Rainy day activities in Leeds

5 ALIVE BRADFORD ADVENTURE- SOFTPLAY/TRAMPOLINE

Bradford · ages 0-16

Trampolines, go-karting and a proper soft play maze under one roof, with sessions capped so nobody outstays the queue for the slide.

Birthday partiesCaféFree parkingHalal options+3 more

Action Zone

Harrogate

Laser combat and Nerf wars battles for £20 a session, booked by phone rather than online.

Bike parking

Air Ninja Leeds

Leeds · ages 0-16

An inflatable assault course with swings and vaults for kids 4 and up, plus a separate tots zone for the under-4s.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredFree parkingIndoor seating+3 more

AJ's Roller Disco

Bradford · ages 0+

A Sunday afternoon roller disco with a DJ, music and skate hire from infant sizes up to adult.

Birthday partiesToilets

Alhambra Theatre, Bradford

Bradford · ages 0+

A proper stage for panto, musicals and dance, with babes-in-arms tickets for £2.50 if you have a tiny one.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesBlue badge parking+7 more

Archive

Leeds

A board game café in Leeds with quiz nights and paint-and-wine evenings, plus a coffee house and bar on site.

Accessible toiletBaby changeParkingWheelchair accessible

Askham Bryan Wildlife & Conservation Park

York · ages 3+

Feed meerkats and lemurs, meet giant tortoises and get behind the scenes with otters and their keepers.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGroup bookingsSchool visits

ATELIER HUB

Leeds

Build your own mosaic lamp from scratch in a single sit-down workshop, no painting-a-pot shortcuts here.

Bingley Arts Centre home of Bingley Little Theatre

Bingley

A local theatre in Bingley putting on family shows like It's A Wonderful Life, with tickets you book ahead and can't get refunded.

Booking required

Boom Battle Bar Leeds

Leeds · ages 0-18

Axe throwing, crazy golf and shuffleboard under one roof, with under-18s welcome until 7pm if an adult's in tow.

Birthday partiesCard onlyGroup bookingsIndoor seating+1 more

BOX Leeds

Leeds

A sports bar with 35 screens, shuffleboard and electric darts, plus bandeoke and live bands some nights.

Allergy awareVegetarian options

Bradford Ice Arena

Bradford

Public skating sessions and Learn to Skate lessons on the ice, plus weekend birthday parties with food thrown in.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféWheelchair accessible

Bradford Industrial Museum

Bradford · ages 0-5

Free hands-on look at old mill life, with blacksmiths, weavers and spinners working the machinery in front of you.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingCafé+5 more

Bradford Playhouse

Bradford

A local theatre putting on family shows, with step-free access to the stalls and a lift up to the bar.

Accessible toiletBaby changeStep-free access

Bramhope Scout Campsite and Activity Centre

Leeds · ages 4-18

A scout campsite near Leeds with a 40ft climbing tower, pedal karts, low ropes and axe throwing for groups camping or visiting for the day.

Group bookingsIndoor playOutdoor playParking+1 more

Buy Nowt LS6 - Library of Things

Leeds

Borrow tools, camping gear and household kit for a small donation instead of buying new, at a volunteer-run lending library in Headingley.

Membership scheme

Cannon Hall - Museum

Cawthorne

Free entry to a hall packed with sensory toys, plus woodland trails, tepees and a proper adventure playground outside.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCaféDog friendly+7 more

Cartwright Hall

Bradford

Free art galleries in a grand Victorian hall, with a park, boating lake and playground right outside for afterwards.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBottle warmingCafé+8 more

chillchillcats goodies & craftroom

Leeds

Paint your own pottery or ceramics, then try a shrink plastic cat head workshop or calligraphy on an agate plate.

Clip ‘n Climb ILKLEY (Independent family business)

Ilkley · ages 2-80

Twenty-one climbing walls to work through, from a teddy-rescue challenge for tots to disco climbs with the lights down.

Baby changeBirthday partiesBooking requiredBreastfeeding friendly+9 more

Clip 'n Climb Leeds & Woodpeckers Diner

Leeds · ages 2+

32 climbing walls, a speed wall and a vertical drop slide, with a 90 minute session that's mostly briefing then an hour of climbing.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesBooking requiredCafé+8 more

Clip n' Climb Garforth

Leeds · ages 2-18

Thirty auto-belay climbing lines and a Vertical Drop slide, with a strict hour in the arena once the harness goes on.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesBooking requiredCafé+8 more

Cobbles & Clay

Haworth · ages 0-99

Pick a pot, slap on the paints and settle in for two hours at a table that doubles as your café spot in Haworth.

