THE trick with children during the summer holidays, of course, is to get them out of the house as often as possible. For starters, here a handful of amusements in the Dublin area. The Dublin Bay Sea Thrill (tel: 2600949, fax: 2301232) is an hour-and-a-quarter of 100 per cent pure adrenalin: a "wave-hopping, heart-stopping ride around Dublin Bay," according to the organisers. The Thrillers, two rigid, semi-inflatable marine rescue boats can fly through the waves at 40 knots, each with a cargo of 10 people - suitably decked out in cherry-red sailing suits and life-jackets. Trips depart from the East Pier in Dun Laoghaire and from the Pier Head in Howth, and are suitable for children of seven years and up (adults: £25 children: £15).
Staying with the watery theme, Clara Lara Fun Park, Clara Vale, Rathdrum, Co Wicklow (tel: 0404-46161) is a 52-acre park with three big water areas for boating, rafting and canoeing. Picnic and barbecue facilities, climbing frames and a restaurant make this a whole-day attraction. Basic entry fee is £4 per person (under-fours and OAPs free) and for an extra £3.50 there is unlimited access to canoes, row-boats, miniature petrol cars, mini-golf and a water slide.
Still outdoors, there are wonderful things for kids at Marley Park, Grange Road, Rathfarnham. Dublin 16 (tel: 4934059). And the beauty of it is that they are all free, courtesy of the Parks and Landscape Service of Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown Co Council. A playground is divided into a toddlers' zone and a more vigorous, adventurous area for children up to 12. Besides six tennis courts, a BMX course, football pitches and numerous other sporting facilities, there is a model railway which operates on Saturday afternoons from 3 p.m.-5 p.m.
More praise for county councils, this time for Fingal Co Council, which now owns Newbridge House, Donabate and Newbridge Traditional Farm (tel: 8436534. Besides re-creations of an 18th-century forge, threshing barn, swill house and labourer's cottage, there are delightful creatures, from the African pygmy goat to the Yokahama cock. Cows, sheep, ponies, turkeys, pigs and geese are here, while the haughty peacocks struts his stuff within the courtyard (family of two adults and four children: £2; one adult and two children: £1).
Many bowling-alleys are now equipped with "bumperlanes" for children of about seven years and up, where the balls are light-weight and a "hit" is always guaranteed. At Stillorgan Bowling Centre (tel: 2881656) an hour's bowling for six costs £12 on weekdays and £16 on weekends. Also here is Bam Bams Jungleland play centre (tel: 2884529). With ball pools, slides, tunnels, a free-fall, an aerial runway and a movie room, it caters for children under 12 years (under-fours: £2.40, over-fours: £3.20 per hour-and-a-half).
Bray Bowl, Quinsboro Road, Bray (tel: 2864455) not only has bumper lanes, but also five-a-side soccer, soft hockey and a roller-blade arena (from £1.75 per activity up to £7.95 for three activities, a drink and a meal). And the Bray Bowl Play Centre (tel: 2865 677) has a "mini assault course" for under-12s with slides, climbing nets, swing balls and punch-bags. Younger commandos are catered for with scaled-down facilities (under-twos: £2; over-twos: £2.25 per hour).
Rollerblading is definitely the answer to Dublin's traffic congestion, and young bladers (from 8-15 years) can practice their U-turns and lane-changing at the Rollerdrome at the Pye Centre, Dundrum (tel: 2961199). £3 for one-and-a-half hours, blades or skates included. The Pye Centre is also home to Wally Wabbits (tel: 2983470), a play centre reputed to be less hectic than some of the others (is this possible?) and where the maximum age is 10 years. A separate play area for toddlers keeps them out of the general rough-and-tumble (£2 for one-and-a-half hours).
For wild and noisy entertainment, the Fun Factory, Monkstown, Co Dublin (tel: 2843344) is a Mecca for children from as far away as Northern Ireland. It's all here, the bouncing castle, the snake slides, the obstacle course, and the main attraction - an eight-foot free-fall. And there's a sound-proof lounge for parents (under-fours: £2, over-fours: £2.75 per one-and-a-half hours).
Also in Monkstown, more sedentary fun is to be found at Lambert Puppet Theatre, Clifton Lane (tel: 2800974), which celebrates its 25th birthday next year. Each Saturday at 3.30 p.m. the puppets come alive. This month they star in Little Red Riding Hood and Bandicoot, a story about. well, a bandicoot (£4 per person, big or small).
Nostalgic parents will enjoy Dawson's Amusements, The Esplanade, Bray, Co Wicklow (tel: 2860974) - perhaps more than their world-weary offspring. But the waltzer and dodgems are great, great fun and the ghost train should raise a shudder and a squeal somewhere along the line (all rides around 60p).