Day trip, weekend break or holiday, York is a city that’s ideal for children. It’s full of fantastic attractions, family-friendly places to eat, hotels that welcome children and things to do for free. Here’s our 50 top things to do with kids in York. Come and see us.
- Dig for artefacts at DIG: An archaeological adventure
- Walk the city walls (free!)
- Get lost in one of the UK’s biggest mazes at York Maze (summer)
- Go wild in the adventure playground at Castle Howard
- Sit for a digital portrait at Beningbrough Hall
- Have a sugar mouse from the recreated Victorian sweet shop at York Castle Museum
- Borrow an Explorer Backpack from York Minster and see what you can discover
- Do the York Cat trail – grab a free map and see how many cats you can spot on York’s buildings
- Be scared silly at York Dungeon (age 10+)
- Learn about dinosaurs at the Yorkshire Museum
- Do your own still life at York Art Gallery
- Paint a plate, mug or anything else at Rainbows Ceramics
- Eat a stack of pancakes at Brew & Brownie
- Hire a bike and embark on a family cycling adventure
- Have a picnic in one of the many parks
- Watch the horses thunder by at York Races. Family Race Day in September is the best bet for children.
- Get stuck into all things Viking at the JORVIK Viking Festival (February)
- Visit the animals and play outdoors at Piglets Adventure Farm Park
- Choose a cake from the cake trolley at Bettys
- Go on a ghost walk
- Take your baby to City Screen’s Big Scream screening for parents/carers with under-1s
- Fly a kite on the Knavesmire
- See the city from above at Clifford’s Tower
- Have an ice cream from the Two Hoots ice cream boat (summer)
- Count butterflies at Askham Bog Nature Reserve
- Amble down the Shambles, one of the prettiest streets around
- Eat chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate at York Chocolate Festival (Easter)
- Take the National Railway Museum’s road train into town
- Search for Roman ghosts at the Treasurer’s House
- Enjoy the street entertainers: musicians, escapologists and more
- Play games on the lawn at Goddards
- Bounce off the walls at Energi Trampoline Park
- See where Guy Fawkes was born
- Enjoy a week of kids’ theatre at the York Theatre Royal’s Little Feet Festival (June; bi-annual) or one of their other regular children’s shows
- Grab an ice cream, milkshake or fish & chips on Bishy Road, winner of the Great British High Street Awards
- Run, climb and jump off some energy at the Web Adventure Park
- See a film at City Screen’s kids’ club (Saturday mornings)
- Play games in the medieval schoolroom at Barley Hall
- Laugh at the silly street names (Whip-ma-whop-ma-gate anyone?)
- See one of the great shows for kids at the Great Yorkshire Fringe (July)
- Take the National Railway Museum’s road train into town
- See the peacocks at Nunnington Hall
- Search for squirrels in the Museum Gardens
- Learn about and play with chocolate at York’s CHOCOLATE Story
- Marvel at the ice sculptures on the York Ice Trail (February)
- Visit the UK’s smallest LEGO shop, Minifigs & Bricks
- Visit Dick Turpin’s grave
- Try new foods, get hands-on at workshops or do kids’ activities at York Food & Drink Festival (September)
- See the city lit up in original ways during Illuminating York (November; bi-annual)
- Take a guided boat trip or drive your own with City Cruises York
- Visit Father Christmas at Beningbrough Hall, Barley Hall, York Castle Museum and lots of other lovely places during the festive season
