8 Fantastic Family Days Out in Yorkshire this February Half-Term
by Northern Life
STUCK FOR IDEAS THIS HALF-TERM? NOT ANYMORE...
With half-term almost upon us and spring just around the corner, it’s time to venture out, get active, get educated and most of all have fun. Here’s Northern Life’s favourite days out in the Yorkshire this half-term…
Family Days Out in Yorkshire
1. JORVIK Viking Festival
Looking for something that will keep the children entertained this February half term?
Credit: Charlotte Graham
JORVIK Viking Festival in York may well have the answer to all your prayers, with a full week of Viking-themed events and activities to entertain, excite and enthral, running from Saturday 11 to Sunday 19 February 2023.
Whilst a host of events are free, with no tickets required – including the Viking Encampment daily in Parliament Street, Best Beard Competition and the March to Coppergate – prebooking some of the family-friendly events is essential to avoid disappointment.
The hottest tickets for children at this year’s JORVIK Viking Festival include:
- Beserker Boot Camp, York Guildhall, 11 – 18 February, 11.00am to 3.30pm. £5 per person
- Feast with the King, with Francesca Simon, York Explore: Tang Hall, Saturday 11 February at 2.00pm. £5 Child ticket (Includes one accompanying adult). Pre-booking essential.
- Kids’ Crafting, York Guildhall, 11 – 18 February, 10.30am to 4pm. £3 for 1 craft, £5 for two and £10 for up to 5 crafts
- Poo Day! DIG, Wednesday 15 February 10am to 4m. Normal DIG admission prices apply.
Don’t forget, there are also plenty of free events for families.
Plus, JORVIK Viking Centre will be open for the entire week, too, and with tickets valid for repeat visits for a full year, this is brilliant value for families!
Find out more and book tickets via https://jorvikvikingfestival.co.uk/
2. National Science and Media Museum
Get ready for an out-of-this-world February half term at the National Science and Media Museum, Bradford. Explore the wonders of space with nine days of family fun from 11-19 February.
Join our Astronaut Training Centre and learn about astronauts and space travel. Have a go at making a mission patch inspired by past and current space missions or launch your very own space rocket to learn about aerodynamics.
Travel to far-off galaxies at Pictureville Cinema with spectacular space films and special Kids’ Club screenings on Saturday and Sunday mornings for only £3. Or join astronauts on a spacewalk, see Earth like never before and meet the first men on the moon on the biggest screen in the region–our IMAX.
For astronauts who need it, there will be a Quiet Hour on 14 February from 4pm-5pm with reduced ticket numbers and quieter exhibits. A BSL Interpreter will also be available all afternoon to provide interpretation for those who need it.
Learn about the life of world-renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking in a new display of extraordinary objects from his office. Discover the science behind light and sound in the interactive gallery, Wonderlab. Take a journey through the history of photography and see the world’s first colour moving images.
The museum is open 10am-5pm, seven days a week. Entry to the museum and half term activities are free. To pre-book free tickets, visit: www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/whats-on/space-half-term-family-fun
To book cinema tickets, visit: www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/cinema/beyond-earth
3. East Riddlesden Hall
From bug hunting to crafting, there’s lots for families to enjoy at East Riddlesden Hall, Keighley, this half-term!
Join us on a bug hunt around the gardens, there are lots of colourful insects hidden amongst the winding paths and shrubs. Can you find them all?
The trail continues in the house where you can find out about the bugs that damage old houses and what our collections team do to stop them.
The Discovery Room will be all ready with craft materials for children to create their own bugs to take home.
Have you seen the changes we’ve made to the Discovery Garden?
Imaginations can run wild in the outdoors! Will you be a knight defending the castle or a shopkeeper selling the most delicious mud pies?
Under 5’s will love playing outside and experience spring blossoming around them.
Older children can challenge themselves on the Trim Trail tucked away behind the Bothy, can you balance along the beam to the bridge?
Normal admission applies for half-term events, free entry for National trust members and under 5s.
East Riddlesden Hall | West Yorkshire | National Trust
4. The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway
Family Days Out in Yorkshire
The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway is a unique 5-mile branch line railway set in the heart of West Yorkshire, running heritage steam and diesel trains from the industrial landscape of Keighley to the stunning Brontë Country of Oxenhope, Step back in time and enjoy a train ride on The Railway Children’s Railway.
The railway was originally built to serve the local mill trade and is only about 4.5 miles long, but it still has six stations to visit, with something to see at everyone! There are two fantastic railway museums at Ingrow, the smallest ‘full size’ railway station in the UK at Damens, and Oakworth station is the site of the 1970s version of the film The Railway Children.
During the school holidays, a memorable trip along the historical line is the perfect break away, whatever the weather, trains run every day, providing plenty of opportunities to explore the Worth Valley and beyond.
