Things to do in Harrogate with toddlers and under 5s

Every place below has its own VisitKids page with prices, toilets and access. For more ideas across the area, see our Harrogate hub.

Indoor fun for little ones

• Knaresborough Library, Knaresborough. Four free drop-in sessions a week suit young children. Storytime for under fives is on Mondays at 10.30am, and Imagine and play is on Tuesdays at 2.15pm. Fridays bring a relaxed storytime at 10.30am and baby rhyme time at 2.15pm. It is closed on Sundays and shuts at 1.30pm on Thursdays and Saturdays.
• Harrogate Library, Harrogate. Free storytimes for under 5s and their families run on Mondays at 2pm and Fridays at 10am, in term-time only. It is closed on Sundays.
• Everyman Harrogate, Harrogate. Toddler Club shows films suitable for ages 1 to 5, with reduced sound and dimmed lighting. One ticket covers you and your child, plus a hot drink and cake or a small popcorn. Prices vary, so check when you book. Babies under 12 months go free to U or PG films before 5pm, though regular screening sound may not suit their ears. You may be asked to leave if your baby disturbs others. No babies are allowed in any screening after 5pm, and latecomers are not admitted.
• Knaresborough Castle and Courthouse Museum, Knaresborough. The Castle Critters Activity Room has crafting, LEGO, foam blocks and a play kitchen. From November to March it opens Wednesday to Saturday only, 10am to 3.30pm. Expect uneven ground, historic steps and cliffs above the river. There are no public toilets at the castle, but the Castle Yard car park toilets have baby changing.
• Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate. Entry is free, with an optional suggested donation of £5. It is closed on Mondays, including Bank Holiday Mondays.

Splashing about: pre-school swims

Both council pools charge £1.10 for under 4s. Under 8s must be with an adult over 16, at two children per adult, except in Active North Yorkshire swimming lessons. For under 4s, the council recommends one adult over 16 per child.

• Knaresborough Leisure and Wellbeing Hub, Knaresborough. Mini splash time is a pre-school swim with toys in the leisure pool. In term time it runs on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9am to 10am.
• Harrogate Leisure and Wellbeing Hub, Harrogate. The learner pool timetable lists Mini splash time on Monday to Wednesday, 12 noon to 1pm. The council’s sessions page does not list Harrogate for it, so check first.

Both centres are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Phone to check which date the Boxing Day closure falls on. School holidays have a different timetable.

Outdoor play, farms and gardens

• Yolk Farm, near Boroughbridge. Seeing the hens, pigs, goats and alpacas is free, with no booking. The Yard at Yolk play barn costs £3.95 per child, and adults and under 1s go free. It has a giant sand pit, a trike park and egg collecting play. The barn is unheated, so dress children warmly. In winter it opens 9am to 3pm every day. On 24 December, Yard entry ends at 1pm. Dogs are not allowed in the play barn.
• RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Harrogate. Under 5s go free, and children aged 5 to 16 pay £6. Adults pay £18.40 on the day, or from £13.60 online. Woodland play includes the Logness Monster and the Craggle Top Tree House. Free Storytime with admission suits under-fives, on the first and third Tuesdays in term time. From November to February the garden opens 9.30am to 4pm, with last entry at 3pm. It is closed on Christmas Day. Paths can be muddy, steep and uneven, and the RHS asks you to take care around water. Scooters and balls are not allowed.
• Valley Gardens, Harrogate. The gardens are open all year with no entry charge listed, and there is a children’s playground. The free paddling pool is summer only. The council does not recommend the skate park for very young children, especially at peak times.
• Conyngham Hall Grounds, Knaresborough. Look for the Wind in the Willows sculptures in the woodland. There is also a small adventure trail, with no age range given. The woodland walks run close to the River Nidd, so keep toddlers within reach. Parking is pay and display, the entrance is a long gentle slope, and there are steep steps in some places.

Pushchairs, toilets and baby changing

• Easiest with a pushchair: the Mercer Art Gallery and the Royal Pump Room Museum in Harrogate both describe themselves as pushchair friendly throughout. The museum is closed on Mondays, including bank holiday Mondays. Harrogate Library has a ramp and a lift to all levels.
• Take care: RHS Harlow Carr gives no pushchair advice, and some areas are quite steep. Its garden map marks a route with the flattest paths, suggested for manual wheelchairs. At Everyman, some screens have limited buggy space.
• Baby changing listed: Yolk Farm (in the accessible portaloo at the barn), Knaresborough Library, and the Conyngham Hall and Castle Yard car park toilets. RHS Harlow Carr has family change facilities just outside the main entrance.
• Not mentioned: the official pages for Harrogate Library, the Mercer, Everyman, both pools and the Valley Gardens toilets do not mention baby changing. Pack a changing mat.

Winter toilet hours matter on short days. From 1 November to 31 March, the Conyngham Hall car park toilets and the Valley Gardens toilets on Cornwall Road open 8am to 6pm.

Money tips for families with under 5s

• Free: both library storytimes, the Mercer Art Gallery, Valley Gardens, Conyngham Hall Grounds and the Yolk Farm animals.
• Free by age: under 5s at RHS Harlow Carr and under 1s in the Yolk Farm play barn. At Everyman, babies under 12 months go free to U or PG films before 5pm.
• Low cost: £1.10 for an under 4s swim at both council pools.
• Not stated: the Royal Pump Room Museum and Knaresborough Castle price lists do not say whether babies or toddlers go free.

For festive ideas, see our Christmas days out in Harrogate guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is Harrogate good for toddlers?

Yes, if you plan around closed days and slopes. Free library storytimes, Toddler Club at Everyman and the Yolk Farm play barn are all aimed at young children.

Where can toddlers play indoors in Harrogate on a wet day?

Try a library storytime, Toddler Club at Everyman or a Mini splash time swim. In Knaresborough, the castle’s Castle Critters Activity Room has a play kitchen and foam blocks.

When is toddler storytime in Harrogate and Knaresborough?

Harrogate Library runs storytime for under 5s on Mondays at 2pm and Fridays at 10am, in term-time. Knaresborough Library has a free drop-in storytime for under fives on Mondays at 10.30am.

Is RHS Harlow Carr free for toddlers?

Yes. Under 5s go free, and children aged 5 to 16 pay £6. Adults pay from £13.60 online or £18.40 on the day.

Can you take a baby to the cinema in Harrogate?

Yes, before 5pm. At Everyman Harrogate, babies under 12 months go free to U or PG films before 5pm, but none are allowed after 5pm. Everyman warns that sound at regular screenings may not suit a baby’s developing ears. You may be asked to leave if your baby disturbs others.

How much is the Yolk Farm play barn?

It costs £3.95 per child, and adults and under 1s go free. No booking is needed, and walking round the farm to see the animals is free.

Checked on 12 November 2026 against the official websites, through our Harrogate venue pages. Prices and opening times change, so check before you travel.

Main photo: RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Harrogate. Photo: Bill Boaden, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.