Key dates
- No bank holidayThe next one is Christmas Day. Midterm finished on Fri 30 Oct.
- Wed 4 – Sun 8 NovDublin Book Festival, with a free family day on Sat 7 Nov
- Sat 7 – Sun 15 NovNorth Dublin Science Festival, free events
- Sun 8 – Sun 15 NovScience Week across Ireland
- Thu 12 NovWild Lights at Dublin Zoo and Wonderlights at Malahide Castle open
- Sat 14 NovElf Town opens at the RDS
- Fri 20 NovTwinkleTown opens in Smithfield
- Fri 27 – Sat 28 NovSwords Castle Christmas Fair starts, and the first Santa visits begin
All month
The Dead Zoo Lab, Collins Barracks
The Natural History Museum's animals have a temporary home while Merrion Street is closed. Free, indoors, and the best wet-day plan in the city.
Sunday family drop-ins, National Gallery
Rock up, grab the materials and make something. No booking needed.
1–10 November
Dublin Book Festival family day
A drop-in treasure hunt, craft station and children's book swap. Bring a book they've outgrown.
Babies @ The Ark: Excitedly Resting
A soft, sensory textile space for babies to lie in, crawl under and explore. No booking.
North Dublin Science Festival
Water-themed science all week, including a drop-in STEM space in Irish Sign Language (9–13 Nov) and swimming films projected on The Helix (Wed 11 Nov, 5–8pm).
11–20 November
Wild Lights, Dublin Zoo
Giant lanterns across 9 zones themed on celebrations from around the world. There's a sensory-friendly night on Tue 1 Dec. Weekends sell out first.
Wonderlights, Malahide Castle
An illuminated trail through the castle grounds. Wrap up and go early in the run for the quieter nights.
Elf Town, RDS
A 90-minute Christmas journey that ends with a private visit with Santa. A shorter Santa-only visit is cheaper.
TwinkleTown, Smithfield
A big wheel, funfair, ice rink and a 20-minute Santo Panto at weekends (€5). Sensory skating from Sat 28 Nov at 11am, and the 12pm weekend panto is ND-friendly.
21–30 November
A Christmas Carol, The Ark
A 45-minute Scrooge made for children. Relaxed and Irish Sign Language performances run in December.
Swords Castle Christmas Fair
A proper castle-courtyard Christmas market, run by Fingal County Council. Hours are provisional, so check before you go.
A Christmas to Remember, Newbridge House
Hot chocolate, Mrs Claus making puddings, a walk through the farmyard and Santa by the fire.
That's 13 of the 23. The full guide also has the Gaiety and Helix pantos, toddler workshops, quiet sensory mornings, Santa at Malahide Castle and more. Download it free.
Weekly classes still running
Most term-time classes will let you join mid-term or try a taster. A few on Sortd now:
- Young Gaiety Drama WorkshopAges 8 to 10 · Saturdays · Malahide, Temple Bar and Sandyford
- Kinsella School of BalletAges 5+ · Saturdays and Wednesdays · Malahide
- East Coast School of BalletAges 3+ · Mon, Wed–Sat · Malahide
- Bricks 4 Kidz LEGO & STEM ClubAges 4 to 7 · Fridays · Foxrock
- Sense of Wonder Forest SchoolAges 5 to 10 · Thursdays · Killiney
- CoderDojo Digital Dún LaoghaireAges 7+ · Mondays · Free
Browse all weekly classes · Northside camps · South Dublin camps · City centre camps
FAQ
What's free to do with kids in Dublin in November?
The Dead Zoo Lab at Collins Barracks, the National Gallery's Sunday family drop-ins, the Dublin Book Festival family day (Sat 7 Nov), Babies @ The Ark and the North Dublin Science Festival. TwinkleTown and the Swords Castle Christmas Fair are free to walk around.
What can we do with kids in Dublin on a rainy day?
Museums and galleries are the safe bet: the Dead Zoo Lab, the National Gallery and The Ark in Temple Bar. Library storytimes also run weekly across the city.
When is the next school midterm?
The October midterm was 26–30 Oct 2026. The Christmas holidays start in late December. Check your own school's calendar, as some primary schools have extra closure days this year for curriculum training.