There is a regular calendar of events throughout the year, including The Steam Gala, a four-day event packed with visiting locomotives, intensive passenger services and goods demonstrations. May 2023 see’s the visit of the world’s most famous Steam Engine; Flying Scotsman will be hauling services on select days in May and taking up static display so you can visit the footplate and walk through the tender. The railway is transformed into a 5-mile Beer & Music Festival in October, and closing the year off is the sell-out Elf Explorer, with Santa & his elves visiting the railway with a winter wonderland.
Boasting over 700 volunteers who run & maintain the railway, from Steam Locomotive Drivers to Stationmasters, they will visit a trip to remember. https://kwvr.co.uk/
5. National Coal Mining Museum
Family Days Out in Yorkshire
A great family day out where you can journey underground and discover 180 years of mining history. Find out about the people and communities at the heart of the industry and uncover how the miners lived at work and play.
Explore acres of woodland, spotting plants and wildlife and find out how the excess water from the mine is cleaned and pumped back into a local river, then let off steam in the adventure playground.
Discover the story of coal and how it changed our nation forever. Unearth the stories of life as a coal miner and what it was like to live in a mining community. Every tour down the pit is a led by an ex-miner with loads of experience and can take you through the evolution of the mines and their communities.
The Wakefield museum is open Wednesday-Sunday with underground tours running 10am-2.30pm, leaving every 15 mins. ncm.org.uk
6. Ponderosa Zoo
Family Days Out in Yorkshire
Whilst previously, the centre was home to a variety of domestic animals including pigs, goats, and cattle, it now looks after over 140 animals, from lemurs and reindeers to tortoises and alpacas.
Although Ponderosa Zoo has grown over the years, the ‘Bridge the Gap’ vision remains one of the key priorities by ensuring the Zoo is accessible to all.
The team of hard-working individuals are passionate about promoting animal welfare, as well as educating visitors on conservation efforts and threats many species now face in the wild.
Their mission is to inspire people of all ages and abilities through Zoo-led education and engaging experiences, helping to ensure the survival of species and biomes for future generations with the aim of contributing towards active conservation.
Family Days Out in Yorkshire
The aim is that all of the customers have a fantastic day out at Ponderosa Zoo, Heckmondwike whilst learning about species in the wild and in captivity through educational signage and Keeper Talks which take place throughout school holidays.
7. The Folly: Museum of North Craven Life
Free for everyone, the Museum of North Craven Life at The Folly in Settle is a perfect destination for families this half term. Find out how Settle grew from a small village into the thriving town we know today and uncover some of the stories of its past.
On Valentines Day, their resident house mouse, Molly at the Folly will be doing storytelling sessions about love in all its forms. She’ll be reading the childhood classics The Kiss That Missed and The Jolly Postman, or Other People’s Letters. There are two morning sittings, at 11am and again at 12pm.
Or get stuck in to a hands-on heritage craft on Tuesday afternoon! Rag rugging uses recycled fabrics pulled in small pieces or hooked in strips through hessian backing to create a shaggy or loop pile effect. This activity is aimed at children aged 7-11 but it would be an ideal opportunity for parents, grandparents or carers to share their love of heritage crafts with the younger generation and show them how it’s done!
Throughout the holiday, The Folly is also hosting the Montgomery Bonbon Museum Trail. Do you ever get the toe-tingling feeling that a mystery is about to unfold? Meet Montgomery Bonbon (aka Bonnie Montgomery) the world’s greatest ten-year-old secret super sleuth! Grab an activity sheet to test out your detective skills, explore your local museum, solve puzzles and have fun! Remember to pick up your free moustache bookmark to get in the mystery-solving mindset!
With a gorgeous Coffee House, recently nominated for Museum Café of the Year, why not stay for lunch? There’s plenty to choose from, including a wide range or gluten-free and vegan options, and all main meals can be ordered in child portions. There’s even a plain kids menu for fussy eaters!
The Folly is a Grade I listed 17th century gentleman’s residence in the heart of Settle in the Yorkshire Dales. It’s free to visit, but they are an independent charity with no regular government funding, so do make a donation if you can.
8. The Yorkshire Air Museum
The Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington, is home to one of the largest independent aircraft collections in the UK, ranging from the earliest flyers to supersonic jets.
The Museum has the only Halifax Mk III heavy bomber in the world, along with a mighty Victor tanker and examples of icon aircraft such as the Dakota, Harrier, Tornado and Mirage.
The collection of 60 aircraft and vehicles is based on the site of RAF Elvington, an original WW2 bomber base which saw hundreds of missions flown by Halifax crews. It was also home to French aircrews, flying with the RAF, for the last year of the war.
They have displays in many of the buildings, including a permanent exhibition on the story of Bomber Command and a replica of a French Officers’ Mess.
There’s the fabulous Café 77 (named after one of the RAF Squadrons based here) in the old NAAFI building, serving meals and snacks plus hot and cold drinks. There’s also a gift shop and even a small cinema.
The museum is also the Allied Air Forces Memorial, with a beautiful garden dedicated to aircrew and other personnel who lost their lives in conflict.
The site is wheelchair accessible, with the exception of the first floor of the Control Tower, and dog friendly and there is a free car park. Yorkshire Air Museum is open seven days a week, 10am-5pm.
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