The last time I visited Dublin was in 2009, when Cara was still five years away. Back then, it was hopping from bar to bar, stopping by the Guinness factory, and hunting down the next meal. Now, in 2018, what was there to do in Dublin with a 3 year old toddler? As fun as a whiskey distillery tour would have been, I’m not sure Cara would have enjoyed it as much as Imaginosity.
Date Visited: Saturday, 28th April 2018
Location: Imaginosity, Beacon South Quarter, Sandyford, Dublin, Ireland
Getting There: Closest light rail / tram stop – Stillorgan (10 mins walk) – approximately 30 mins from Harcourt St.
Cost: From €2 (for babies up to 12 months) to €8 (for toddlers and adults). There is a timed-ticketing system that operates on weekends and Bank Holidays. Each session is 2-hours.
Review: A quick Google of ‘things to do in Dublin with toddler’ returned Imaginosity as the number one result. So what better way to spend a day out doing what Cara loves best, role-playing. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived after a late breakfast, we were in between sessions so had to wait for the next one to being. Luckily, the sun was out and there was plenty to keep occupied with outside. There’s also restaurants outside the museum if you fancy a bite before play time.
Once in, it was free-for-all. Although there’s a few floors of activities, Cara was in her zone in the role-play area. Whether it was working at the restaurant or at the hospital, she found her groove. I’m hoping that she’s gaining life skills while playing and having fun. Perhaps one day she’ll be delivering someone’s child, or running a Michelin-star restaurant.
There’s definitely enough to do for 2-hours, and there is a cafe on-site if you or the kids need a top up. If it’s a drizzly or cold day outside, it’s a great place to stay warm and entertained.
For more ideas of what to do in Dublin, visit my other post Things to do in Dublin with a toddler.
More details: http://www.imaginosity.ie
Ratings:
Burn Time: 4 out of 5 – you can spend the entire day at Imaginosity if you really wanted to by booking multiple slots, otherwise a few hours of role play time plus walking around the area is enough to keep them busy for the afternoon
Value: 3 out of 5 – bit on the pricey side if you have a few kids
Overall: 4 out of 5 – great day out, with the joy of seeing your child’s imagination run wild with the role playing
