January can be a bleak time, and it can seem like there is nothing to look forward to. Take another look, however, and you’ll discover that there are plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy. So wrap up warm and take your pick of our January favourites:

1. The Ice Train at Rathwood

Venue: Rathwood, Co. Carlow
Date: Every weekend in January
Cost: €8 per child; babies under 1 free; €5 per adult
Contact: See website

Take time out in January to help the Princess find her lost sister, the Snow Queen, in the Enchanted Forest. Board the Ice Train for enchanting fun with the singing snowman and the mystical trolls. Journey to a magical bridge, where Prancer the Reindeer leaps to the Snow Queen’s rescue. The adventure ends with a delightful tea party in the Snowflake Hall where all the wonderful characters from the Ice Train gather to celebrate the Snow Queen’s safe return with snowflake buns and hot chocolate. You can even have a go at decorating the buns.

2. Aladdin at the Helix

Venue: DCU, Collins Avenue, Dublin 9
Date: 15th November to 22nd January
Cost: Adults €27; children €23
Contact: Book tickets

Panto season is still in full swing, so be sure to make time for one of the best if you are in Dublin in January. TheatreworX Productions bring their ever-popular production of Aladdin to the Helix, with laughs for all the family in store.
The wish-granting genie with his magic lamp and flying carpet get hilarious treatment. Throw in a beautiful princess, charismatic baddies, and an exotic trip to the Far East, and you have everything you need for a great show for all the family.

3. Junior Parkrun – Nationwide

Venue: Venues include Rush, Glasnevin, Ballina, and Tralee.
Date: Every Sunday morning at 9.30am
Cost: Free
Contact: See parkrun.ie

Keep up your New Year’s resolutions with a fun, free event to get your kids active. Parkrun is a worldwide initiative involving free, timed 5km runs every weekend for people of all ages and abilities. Walkers, buggies, and dogs on leads are welcome at all parkruns, but a relatively new event specifically for kids has started in a number of locations. These junior parkruns are 2k events held on Sunday mornings, whereas the standard parkruns (in which kids are also welcome to participate) are held on Saturdays.

4. BT Young Scientist Exhibition

Venue: RDS, Dublin 4.
Dates: 12th to 14th January 2017
Cost: Students €6; Adults €12; Family pass €25
Contact: Visit www.btyoungscientist.com.

The 53rd young scientists’ exhibition offers an impressive array of events for young and old. As well as the 550 student projects, you can enjoy Cosmos 3D, a voyage from the edge of the solar system chasing a comet and exploring the surface of Mars. Then there’s the Ultimate Science Show, an exciting interactive show that will explore a possible future in the world of STEM. Other exciting events include a performance by mentalist David Meade, the ever-popular World of Robots, and TITAN the Robot.

5. Cinderella at the Cork Opera House

Venue: Cork Opera House, Cork City Centre
Date: December 1st 2016 to January 22nd 2017
Cost: Tickets from €25 (plus booking fees); family passes €80 to €100
Contact: Box office website

There’s still time to enjoy this hilarious reworking of the classic fairy tale done in inimitable Cork style. The team that bought you Sleeping Beauty and Beauty and the Beast return to the stage with an enchanting production. Expect plenty of laughs, stunning backdrops and costumes, lively music and dance routines, and wonderful special effects—in short, a fabulous experience for all the family.
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