Allergy awareBaby changeBike parkingBooking required+3 more

Cottage Road Cinema

Leeds

An old-school independent cinema screening films, with under-14 tickets a fair bit cheaper than adult ones.

Craftea Cafe

Leeds

A pallet-built castle and curtain dens for imaginative play, tucked upstairs above a café that does birthday parties too.

Baby changeBirthday partiesCaféIndoor play

Crag House Farm

Leeds

A farm shop and garden centre site with a children's play area, sensory gardens and a conservation walk to wander round.

CaféGift shopIndoor seatingPicnics allowed+1 more

Crowd of Favours

Leeds

A board game café in Leeds with small plates, Sunday roasts and pub quiz nights to plan an evening around.

Food on siteParty rooms

Delta Force Paintball Leeds

Leeds · ages 7+

Paintball across eight outdoor zones, with a lightweight Mini Paintball option for ages 7 to 10.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGroup bookingsSchool visits

Diggerland Yorkshire

Castleford · ages 4-14

Kids get behind the controls of real diggers and dumpers, plus over 20 rides included in one ticket.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGift shopGroup bookings+5 more

Escape Hunt Leeds

Leeds · ages 8+

Locked in a themed room for an hour, racing to solve clues before the clock beats you.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCard onlyDog friendly+4 more

Escape Reality Leeds

Leeds

Seven themed escape rooms to crack in an hour, working in a team to crack codes and puzzles before the clock runs out.

Group bookings

Everyman Leeds

Leeds

Cinema screenings built round babies and toddlers, with the sound down and the lights kept low so nobody has to sit still.

Food on siteRestaurantSensory friendlyStep-free access+2 more

Experience Barnsley Museum & Discovery Centre

Barnsley

Free museum with an Egyptian LEGO trail, a Cleopatra exhibition and a Friday session just for under-5s.

Accessible toiletCaféChanging PlacesFree parking+8 more

Ferrybridge Aquatics

Knottingley

A fish shop and aquarium browse with around 500 species on show, good for a quiet wander rather than a big day out.

Fired Art Designs

Pontefract · ages 6+

Paint your own pottery or have a go on the wheel, with birthday parties from £15 a head at weekends.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredFree parkingGroup bookings+2 more

Firefly Pottery

Leeds

Have a go at throwing on a wheel, hand building with clay, or painting a piece to glaze and collect later.

Booking requiredCaféFree parkingToilets

Flight Club Leeds

Leeds · ages 12+

Tech-tracked darts with a screen calling the rules, and a proper family window before the venue turns 18+ for the night.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsIndoor playFood on site+1 more

Flip Out Leeds

Leeds

Wall-to-wall trampolines, nine slides and a laser quest arena under one roof, with sessions timed to the minute.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesBooking requiredCard only+8 more

Freeklime Huddersfield

Huddersfield

An indoor bouldering centre where kids tackle graded problems on the walls and can join proper climbing classes.

CaféIndoor play

Go Karting Leeds - GT Karting

Leeds · ages 8+

Dual-level indoor karting for over-8s, plus VR racing and a motion-seat sim rig for when you're waiting your turn.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCafé

Grass Hoppers Indoor & Outdoor Play (Tingley Garden Centre)

Leeds · ages 0-10

A giant indoor and outdoor play sprawl with zip wires, bouncing pillows and a giant sandpit, booked in timed sessions.

Baby changeBirthday partiesBooking requiredBreastfeeding friendly+8 more

Grass Hoppers Indoor & Outdoor Play (Tong Garden Centre)

Bradford · ages 0-10

A mix of giant sandpit, zip wire and bouncing pillows outdoors, plus a soft play frame and toddler zone indoors for wet days.

Baby changeBirthday partiesBooking requiredBreastfeeding friendly+9 more

Guiseley Theatre

Leeds

A proper old-school theatre for pantomime and family shows, with the rules of a building that's been standing for 156 years.

