Make the most of the Christmas break

Keep your family happy during the school holidays with a little organisation and a sprinkling of enthusiasm, writes SHEILA WAYMAN

AFTER THE mad rush up to Christmas, the days between now and the end of the school holidays stretch invitingly – or interminably, depending on your point of view.

The time most families get to spend together over at least the next week, before normal life resumes, should be treasured rather than endured. Why not plan at least one memorable outing?

In the interests of minimising (all age) meltdowns, getting out of the house is to be recommended. Availing of exercise and fresh air where possible is another priority after all that eating and sitting around. So here is a selection of suggestions for things to do between now and when you’re back packing the school lunches.

WALKING OUT

Don’t wait for the “right” weather, put those hat, scarf and glove gifts to good use. Choose a park one day, woodland, mountain or coastal walk another – visit somewhere new. Check out Coillte’s 11 forest parks and 150 recreational sites around the country on coillte outdoors.ie for ideas. Of the six national parks, the one in Connemara has a good children’s playground. Wherever you wander, bring flasks of hot chocolate and snacks to keep the spirits up.

PIER PLUS

Walking Dún Laoghaire pier is always a popular post-Christmas outing with south Dubliners but, as well as Teddy’s ice-cream (people queued in the snow for it last year), there is the added attraction this year of a Christmas market along “The Metals”, which runs until January 8th. There is an ice rink, a small vintage carousel, other amusements, and food and craft market stalls.

Cost: Free to browse, while skating costs from €8 per hour off peak. Holders of Dart tickets are entitled to 10 per cent discount on amusements and markets.

Information: dunlaoghaire.ie

WINTER WONDERLAND

This year’s largest, covered ice-rink is at the Winter Wonderland in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, which runs until January 8th. There is also a circus, fairground rides, market stalls and cafe bars.

Cost: Admission is free but, of course, you’re not going to get away with only looking: skating costs from €11 for adult and €9 for child (off peak) and the circus from €9 for adults and €7 for child. Family, online and combination discounts apply.

Information: 7upwinterwonderland.ie or tel: Ticketmaster on 0818 719300 to book skating/circus tickets.

TAKE TO THE ICE

There are more seasonal rinks than ever, so you should not have to travel too far to find one this year. In addition to the two mentioned above, other rinks include:

Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin (until January 29th) and Mahon Point Shopping Centre, Cork (until January 22nd) at both of which a family of four can skate for 50 minutes, off peak, for €35. Bookings: dundrumonice.ie; corkonice.ie

Galway: The Ice Factor at the front of the Carlton Hotel on the Dublin Road will operate daily until January 8th. Ticket for family of four costs €40, at any time, for 45 minutes skating. Bookings: icefactor.ie

Limerick: The rink on Arthur’s Quay is open daily until January 8th and a family ticket is €45 per hourly session. Start at 8pm and you get a second hour free. Bookings: 061-400200.

Waterford: There is a real ice rink in the Merchant’s Quay car park for the first time this year; family of four tickets €35 off peak, when there is no need to book. See waterfordonice.com.

MOUNTAIN BIKING

Do you fancy trying mountain biking but don’t have the right bikes? You can hire them for all the family at the purpose-built trails in Ticknock Woods, Co Dublin, and Ballinastoe Mountain Bike Park near Roundwood, Co Wicklow – but they must be booked in advance.

Baby seats and trailers available. You can also opt for a guided tour or lesson. You need to be able to ride a bike, obviously, but previous experience of mountain terrain is not required. Operating daily except for December 31st.

For families who already have suitable bikes and the means to transport them, coillteoutdoors.ie lists forest trails that can be cycled.

Cost: Adult’s bike €30/€40 for a half day, depending on how much suspension you want; child’s bike €10. Includes helmets, laminated map and pump with replacement tube. Family discounts negotiable.

Booking: Ticknock 083-4147627; Ballinastoe 083-4346992; details for both on biking.ie

BE ONE IN A MILLION . . .

Dublin Zoo is pushing towards a record-breaking one million visitors for the year and is offering, up to Saturday (Dec 31st), admission for just €2.50 (normally €15 for an adult and €10.50 for a child) with a voucher downloaded from facebook.com/DublinZoo. But only one voucher per person/group allowed, so it makes sense to use it for an adult. Under threes go free.

Information: dublinzoo.ie.

FUN OF THE FAIR

When Funderland started in 1975, in Dublin’s RDS, it was the epitome of post-Christmas cool – because there was not a lot else to do at the time. Despite all the rival attractions now, it is still one outing children are guaranteed to enjoy – parents can go for the nostalgia and stay for the fun. Runs until January 8th.

Cost: Pre-booked wristbands that allow a family of four unlimited rides over four hours cost €69.95 booked online. You can also pay as you go if you prefer.

Information and booking: funderland.com

SNOW SCIENCE AND STAR SIGNS

Children will be taught to make snow globes and grow snowflakes at daily workshops, from 2pm-3.30pm, in the Blackrock Observatory, Cork, from today (Dec 27th) until January 8th. No booking required but turn up early because places are limited to 25. Targeted at children aged eight to 12, but six and seven year olds can participate with an adult. Workshops apart, there is plenty to see and do, including interactive, cinematic gaming and tours of the observatory and castle dungeon.

Cost: Admission €6 adult; child €4 and workshops cost €5 per child; adults, who are encouraged to take part, go free.

