Rain, rain, go away! I’m terribly tired of all this rainfall (even if it is good for the garden) and hearing my kids complain about being bored on a weekend so I’ve compiled a list to remind myself there’s so much to do here in Yorkshire, we just need to get our act together, stop complaining and head out, well indoors mostly even if it’s pouring it down!
Castle Howard, a staggeringly beautiful historic estate in North Yorkshire, offers stunning baroque architecture, 1,000 acres of parkland, and world-renowned art collections for you to marvel at. Visitors can tour the mansion featured in Bridgerton and Brideshead Revisited, explore extensive gardens with temples and fountains, visit Skelf Island for outdoor fun whatever the weather and take a boat trip when the weather improves. A must-see.(pictured above).
Newby Hall and Gardens in North Yorkshire offers a mix of historic, artistic, and family-friendly things to do, even when it rains! Explore the house, gardens, sculpture park or take a river boat when the sun shines. There’s a miniature railway and adventure park with swings and bridges for all ages your kids won’t want to leave.
With a miniature town for children to play in with shops and a bank on a child-size street, this museum encourages children to learn through imaginative play and it’s provided hours of fun for my three kids over the years. All About Me is an area focused on the workings of the human body with life size facial features and body parks to explore, and their SoundSpace and SoundGarden are interactive play areas where children can play music and experiment with sound. Spark Gallery focuses on tech and creativity, and you will also find sensory gardens, trails and a sandpit suitable for the warmer months all in one stimulating space.
Free entry.
Even if trains are not your bag, this museum will enthral and inform, as you wander around (and inside in some cases) trains from all over the world like the Mallard, the Japanese Bullet Train, and Stephenson’s Rocket.
Get hands on with the science behind the railways in their new, immersive Wonderlab in The Bramall Gallery where you can learn about aerodynamics, find out more about fuels and test your engineering skills as you walk into a human wind tunnel! You can also launch a rocket, plan routes to send balls through the Great Machine and design structures to withstand an earthquake. Wow!
Free entry.
The inspiration behind the bestselling book Behind The Scenes, there is so much to do and see at the York Castle Museum, you could spend a whole day there and still not have enough time to see everything! Walk in wonder along Kirkgate, a reconstructed Victorian street with shops such as a pharmacy and milliner, and even a police station where the Victorian period comes to life! A gallery focused on the Sixties featuring fashion, music and cultural artefacts will also fascinate. Period rooms showcase 17th century living up to the modern day and you my little one loved looking at their toy and fashion collections from years gone by.
View Roman, Viking and Medieval artifacts and treasures, walk on a Roman mural (without your shoes on) and check out prehistorical fossils all under one roof! There are also ever-changing exhibitions and creative learning areas for children. Situated in the breathtaking Museum Gardens in York, the Yorkshire Museum, must make it on your to-do list of places to visit. The gardens are also well worth a stroll or even a picnic when it’s not raining as they are home to some of the most significant and visible Roman remains in York.
Travel back in time to AD 960 at the JORVIK Viking Centre in the city centre of York where history comes to life. By taking a time capsule ride around the museum, you will see and smell what is was like to live in York in the 10th century, over a thousand years ago. Afterwards, you can visit their state-of-the-art gallery that displays some of the most unique and exciting artefacts unearthed on that very site. It is not clear why the Vikings left Scandinavia to move to England and Europe but some say it was due to neighbouring threats. They were skilled fishermen and farmers and made intricate jewellery with sophisticated tools for that time, many you will discover at the Viking Centre. You will also have the chance to chat to costumed experts on site who can explain the daily lives, trades, and weaponry of the Viking-age people. Well worth a visit.
The 18th century hall with art gallery, formal gardens and parkland you can walk around (380 acre estate) also offers a Wilderness play area with swings and the chance to build dens, there’s lots to do here too.
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Greek Myths, Folktales & Legends for 9-12 year olds
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