Accessible toiletEV chargingToilets

Happy Planet Play Centre

Bradford · up to age 6

A soft play built round loose parts and open-ended play with natural and reused materials, aimed squarely at under-sixes.

Allergy awareBirthday partiesCaféIndoor seating+1 more

Harewood Castle

Leeds

A medieval castle ruin in the grounds with three adventure play areas outside and hands-on activities inside the house.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesCafé+13 more

Harrogate Theatre

Harrogate

A proper old theatre in the town centre doing family shows, with doors opening an hour before curtain up.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingBooking required+2 more

Harrosk8 Roller Disco

Harrogate

Two Saturday sessions of roller skating with helpers on hand, £6 in and £2 for skate hire, cash only.

Cash onlyParking

Hebden Bridge Little Theatre

Hebden Bridge

Proper pantomime and drama in a small local theatre, with a bar for interval drinks and ice cream in your seat.

Accessible toiletCaféHearing loopWheelchair accessible

Hesketh Farm Park

Skipton

Feed the animals, tear round a straw maze and a giant indoor sandpit, then hop on Farmer Chris's tractor and trailer.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesCafé+11 more

Hippodrome Theatre

Todmorden

A proper old theatre in town that puts on family shows, with doors opening half an hour before curtain up.

Accessible toiletDog friendlyFood on siteToilets+1 more

Honey Pottery

Leeds

Paint a ceramic pot or plate, leave it for firing, and come back a week later to a proper finished piece.

Hopewell Studios

Knaresborough

A pottery and craft studio where kids can try hand-building, painting or screen printing over a proper course rather than a one-off session.

Indoor seatingFood on siteOutdoor playParking+1 more

Houdini's Escape Room Experience - Leeds

Leeds · ages 2-18

Sixty minutes locked in a themed room working through puzzles and riddles as a team, with the game master watching the clock.

Booking requiredCard onlyGroup bookings

Houdini’s Escape Room Experience - Wakefield

Wakefield · ages 2+

You get 60 minutes locked in a room together, working through puzzles and riddles as a team to escape before time runs out.

Booking requiredGroup bookings

Huddersfield Observatory

Huddersfield · ages 0+

Solar telescopes, star talks and beginner astronomy courses run by a members' society meeting twice a month.

ParkingPicnics allowedToilets

Hyde Park Book Club

Leeds

A late-opening bar and events space with music nights, comedy, art events and yoga, not a soft play or kids' venue in the usual sense.

Accessible toiletRestaurantStep-free access

Jackaboos Ltd

Pudsey · ages 1-6

A play café for under-sixes in Pudsey, with pre-booked sessions and parties for up to 30 kids.

Allergy awareBirthday partiesBooking requiredIndoor play+4 more

Jasmine Cafe

Leeds

A halal Middle Eastern café in Leeds doing breakfast, wraps and baked goods, open seven days for a sit-down bite with the kids.

Allergy awareHalal optionsVegetarian options

Jigsaw Juniors Horsforth

Horsforth, Leeds · ages 0-6

Soft play built for the under sixes, with two wavy slides, a ball pond and Cozy Coupes to pedal round a mini townscape.

Baby changeBirthday partiesCaféFree parking+5 more

Joseph Rowntree Theatre

York

Pantomime and family theatre shows with old-school perks like ice creams brought to your seat.

Accessible toiletHearing loopToilets

Jumparooz Trampoline and Inflatable Park

Bradford · ages 0+

An hour of trampolines, a foam pit and a ninja assault course, with a toddler-only bounce for the under-fives.

Birthday partiesCaféGroup bookingsIndoor seating+2 more

Kanyu Escape - escape games

Wetherby · ages 8+

Themed rooms and an outdoor puzzle hunt in the Poachers' Compound, booked in advance and priced by group size.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredFree parkingGroup bookings+2 more

Kids Club 515

Bradford · ages 5-15

A term-time and holiday club where kids mix homework help with gaming, cooking, sports and drama sessions.

Indoor playFood on siteOutdoor play

Kids Club House

Leeds · ages 0-12

Three big soft play slides, a football pitch and race track, plus a proper baby corner for the pre-walkers.

Allergy awareBirthday partiesCaféFree parking+7 more

King Pins

Leeds · ages 0-18

Bowling, mini golf and batting cages under one roof, plus karaoke booths for the ones too cool to bowl.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsFood on siteParty rooms

Kirkstall Abbey

Leeds

A ruined medieval abbey to wander round, with a café for tea and cake once the legs give out.

