Imaginosity

Website: http://www.imaginosity.ie

Weather: Well, it was one of the sunniest days we had on holiday, so naturally we spent most of it inside here. 

Logistics: It was easy enough to drive to, using sat nav. However, there aren’t huge number of sign posts and, as the museum is nestled in the middle of a new shopping/apartment development, it can be a bit tricky to spot. Also, Dublin seems to have some sort of policy for making car park signs virtually invisible until you’ve driven past them but if you keep your eyes peeled you will find ample parking in a car park under the development- €3 was more than enough to cover our day out.

Activities: This place is all about the activities. There are activities everywhere - hell, there are even activities whilst the kids travel between activities.  Both he kids were delighted to be able to travel between floors using the enormous climbing frame - who needs something as mundane as stairs? Me, I prefer a more mundane staircase. 

The first floor is role play areas, including a doctor’s where you can carry out a little bot of light surgery to boot, a library, a massive supermarket and some other stuff I didn’t pay attention to. I assumed it was mainly for toddlers but as it took me a full 45 minutes to drag small kids out of here when we were meant to be leaving, I suppose I was wrong about this. 

We spent most of our time on the second floor where there was plenty to explore; even though a few exhibits were a bit broken it didn’t stop anyone having fun. There was a theatre bit, where I briefly performed songs from Hamilton and a few prat falls before coming to my senses and grudgingly acknowledging that the kids should be in the spotlight, not behind the effects desk where I had plopped them. In other areas Big kid got to present his own news report and Small Kid fixed some plumbing which suited them both nicely. The activities on offer were varied and kept the kids entertained for hours. 

Coffee: There was so much to do we didn’t even visit the cafe. This holiday I managed to get so much sleep that I didn’t even need to keep my blood-caffeine levels over 50%. God, I love the kids getting older. 

Food: As this is a new-ish attraction in the middle of the kind of swishy new-ish development that pepper the outskirts of most cities these days, there are plenty of eating options, including cafes, supermarkets and fancy restaurants. It seems there’s something for every palate and wallet. We had Taytos.

Grounds: There is a small outdoor area on the roof of Imaginosity which is open sporadically throughout the day. (Bear in mind we were visiting off season so it may well be open more at peak times.) Small kid and I found it utterly charming. There were lots of tunnels to climb through and a few of those weird one-man roundabouts that will spin your kid until they hit G Force 7 the second you take your eye off them. It’s very focussed on ecology and climate change whilst also finding space for a few elves and fairies, a policy I heartily support. 

This is not outside, unless you are a doll. 

Outside the museum there are a few contraptions for playing with water and a nice pedestrianised square. One word of warning - the grass may look green and gleaming after rain but it is in fact a swamp, which Big Kid thoughtfully discovered by ploughing head first into it just before we entered the actual museum. It took ten spits on a hankie to clear the worst of it from his face and it is testament to how much there is to do that at no point inside did he complain about his sodden clothing, being to busy catching imaginary footballs and the like. 

Accessibility: This place does seem to place a premium on physical ability what with all the climbing, cycling and various jumpings and flappings the kids are encouraged to do, but it is also very buggy friendly (naturally) so it’s pretty easy to navigate. Thanks to the different spaces it seemed like there would be plenty of opportunity to burn of energy or to find a calm down space if needed. 

Overall: Both kids proclaimed this place ‘totally amazing’ and I leave you with that.