunderry Fair Day, LeChéile Festival and Navan Shamrock Festival.
5. Galleries
Similar to a day at the museum, a day trip to one of Ireland’s many regional and national art galleries provides a special and educational experience for the whole family. These galleries, including the National Art Gallery, the Science Gallery and the Irish Jewish Museum, offer free admission for families, and promise to be a unique day out.
6. Trinity College – The Book of Kells
Built in the 18th century, the Old Library of Trinity College is home to the 9th century manuscript, the Book of Kells. This is a truly mesmerizing historic manuscript which is a must-see. With free admission for children under 12 years old, this is a very cost-effective and worthwhile trip for any family day out in Dublin City.
7. Cycling Tracks
If it’s outdoor activity that interests your family, the why not dust off the bike and take it out for a spin around one of Ireland’s many cycling tracks. Closer to home, Meath offers some stunning views from some of the designated and sign-posted cycling tracks which can be found in the Boyne Valley, and near to the Hill of Tara and Trim. For more information on these routes and to plan your cycle, please visit the Meath Tourism website at www.meath.ie.
8. National Parks
Ireland is rich in natural beauty, and nowhere is this better captured than in our national forest parks. Dotted around the country, these wooded parks provide hours of activity for any family with free picnic facilities, playgrounds, and acres of forest for adventurers, young and old to explore.
9. Beaches
Meath is a very privileged county in Ireland, well situated near to Dublin City, and with access to the sea along the East Meath coast line. Coastal towns of Bettystown and Laytown offer a different landscape to the rest of Meath, with miles of beaches bordered by amusements and pitch and putt courses nearby. Take a stroll down one of these beaches, and enjoy the sea breeze. Even if the weather is not sunny, there are still hours of fun to be had at the beach.
10. Bog walks
For an experience completely unique to Ireland, why not take the family out for a fun day walking in one of our natural peat bogs. Irish bogs offer a landscape that is rarely seen throughout the rest of Europe, filled with our most vivid flora and some of our more protected species of fauna. Many raised bogs, which are no longer being exploited for fuel, have been transformed into eco-walks and trails, so that families can complete looped walks or cycles and learn about the bog. Display signs throughout the loop provide information on the history of the bog, as well as the nature that can be seen throughout the loop. Individual placards have been placed to give information on the various colourful flowers as you come across them. This is a truly worthwhile family day out, and as bog-hopping is a favourite past-time in these parts, it also promises to be a lot of fun for the whole family too!