Baby changeCaféParkingToilets

Krazy Kids

Heckmondwike · ages 0-12

A big indoor play barn with slides, a zip wire and a football pitch, and you can stay as long as you like.

Birthday partiesCaféFree parkingIndoor play+4 more

Laserforce Leeds

Leeds

A three-floor laser tag arena where you tool up and hunt each other round the levels for up to 20 minutes a game.

Birthday partiesGroup bookings

LaserZone

Castleford · ages 6+

Kitted-out laser tag arena with a proper briefing and scorecards to compare, plus a glow-in-the-dark mini golf course to fill the rest of the visit.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféFree parking+5 more

Last Sun Dance Climbing

Leeds · ages 14+

Bouldering, gym and padel for teenagers and adults, with under-14s limited to the café.

CaféIndoor playLockersFood on site

Lawrence Batley Theatre

Huddersfield · ages 0+

Proper theatre seats and a stage full of pantomime, puppets or dinosaurs, with tickets from £16 and under-2s free on a lap.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesCaféGroup bookings+6 more

Leeds Discovery Centre

Leeds

Get behind the scenes of the actual museum store, where the objects normally kept out of sight are stacked and shelved for real.

Baby changeBooking requiredParkingToilets+1 more

Leeds Industrial Museum at Armley Mills

Leeds

A former woollen mill where under-5s get seasonal crafts and drop-in play among the old machinery.

Baby changeParkingToilets

Leeds Minster

Leeds

A free look round a Victorian neo-gothic church, with organ recitals and a family service that doesn't need you to sit still and behave.

Accessible toiletFood on siteStep-free accessToilets+1 more

Leeds Playhouse

Leeds · ages 0+

A proper theatre programme for kids, from babe-in-arms shows to youth drama sessions for teens.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesBooking required+6 more

Leodis Games

Leeds

A café with gaming tables and shelves of board games for wargaming or a quiet family game night.

CaféIndoor seating

LIFE Play

Bradford · ages 0-5

Role play, a baby-only sensory room and a small outdoor garden, all under one roof for under-fives.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféFree parking+8 more

Little Streets at Crossgates LTD

Leeds · ages 0-10

A role-play town of tiny shops, a vet's clinic and a fire station, built for under-tens in 90-minute sessions.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredParty roomsSensory friendly

Live For Today Climbing Centre (Harrogate)

Harrogate · ages 3+

Bouldering and an auto climb wall for kids from age three, with walk-in sessions and no time limit on your visit.

Locked In Games Live Escape Game Leeds

Leeds

Small teams work a room together to crack puzzles and codes, with the price per head dropping the bigger your group gets.

Birthday partiesFree parkingGroup bookings

LS-TEN

Leeds · ages 4-8

A skatepark session for kids to try skateboards, scooters and BMX, with a Mini Riders slot for the younger ones.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféParty rooms

Mags On Ramps

Halifax · ages 5+

An indoor skate park with ramps, a bowl, a foam pit and a street course for scooters, BMX, skateboards and inline skates.

Birthday partiesCaféCard onlyIndoor play+3 more

MERKUR Casino - Leeds

Leeds · adults only (18+)

This one's an 18+ venue in Leeds city centre with a free bar buffet at silly o'clock, not somewhere for the kids.

Food on siteParkingPublic transport nearbyRestaurant+1 more

Milestone Ranch

Doncaster · ages 1-16

Petting barn animals, a soft play barn with slides and a zip line, plus a scan-and-solve trail round the outdoor park.

Birthday partiesCaféIndoor playOutdoor play+2 more

Monkey Maze Play Garforth

Garforth Leeds · ages 0-11

Dedicated Garforth soft play with cafe, parties and SEND sessions - book ahead.

ParkingToiletsCaféBaby change+2 more

Moumita's Art Zone

Leeds · ages 3-18

Small-group art classes in Leeds taking kids from first pencil marks to acrylics and watercolours.

Mount Sion Steam Crane

Manchester

Free crafts and guided nature or wildlife walks around a historic steam crane site on a Canal Fun Day.

Munchkins Soft Play

Leeds · ages 0-12

Two separate play frames, one for under-twos and one for the bigger climbers, with sessions capped at two hours.

