Quick answer
Scarborough has an aquarium, a fossil museum, a miniature railway and two free gardens for toddlers. Further down the coast, Bridlington adds a waterplay zone, and Sewerby’s gardens are free in winter. At the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Hairy Bob’s Christmas Jumper is a 50-minute show for under 6s from 16 to 23 December 2026. Check days first: the Rotunda Museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays, and SEA LIFE says pre-booking is essential, under 2s included. The North Bay Railway’s calendar showed no regular trains from 23 November to 26 December.
An aquarium and a museum in Scarborough
- SEA LIFE Scarborough, Scalby Mills Road, on the North Bay. Toddlers can watch seals, otters, sharks and seahorses. On 13 November 2026 the opening hours calendar showed 11am to 3pm, last entry 1.50pm, every day from 13 November to 23 December. One ticket description gave later hours, so follow your booking. Pre-booking is essential to guarantee entry, and under 2s go free but must be booked. That day, advance tickets started at £14 for children aged 2 to 14 and £16 for adults. Prices vary by date and slot. Children aged 15 and under must be with an adult aged 18 or over. It is cashless. Pushchairs are allowed, though SEA LIFE asks guests to leave them in the car when possible. Baby changing is in the disabled and ladies toilets, and a lift in the shop goes up to the turtles and restaurant.
- Rotunda Museum, Vernon Road. Toddlers can follow dinosaur footprints on the floor and touch a large ammonite fossil. Under 18s go free, and adults buy a £5 Annual Pass. It opens Tuesday and Wednesday 10am to 4.30pm and Thursday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays. There are no steps to the front door, and a lift serves all three floors. Baby changing is in the ground floor accessible toilet, and there are no toilets upstairs. On 13 November the West Wing was closed after water leaks, with no reopening date given.
A show for under 6s
- Stephen Joseph Theatre, Westborough, opposite the railway station. Hairy Bob’s Christmas Jumper is its Christmas show for under 6s, from 16 to 23 December 2026. It lasts 50 minutes, costs £7, and every performance is a Chilled Performance. Under 18 months go free but still need a ticket, booked through the Box Office on 01723 370 541. The building is usually closed on Sundays. Its official pages do not mention pushchair storage or baby changing, so ask the Box Office before bringing a buggy.
Waterplay in Bridlington
- Bridlington Splash Zone, East Riding Leisure Bridlington, Promenade, Bridlington. The page says its waterplay structure suits all the family from toddlers through to adults. The Splash Zone is a gradual slope from 0 to 0.9 metres. Under 3s swim free and need no ticket. On 13 November 2026 online tickets were £3.90 for a child aged 3 to 15 and £5.80 for an adult. Non-members also pay a booking fee. Children under 8 must have an adult aged 16 or over in the water, with at most 2 under 8s per adult. Under 3s and children not fully toilet trained need a purpose-designed swim nappy. It is closed on Mondays and Wednesdays in term time, and the timetable often changes at short notice. Non-members are advised to book online at weekends and in school holidays. The pool changing room has family cubicles and baby changing.
Free gardens and outdoor fun for dry days
- Peasholm Park, Scarborough. The council lists no entry charge for this oriental-themed park with a pagoda. There is a boating lake, a lily pond and waterfalls, so keep toddlers close at the water’s edge. Its page does not list a children’s play area. The boat deck is closed from 2 November 2026 until Easter 2027. The toilets are pay on entry, 8am to 6pm from 1 November to 31 March. The council pages do not mention baby changing.
- South Cliff Gardens, Esplanade, Scarborough. The council lists no entry charge. There is a timber play area, a giant star map and the Italian Gardens, whose lily pond is open water. A step-free path runs from the Holbeck Clock Tower to the Spa Bridge, but many other paths on the steep slopes include steps. The council closed the Spa Cliff Lift on 21 August 2026, and we found no reopening news on 13 November. The toilets are pay on entry, 8am to 6pm from 1 November to 31 March. The council’s toilet records do not mention baby changing.
- Scarborough North Bay Railway, Peasholm Station, Burniston Road. This miniature railway runs to Scalby Mills, beside SEA LIFE, on a 30-minute return trip. On 13 November 2026 the calendar showed regular trains only on 14, 15, 21 and 22 November. It showed none from 23 November to 26 December, apart from Christmas events with their own tickets. Santa Specials must be booked in advance. Regular trains run again from 27 December to 1 January. On regular trains, under 2s ride free and a child return (2 to 15) costs £5.49. Under 16s must be with a responsible adult, and it is cashless. Pushchair space on trains is limited, first come, first served. The FAQ says the railway has no toilets or baby changing, with public toilets a 2 minute walk from Peasholm Station. Its accessibility page mentions one passenger toilet at Scalby Mills, opened by staff on request, which may not be open in off-peak seasons.
- Sewerby Hall and Gardens, Bridlington. The gardens are free from 2 November 2026 to 19 March 2027, open 9.30am to 3.30pm. A nautical-themed adventure playground is listed as free. The zoo opens 10am to 3.30pm, with last admission at 3pm. It costs £3.75 for children aged 3 to 15 and £4.75 for adults, and under 3s go free. Children under 8 must be supervised by a responsible adult at all times. The house opens on set dates only. On 13 November its booking pages offered house tickets for 14 and 15 November, then only Fairytales at Christmas dates until January. Those included 21, 22, 28 and 29 November and 5, 6 and 12 December. Prams and pushchairs cannot go into the house or Orangery. Two Hipseats and two trial baby carriers can be borrowed for use inside the hall. The Woodland Walk has steps, so it is not accessible with pushchairs. Baby changing is in the courtyard and Orangery toilets. The whole site closes on 25 and 26 December and 1 January.
Christmas and New Year
The Rotunda Museum closes on 21 December, 25 to 28 December, 31 December, 1 January and 3 to 8 January. On 13 November SEA LIFE’s calendar showed it closed from 24 to 31 December. Its ticket shop sold 27 December onwards, so check before booking. The Splash Zone’s centre records showed it closed on 25, 26 and 28 December and 1 January.
Frequently asked questions
Is SEA LIFE Scarborough free for babies?
Under 2s go free, but they must be booked in with a ticket.
Is the Rotunda Museum free for toddlers?
Yes. Under 18s go free, and adults buy a £5 Annual Pass. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Is there a theatre show for toddlers in Scarborough at Christmas?
Yes. Hairy Bob’s Christmas Jumper at the Stephen Joseph Theatre is for under 6s, from 16 to 23 December 2026. Under 18 months go free but still need a ticket.
Where can toddlers play in water near Scarborough?
The Splash Zone in Bridlington has a waterplay area on a gradual slope. Under 3s swim free, and under 8s need an adult in the water.
Can I take a pushchair to Sewerby Hall?
Yes in the grounds, but not inside the house or Orangery. Two Hipseats and two trial baby carriers can be borrowed for use inside the hall.
Checked on 13 November 2026 against the official websites, through our Scarborough venue pages. Prices and opening times change, so check before you travel.
Main photo: the red bridge over the lake in Peasholm Park, Scarborough, in late December. Photo: Neil Turner, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr.