Free Things to do with kids in Cork

As parents we know how expensive it can be to entertain the kids, so we thought we would put together a list of things to do for free with the children, yes, that are completely free of charge.  You know, when you are looking for kids things to do, things to do when bored, the things to do for free!

Cork can boast some of the most spectacular coastline in the whole country- the upside of this being, apart from the beautiful scenery, the fantastic beaches dotted around the place. I have compiled a list of popular beaches, including those awarded blue flags. Most beaches in Cork are sandy so are perfect for the all important sand-castle making/daddy burying/kite flying etc and some have nice little stretches of rockpools, great for 'fishing' and crabbing! And please do not wait for the sun to shine- I'm convinced kids don't feel the cold! Just layer up and off you go- remembering the essential change of clothes.

We all have a few crusts of bread in the bread-bin from time to time- why not bring them along to your local lake/duckpond and let the children feed the ducks and swans? One day while we were at our local lake, a flock of seagulls happened to be there too- boy can they swoop in and snatch chunks of bread!!! Hours of entertainment ensued for my boys who thought it was hilarious.

Most towns in Cork have at least one playground and/or park- why not bring a picnic and rug and make a day of it? Organise to meet other mums/dads and kids there so you will be as occupied as the children. Have a look at my list of playgrounds- you might fancy going to one you haven't been to before.

Look out for free exhibitions or visit a museum/gallery. It's great for children to experience lots of different activities and they might enjoy it more than you think they will. Cork Public Museum is located in Fitzgeralds Park and is free entry Mon-Sat. Blackrock Castle Observatory hosts open nights on the first Friday of every month with inspired activities for visitors of all ages. The award-winning interactive astronomy exhibit Cosmos at the Castle is open until 9.00pm and is free to the public. The Prince August Toy Soldier Factory near Macroom is free to look around and well worth a visit.

Outings to the woods are among my family's favourites. Rain or shine and at any time of the year, the woods always deliver. Many have picnic areas, little wooden shelters and good walking trails. Have a read of my Nature Walks article for some tips on how to keep the kids motivated to keep walking and ideas for some games and activities you can do together. The Irish Natural Forestry Foundation (INFF), between Bandon and Dunmanway, holds free family open days on the first Sunday of every month from March to November with activities and workshops. Click here to view details on the remaining open days for 2010.

Cork has a lot of historical sites such as the stone circles at Drombeg, Reanascreena and Kealkil (to name a few- there are many others), standing stones, wedge tombs, round towers, fulacht fia's and many other types of megalithic monuments. These sites are fascinating for children and the history behind them even more so. For details of these and more, plus the all important directions, click here.

An indoor option, for when the weather really is too bad to go outside, is to bring the children to the library for a few hours. For a list of Corks libraries click here. Most, if not all, have children's sections- our local one has kids bean bags, and smaller sized tables and chairs, so the children can have a good read. Nearly all libraries have a weekly storytime (usually on Sat) and during holiday time, many organise extra activities and events. You can read the programme of events for the city libraries here. There are also Summer Reading Challenge's for the kids in both city and county libraries!

Last but not least, signing up for my monthly newsletters is another FREE thing you can do! Packed with lots of useful information on events in Cork, special offers, competitions and much more- signing up could actually save you money in the long run!!!