Free things to do, days out and places to visit with kids in and around Leeds, West Yorkshire. Below you’ll find listings for lots of kids & family activities around Leeds which are all free (or less than £10). If you’re happy to spend some money, find our FULL listings of Days Out around Leeds HERE

CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR DAILY EVENTS CALENDAR

30th March- 14th April

Spark something big with Leeds Young Film Festival this Easter! 📽️🥳

Leeds Young Film Festival celebrates its 25th birthday with a brand new programme of award-winning family cinema, film workshops and nostalgic classics. And, LYFF Movie Club returns, now in collaboration with Screen Yorkshire! Join Movie Club for a kids-only adventure through the entire filmmaking process under the careful supervision of our experienced festival team. Leeds Young Film Festival takes place 30 March – 14 April. We can’t wait to see you!

Age guidance: 5-13

For details on screenings and tickets on Leeds Young Film Festival and Movie Club, visit leedsfilm.com


Visit Website

Social  

Story & Rhyme Times at Leeds Libraries 

Monday, 10:30-11:30 – Dewsbury Road, Headingley, Pudsey

Monday, 13:30-14:30 – Oakwood, Holt Park (Bounce and Rhyme session)

Tuesday, 10:30-11:30 – Beeston, Halton, Hunslet, Moor Allerton, Morley, Otley

Tuesday, 13:30-14:30 – Bramley

Wednesday,10:30-11:30 – Ardsley and Tingley, Calverley,  Chapeltown, Garforth, Guiseley, Rothwell, Horsforth

Wednesday, 13:30-14:30 – Kippax, Wetherby

Thursday, 10:30-11:30 – Armley, Central, Chapel Allerton, Middleton, Seacroft, Yeadon, Holt Park

Friday, 10:30-11:30 – Compton Road, Crossgates

Friday, 13:30-14:30 – Farsley

Free event for under 5s and their grown ups, just turn up.

Ready Steady Readers: Ready Steady Readers challenge is available in any library in Leeds for children under 5. There are six gold stars to collect inside a friendly and accessible reading booklet, along with lots of helpful tips about enjoying books and reading as a family. Stars are collected by coming to the library, whether you stay to explore books, attend a Story & Rhyme or just pop in to borrow a book. Once they have all six stars they will receive a certificate celebrating their achievement. Families are welcome to complete the challenge multiple times.

Aeroplane Watching at Leeds Bradford Airport – Multiflight Cafe/Yeadon Tarn/Hawthorne Farm

Clifton Park, Rotherham

Clifton Park in the heart of Rotherham is a wonderful place for the whole family. With parks, gardens and sport, rides and games and even an amazing museum, Clifton Park has everything you could need for the perfect day out!

Clifton Park has 2 car parks:

  • Clifton Park, Doncaster Road, Rotherham, South Yorks, S65 2BH
  • Clifton Park, Clifton Lane, Rotherham, South Yorks, S65 2AA

Dalby the Great Yorkshire Forest

Dalby Forest, managed by the Forestry Commission, offers over 8,000 acres of woodland to explore, enjoy and discover, including the Grand Father Oak play area for children, family BBQ and picnic areas, adrenalin activities for the thrill seekers and walking and cycling trails for all.

Admission free, just pay to park (£9 per car)

Dalby Forest Visitor Centre, Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire, YO18 7LT. Tel: 01751 460295.

Friends of Roundhay Park Children’s Adventure Trails

roundhay-park-trailFriends of Roundhay Park (FORP) FREE adventure trails in Roundhay Park have been designed by local children!   

The trials are free to use by all park visitors, with clue sheets being accessible in the Lakeside Cafe, Tropical World and the Mansion art gallery. You can also download the trail sheets here forp.org/little-friends-trails/

There are two trails, the first is an imagination trail called The Magical Fountains of Roundhay and is aimed at under 6s.

Designed for pre-schoolers this trail route is fully accessible to wheelchairs and pushchairs.  The route is split into 3 sections (ranging from 1km -1.5km in length) which can all be done together or split over several visits – children will need your help to read and understand what to do.  Imaginations at the ready

The second is an adventure trial where older children (6+) have to solve The Secret of Roundhay Castle by undertaking various tasks.

