Quick answer
VisitKids has checked family days out in and around Leeds, each with its own page. Top 3 picks: the Royal Armouries Museum, Tropical World and Harewood House. Top free pick: the Royal Armouries at Leeds Dock, with free combat shows usually held daily. Top rainy day pick: Tropical World, the council’s indoor zoo in Roundhay Park. Check the day first: several places close on Mondays, Tuesdays or Sundays.
Top picks in Leeds for families
- Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds Dock: free entry and free combat shows. It is a museum of weapons and war, so talk it through with sensitive children.
- Tropical World, Roundhay: meerkats, monkeys and crocodiles indoors. Children aged 3 to 15 £5.50, under 3s free. It is hot inside, and no dogs are allowed, including assistance dogs.
- Harewood House, Harewood: Magic at the Mansion runs until 3 January 2027. Prices change by date, and under 4s go free. Prams are not allowed inside the House.
- Leeds City Museum, Millennium Square: free, with Toddler Town for under 5s and the Leeds Mummy. The Ancient Worlds gallery contains human remains.
- Thackray Museum of Medicine: Sparks soft play and a recreated Victorian street. Children aged 6 and under go free. Some galleries show historic surgery film and images of dead bodies.
- Kirkstall Abbey: a medieval abbey ruin with a large playground nearby. Some areas of the grounds are cobbled or uneven.
Free days out in Leeds
- Leeds City Museum, Leeds Art Gallery and Kirkstall Abbey: free entry under Give What You Can, with a suggested £5 donation per person if you are able.
- Leeds City Library, Calverley Street: you can visit with no need to join, borrow or buy anything.
- Royal Armouries Museum: the museum recommends booking a free ticket. The Crossbow Challenge and escape room cost extra.
- Parks: the council lists no entry charge at the parks below, though some car parks charge.
See our guide to free things to do in Leeds with kids.
Rainy day ideas in Leeds
- Tropical World: open 10am to 4pm daily. There are no toilets inside the zoo part, so go before you start.
- Abbey House Museum, Kirkstall: recreated Victorian streets and toy galleries. Children aged 3 to 18 £3.60. One street looks at Victorian life and death, including an undertaker’s premises.
- Hyde Park Picture House, Brudenell Road: Hyde & Seek family films, many Pay What You Can. Under 8s must be with an adult aged 18 or over.
- Leeds Art Gallery: Artspace is a relaxed family creative space. Light levels are low in some galleries.
See our guide to rainy day things to do in Leeds with kids.
Leeds with toddlers and under 5s
- Temple Newsam Home Farm and Play Barn: rare breeds and an indoor Play Barn with a toddler zone. Tickets are £9 per person, and under 3s go free.
- Leeds City Library: free Story & Rhyme for under fives, Mondays at 1.30pm and Thursdays at 10.30am, listed until 23 December 2026.
- Fun Arium at The Arium, Whinmoor: a free outdoor play area with a toddler zone for ages 1 to 4. Only food and drink bought at The Arium may be eaten there.
- Thackray: Sparks soft play costs £3.50 per child, with no museum ticket needed.
See our guide to things to do in Leeds with toddlers.
Parks, woods and farms
- Roundhay Park: over 700 acres with lakes, playgrounds and a skate park. Keep children away from the lake edges.
- Golden Acre Park, near Bramhope: a fairly flat lakeside walk and a café. The council page does not mention a playground.
- Middleton Park, south Leeds: a playground, a fishing lake and woodland. Its visitor centre toilet opens only 10.15am to 2.15pm on weekdays, 9am to 3pm at weekends.
- Chevin Forest Park, near Otley: woodland and heath on a steep ridge. A council report says its café closed in 2020, so plan for no toilets.
- Meanwood Valley Urban Farm, Meanwood: £3 per adult and 50p per child, with under 2s free. The farm says 90% of the site is outside, and visitors may not feed the animals.
See our guide to parks and playgrounds in Leeds.
Additional needs friendly days out
- Royal Armouries Museum: free sensory backpacks for autistic children, a quiet room and a Changing Places toilet.
- Thackray: quiet openings on the last Sunday of each month, 10am to 11am. An essential carer goes free with a disabled visitor.
- Harewood House: relaxed sessions on selected Wednesdays from 18 November to 30 December 2026, included in day tickets.
- Hyde Park Picture House: autism-friendly screenings at 11am on Sundays. Bring your own noise cancelling headphones.
- Horsforth Hall Park, Horsforth: an integrated play area where disabled and non-disabled children under 8 play together. The council says there are no disabled toilets.
See our guide to SEN and autism-friendly days out in Leeds.
Christmas in Leeds
- Lotherton, near Aberford: the Christmas Experience runs from 21 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, and everyone needs a ticket. Until 24 December, Estate Entry is £7.75 per child aged 3 and over, and ages 0 to 2 need a free ticket. A 10% booking fee applies, and Santa costs extra.
- Temple Newsam House and Estate: The Elf Academy runs on selected dates from 5 to 23 December 2026. Buggies are not allowed inside the House.
- Leeds Playhouse: The Grinch musical plays on selected dates from 19 November 2026 to 16 January 2027. Age guidance is 4+.
See our guide to Christmas days out in Leeds with kids.
Closed days and Christmas opening
- Mondays: Leeds City Museum, Leeds Art Gallery and Kirkstall Abbey close. The City Museum opens on bank holidays, and only its Brodrick Hall opens on other Mondays. Abbey House Museum closes for general visits, except bank holidays. The Royal Armouries closes in term time.
- Tuesdays: Thackray closes, except in Leeds school holidays. Sundays: Leeds City Library closes.
- Closed 25 and 26 December and 1 January: Tropical World, Lotherton, Meanwood Valley Urban Farm and The Arium. Harewood closes on 25 and 26 December.
- Not published when we checked: Christmas arrangements for several museums, including Leeds City Museum and Abbey House Museum. Check each venue page.
Every Leeds place in one list
Our Leeds search lists every venue.
Getting around Leeds with children
- On foot from Leeds station: Leeds Art Gallery is 0.4 mile away, and Leeds City Museum about a 10 minute walk.
- Buses: the 2 and 12 stop outside Tropical World, and the 56 outside Hyde Park Picture House. Leeds Playhouse is opposite the city bus station.
- Parking: the City Museum and Art Gallery have no parking of their own, and Leeds City Library has no public car park.
Frequently asked questions
What is free for kids in Leeds?
The Royal Armouries, Leeds City Library and Fun Arium are free. Leeds City Museum, Leeds Art Gallery and Kirkstall Abbey are free, with a suggested £5 donation if you are able.
What can we do in Leeds with kids on a rainy day?
Try Tropical World, the Royal Armouries, Leeds City Museum, Thackray, Abbey House Museum or a Hyde & Seek film. Check closed days first.
Which Leeds attractions are closed on Mondays?
Leeds City Museum, Leeds Art Gallery and Kirkstall Abbey. Abbey House Museum closes for general visits, and the Royal Armouries closes in term time.
Where are the Changing Places toilets?
The Royal Armouries, Thackray, Leeds City Museum, Abbey House Museum, Lotherton, Leeds Playhouse and Temple Newsam have one. On 12 November 2026 the City Museum hoist was out of order. Tropical World and Hyde Park Picture House have none.
Can we visit Leeds with kids without a car?
Yes. The city centre museums and library are a short walk from the station. Buses serve Tropical World and Hyde Park Picture House.
Last updated: 12 November 2026.
Checked on 12 November 2026 against the official websites, through our Leeds venue pages. Prices and opening times change, so check before you travel.
Photo: Igor_Sivolob, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.