Allergy awareBaby changeBirthday partiesBooking required+9 more

National Centre for Birds of Prey (NCBP)

Helmsley

Watch birds of prey fly free over 300 acres of parkland, with three flying demos a day and woodland walks between them.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingCafé+7 more

National Coal Mining Museum for England

Wakefield · ages 0+

Free entry to a 42 acre former colliery, with the real draw being a guided trip 140 metres underground.

Accessible toiletAllergy awareBike parkingBlue badge parking+13 more

National Railway Museum

York

Free York train museum - Flying Scotsman vibes, Station Hall and optional Wonderlab.

Accessible toiletGift shopFood on siteToilets+3 more

National Science and Media Museum

Bradford

Free galleries on photography, film and gaming, plus an interactive light and sound lab and the UK's largest cinema screen.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingCafé+8 more

Ninja Warrior UK Adventure (Leeds)

Leeds · ages 4+

A course of climbing, balancing and inflatable bouncing built around the actual Warped Wall from the telly show.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféCard only+3 more

None Go Bye Farm

Leeds

A quid gets you into the animal park to feed alpacas, goats and pigs, with an indoor play area for when it rains.

Dog friendlyFree parkingIndoor playFood on site

Northern Ballet

Leeds

Story ballets like Robin Hood and Clara & The Nutcracker, plus workshops and classes for kids who fancy a go themselves.

Café

NQ64 Arcade Bar - Leeds

Leeds · adults only (18+)

A bar full of retro arcade machines and consoles, but this one's for the grown-ups, not the kids, most of the week.

Café

Number Train

Leeds · ages 2-5

Themed maths sessions for toddlers and preschoolers, mixing dancing, stories and craft with counting and patterns.

Old Queen's Head

Sheffield

A Grade II listed Tudor building in Sheffield with a courtyard to explore and pub food to fill you up after.

Food on siteRestaurant

Opera North, Howard Opera Centre

Leeds

Full opera and youth choruses for kids, with subtitles above the stage and seats from £16.

Wheelchair accessible

Painting Pots

Knaresborough

A two-hour sit-down painting pots, making squishies or decorating foam clay, with the finished pottery collected a fortnight later.

Baby changeBirthday partiesBooking requiredGroup bookings+5 more

PB’s Play Village

Halifax · ages 0-6

Small ones role-play in a vet's, castle and supermarket, then climb the soft play frame, all in two-hour sessions built for under-sevens.

Birthday partiesCaféIndoor playKids menu+3 more

Peak Cavern

Castleton

Walk a guided showcave under the gorge with a rope-makers story - chilly low section, from £13.75 online for children.

Booking required

Penistone Paramount Cinema

Sheffield · ages 0-18

A proper old-school Penistone cinema with panto in January, family film screenings, and seats upstairs you'll have to climb stairs for.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingCafé+5 more

Pet Station

Rotherham

A pet shop where kids can wander past guinea pigs, hamsters, fish tanks and even iguanas for free.

Free parking

Pictureville Cinema at National Science and Media Museum

Bradford · ages 0-18

A proper cinema screen inside the museum, with IMAX next door if the big kids want the giant screen version.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCard onlyDog friendly+2 more

Pixel Bar Leeds

Leeds

Gaming booths with Switch 2, PS5 or Xbox, plus a cocktail and food menu, open till the small hours on a Friday.

Booking required

Playtopia Play Centre

Halifax

Slides, climbing frames and a ride-on track under one roof, booked online in a slot you can turn up to whenever suits.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféFirst aid+4 more

Playworld Huddersfield

Huddersfield · ages 0-10

Four floors of soft play plus an indoor roller rink, with a baby zone for the under-twos and socks compulsory throughout.

Birthday partiesCaféFree parkingIndoor play+3 more

Ponden Kirk & Fairy Cave

Keighley

A rocky crevice cave and gritstone outcrop on the moors above Haworth, tied to the Brontë novels.

Pots2Go Ceramic Café

Harrogate

Paint a plate, stuff a bear or make slime, then wait a fortnight for the kiln to do its thing.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesCafé+6 more

Riley-Smith Hall

Tadcaster

A community hall running baby ballet, drama classes and dance shows, with social dances for the adults too.

Food on siteWheelchair accessible

Roxy Ball Room Leeds Boar Lane

Leeds

American pool, tech darts, crazy pool and karaoke booths under one roof, but it's strictly an over-18s night out, not a family venue.

Accessible toiletBooking requiredCard onlyToilets

Roxy Lanes Leeds The Light

Leeds · ages 0-18

Bowling, tech darts, curling and shuffleboard under one roof, with kids paying £6 a game whatever they play.

Accessible toiletBooking requiredCard onlyGroup bookings+4 more

Royal Armouries Museum

Leeds

Free armour museum by Leeds Dock - live combats, hands-on kits and a crossbow challenge.

Gift shopFood on siteToiletsWheelchair accessible

RugRatz Play Gym

Leeds · ages 0-12

Pay-and-play soft play with two slides for the under-2s and no time limit on how long you stay.

Birthday partiesCaféIndoor playIndoor seating+4 more

Salt Pots Ceramic Studio

Shipley · ages 5+

Kids from 5 up paint pottery, squish foam clay onto pieces, or build clay creatures, with birthday parties laid on too.

Birthday partiesParty rooms

Salts Mill

Saltaire

Free art galleries, shops and cafés in a huge Victorian mill, with Hockney's paintings the big draw.

Accessible toiletBlue badge parkingCaféFree parking+4 more

Scalakids School of Performing Arts

Leeds · ages 3+

Weekly dance, drama and singing classes for kids from age 3, covering everything from jazz to script work and improvisation.

Shadows of York Ghost Walk

York · ages 8+

A 90 minute guided walk through York's darker history, told with proper storytelling and best kept for kids who can handle a scare.

Booking requiredGroup bookingsParkingWheelchair accessible

Showcase Cinema de Lux Leeds

Batley

A cinema with free parking, wheelchair access in every screen, and a sensory friendly showing each Sunday morning.

Blue badge parkingFree parkingFood on siteSensory friendly+1 more

Slick City Action Park Nottingham

Nottingham · ages 4+

Nottingham - Slick City indoor slide action park in Lenton, dry slides and Air Courts from £14.95.

CaféBirthday partiesBooking required

Speedwell Cavern

Castleton · ages 5-15

A boat ride into a flooded lead mine to see the Bottomless Pit, down 106 steps in Castleton.

Booking requiredParking

Splash World

Southport

Water slides and a swimming pool under one roof, open weekends all year and weekdays in the school holidays.

Birthday partiesFood on siteVegetarian options

Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre

Leeds

A theatre with proper family touches sorted, from pram storage to relaxed performances for anxious first-timers.

Baby changeCaféHigh chairsPram storage+1 more

Stompers Play Gym

Batley · ages 0-8

Five zones from a spider web maze to a ball pool, plus a toddler den, all under one roof for the 0 to 8 crowd.

Birthday partiesCaféFree parkingGroup bookings+3 more

Sunken Studio

Leeds · adults only (18+)

An adults-only pottery studio in Leeds, so this one's for a grown-up outing rather than a kids' day out.

Sunny Bank Mills Gallery

Pudsey

Free gallery of art and textiles with hands-on craft workshops, plus a Saturday mill museum tour if you fancy the history bit too.

Booking requiredCaféFree parkingFood on site+2 more

Swarthmore Education Centre

Leeds

Family pottery and jewellery making courses in a Leeds education centre with its own café for a break afterwards.

Bike parkingCafé

Swell UK Ltd - Garden, Pond and Aquatic Supplies

Hyde

A garden and aquatic supplies shop where you can wander past tanks of tropical, coldwater and marine fish, plus reptiles and amphibians.

Swithens Farm

Leeds · ages 0+

Bottle-feed calves and lambs, groom rabbits and bounce on the undercover pillow, open Friday to Monday only.

Baby changeBirthday partiesCaféFree parking+5 more

TeamSport Go Karting Leeds

Leeds · ages 8+

Indoor go-karting on a 580m multi-level circuit, with a Mini Racers option for the under-eights who aren't tall enough yet.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesBooking requiredCard only+8 more

Tenpin Leeds

Leeds · ages 4-16

Bumpers and lighter balls make the lanes work for a four-year-old, while escape rooms and karaoke give older kids somewhere to go after.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsIndoor seatingFood on site+1 more

The Academy Theatre

Barnsley

Touring West End shows and pantomimes on a proper stage, with a restaurant next door for the pre-show bit.