Designed for children of ages 6 and older, this trail is longer and more challenging.  The route is split into 3 sections (ranging from 1.5km – 2.5km in length) which can be done together or split over several visits.

FORP are encouraging children to undertake the trail and upload a photo to social media with the hashtag #littlefriendstrails. The answer sheets, certificates of completion and further information can be found on the FORP website – forp.org/little-friends-trails

Golden Acre Park

This popular park is renowned for its wonderful gardens, popular tea rooms and circular lakeside walk. Ideal for a family walk, scooter/pushchair friendly (on paths) and a great place to feed the ducks, play ball games and have a picnic

Off Arthington Road, Bramhope, Leeds LS16 8BQ Tel: 0113 261 0374

Kirkstall Abbey

Explore one of the most complete examples of a medieval Cistercian abbey in Britain. Set in wonderful parkland along the banks of the River Aire, Kirkstall Abbey boast historic architecture amid a haven of wildlife and greenery.

Family activities and trails are run throughout the year from the Visitor Centre check out the website for more details. Visit the shop and have the opportunity to buy unique and bespoke products.

Markets are held at the end of each month March – October, showcasing local producers, makers and creatives in the beautiful setting of the abbey cloister.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT THE WEBSITE
Kirkstall , Leeds , LS5 3EH Tel: 0113 3784079

Knaresborough Castle and Museum

Explore the remains of the King’s Tower with its eerie dungeon and climb the winding staircase to the upper chamber. Stroll around the castle grounds, following the information signboards, and enjoy the stunning view down to the river Nidd. You are welcome to picnic in the castle grounds.

The Castle grounds are open all year round, 24 hours a day. The Castle and Museum are open to visitors from Easter to September.

Castle Yard, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire HG5 8AS. Tel: 01423 556188

Leeds Art Gallery

Leeds Art Gallery reopened its doors (Autumn 2017) following the extensive refurbishment of the original Victorian roof and renovation of the Central Court. For the first time in a generation, visitors can see the stunning glass ceiling that has been transformed into a new gallery.

FREE ENTRY AND NO BOOKING NEEDED.

Find out more information about your visits here.

Family friendly workshops run throughout the year. Play space for young children at back of gallery (images courtesy of @inkandbearcub)

The Headrow, Leeds, LS1 3AA. Tel: 0113 247 8256.

Leeds Central Library

Visit this impressive building with a children’s reading area, baby changing facilities and life access from Victoria Gardens.

Free sessions for under 5s (no booking required);

Bounce & Rhyme- Mondays 1.30-2.30

Story & Rhyme- Thursdays 10.30-11.30

Closed Sundays

Central Library, Municipal Buildings, Calverley Street, Leeds, LS1 3AB

Leeds City Museum

Located in the heart of the city, Leeds City Museum is a treasure trove of six galleries and home to the Leeds Tiger and Nesaymun, the Ancient Egyptian Mummy.

Discover the natural world in the Life on Earth gallery with centuries-old fossils, extinct animal bones and stunning specifies from around the world. The Collector’s Cabinet holds some of our more curious objects and how they came to Leeds from the 1700s to the present day. You can also explore different cultures from across the globe inside the World View gallery.

On the first floor of the Museum you will find the Leeds Story galleries, telling the history of our city from the very first archaeological finds to incredible inventions and how Leeds has been shaped throughout the years. In here you will also find our regularly changing community displays which are co-curated with different groups of people.

The Ancient Worlds gallery tells the story of ancient civilisations including Rome, Greece and Egypt. Find out the amazing ways in which people lived and worked, the stories they told through art and objects, and how their discoveries informed our view of the world today.

The Museum also has a relaxing café serving a great range of good value food and drinks to enjoy.

Read more on the website here.

Leeds City Museum, Millennium Square, Leeds LS2 8BH. Tel: 0113 378 5001

Leeds City Museum for Toddlers

(more…)

Leeds City Museum at Easter

Constellation Trail

23 Mar – 14 Apr

Pick up a constellation trail and go on a museum stargazing adventure. Join this fun family activity finding and spotting stars through the museum. Tue – Sun in the Easter holidays, during opening hours. Free, drop in.


