Keeping the kids busy

Cork City is getting playful again this summer as the beloved Playful Culture Trail makes a return for 2025!

With her detective hat firmly in place, Bláithín the lizard, the trail’s adventurous mascot, is ready to guide families and curious kids on a cultural adventure around the city.

Young explorers can pick up a colourful, child-friendly map from any participating Cork City attraction, hotel, or the Tourist Office.

As they wander through Cork’s historic streets and landmarks, children are encouraged to collect stamps, track down Bláithín, and enjoy 20 exciting things to do along the way.

The Playful Things to Do list is packed with fun discoveries—like hunting for cannonballs at Elizabeth Fort, spotting the quirky Cork Horns at Cork Public Museum, and even printing your very own butter wrapper at the Butter Museum!

A wide range of cultural venues have joined in this year, including:

- Nano Nagle Place

- The Butter Museum

- Shandon Bells & Tower

- St Peter’s Cork

- Cork City Gaol

- Cork Public Museum

- Triskel Arts Centre

- Cork City Libraries

- The Glucksman

- Elizabeth Fort

- Blackrock Castle Observatory

- St Fin Barre’s Cathedral.

The Playful Culture Trail is part of a wider mission to make Cork a playful, child-friendly, and active city.

The project is a collaborative effort between the city’s museums, galleries, and attractions, with support from Cork City Council.

First launched in 2021, the Playful Culture Trail quickly captured the imagination of locals and tourists alike.

It has helped reimagine Cork’s heritage and cultural spaces as fun, engaging places for children to explore, learn, and play.

For more information on the Playful Culture Trail, visit playfulculturetrail.com.

This article was produced with the support of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme funded by Coimisiún na Meán.