CaféDog friendlyFree parkingRestaurant+1 more

The Bloody Tour of York

York

A 90-minute guided walk through York's snickleways, told through tales of torture, execution and ghostly goings-on.

The Carriageworks Theatre

Leeds · ages 3+

A proper theatre stage in Leeds putting on family shows and film festivals for kids from about age three up.

Accessible toiletBike parkingBlue badge parking

The Clay Mill

Huddersfield

Wheel throwing and hand-building pottery in a fully accessible studio in Slaithwaite, with birthday sessions on offer too.

Accessible toiletGift shopParkingPublic transport nearby+2 more

The Climbing Lab

Leeds · ages 5-18

Bouldering walls with colour-coded kids' routes, a power tunnel to try, and no need to book once you're a member.

Birthday partiesCaféDog friendlyGift shop+7 more

The Cooper Gallery

Barnsley

Free art gallery visits with sensory backpacks to borrow for kids who find busy spaces tricky.

Accessible toiletCaféGift shopPublic transport nearby+5 more

The Craft House, Bingley

Bingley

Sit down and paint your own pottery, then grab lunch in the café afterwards.

CaféDog friendlyKids menuVegetarian options+1 more

The Ghost Bus Tours York

York · ages 5+

A 75-minute comedy-horror tour of York's darkest tales aboard a vintage Routemaster bus, with actors playing it up as you go.

Booking required

The Grand Theatre & Opera House Leeds

Leeds

A proper old theatre in the city centre for a live show, with Secret Seats from £22 if you fancy a gamble on where you sit.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCaféGroup bookings+2 more

The Hepworth Wakefield

Wakefield · ages 2-18

Gallery-inspired art making for kids, from the Art Pod to garden building sessions, with under-18s going in free.

Baby changeCaféGift shopOutdoor play+3 more

The Hut Youth Hub and Community Centre

Castleford

A youth hub with a roller disco, a bowling alley and a sports hall under one roof, open weekdays till 9pm.

Free parkingParkingWi-Fi

The Kidsplay (Formerly Kidzplay Leeds)

Leeds · ages 0-13

Three levels of soft play with two curly slides, a separate toddler corner, and a café doing proper hot meals.

Allergy awareBirthday partiesCaféIndoor play+6 more

The Kill House Indoor Airsoft Arena

Dewsbury · ages 11+

Team airsoft battles through a maze of tight corridors and rooms, firing plastic pellets at the opposing side.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredFood on siteParking+1 more

The Lamproom Theatre

Barnsley

A community theatre in Barnsley putting on panto and family shows, with parking right opposite.

Food on siteWheelchair accessible

The Leeds Library

Leeds

A working library of 140,000-plus historic books in Leeds city centre, open to non-members for a peek at set times each week.

The Little Bees (Formerly Kidzplay Harrogate)

Harrogate · ages 0+

A multi-level soft play frame, football pitch and a role play village with its own café and fire station for under-tens.

Birthday partiesCaféFree parkingIndoor play+2 more

The Little Theatre

Idle, Bradford

A local stage in Idle putting on Rapunzel this January, with a performing arts academy running alongside it.

ParkingToilets

The Little Town of Play Batley

Batley

A miniature role-play town with eleven pretend shops and services for kids to dress up and run themselves.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféCard only+3 more

The Original Ghost Walk of York

York

A guided night walk round York's haunted spots, starting at 8pm and taking about 75 to 90 minutes on foot.

Card only

The Pottery Café Halifax

Halifax

Pick a piece of pottery, paint it however you like, and take home a plate, mug or animal figure a few days later.

Birthday partiesCaféParty rooms

The Pottery Spot

Brighouse

Pick a plain ceramic pot, mug or animal figurine and paint it, then wait a week or two for it to come back glazed and fired.

Baby changeBirthday partiesGroup bookingsToilets+1 more

The Puzzling World Of Professor Kettlestring

York · ages 5+

Nine trippy, illusion-filled rooms to wander at your own pace, no escape-room clock ticking over your shoulder.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesBooking requiredDog friendly+6 more

The Royal Dragoon Guards Museum and Regimental Association

York

A small military history museum in York with tanks, battle honours and regimental artefacts spanning 1685 to now.

