Quick answer
Around Malton, Pickering and Helmsley, little ones can try a forest toddler play zone, a walled garden with chickens and a Christmas steam train. Under 5s go free at Nunnington Hall and under 16s at Helmsley Walled Garden. Dalby Forest is free to enter if you arrive car-free. Check dates first. Nunnington Hall’s Christmas opening starts on Thursday 19 November 2026. Helmsley Walled Garden is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and closes for winter on Sunday 20 December 2026. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs Santa Express trains only on selected dates from 28 November to 24 December 2026.
Outdoor play for toddlers
- Dalby Forest, Low Dalby, Thornton-le-Dale, near Pickering. The Grandfather Oak play area is next to the visitor centre. Forestry England says its toddler play zone has wide bridges, sensory elements and woodland creatures to spot. Entry is free if you arrive car-free. By car, parking costs £3.50 for up to 1 hour, rising to £15.00 over 4 hours, paid on exit. The forest is open 8am to 8pm daily. The visitor centre opens 9am to 4pm from 1 November to 28 February, with Christmas changes listed below. Forestry England calls the Ellerburn trail, from the visitor centre car park, accessible for pushchairs. Forestry England lists baby changing, but there is no sheltered seating out in the forest, so bring warm layers.
- Helmsley Walled Garden, Cleveland Way, Helmsley. Under 16s go free, and so do carers accompanying a disabled person. A standard adult day ticket is £14.00, sold only at the admission kiosk on the day. It opens Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, with last entry at 3pm. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and closes for winter on Sunday 20 December 2026. The garden page suggests getting a bag of food from the kiosk to feed the chickens, with no price given. The map shows a pond by the chickens, and the pages do not say whether it is fenced, so keep toddlers close. The access page calls the garden almost completely step free, with gravel and sand paths and some uneven grass. The official pages do not mention baby changing. There is no public parking at the garden. The paid Cleveland Way car park is about 150m away, and cars move through it, so hold small hands.
Big houses with play areas
- Castle Howard, near Malton. From 12 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 the House hosts A Dickens of a Christmas. It has projections, soundscapes and “a ghost or two”, and the House has open fires at Christmas. The FAQ welcomes children of any age, but recommends it from 4+. Christmas Gardens tickets, from £15 for adults, include the Skelf Island Adventure Playground, which closes after dark. Children must be supervised by an adult at all times, including near the lakes and on the high playground. The ticket terms say everyone attending must be booked, babes in arms included. The Members page exempts Members’ Gardens visits. For Dickens, adults pay £24 to £40 and children aged 1 to 15 pay £12 to £20, by date and time. Under 12 months go free with a pre-booked ticket. Online bookings carry a 5.5% fee. Pushchairs, prams and large rucksack-style carriers are not allowed in the House at Christmas. Small baby carriers and hip seats can be borrowed at the House entrance. Baby changing is in the House, Boathouse and Courtyard toilets.
- Nunnington Hall, Nunnington. On 13 November its calendar marked 3 to 18 November 2026 as closed. From 19 November to 20 December it opens Thursday to Sunday, 10.30am to 4pm in the day, with last admission at 3pm. It is closed Monday to Wednesday. Festive Evenings run on Saturday 5 and 12 December, 4pm to 8pm, with last entry at 7.30pm and the gardens closed. Under 5s and National Trust members go free. With Gift Aid, adults pay £14.30 and children aged 5 to 17 pay £7.20. The Lion’s Den play area has tree stump steps, a rope bridge and a climbing frame. Around 20 decorated Christmas trees fill the Hall, at no extra cost on top of admission. The garden runs alongside the River Rye, so keep young children close. On 13 November the Trust said Nunnington Bridge was closed for repairs, so check the route and search for “Nunnington Hall Car Park”. Pushchairs are not permitted inside the house. Baby changing is on the first floor, which has stepped access only. Father Christmas costs £11.50 per child, plus admission for non-members, and must be booked. On 13 November the event page listed Saturday 21 and 28 November and Saturday 5, 12 and 19 December. Tickets are non-refundable. He is in the Panelled Bedroom, reached only by a staircase. Babies under 18 months who do not need a gift go in free with the family.
Christmas outings for little ones
- North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Pickering station. Its main 2026 season ended on 1 November. Santa Express runs on 28 and 29 November and 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 22, 23 and 24 December 2026. It is an hour-long return trip from Pickering to Levisham, with Santa and his elves visiting on board. Fares are £29.50, £34.50 or £39.50 per person by date, plus a £1.50 booking fee per booking. On 13 November the ticket shop listed child tickets for ages 1 to 15, with no ticket for babies under 1. The official pages do not say how under-1s travel, so ask the railway before booking. Pushchairs travel free, but only in the Guard’s van, subject to any special event restrictions. On 13 November the station map showed steps on the footbridge, so use the step-free routes. The official pages we checked do not mention baby changing at Pickering. The access leaflet says the carriages rely on steam heat, so wrap up warm.
- The Milton Rooms, Market Place, Malton. Esmeralda the Elf and Father Christmas runs on 5 and 6 December 2026 only. Shows are at 12pm, 2pm and 3.30pm on the Saturday, and 10.30am, 12pm and 2pm on the Sunday. The event page calls it suitable for all ages. Each family can see Father Christmas individually after the show, and all children receive a gift. Tickets are £5 each for adults and children on TicketSource. Babes in arms need a child ticket too. There is a level entrance to the foyer and a ramp into the main hall. A lift goes down to the disabled toilet, which has baby changing. The official pages do not mention pushchair access or storage. Only food and drink bought on the premises may be consumed, and there is no allocated parking.
Christmas and New Year
Dalby Forest’s visitor centre opens 9am to 12pm on Christmas Eve, and closes on 25 and 26 December and 1 January. Helmsley Walled Garden stays closed from 21 December until it reopens in March 2027. On 13 November, Nunnington Hall’s calendar showed 21 to 31 December as closed. Castle Howard’s House is closed on Christmas Day. The railway’s Winter Steamer trains run daily from 27 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dalby Forest good for toddlers?
It has a toddler play zone at the Grandfather Oak play area, by the visitor centre.
Do babies need a Santa Express ticket?
The official pages do not say. On 13 November the ticket shop listed child tickets for ages 1 to 15, with no baby ticket, so contact the railway before booking.
Can I take a pushchair into Nunnington Hall?
No. Pushchairs are not permitted inside the house. Baby changing is on the first floor, up stairs.
Do under 5s go free at Nunnington Hall?
Yes. Its Christmas opening runs Thursday to Sunday from 19 November to 20 December 2026.
Is A Dickens of a Christmas at Castle Howard suitable for toddlers?
The FAQ welcomes children of any age, but recommends it from 4+. It features “a ghost or two”, with projections and soundscapes.
Checked on 13 November 2026 against the official websites, through our Ryedale venue pages. Prices and opening times change, so check before you travel.
Main photo: the lane and ford beside Thornton Mill in Thornton-le-Dale, in January. Photo: John Walton, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.