Wexford Wildfowl Reserve is a world-renowned wildlife sanctuary and interactive conservation site that stands out as one of the best things to do with kids in Wexford if you want an active, nature-focused day out. Situated on 200 hectares of flat, reclaimed farmland known as the North Slob, this eco-haven sits lower than the sea and relies on an old historic pump house to stay dry. Families can immerse themselves in acres of protected wetlands to see thousands of rare birds that migrate here from places as far away as Greenland, Arctic Canada, and Scandinavia.

Prices start from free, as general admission to the visitor centre, grounds, and tracking hides costs absolutely nothing. There are no commercial booking platforms or expensive ticketing tiers to plan around before you leave home. It provides an extremely budget-friendly, educational day out for families who want to experience premium wildlife viewing without facing steep attraction bills.

If you are looking for the best place for a day out with family and kids, this outdoor sanctuary perfectly balances open-air exploration with learning. Children can climb high observation points to spy on wild flocks or join seasonal family bug-hunting events. It is an amazing spot for kids to run along marked nature trails, look through viewing telescopes, and experience global migration patterns first-hand.

Key Features

• Sensory Play Elements: Children can hear the calls of wild geese echo across the plains, look through high-power birding telescopes, and explore tactile wetlands.
• Interactive Exhibits: The modern visitor centre features a series of engaging exhibitions and educational media displays covering local geography.
• Educational Day Out: Active education programmes teach kids how a massive famine relief project in the 1840s reclaimed this unique land from the sea.
• Global Conservation Access: The reserve acts as a vital link in the European Natura 2000 network, guarding threatened international species.

Top 5 Highlights

• The 8-Metre Observation Tower: A wooden viewing platform that lets kids climb high above the flat landscape. Little explorers love pretending they are lookouts on a ship while using binoculars to spot thousands of feeding geese below.
• The Robert Jobson Hide: A cozy, fully accessible wooden shelter built right next to a busy reed-lined pond. It is the perfect spot for kids to sit quietly and peek through viewing windows to spy on colourful ducks and swans just a few feet away.
• The Greenland White-Fronted Geese Colony: The reserve is the winter home to nearly half the world's population of these incredible birds. Children will love learning how these tough animals fly thousands of miles over oceans just to vacation in Wexford's muddy fields.
• The Old Pump House: A historical landmark building that continuously pumps out rainwater to prevent the low-lying reserve from flooding. It provides a fascinating, real-life lesson in engineering that shows kids how human effort keeps the animals safe and dry.
• The Summer Bug Hunting Sessions: Hosted by the education department, these hands-on seasonal events allow kids to get close to nature. Armed with magnifying glasses and nets, children love hunting through grass to identify unique creepy crawlies.

Specific Collections & Hides

• The Pat Walsh Hide: A coastal viewing shelter built directly onto the sea wall overlooking the main marine channel.
• The Pump House Hide: A viewing spot situated near the primary car park that monitors incoming coastal tides.
• The Audio-Visual Exhibition Room: A media hub within the visitor centre that plays educational films on wetland wildlife.
• The North Slob Farmland Trails: Safe, flat paths weaving past wide hedges and brackish water channels.
• The Wildfowl Specimen Exhibition: Multi-sensory informational displays that help children identify over 250 species.