Planetarium Shows

2 Apr – bookable slots

Our main hall will be transformed to house the giant inflatable Planetarium, so kids can enjoy an immersive experience without leaving Earth!

Discover the magic of the cosmos, from beautiful constellations to the discoveries we’ve made and find out just how vast the solar system is. The imagery takes you beyond our planet and transports you to the far reaches of the solar system. Experience the Curiosity Rover plunging towards Mars, fly through the crevasses of icy moons, and take a tour of the constellations. The 360-degree experience is great for families to experience space together and ignite enthusiasm for future astronomers and space scientists.

Ages 5+, tickets available soon.


Cosmic Crafts

3 & 4 Apr, 10am – 12pm & 1 – 3pm

Drop into the museum for out of this world space themed crafts this Easter holidays. There’ll be something for all ages to make and take home.


Virtual Reality Storytelling Workshops

9 Apr, 10.30am – 12.30pm & 1.15 – 3.15 pm

Embark on an exciting spring adventure! Join us at Leeds City Museum this Easter for an exclusive workshop where you can bring your story to life through animation, all within the immersive world of Virtual Reality.

We’ll start the workshop with an interactive Virtual Reality experience using VR headsets. Young minds will be able to unleash their creativity by designing their very own interactive tale. From initial storyboarding to using coding techniques, participants will witness their creations come to life in VR. They’ll have the opportunity to incorporate museum objects into their stories and use simple code blocks to animate their narratives.

This workshop caters to anyone intrigued by immersive storytelling and eager to experiment with digital tools, making it perfect for beginners. We provide all the necessary devices, so all you need to bring is your insatiable curiosity and boundless creativity!

Booking essential – please note the morning workshop is for ages 7-9 years and the afternoon workshop for ages 10+. Participants must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Tickets available soon!

This workshop is run in collaboration with Leeds Young Film Festival 2024.


Sensory Room for Families with Additional Needs

11 Apr, 10.30 – 11.30am & 1 – 2pm

Pop-up sensory room for families who might find a visit to the museum overwhelming. The room has dark tents, light-up toys, squishy floor tiles, dens and a bubble tube. This event is for families with SEND, neurodiversity, autism and/or anxiety.

Tickets for the sensory room are free; booking is essential.

Meanwood Valley Urban Farm

Meanwood Valley Urban Farm is a working farm and charity just one mile from Leeds city centre with animals, gardens and woodlands to discover. A charity established in 1980, admission is just £3 for adults, 50p for children and free for under 2s. Memberships available for year-round unlimited visits.

Open daily 10am-3pm.No need to book. Dogs welcome if kept on a lead. Parking available.See FAQs before visiting: https://www.mvuf.org.uk/contact-us/faq/

Tel: 0113 262 9759Meanwood Valley Urban Farm, Sugar Well Rd, Leeds, LS7 2QG

National Coal Mining Museum, Wakefield

National Coal Mining MuseumThere is a lot to see and do at the National Coal Mining Museum. There are 14 galleries and buildings to explore, where you can find out all about the lives of miners. Plus there is an outdoor adventure playground, the opportunity to meet the pit ponies or talk to the blacksmiths who are busy restoring metalwork and creating new works of art.

Plus if you are over 5, you can put on a hard hat, grab a lamp and go on an adventure 140 metres underground into the coalmine (£5 donation welcomed for this activity). At if all that isn’t enough, you can explore the acres of woodland surrounding the museum and see how the bright orange mine water is cleaned.

???? Cost: Free admission
???? Where: The museum is on the main road between Wakefield and Huddersfield WF4 4RH
⏰ Opening times: Wednesday – Sunday, 10-4pm
ℹ️ See the National Coal Mining website for more information

National Railway Museum – York

Discover 300 years of history and over 1 million objects that changed the world in the UK’s largest railway museum. Explore opulent carriages of the royal family including Queen Victoria and her ‘Palace on Wheels’ in Station Hall. Watch engineering work in progress in the Workshop, discover previously unseen artwork, papers, reports, photographs, and small artefacts at the Search Engine research centre and blow off some steam in both the indoor and outdoor play area.

