If you have kids, you naturally don’t want them to grow bored and frustrated as a result of simply staying in their hometown all the time. Nonetheless, when researching potential places to take your offspring, you could struggle to figure out which of them ought to be classed as ‘family-friendly’.
In truth, it’s not just about where you all go; it’s also about what your little ones would be able to do there. As Yorkshire spans nearly 12,000 square kilometres, there is plenty of space for your kids to roam — and this northern England area facilitates a wide range of fun activities suitable for them. You could consider holiday homes for sale in Yorkshire, but that’s another topic to discuss.
Enjoy a scare at the York Dungeon
If your young ones have a taste for the macabre, they could rejoice in seeing the shows and exhibitions at the York Dungeon, which provides a fun way for children to learn about history.
The historical figures that come under focus here include the highwayman Dick Turpin, who was executed in York in 1739 and is now the subject of the Apple TV+ historical comedy series The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, with Noel Fielding in the eponymous role.
Check out both animals and rides at Flamingo Land
Key to the appeal of Flamingo Land — located in Kirby Misperton, about seven miles away from Malton — is that this tourist attraction is essentially two in one: a theme park and a zoo.
The kids’ rides at Flamingo Land include reptile-themed coaster the Dino Roller and the Helitoys helicopters that can be turned or spun at will before being safely returned to the ground.
Meanwhile, the zoo part of the park is home to camels, zebras, giraffes, hippopotamuses, baboons, parrots, lions and tigers, along with plentiful other exotic animals.
Sample the archaeologist life at Jorvik DIG
If you and your kids often watch TV programmes like Professor Alice Roberts’ Digging for Britain and wonder what it would be like to work in archaeology, you can all get a good sense of it at Jorvik DIG.
This attraction, housed in York’s St Saviour’s Church, lets parents and kids alike unearth Roman, Viking, Medieval and Victorian artefacts from specially prepared excavation pits.
Go for snow at Snozone
Obviously, you might not readily associate Yorkshire with skiing, snowboarding or sledging, for the simple reason that the place isn’t exactly caked in snow for multiple months of the year.
Fortunately, though, you don’t have to pencil in a visit to the Swiss Alps to pursue any of the above snow sports, as you would be free to instead do so at the Snozone facility in Castleford.
Snozone even runs ‘Snocamps’ — basically summer camps where each kid can start their journey towards becoming a pro on the snow.
Be on top form(ation) at Brimham Rocks
Do your kids love Rocks? Yes, they might already be fans of, say, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Chris Rock — but Rocks on Brimham Moor could be the next to catch your children’s eyes.
The moor lies in the Nidderdale AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) eight miles away from the North Yorkshire spa town of Harrogate.
No, we haven’t told you to literally just show your kids some random rock formations, as many of the stones here are arranged in animalistic shapes handed monikers like ‘the Eagle’, ‘the Gorilla’ and ‘the Dancing Bear’. Challenge your children to try making out those forms in the organic scenery.
Follow the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail
As a predominantly rural area, Yorkshire offers plenty of places for you and your little ones to observe nature, which can be an undoubtedly soothing experience.
The Ingleton Waterfalls Trail runs for four miles — and, during your walking journey, you can catch sight of five breathtaking waterfalls in total. The other eye-catching features visible from this route include gorges, glens and old Roman roads.
Keep in mind that the trail is actually on private land. Given this revelation, you might not be surprised to learn that an entrance fee applies.
Spot birds at the RSPB Bempton Cliffs Nature Reserve
If you plan a family holiday in Yorkshire, you could be eager to rent some Yorkshire coast accommodation. In practice, though, a much better idea could be to research many of the holiday homes for sale in Yorkshire.
Snapping up a caravan or lodge unit at a site near Bridlington would enable you to regularly make quick trips to the nearby Bempton Cliffs nature reserve, where such birds as kittiwakes, guillemots, gannets, razorbills and fulmars can often be observed in flight.