Fota House, Arboretum and Gardens in Cork offers a great day out for all the family. From digging for history to Queen Maeve’s honey bee adventure, you’ll find fantastically fun things to do with the kids when you visit this stunning spot.
Here are 9 fantastically fun things to do with kids in Cork at Fota House.
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Things to Do with Kids at Fota House
Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens in Cork is operated by the Irish Heritage Trust, an independent charity. Alongside the fun things listed below, they run regular events for families to enjoy, including outdoor theatre shows, markets, workshops and tours, so it’s worth checking what’s on before you visit.
#1. Go Digging For History
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Take a trip to the Victorian walled garden and go Digging for History! Your history lesson begins with a tour around the award-winning Victorian working garden.
Next, venture into the glasshouse where kids will learn fun nature and history facts. Finish off with the chance to pot their own plant to take home and look after, or take away a packet of seeds to plant later.
#2. Have A Honey Bee Adventure
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Queen Maeve’s Honey Bee Adventure at Fota Gardens is the perfect introduction to bees, with an activity-based talk that will have children buzzing around the farmyard doing their waggle dance and discovering how the hive works.
#3. Take A Fun Nature Trail
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Pick up garden guides when you arrive – they help younger visitors learn and have fun as they explore the gardens and grounds.
The Little Explorer’s Tree Trail at Fota Gardens stimulates children’s interest in nature and their skills in making sense of the environment. It’s perfect for young explorers under six!
Fota’s Junior Plant Hunter Trail encourages young visitors of seven and over to hunt for trees in the arboretum, mark their location on the map, and note their country of origin on the atlas.
#4. Help Find Mrs Kevin’s Cat
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Where is Mrs Kevin’s Cat? Mrs Kevin, the housekeeper at Fota House, has lost her cat! Can your family help solve the mystery and find where the cat has gone?
Warmly welcoming visitors for almost 200 years
Once the home of the Smith-Barry family, who had a great love of hospitality, Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens continues to delight visitors today.
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#5. See How The Other Half Lived!
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From the exquisite boudoir to the charming Victorian nursery, a guided house tour is a must when you visit Fota House. One of the highlights is a visit to the service wing.
Here you’ll see the working conditions of the maids, footmen, cooks and butlers who supported the lavish lifestyle of the gentry. You’ll get to see the extensive kitchens, scullery and even the head butler’s quarters!
There’s even a special house tour for children, with fun quizzes and hidden places in the house to discover, sure to inspire the historian in them.
#6. Become An Art Critic
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You may not know that Fota House is home to one of the finest collections of landscape paintings in Ireland outside of the National Gallery.
Everyone in the family can become an art critic as you discover paintings by Robert Carver, Thomas Roberts, Jonathan Fish and William Ashford PRHA. Which one is your favourite?
Don’t forget to look up too – the ceilings have been restored to their former glory with beautiful plasterwork and paintings. See if you can recreate the intricate designs on paper!
#7. Travel To Fota House By Train
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Have a family adventure by travelling to Fota House and Gardens by train. There’s a station at Fota, and it takes approximately 15 minutes to walk to Fota House. The route is well signposted, and trains to Fota run from Cork city centre.
#8. Get Back To Nature
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The Arboretum at Fota House is home to many rare species of trees, flowers and plants. Take a stroll around it and see if you can spot a tree, plant, flower or shrub you didn’t know before. Don’t miss the fern garden!
#9. Spot The Ducks
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You’ll find ducks on the pond in the Arboretum. See if you can spot any ducklings, and count how many different colours are in their feathers.
Hopefully we’ve inspired you to have a fun day out with the kids at Fota House, Cork!
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get to Fota House by public transport?
There’s a train station at Fota, about a 15-minute walk from Fota House along a well-signposted route. Trains to Fota run from Cork city centre, making it an easy car-free family day out.
Is there a special tour for children at Fota House?
Yes. Alongside the standard guided house tour, there’s a dedicated children’s house tour featuring fun quizzes and hidden spots designed to spark young visitors’ interest in history.
What kind of activities can kids do outdoors at Fota House?
Children can join Queen Maeve’s Honey Bee Adventure, follow the Little Explorer’s Tree Trail or Junior Plant Hunter Trail, explore the Victorian working garden, spot ducks on the Arboretum pond, and take in rare trees and plants throughout the grounds.
Are there regular events for families at Fota House?
Fota House, run by the Irish Heritage Trust, hosts regular family events including outdoor theatre shows, markets, workshops and tours. It’s worth checking what’s on before your visit.
Related Articles
- Enjoy a Fun and Eco-Friendly Family Visit to Fota House
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