Opening times: 10am – 5pm daily. Closed 24, 25, 26th December.

Free Entry

NRM York, Leeman Road, York, YO26 4XJ

National Science & Media Museum – Bradford

Explore the science and culture of light and sound technologies and their impact on our lives. The museum aims to inspire our scientists and engineers of the future to see more, hear more, think more and do more.

The galleries and exhibition spaces help illuminate world-famous collections in photography, film and television and the team of Explainers create learning activities that fuel the imagination.

Three cinema screens—including an IMAX theatre—showcase the magic of moving images

Little Horton Lane, Bradford,  BD1 1NQ. Tel: 0844 856 3797

None Go By Farm – Horsforth

A family run farm, providing an excellent farm shop.  You can take a walk around the outside animal area and feed the animals (£1 per person), they even have Alpacas!.   There is also an indoor sandpit and small play area (£2 per child) with ride-ons and Little Tikes slide etc for children.  There is lots of free parking and a special picnic area.

Animal opening times Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm, Sundays and Mondays 10am-3pm.

None Go Bye Farm Shop, Otley Old Rd, Horsforth, Leeds, LS18 5HZ. Tel:0113 284 2206

Reservoir Walks in and around North Leeds

We love a walk around a reservoir, there is so much wildlife to spot! We are very lucky to have some beautiful spots locally which you can enjoy. Here are further details!

 

(more…)

Ride the water taxi in Leeds City Centre

A little known, and very scenic, route from Granary Wharf to Leeds Dock.  Jump on board one of the yellow water taxis, for a 15 minute trip down the canal, from the train station to the Royal Armouries Museum.

Mon – Fri: 7am-7pm
Saturday & Sunday: 10am-6pm

£2 per person, per journey.
Children 5 and under travel free.
Cash and card (including contactless) payments accepted.

Rodley Nature Reserve

Covid Update: Currently open Wednesday and Saturdays 1-5pm

Rodley Nature Reserve is designed to bring wetland wildlife back into the Leeds area.

Lots of activities for families: quiz trail guide, pond dipping (April – Oct), mini beast hunt, bird watching, moth trapping….and if the weather should spoil itself colouring sheets and quizzes are available in the Education Room at the Visitor Centre.

The Visitor Centre is open every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday and most Bank Holidays from 10am until 4pm.

Rodley Nature Reserve, Moss Bridge Road, Rodley, Leeds LS13 1HP. Tel:  0113 2040441

 

Room on the Broom Trail – Anglers Country Park (Wakefield)

The Room on the Broom trail takes visitors across Anglers Country Park on a special themed walk.

Starting from the Discovery Centre, the trail follows a route around the lake giving youngsters the chance to see sculptures of Witch, Cat, Dog, Bird, Frog and the terrifying Dragon! For extra fun and games along the trail, purchase an Explorer Pack for £2 from the Discovery Centre before you set off. As you journey along the route look out for the wildlife that call Anglers Country Park their home.

Some parts of the path may be muddy so sensible footwear is advised. Suitable for bikes and pushchairs.

The Adventure Trail and Country Park are both open all day, every day with free entry (parking is pay and display). There is also a great outdoor play area at the end of the trail.

Haw Park Lane,Wintersett,Wakefield,WF4 2EB. Tel: 01924 303980

Rory’s Tiger Club at Leeds City Museum

Join Rory the Tiger on a Saturday morning for different free craft activities.

Every week from 11am – 12.15pm.

Recommended age 5 to 11 years and families.

Leeds City Museum, Cookridge Street, Millennium Square, LS2 8BH. Tel: 0113 3785001

Royal Armouries

The Royal Armouries is home to the United Kingdom’s national collection of arms, armour and artillery. Look out for special seasonal & school holiday events. Free entry. Family friendly. Accessible site. Cafe & toilet facilities.

Royal Armouries, Leeds, LS10 1LT. Tel: 0113 220 1999.

