Quick answer
On a wet day in Ryedale, the Palace Cinema in Malton and the House at Castle Howard, near Malton, are the main indoor picks. Nunnington Hall has games and colouring indoors, on Thursdays to Sundays from 19 November to 20 December 2026. The Santa Express runs from Pickering on selected dates from 28 November to 24 December 2026. The Milton Rooms in Malton has an elf show on 5 and 6 December 2026 only. Book first: Castle Howard’s Christmas tickets must be pre-booked.
For more ideas around Malton, Pickering and Helmsley, see every place on the map.
Before you set off: closed days and booking
- Nunnington Hall: on 13 November its calendar marked 3 to 18 November closed. From 19 November to 20 December it opens Thursday to Sunday, and is closed Monday to Wednesday. The calendar showed 21 to 31 December closed.
- Castle Howard: the Christmas page says all event tickets must be pre-booked. The House is closed on Christmas Day.
- Palace Cinema: bookings close an hour before each show. Its official pages do not give Christmas opening arrangements.
- North Yorkshire Moors Railway: the main 2026 season ended on 1 November. Only the dated Santa Express and Winter Steamer trains run.
Malton: a cinema and an elf show
- Palace Cinema Malton, Chancery Lane, just off the Market Place. A three-screen Art Deco cinema. Children aged 15 and under pay £7.60 before 7pm and £8.10 from 7pm, plus a 60p booking fee on pre-booked tickets. Before 7pm, a family of four pays £7.60 each: one parent with three school-age children aged 15 or under, or two with two. On 13 November 2026 the listings showed Festive Fun with Peppa (U) on 14, 15, 21 and 22 November, at £5 a ticket. Listings change weekly, and show times vary by film. Under 12s must be with an adult for 12A films and for any film after 7pm. Shows starting at or after 10.30pm are strictly 18+ with photo ID. The terms require photographic ID for entry to 12A, 15 and 18 films. The cinema says it cannot offer access up to the first level of the building. Phone the Box Office on 01653 600 008 before you go with a wheelchair or pushchair. Online tickets are not refundable, except for a technical failure at the cinema.
- The Milton Rooms, Market Place, Malton. Its family show is Esmeralda the Elf and Father Christmas. It plays on Saturday 5 December 2026 at 12pm, 2pm and 3.30pm, and Sunday 6 December at 10.30am, 12pm and 2pm only. Tickets are £5 each for adults and children, sold on TicketSource by the organiser, Epic Adventure Parties. Babes in arms need a child ticket too. Every child receives a gift. TicketSource’s terms say no refunds and no exchanges. They give a refund if the organiser cancels for reasons beyond its control, and offer one if the venue or date changes. Only food and drink bought on the premises may be consumed. Wheelchair users should call the box office to book a place. There is no allocated parking.
Castle Howard: a house dressed for Christmas
Castle Howard is a Baroque house near Malton. From 12 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 the House is dressed for A Dickens of a Christmas. Dickens’ novels come to life with projections, soundscapes and theatrical surprises. The FAQ welcomes children of any age, but recommends it from 4+. It gives prices of £24 to £40 for adults and £12 to £20 for children aged 1 to 15, by date and time. Online bookings carry a 5.5% booking fee, and tickets are non-refundable. Babies under 12 months go free, but need a pre-booked ticket.
Pushchairs, prams and large rucksack-style carriers are not allowed in the House at Christmas. Leave them in the covered space in the Christmas Marquee, and borrow a small baby carrier or hip seat at the House entrance. No food or drink is allowed in the House, which has open fires at Christmas. The terms say children must be supervised by an adult at all times. Level access to the House is via the North Marquee. Wheelchair users under 225kg can use the stair lift, but electric wheelchair or scooter users need to self-transfer into a manual wheelchair. House times vary by date: last admission ranges from 3.30pm to 7pm. After dusk, take care between the car park, Boathouse and House, because some pathways are rutted. Parking costs £7.25 per car, pre-booked with your tickets, and Blue Badge holders park free.
Nunnington: a hall with games indoors
Nunnington Hall, Nunnington, is a National Trust manor house beside the River Rye. On 13 November its calendar marked 3 to 18 November closed. From 19 November to 20 December 2026 it opens Thursday to Sunday, 10.30am to 4pm, with last admission at 3pm. On rainy days there are colouring activities, board games and a children’s second-hand bookshop by the top-floor exhibition space. The first and upper floors have stepped access only, and baby changing is on the first floor. Pushchairs are not permitted inside the house. Adults pay £14.30 and children aged 5 to 17 pay £7.20, with Gift Aid. Under 5s and National Trust members go free. The garden sits beside the river, so keep a close eye on young children. Nunnington Bridge is closed for repairs, so search for “Nunnington Hall Car Park” in your sat nav. On 13 November the Father Christmas event page listed Saturdays 21 and 28 November and 5, 12 and 19 December. Visits cost £11.50 per child, and non-members also pay standard admission on arrival. Booking is essential, all children must be accompanied by an adult, and the Panelled Bedroom is reached only by staircase. Babies under 18 months who do not need a gift go in with the family free.
Pickering: Santa Express on the steam railway
North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Pickering station. The Santa Express is an hour-long return trip from Pickering to Levisham, with Santa and his elves visiting on board. It runs on 28 and 29 November, and 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 22, 23 and 24 December 2026. Departures are at 10:30, 12:00, 13:30 and 15:00. Fares are £29.50, £34.50 or £39.50 per person by date, plus a £1.50 booking fee per booking. Every child receives a gingerbread man plush toy and a festive book. On 13 November the ticket shop showed no ticket for babies under 1, so ask the railway before booking. Pushchairs travel free in the Guard’s van only, subject to any special event restrictions. The carriages rely on steam heat, so wear layers. The Relaxed Santa Express is the 15:00 departure on Saturday 28 November only. Winter Steamer trains then run daily from 27 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.
Frequently asked questions
What can kids do in Ryedale when it rains?
Watch a film at the Palace Cinema in Malton, or see A Dickens of a Christmas inside Castle Howard. From 19 November to 20 December 2026, Nunnington Hall has games and colouring indoors on Thursdays to Sundays.
Which rainy day places need booking?
Castle Howard’s Christmas tickets must be pre-booked. Santa Express, the Milton Rooms elf show and Nunnington’s Father Christmas visits are booked tickets too.
Can I take a pushchair indoors?
Not into the House at Castle Howard at Christmas, or inside Nunnington Hall. On the Santa Express, pushchairs go free in the Guard’s van only, subject to any special event restrictions.
Is A Dickens of a Christmas scary for young children?
It features “a ghost or two” with projections and soundscapes. Calm Sessions have fewer people and reduced sound and lighting effects. On 13 November one was listed for 23 November at 2.30pm.
Is there a Christmas show for babies and toddlers?
The Milton Rooms elf show is described as suitable for all ages, and babes in arms need a child ticket. Castle Howard recommends A Dickens of a Christmas from 4+.
Checked on 13 November 2026 against the official websites, through our Ryedale venue pages, which were checked on 13 November 2026. Prices and opening times change, so check before you travel.
Photo: Benjamin Smith, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped).