The Royal Armouries, Leeds: FREE ENTRY to the Royal Armouries including special Gladiators Summer activities running. Book tickets online. Don’t forget to take a ride on the River taxi outside, £3pp, U5s FREE (Monday – Sunday, 10 am – 6 pm).
Armouries Dr, Leeds LS10 1LT

Bradford Museums: FREE ENTRY & ACTIVITIES. Are you almost ready for summer? Make sure you don’t miss out on all the fun FREE activities at Bradford Museums & Galleries. Find something to enjoy for everyone by exploring the collections at Cartwright Hall, Cliffe Castle Museum, Bolling Hall, and Bradford Industrial Museum.

National Science & Media Museum: FREE ENTRY & ACTIVITIES.

Leeds Art Gallery: DONATION ENTRY to the Museum. Leeds Art Gallery in Leeds, is a gallery, part of the Leeds Museums & Galleries group, whose collection of 20th-century British Art was designated by the British government in 1997 as a collection “of national importance”. Its collection also includes 19th-century and earlier artworks. Enjoy their new exhibition celebrating the richness and diversity of artistic talent in Leeds during the Leeds 2023 Year of Culture. The Headrow, Leeds LS1 3AA

Leeds City Museum: DONATION ENTRY. Drop into the museum for marvellous magic shows this summer. Magician Ray Burrell will be dazzling us with amazing magic tricks and balloon modelling in the main hall of the museum.. Full details here.
Leeds City Museum, Millennium Square, Leeds, LS2 8BH

National Coal Mining Museum: £5 PER CAR. Summer is here! Join us in our Pit Wood for our summer scavenger hunts, discover nature’s rainbow or the mini-beasts that call the Museum home. Full details here
Caphouse Colliery, New Rd, Overton, Wakefield WF4 4RH

Thackray Museum of Medicine: FREE ACTIVITIES. How did the Romans wipe? Where was the biggest poo fossil ever found? And what can we learn from old poo to stay healthy today?
This summer, we’re celebrating the science of going to the loo with Poo, Glorious Poo. There’ll be games outside the museum, as well as science shows, soap making workshops and backpack trails. From diet and digestion to disease and dung beetles, explore what happens after you eat and why your toilet habits matter more than you think

BOOK TICKETS

Activities are free with your museum ticket. Don’t forget that an admission ticket lasts a whole year so you can return every holiday!
141 Beckett St, Harehills, Leeds LS9 7LN

Abbey House Museum: FREE ACTIVITIES: Stories from our Story Time exhibition have spilled out into the Victorian Streets! You can find Mrs Tiggywinkle doing her washing, the Hungry Caterpillar munching his way through the grocer’s shop and seagulls eating the Lighthouse Keeper’s lunch. Come along to spot the stories plus a range of trails and crafts to join in for the whole family to work together. Drop-in during normal opening hours. Don’t forget to check out our Story Time exhibition while you’re here, all about children’s books through the ages! Full details here
Abbey Walk, Abbey Rd, Kirkstall, Leeds LS5 3EH

Local Attractions & Days Out:

East Riddlesden Hall: A Summer of Play – This summer, embark on a journey through time and experience games from different eras. Wander through the gardens and grounds, where ten exciting play stations await you. Spin the whirligig, challenge your friends to a game of blind man’s buff, or craft your own kite in the Discovery Room.

Travel to East Riddlesden Hall between 26 July – 31 August via the bus and you can save 50% on admission to the property. Just show a valid bus pass, ticket for travel or Transdev treat voucher to redeem this offer. Normal admission charges apply. FREE ENTRY for National Trust Members and under 5s
Bradford Rd, Riddlesden, Keighley BD20 5EL

Bolton Abbey:
Pop Up Beach & Pirate Ship – The magnificent pirate ship will be returning from the high seas this summer and will be moored on the ‘pop-up’ beach on the bank of the River Wharfe, outside the Cavendish Pavilion. Let your little ones imagine they have taken to the high seas by captaining our wooden galleon. Once on deck little pirates can enjoy the ship’s slide, climbing net, climbing wall, pirates’ pole and ship’s wheel! And of course there is space to build sandcastles galore!
Family Cycle Zone – Grow your little one’s confidence on two wheels with our safe area for children to cycle, away from the hazards of traffic and pedestrians. With “roads” cut through the grass and signs to mark the way, children can enjoy endless fun manoeuvring the roundabout and junctions!
Welly Walk –Embrace the outdoors and get ready for a muddy adventure! The Welly Walk leads you from the stepping stones to the Cavendish Pavilion cafe, whilst coming across lots of fun obstacles along the way. Pack a picnic and enjoy a family fun day out.This is a challenging adventure and some obstacles are not suitable for all age groups. Children must be supervised at all times.
FREE but estate admission charges apply.
Bolton Abbey, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 6EX

Tropical World Leeds: Discover the beauty of butterflies this summer at Tropical World! The butterflies are taking over this summer, and there’s something for everyone to enjoy! We’ve lots on offer:

• Big Butterfly Count 2025. Find out about these fascinating creatures.
• Keeper Talks. Stop by and learn about our butterflies, what they eat and their lifecycle (weekends).
• Children’s Craft Activities. Pop by the Activity Room for crafts and colouring (weekends).
• Tropical World Café. Treat yourself to a tasty snack in our café OR pick up a freshly made pizza at Tropical Lookout.

Lotherton: Enjoy all things summer at Lotherton this school holiday. With six weeks of summer fun, including a whole host of children’s entertainment, sand pit, tractor trailer rides*, crafts, activities and a family trail. Pre-booking essential. FREE EVENT but Normal estate admission applies.
Lotherton Hall, Off Collier Ln, Lotherton Ln, Aberford, Leeds LS25 3EB

RHS Harlow Carr: FREE ACTIVITIES. Get ready for a wild woodland adventure at RHS Garden Harlow Carr this summer! Head to our woodland basecamp for six weeks of hands-on fun and outdoor challenges, from epic den building and forest school workshops to woodland family yoga. Learn new skills including bushcraft and orienteering, and explore the world of trees on a family trail. All activities are included with garden admission. Free to RHS members and children under 5.
Crag Ln, Beckwithshaw, Harrogate HG3 1QB

Temple Newsham: Get creative with farm themed crafts. Families can make and take home their own special crafts, explore our exciting interactive trail, it’s fun for all the family. Don’t forget your camera, as there are plenty of photo opportunities! Visit our adorable animals, rare breed livestock and take in the stunning landscape of the Temple Newsam Estate. FREE ACTIVITIES. FREE ESTATE ENTRY, Normal admission applies for Farm & House, tickets can be bought online or in the shop. Full details here.
Temple Newsam Rd, Leeds LS15 0AE

Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal: FREE ACTIVITIES. Head to Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal for an entire summer jam-packed full of fun and games. Join in the fun from Saturday 19 July to Sunday 31 August. You’ll be full of beans but out of puff once you’ve found a cave by the abbey, a dark and winding tunnel and spotted some wildlife. All Summer of Play activities are included in standard admission. Summer of Play is sponsored by Starling Bank. Free to National Trust members and under-fives. Normal admission charges apply.
Fountains, Ripon HG4 3DY

FREE  OR LOW-COST ONGOING SUMMER EVENTS

Play in the Park: Play in the Park is back for Summer 2025 at Ilkley Riverside Gardens. Please come along and enjoy these free events. Includes inflatables, swingball, kwik cricket, rounders, frisbee, mini football, giant games, space hoppers, hula hoops, skipping & more. Full details here

Burley Summer Festival 2025: Scarecrow Trail: 16th – 24th August. This year’s theme is YORKSHIRE. Find out moe

Bradford Libraries Summer Reading Challenge 2025 – Library Events A range of events running at libraries across the Bradford District including Ilkley, Menston, Burley, Shipley, Bingley & Silsden.

Craven Museum Make & Take: Summer at Skipton Town Hall (See all dates) Free Drop-in. Join us for a relaxed, family craft session in the Concert Hall, suitable for children of all ages. Craven Museum Make & Take family crafts have become so popular we have extended each session to allow you to drop-in at any time over the two-hour event.Please be aware that room capacity is limited, you may be asked to have a look round the museum & gallery and come back later in the session.

Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival 2025: 9th – 17th August. Come and join the celebrations. We’ll have amazing scarecrows, amazing cakes and probably some amazingly erratic weather! It will be business as usual: same wacky and wonderful scarecrows, same beautiful scenery and views, same gorgeous cakes and soup, and same great value. We aim to give you a wonderful family day out that really won’t break the bank. In fact, bring a picnic and the whole day will cost you less than a fiver for a family.

Tiny Totley Studio: FREE ENTRY. Yorkshire Contemporary, (formerly known as The Tetley) are delighted to announce that their artist-designed play space, Tiny Tetley Studio, is moving to Leeds Central Library under a new name: Tiny Totley Studio! Featuring a slide, a den, tactile objects and a bespoke sound installation, the artist uses play and contemporary art to create an alternative to commercial spaces for children and their families. Full details here
Leeds Central Library, Calverley St, Leeds LS1 3AB

FREE Stay & Play at Leeds Markets: Every Friday during the Summer holidays 11 am – 3 pm Join us for free activities in the Market Kitchen where our ‘stay and play zone’ will be set up. Find out More