RSPB Fairburn Ings

With pond dipping, regular fun events and walks to help you get away from it all, RSPB Fairburn Ings is the ideal place for adults and children to find out more about wildlife. Visitor centre open daily except Christmas day. Small parking charge. Accessible paths. Shop, snacks & toilet facilities.

Fairburn Ings, Castleford, WF10 2BH. Tel: 01977 628191

Sparky Saturdays at M&S Archive

We are open on the second Saturday of every month (10am-4pm) for you to come and explore our exhibition and try a different hands-on activity each month, and it’s all free.

Sparky Saturdays are open to everyone, our high-quality activities are designed to be fun and accessible to all ages, and the programme covers a wide variety of subjects, styles and experiences! Just check our website for more information on what’s happening each Saturday.

As well as the Sparky Saturday activities, you can try the Percy Pig trail around our family-friendly, interactive exhibition which tells the M&S story, spanning over 140 years on the high street.

Strike a pose in our dressing-up collection, go shopping in the Penny Bazaar and get creative in the Design Studio.

Free event. No booking required, just drop in.

Light refreshments are included, and you’re very welcome to bring your own food to eat in our indoor picnic area.

There’s more information about visiting the M&S Archive on our website https://archive.marksandspencer.com/

The Arium – Leeds Parks Nursery, Cafe and Playground

  • Extremely spacious and secure children’s play area,  giant sandpit and outdoor picnic area.
  • Craft area.
  • Pop up family events will be running throughout the year.
  • Family friendly cafe.
  • Garden shop & plant nursery.
  • Christmas Shop and stockist of Stockeld Park Christmas Trees
  • Accessible site with plenty of parking.

Tel: 0113 378 9985  Facebook

The site is close to the A64 end of Thorner Lane. If you turn off the A64 onto Thorner Lane, it’s the second turning on your right (after the cemetery).

The Hepworth Wakefield

The gallery brings together work from Wakefield’s art collection, exhibitions by contemporary artists and rarely seen works by Barbara Hepworth. Regular special events & kids art sessions. Cafe, shop, outdoor play area. Free. Closed Mondays.

Gallery Walk, Wakefield WF1 5AW. Tel: 01924 247360

The Holocaust Exhibition and Learning Centre

Our exhibition ‘Through Our Eyes’ is an interactive, multi-media exhibition following the lives of sixteen Holocaust survivors and child refugees who made new lives in Yorkshire. Visitors will see poignant personal photos of the survivors and their families and their original artefacts and documents, together with an original prisoner uniform and other artefacts from the concentration camps at Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora.

The exhibition is suitable for those over 10 years of age. For those studying the Holocaust or interested in local and global history the exhibition is a must-see.

http://www.holocaustlearning.org.uk/

Valley Gardens – Harrogate

The premier play park in Harrogate! The equipment is fantastic here with loads to do for all ages including a zip wire, fortress, plane, paddling pool as well as the usual slides, swings etc. There is also the recently completed skate park for the older kids.

There is a kiosk selling ice creams and light refreshments in the play area and further down the gardens there is a café which sells Ripley ice-cream as well as a boating pond and bandstand.

The park also offers pitch and put, crazy golf, Frisbee gold and tennis courts.

At the top of the Gardens lie the Pine Woods.

Valley Gardens, Harrogate HG1 2SZ

Curious about Leeds

Have fun (re-)discovering Leeds, spotting things you’ve never noticed before, with two quirky treasure hunt style heritage walks.

Visit our website to buy in printed booklet or instant download format, using code Mumbler20 for 20% off all purchases.
Other Yorkshire Curious About walks are: Harrogate, Hull, Ripon, Scarborough, Sheffield, Whitby and York.

READ OUR MUMBLER REVIEW HERE

 

York City Walls Walk

On a nice day, there isn’t a much better way to see the beautiful city  of York than walking around the walls.

Children can enjoy following the route via the golden disks on the floor and remember to take some paper and crayons so they can complete the map rubbings at each of the bars.

The walls go most of the way around the city, just having to get down to street level a couple of times. Not strictly buggy friendly but I know many who have managed it fine. Always a friendly visitor or local on hand to help!

×