Crúinniú na nÓg is Ireland’s national day of creativity for children and young people. All across the country children and young people from 0 to 18 will have the opportunity to take part in a dazzling variety of free creative events from stop-motion animation to family friendly raves. The first Crúinniú took place in June 2018 and returns this year on Saturday 15th June.

Last year we made a family day of it with a family friendly guided tour of Dublin Castle and a concert and music workshops at the National Concert Hall. A full list of events can be found on the Crúinniú na nÓg website and can be searched by location and filtered by age range and event type. All events are free of charge but some must be booked in advance.

Below is our pick of the most exciting events taking place in Dublin and suitable for under 5’s. I haven’t included any events that are fully booked at the time of writing and this is not intended as an exhaustive guide but rather a means to get a flavour of just some of the fun to be had.

Put Yourself in the Picture @ The Coach House, Dublin Castle 10.00 – 17.00

Portrait exhibition featuring over 100 drawings from some of Ireland’s best known artists placing children at the centre of art-making.

All ages

Sculptunes @ National Concert Hall 10.00 – 12.30

A series of interactive musical installations designed for early years children. The pieces invite both child and adult to push, pump, and play as they explore how to create sounds. 

Ages 0 – 5

Sensory Storytelling @ Swords Castle 10.30 – 15.30

Join storyteller and theatre maker Cliodhna Noonan for an abstract storytelling performance based on the legend of the Ursitoarea fairy from Romania.

All ages

Play Today Workshops @ Axis Ballymun 11.00 – 11.45 & 12.00 – 12.45

Imaginative play workshops for early years children and their parents, involving stories, singing and puppets.

Ages 3-6 . Booking required.

Silk Worm for Families – Elephant’s Sanctuary @ Chester Beatty Library 12.30 – 13.30 & 14.00 – 15.00

Celebrate the current exhibition Thai Buddist Tales: Stories Along the Path to Enlightenment by making a large collaborative mosaic featuring elephants.

All ages

Irish National Youth Ballet Company @ Dance Ireland 12.00 – 13.00

Dancers from the Irish National Youth Ballet will perform extracts from their show Snow White. Afterwards, children are invited to stay, play and meet the dancers.

Ages 3+

ReCreate Family Fun Day @ Corkagh Park 12.00 – 17.00

The ReCreate team will bring an array of creative activities to Corkagh Park. Be curious and inventive together with materials such as wool, plastics, fabric, and foil.

All ages

Owls Creative Play @ Fernhill Park and Gardens 12.15 – 16.00

A series of events from owls nature club including insect hunts and art making using natural materials.

All ages

Tiny Dancer @ Dubh Linn Gardens, Dublin Castle 14.00 – 15.00

A dance set for children and their families from DJ Donal Dineen.

Ages 0 – 8