Things to do in Leeds with toddlers and under 5s

For more ideas across the city, see our Leeds hub, or see every place in Leeds.

Indoor play and story sessions

• Leeds City Museum, Leeds city centre. Toddler Town is a play area for under 5s on the second floor. Tiny Tigers messy craft for under 5s and their carers runs 10am to 11.45am, on Fridays from 13 November to 18 December 2026. Entry is free, with a suggested donation of £5 per person if you are able. There is a ramp, a lift to every floor and baby changing on all floors. Some galleries are dimly lit, and Ancient Worlds contains human remains. It is closed on Mondays, except bank holidays.
• Leeds City Library, Calverley Street, Leeds. Story & Rhyme is free for under fives and their grown-ups, and you just turn up. The listing gives Mondays at 1.30pm and Thursdays at 10.30am, running to 23 December 2026. For pushchairs, use the Victoria Gardens basement entrance or the Art Gallery. There is a lift to all floors and baby change units, but no public car park. It is closed on Sundays.
• Thackray Museum of Medicine, Beckett Street, Leeds. Sparks is a soft play area made for under-fives, ending in a poo slide. It costs £3.50 per child, with up to two accompanying adults per child free, and an adult must stay with them. Sparks does not include museum entry. Children aged 6 and under enter the museum free, and older visitors choose a price from £9 to £16. The museum is closed on Tuesdays, except in Leeds school holidays. Its operating theatre and mortuary carry a content note: peril involving a child, historic surgery film and images of dead bodies.
• Tropical World, Roundhay, Leeds. This indoor zoo has meerkats, monkeys and butterflies. Under 3s go free, children aged 3 to 15 pay £5.50 and adults £9.50. It opens 10am to 4pm daily, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. It is hot and humid inside, so dress children in layers. The way into the Butterfly House is a short dark corridor. There are no toilets inside the zoo part, so use the ones at the entrance first. Dogs, including assistance dogs, are not allowed.

Farms and animals

• Temple Newsam Home Farm and Play Barn, Leeds. This rare breeds farm has an indoor Play Barn with a separate toddler zone. Adults and children aged 3 to 15 pay £9 each, and under 3s go free. A ticket includes a Play Barn session, limited to 2 hours at weekends, on bank holidays and in school holidays. Play Barn spaces are limited, so book ahead. Home Farm opens 10am to 4pm daily, with last entry at 3.15pm. Story Time runs every Tuesday at 10.30am. In term time, Baby Band (4 months to 4 years) runs on Thursdays from 11.30am, included in admission. Expect cobbled yards and uneven surfaces, so buggies have a bumpy ride. You can leave buggies with staff by the main entrance. An adult must supervise children at all times, and only assistance dogs are allowed in the farm.
• Meanwood Valley Urban Farm, Meanwood, Leeds. Entry is £3 per adult and 50p per child, and under 2s go free. There is no booking: pay at Reception by card (not American Express) or cash. It opens 10am to 4pm daily, with 4pm as last admission. There is nowhere to leave buggies, but paths are mainly concrete or paved. About 90% of the farm is outside, with very little shelter apart from the Barn Coffee Shop.

Outdoor play and parks

• The Arium (Fun Arium play area), Whinmoor, Leeds. The free toddler play area for ages 1 to 4 has swings, slides, seesaws and climbing frames. Fun Arium opens 9am to 4.30pm Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 3.30pm on Sunday. It is outdoors, and only food and drink bought at The Arium may be eaten there. Children must be supervised by an adult at all times, and only assistance dogs may enter the play area.
• Roundhay Park, Roundhay, Leeds. Tropical World’s FAQ says the park’s largest playground is next to the Tram car park, off Princes Avenue. The park has lakes and streams, and the byelaws ban stepping onto frozen water. Car parks charge from £1.20 for up to 2 hours, 8am to 8pm every day.
• Horsforth Hall Park, Horsforth. Its integrated play area lets disabled and non-disabled children under 8 play together. The council lists no admission charge. The council says there are no disabled toilets, and its page lists no other toilets or café. Keep little ones out of the skate park while older children ride.
• Golden Acre Park, near Bramhope. The council page does not mention a playground, so treat it as a walk and café trip. The main circular route around the park and lake is described as well maintained and fairly flat. In winter (GMT) the café opens 10am to 3.30pm daily. There is a lake, streams and ponds, so keep toddlers close. Car parks charge from £1.20 for up to 2 hours, 8am to 8pm daily.

Christmas and New Year closures

Tropical World, Meanwood Valley Urban Farm and The Arium close on 25 and 26 December and 1 January. Tropical World also closes at 2pm on 24 and 31 December. On 12 November, Thackray’s booking calendar offered no entry on 24 to 26 or 31 December, or 1 January. Leeds City Museum, Leeds City Library and Temple Newsam Home Farm give no Christmas or New Year hours, so check before you travel.

Pushchairs, toilets and baby changing

• Baby changing listed: Leeds City Museum (all floors), Leeds City Library, Meanwood Valley Urban Farm (by the café) and The Arium. At Temple Newsam it is in the stable courtyard toilets and a ground floor toilet in the House.
• Not mentioned: the official pages for Tropical World, Thackray, Roundhay Park and Golden Acre Park do not mention baby changing. Pack a changing mat.

Money tips for families with under 5s

• Free: Story & Rhyme at the library. The Fun Arium play area and Leeds City Museum are free but invite donations. Roundhay, Golden Acre and Horsforth Hall parks list no entry charge, though Roundhay and Golden Acre charge for parking.
• Low cost: Sparks at £3.50 per child, and a 50p child ticket at Meanwood.

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Leeds good for toddlers?

Yes, if you plan around closed days and water. Toddler Town, Story & Rhyme, Sparks and the Fun Arium toddler area all suit young children.

Where can toddlers play indoors in Leeds on a rainy day?

Try Toddler Town at Leeds City Museum, Sparks at Thackray or the Play Barn at Temple Newsam Home Farm. Tropical World is indoors and warm.

When is toddler storytime in Leeds?

Leeds City Library lists Story & Rhyme on Mondays at 1.30pm and Thursdays at 10.30am, running to 23 December 2026. Temple Newsam Home Farm lists Story Time every Tuesday at 10.30am.

Is there soft play for under 5s in Leeds?

Yes. Sparks at Thackray Museum of Medicine is made for under-fives and costs £3.50 per child, with no museum ticket needed. Thackray is closed on Tuesdays, except in Leeds school holidays.

Do babies go free at Leeds farms?

Under 3s go free at Temple Newsam Home Farm, and under 2s at Meanwood Valley Urban Farm. Adults still pay.

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

Main photo: Golden Acre Park, near Bramhope. Photo: Chris Heaton, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.