Everything is free on the observatory’s monthly First Friday open night on January 6th, from 6pm-9pm. Exploring the theme, “Astronomy versus astrology”, there will be workshops followed by two family-friendly talks: the first by Nick Addey on the Star of Bethlehem, and in the second, resident astronomer Frances McCarthy and astrologer Terri Blanche will explain how they differ. There will also be guided star gazing, weather permitting.

Information: 021-4357917; bco.ie.

WAR AND PEACE

At Rathbeggan Lakes in Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, you have the choice of playing army games with your older children (over 12s) or enjoying a spot of quiet fishing (all ages). There is a special airsoft day tomorrow (Dec 28th), otherwise you get to play soldiers and fire hundreds of plastic pellets only at weekends.

Fishing for rainbow trout, with both fly and bait, is available every day from 9am to dusk, with no time limit and you can even bring home your catch – for a price. There’s also a pet farm and playground for small children.

Cost: Airsoft €40 per person for half a day, including gear rental. A day’s fishing is €15 per person and catch costs €4 a pound to take away; hire of rods €5, for under 12s they are free. If you just want to visit the pet farm, use the playground and walk around the lakes, €2 admission.

Information: 01-8240197; rathbeggan lakes.com

PILOT A PLANE

Step into an aircraft simulator at Atlantic AirVenture, three kilometres from Shannon Airport, Co Clare, for a memorable “flying” experience. After a pre-flight briefing, you can race to the Statue of Liberty and land at JFK airport. There is also an aviation museum, featuring real cockpits, jet engines, model airplanes and memorabilia. Pre-booking essential.

Cost: Family packages, including time in the simulator and admission to the museum, start from €25.

Information: Tel: 061-363687; atlanticair venture.com.

CROSS-COUNTRY DRIVING

Nervous parents look away now because we’re talking quad bikes here. Thrilling – and very muddy. The recommended minimum age varies from place to place, but each provides the necessary equipment and tuition before supervised trail riding begins.

Quad Attack, Clonroche, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, caters for age six up; it also has a “Crazy Corral”, which includes sumo wrestling suits, a rodeo bull and bouncy castle for little ones.

Irish Country Quads, Inishkeen, Co Monaghan, suggests from age seven upwards for the quad biking. Other activities offered include archery and indoor rifle clay and bell target shooting; outdoor clay pigeon shooting is for over 16s only.

The Quad Bike Safari at Bridgefield House, Castlemartyr, Co Cork, caters from age eight upwards.

All three are open daily from now until January 8th but booking is essential at each.

Cost: One-hour session around €40 for an adult and €25-35 for a child but discounts for families and combinations of activities apply.

Information: Quad Attack,

tel: 053-9244660, quadattack.ie; Irish Country Quads, tel: 042-9378997, irish countryquads.com; Quad Bike Safari, tel: 021-4667533, quad bikesafari.ie.

FAMILY ART

The National Gallery’s celebrated art workshops for children, accompanied by an adult, run tomorrow (Dec 28th), Thursday and Friday, at 3pm-4pm. There will also be a gallery tour (3.30pm) and a musical trio playing in the Atrium (4pm) each of those days.

Next week there are supervised children’s drawing sessions in the Atrium daily between 3pm and 4pm on January 2nd-6th. Finally, on January 7th there is a family programme 3pm-4pm in the Yeats Room, suitable for children aged four to 10; numbers limited, so it will be first come, first served. Family packs and children’s audio guides are available from the information desk at any time.

Cost: All free, no booking required.

Information: Tel: 01-6615133; nationalgallery.ie

KIDS ROCK ’N’ ROLL

As part of Dublin’s New Year Festival, children can shake a leg in the disco or enjoy other live entertainment in City Hall, safely under supervision, while adults explore the historic venue (formerly the Royal Exchange) and view The Story of the Capital exhibition, on December 30th and 31st, 2pm-4pm. There will also be a kids’ disco, puppet and magic shows at The Big Brunch in Meeting House Square on New Year’s Day.

Throughout the three-day festival, there will be markets and street entertainment in Barnardos Square and also across the Liffey in Wolfe Tone Square, off Mary Street.

Cost: Free

Information: nyedublin.ie

SMALL LIVES

If you are in Dublin city centre, your children might enjoy the Photographs of Irish Childhood 1880-1970 exhibition at the National Photographic Archive in Temple Bar. To make the most of the visit, parents can prepare by downloading a primary schools guide from nli.ie. Open daily from tomorrow and admission is free.

GUIDED NATURE WALK

Join the children’s nature charity, Owls, for an energetic family walk in the forest and fields of Turvey park, Donabate, north Dublin, on Saturday, January 7th, from 1pm-3pm, and learn about the early starters in nature. After the walk it is straight to a campfire to warm up with hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows.

Cost: Free (but people are welcome to make donations towards the charity – and the cost of the marshmallows!).

Information and booking: Contact Andrew at tel: 087-3299936 or email info@owls.ie; see also owls.ie

FULL MOON TREK

If parents are looking for a memorable experience to share with older teenagers or young adults, this guided walk in the Co Wicklow mountains on Saturday, January 7th, is one idea – a minimum age of 16 is recommended. You can expect two to three hours of gentle exertion with an emphasis on atmosphere rather than extreme adventure. The trek, which must be pre-booked, starts at 7pm from the car park of Glenmalure Lodge. The group usually adjourns for refreshments afterwards and accommodation is also available if you want to make a night of it.

Cost: €30 per person

Information: Tel: 01-6606442; wilderness fitness.ie

swayman@irishtimes.com