Quick answer
Sheffield has indoor sessions for babies and toddlers, plus city farms and playgrounds for drier days. The Central Children’s Library lists Babytime on Fridays and Storytime on Mondays. Weston Park Museum runs Fridays Under 5s in term time, for a suggested £3 donation. Heeley City Farm and Graves Park Animal Farm are both free to enter. Check closed days first: Weston Park Museum and the Millennium Gallery shut on Mondays, including bank holidays.
For more ideas across the city, see our Sheffield hub, or see every place in Sheffield.
Indoor stories, play and swimming
- Sheffield Central Children’s Library, Surrey Street, city centre. Babytime runs every Friday, 11am to midday, for babies and toddlers up to around 2 years. Storytime for pre-schoolers runs every Monday, 11am to midday. Sing, Sign and Storytime is fortnightly, so phone 0114 273 4734 for dates. The activities page gives no session prices. On 12 November the council listed Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm and Saturday 10am to 4pm. Use the Arundel Gate door for the lift. Baby changing is on the ground floor. The council says access in this 1930s listed building is not as good as it would like. It lists no Sunday hours.
- Weston Park Museum, Western Bank. Entry is free, with a suggested £5 donation. Little ones can board the play bus in the Sheffield Stories gallery. Fridays Under 5s runs on term-time Fridays, 10am to 12.30pm, with no session on 20 November 2026. Just drop in, and every child must stay with an adult. The Ancient Egypt gallery shows two coffins containing mummies. Some galleries have low lighting, and it can be loud at busy times. It is closed on Mondays, including bank holidays. On Sunday 15 November 2026, the Picturing Sheffield and Sheffield Stories galleries close for an event.
- Millennium Gallery, city centre. Entry is free, with a suggested £5 donation. The Metalwork Collection has toys and storybooks chosen for the youngest visitors. A film there plays loud machinery sounds on a loop. The spoon monster at the Winter Garden entrance makes a loud sound at regular intervals. The gallery is step free with a lift. Toilets and baby change are on the ground floor, and there are none upstairs. It is closed on Mondays, including bank holidays.
- Sheffield Winter Garden, city centre. This free glasshouse holds more than 2,500 plants. The council lists Monday to Saturday 8am to 8pm, and Sundays and bank holidays 10am to 5pm. AccessAble gives different Sunday hours, and private events sometimes close it from 6pm. It has no toilets of its own. The nearest are in the Millennium Gallery next door, which keeps shorter hours and is closed on Mondays. Use the step-free St Paul’s Place entrance with a pushchair, because one Surrey Street entrance has 11 steps.
- Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheaf Street. On the 12 November 2026 timetable, Under 5’s Fun Swimming ran in shallow water in half-hour sessions. They fell between 9.30am and 11am and between 1pm and 2.30pm on Mondays, and 2pm to 2.30pm on Tuesdays. Prices were £5.40 per adult, £4.40 per junior and £2.20 for under 3s. Under 8s need a parent or an adult aged 18 or over, with no more than two per adult in the water. The panels also said children who are not toilet trained must wear swim nappies. Book with a free Everyone Active account, or at reception subject to availability. Include your whole party, as juniors and parents each book separately. Times are subject to change.
Farms and animals
- Heeley City Farm, Heeley. Entry is free, with donations welcome. It opens 9am to 5pm every day except Christmas Day, though its café page mentions an annual Christmas closure. The animals are usually out from 10am until about 3pm. Children may feed the animals only with feed sold at the café. On 12 November the farm shop page listed it at £1.50 a bag. Everyone must wash hands before eating or drinking. Children under eight must be with a parent or guardian. The farm is on a hill with some uneven paths, and Anns Road by the café is flatter. The café has a high chair and a toy box, and there is baby changing on site. Pregnant visitors should ask the farm first, as its risk assessment notes a zoonotic abortion risk.
- Graves Park Animal Farm, Graves Park. Entry is free, and the council says it opens every day from 10am to 3.30pm. Animal feed costs a small charge, with no price published. The council lists toilets, baby changing and refreshments. Parking is limited and paid. The council page does not describe indoor areas for day visitors or pushchair paths, so dress for the weather. Wash hands with soap and running water after touching animals or feed, and before eating. Wipes and gel are not a substitute.
Playgrounds for drier days
- Hillsborough Park, Hillsborough. The free playground has toddler and junior swings, a basket swing, springers and a snake slide climbing unit. The park is open at all times and has its own tram stop. Toilets and baby changing at the Courtside hub are available during its café opening hours. There is a large pond, so keep toddlers close. AccessAble notes uneven paths and some steep slopes. The car park is pay and display.
- Pound’s Park, city centre. This free playground has a large sand pit, a musical chime floor and water play. The council does not say whether the water play runs in winter. The tallest play tower is 11 metres high. The council gives official opening times of 8am to 5pm. The park is not gated, so keep younger children close near the entrances. The council page mentions toilets but not baby changing.
Christmas and New Year
Heeley City Farm closes on Christmas Day, and its café page mentions an annual Christmas closure. The Winter Garden is closed on Christmas Day. On 12 November, the library, Weston Park Museum, the Millennium Gallery, Graves Park Animal Farm and Ponds Forge gave no 2026 Christmas hours. For festive ideas, see our Christmas days out in Sheffield guide.
Pushchairs, toilets and baby changing
- Baby changing listed: the library, Weston Park Museum, the Millennium Gallery, Ponds Forge, both farms and Hillsborough Park’s Courtside hub.
- Not mentioned: the official pages for the Winter Garden and Pound’s Park do not mention baby changing. Pack a changing mat.
- Buggies: at Weston Park Museum you can leave buggies in the foyer, and all displays are on the ground floor.
Money tips for families with under 5s
- Free entry: Weston Park Museum and the Millennium Gallery (each with a suggested £5 donation), the Winter Garden, both farms and both parks.
- Small extras: farm animal feed, a suggested £3 donation for Fridays Under 5s, and paid parking at Graves Park and Hillsborough Park.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sheffield good for toddlers?
Yes, if you plan around closed days. Babytime, Storytime, Fridays Under 5s and two free city farms all suit young children.
Where can toddlers play indoors in Sheffield on a rainy day?
Try the play bus at Weston Park Museum or the toys in the Millennium Gallery’s Metalwork Collection. Both are free to enter. The Winter Garden is a free indoor walk among the plants.
When is baby and toddler storytime in Sheffield?
The Central Children’s Library lists Babytime on Fridays and Storytime on Mondays, both 11am to midday. Phone 0114 273 4734 for Sing, Sign and Storytime dates.
Is there toddler swimming in Sheffield?
On the 12 November 2026 timetable, Ponds Forge ran Under 5’s Fun Swimming in shallow water on Mondays and Tuesdays. Every child must be accompanied and supervised by an adult.
Are Sheffield’s city farms free?
Yes. Heeley City Farm and Graves Park Animal Farm are both free to enter and welcome donations. Animal feed costs extra at both.
Checked on 13 November 2026 against the official websites, through our Sheffield venue pages. Prices and opening times change, so check before you travel.
Main photo: Graves Park, Sheffield, in winter. Photo: Mark Hawksworth, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped).