Lockdown with a baby is making me stir crazy! I need to do things with the baby. Northern Ireland’s lockdown (bizzarrely) lifted today. For seven days. Then we’re in another, much harsher one, until December 11th. So I have to HAVE TO get out with the little one. Feeling the same? Here’s all the stuff you could do in the Belfast area.

Okay so this is partly a personal to do list and partly a list for anyone else in Belfast area looking for ways to make the most of the (brief) lifting of the lockdown.

1. Soft play: Some soft plays are opening again! Others are not. Check out Roar and Explore in West Belfast or Funky Monkeys in Dundonald as both say they’re open this week.
2. Crazy golf: Pirates Adventure Golf in Dundonald is open-air and open doors.
3. The beach: Of course. Like usual. Holywood Sea Park is open and so is the play area… for now. I’m sure the council will close the playground area next Friday because this whole lockdown thing seems to be orchestrated by Puritans.
4. Library: Return your library books, Mama Adventure! So I may have had three overdue books since March. :O I hope the libraries are opening this week because I really don’t want to still have these books when we emigrate.
5. Belfast Zoo: The zoo will be open this week but you have to book in advance to manage the numbers.
6. The Great Light on the Maritime Mile, Titanic Quarter, Belfast
7. Titanic Sculpture on the Maritime Mile, Titanic Quarter, Belfast
8. The Buoy Park on the Maritime Mile, Titanic Quarter, Belfast
9. The Mo Mowlam play park (part of the Stormont estate), Stormont, Belfast has SO MUCH to do, for children of all abilities.
10. CS Lewis Square, Strandtown, Belfast. A great place to take babies in their “zoo animal” phase, my little one loved the giant lion Aslan sculpture.

Further afield (driveable from Belfast):

Bangor Castle Walled Garden: A beautiful flowery garden with fountains and walls. Free entry.

Pickie Fun Park Bangor: Does what it says on the tin. Playgrounds, pedal swans, mini-railway and more!

Mount Stewart: The Natural Play Area is open! Book in advance (not always necessary during weekdays though). Entry £10 for adults. Under 5s go free.

Castle Ward: Visit Winterfell (or at least, the gardens and stables, the main building is still closed). Entry £10 each for adults. Under 5s go free.

Got any more ideas for things to do around Belfast this week before our new lockdown starts again? Let me know in the comments!