If you’re looking for things to do in Belfast with kids, you’ll be spoilt for choice! From parks and playgrounds to zoos and zipwires, Northern Ireland’s capital city is awash with attractions that are guaranteed to keep the kids entertained for hours on end.
Better yet, there’s something for all ages, from tots to teens. There’s a lot to explore, so let’s get started!
Belfast Zoo
Situated just 15 minutes North of Belfast, Belfast Zoo covers 55 acres and houses 140 different species from all over the world. The zoo is home to some fascinating animals such as tree kangaroos, Visayan warty pigs and giant anteaters.
Little ones and older kids alike will enjoy watching feeding times; look out for meerkats munching, lemurs lunching and the Goodfellow’s tree kangaroos guzzling!
And when your kids need to let off steam, there’s a play park (Adventurers’ Learning Centre) which allows visitors to ‘cross crocodile creek, tunnel through meerkat mound or slither to snake island’.
The zoo has all the amenities you’d expect, including two cafes, picnic benches, parking, disabled facilities and a souvenir shop.
There is one caveat: the zoo is located on a hill with some steep paths, so can pose problems for anyone with mobility or other health issues. However, there is a ‘zoomobile’ service offering hilltop drop offs or guided tours – both options incur an additional cost and must be booked prior to your visit.
Belfast Castle
While the castle itself is used for weddings, the picturesque grounds are home to the award- winning Cave Hill Adventurous Playground which caters for 3–14-year-olds. Younger children will enjoy the cradle swings, slides, sand play unit and bicycle roundabout. Meanwhile older kids can climb the spectacular space net, try out the aerial runway, or explore the turrets and tube slides of the fantastic castle which rises up to meet Cave Hill.
Cave Hill Country Park also has several archaeological sites, an ecotrail, gardens and walking routes to suit different abilities.
We are Vertigo.
Operating across two sites, We are Vertigo provides fantastic fun for all ages.
Site 1: Titanic Quarter
Visit the 30,000 square feet inflatable playground with its monster slides, climbing towers and Dizzy X (ages 1-10), give the kids an adrenaline rush with indoor skydiving (age 4+) or test their agility on the Ninja Master Course with its ascending steps, punchbag zipline, rolling log, jungle bars, hanging doors and other challenges (age 6+).
Site 2: Newtown Breda:
Here you’ll find the world’s largest indoor inflatable activity course! Featuring a 30ft climbing wall, a high and low ropes course and a 3 tier Alpine Soft Play Village (age 1-10), the only thing that’s not provided is assistance to extract your offspring when their two-hour slot ends!
For younger children (age 1-5), there’s a toddler bounce session every Saturday and Sunday from 10am.
Victoria Park
Open 7 days a week, Victoria Park has a lake which is home to several varieties of waterbird. It also boasts two walking trails around the lake, and playing fields which include soccer pitches, a bowling green and a cycling and BMX track.
Locals can register for the ParkLife Saturday Club – a free scheme aimed at encouraging children and their families to become more involved in outdoor activities and nature in Belfast’s parks and open spaces. Parklife is open to children aged 7-12; under 7s must be accompanied by an adult.
Lost City Adventure Golf
The perfect place to visit on a rainy day, Lost City Adventure Golf has two fantastic rainforest- themed 18-hole golf courses. Sunken Skull Ridge and Explorer Falls are both suitable for kids (and adults!) of all ages. Expect talking trees, crumbling relics, moving rocks, waterfalls, jungle animals, skulls, tropical thunderstorms and incredible special effects.
If you’re feeling peckish, the attraction’s themed Tiki bar serves a range of freshly prepared pizzas, ice-cream milkshakes and soft drinks. Food can be purchased together with the adventure golf in various bundles, or separately.
Colin Glen
Situated in the heart of Belfast, Colin Glen offers activities suited to kids of all ages. Little ones will love walking along the Gruffalo Trail with storytelling, life-sized characters, and a book, stickers and a certificate to take home at the end.
Older kids can opt for a range of activities including zipwires, laser tag, archery tag (uses bows and arrows with foam tips) and the Black Bull Run, Ireland’s first and only Alpine Coaster which twists and turns through trees and tunnels while you control the speed. Children under 7 go free on this attraction but must ride with an adult.
Titanic Belfast
No trip to Belfast would be complete without a visit to the birthplace of RMS Titanic. Located in Belfast’s Titanic quarter, just 100 metres from where Titanic’s hull was constructed, Titanic Belfast tells the story of the doomed vessel through nine interactive galleries where visitors can experience the sights, sounds, smells and stories of the ship. The exhibitions cover everything from Titanic’s construction through to its catastrophic sinking and the aftermath.
While Titanic Belfast is a self-guided tour, you can opt to enhance your experience with
hand-held multi-media guides which offer extra information that is not available in the galleries. There is also a specially designed children’s multimedia guide which will keep kids engaged throughout their visit.
CS Lewis Square
Are your kids fans of CS Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia? If so, you’ll want to visit CS Lewis Square in East Belfast. Located next to the East Side Visitor Centre at the intersection of Connswater and Comber Greenways, the square features seven bronze sculptures, based on Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, including Aslan, The White Witch, Mr Tumnus, The Beavers, Maugrim, The Robin and The Stone Table. There is also a life size statue of the author opening the wardrobe. The attraction is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is fully illuminated.
W5
Located in the Odyssey Complex at the gateway to Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, W5 is an award-winning science and interactive discovery centre which combines fun and education.
Kids aged 3-11 can explore The Lost Planet – a multi-sensory space-themed activity zone with climbing activities and spiral slides – check out a career in film or TV in W5’s media production zone, or visit Build It for hands-on learning about architecture and construction. Altogether, W5 has 8 exhibition zones and over 250 interactive exhibits, so you’re sure to find something to interest kids of all ages.
And if you’re visiting between 1st July and 31st August this year, look out free daily science shows and dragons inspired drop-in sessions.
Andersonstown Leisure Centre
Andersonstown Leisure Centre is Ireland’s largest indoor aqua park. Kids (aged 8+) can experience the thrill of catching a wave at Surf Belfast, Ireland’s only indoor surf simulator, brave the three different high-speed water slides, or simply have fun in the aqua play area (under 12s) which features shooting water cannons, water jets, rope bridges and smaller versions of the high-speed slides. Little ones are catered for with the Little Lagoon toddlers’ pool which has a special wide slide designed to enable adults and toddlers to have fun together.
That’s a wrap
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this post and have found it useful; there are so many great things to do in Belfast with kids! If you are planning on visiting any of these attractions, it’s wise to check the opening hours/days with them first and pre-booking to avoid disappointment as some venues/activities limit numbers for the safety of their guests.
At PartyWizz, our mission is all about helping people create fabulous parties with the minimum amount of time and stress. We pride ourselves in working with the best entertainers in each category – magicians, face painters, balloon modellers, princess parties, arts and crafts and more. You can book kid’s entertainers in Belfast directly through the platform.