Accessible toiletGift shopToiletsWheelchair accessible

The York Dungeon

York · ages 5+

Ten live-actor shows walk you through York's grislier history, dark rooms, jump scares and all, in a 75-minute loop.

Accessible toiletBooking requiredToiletsWheelchair accessible

Tiger Moth Experience

Leeds

A real flight in an open cockpit biplane, with a go at the controls and a pilot's uniform for the photos.

Booking requiredCafé

Tiny Boo LTD

Leeds · ages 0-5

A toddler-sized play structure in Headingley for the under-fives, with £12.50 daily play and Saturday party slots.

Tiny Tykes Play

Pudsey · ages 0-5

Soft play, ride-on toys and a dressing-up shop for under-fives, in timed 1.5 hour sessions with a café table guaranteed for the whole visit.

Allergy awareBaby changeBirthday partiesBooking required+7 more

Treak Cliff Cavern

Castleton · ages 5-17

A 45-minute self-guided walk into a real cavern hung with Blue John stone, but it's steps and slopes, not a pram job.

ParkingToiletsCaféGift shop+1 more

Tropical World

Leeds · ages 0-15

A warm, indoor rainforest walk with free-flying birds, meerkats and a Creature Cavern, done in under two hours.

Accessible toiletAllergy awareBlue badge parkingCafé+7 more

Tumble Town Adventure Play

Leeds · ages 0-6

Soft play and bear making for little ones, with a café menu that stretches to gluten free and vegan.

Allergy awareBirthday partiesCaféIndoor play+3 more

Victoria Theatre Halifax

Halifax

Ballet, panto and big musicals on stage in Halifax, with wheelchair access and a hearing loop built in.

Accessible toiletHearing loopToilets

Wakefield Museum

Wakefield

Free museum with craft Saturdays and a weekly Museum Minis session for the under-fives, no ticket needed.

Breastfeeding friendlyCaféDog friendlyHearing loop+2 more

Welcome In Community Centre & Cafe

Leeds

A community centre and café with music sessions for kids, a play corner, and a youth room with table tennis and Wii.

Birthday partiesCaféGroup bookingsIndoor seating+2 more

Wentworth Garden Centre

Rotherham

A free-to-wander garden centre day out with a family farm, an adventure playground and a pets and aquatics centre to nose round.

Baby changeCaféDog friendlyFree parking+6 more

West Yorkshire Astronomical Society

Pontefract

Open nights with planetarium shows and real telescope observing, run in small groups so nobody's just staring at the back of someone's head.

Booking required

Wizard Walk of York

York · ages 3-10

A guided wizard-themed walk round York's streets, about an hour and a quarter of stops, stories and a photo at the end.

Booking requiredPushchair friendly

World of their Own

Harrogate · ages 3+

A themed soft play world in Harrogate with a Wild West party package, a proper café and an ice cream parlour on site.

Birthday partiesCaféIndoor playFood on site

Wriggle Monsters Baby Club - Sensory Classes

Leeds · ages 0-13

An hour of lights, bubbles, massage and messy play built for babies from a few days old up to 13 months.

Booking required

Yeah! Days Out (Batley)

Batley · ages 0+

A splash park with slides and a lazy river, active gaming at TAG X, and a play gym with a four-storey frame, all under one roof in Batley.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféFree parking+5 more

York Castle Museum

York · ages 5+

A recreated Victorian street and two real prisons to poke about in, best tackled with kids who can walk the whole thing themselves.

CaféToiletsWheelchair accessibleBaby change+1 more

York Mansion House

York · ages 0+

A working Georgian townhouse with puzzle trails and daily cooking demos, best tackled as a short indoor stop rather than a full morning.

York Theatre Royal

York

Live pantomime and family theatre in the middle of York, with a foyer play area and a free board game café to fill the time before curtain up.

Bike parkingCaféIndoor playWheelchair accessible+1 more

Yorkshire Museum

York

York museum in Museum Gardens - Romans, Vikings and dinosaurs without Soft Play.

Accessible toiletCaféGift shopToilets+1 more

Yorkshire Wildlife Park

Doncaster · ages 0-15

Walk-through reserves, a dinosaur trail and giraffe feeding at a big Doncaster wildlife park with six play areas thrown in.

ParkingToiletsBaby changeCafé+12 more