https://apple.co/2BLNwJh https://bit.ly/3gCVsLwOutdoor Fun and activity numbers 27, 33, 34, 41 and 48
Bonfire Night Celebrations and activity numbers 13, 16, 17, 20 and 47
Bonding with your baby and 5 things to do with activity number 1 ‘Get to know you’
Craftsmas and activity numbers 4, 11, 16, 20, 25, 46, 47, 48
Our 50 Things Christmas Party and activity numbers 6, 7, 10, 15, 18
Visit Castleford Museum to explore 15,000 years of local history!
See amazing objects left behind by prehistoric tribes and Ancient Roman soldiers. Find out how coal mined locally powered potteries and glassworks in the industrial revolution.
Situated in the heart of the town centre, Castleford Museum is housed on the upper floors of the striking Carnegie Library. We have plenty to interest all ages, including dressing-up items, a collection of history books for various age ranges, kids’ craft sheets, historical toys and interactive displays.
Tuesday mornings (10am to 11am) during term-time are Toddler Tuesdays! Bring along your little ones aged 2 to 5 for storytelling and rhymes related to a different museum object every week. There will be fun creative and sensory activities for you to try together.
We also run Relaxed Openings every Friday morning 9.30am to 12pm (including school holidays). These are for anyone who would prefer to visit the Museum in a quieter, more relaxed setting. During the school holidays we have the same relaxed Friday provision but with extra activities and trails designed for SEND families.
Every Saturday 11am until 3pm join us for Family Fun crafts, inspired by the objects around us in the Museum.
The museum holds family events throughout the year, with plenty of craft activities to keep little ones entertained during the holidays. For more information go to https://bit.ly/WMandC-Events.
For full visitor and access information, visit https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/museums-and-castles/castleford-museum
Please note not open on Wednesdays or Sundays
Carlton Street, Castleford WF10 1BB
Coxley Woods … these woods have it all!! Trees, stream, duck pond, dens, wild garlic and lots of bluebells … a perfect outdoor adventure for the whole family
(Reviewed May 2020)
It was something for our little boy to focus on during the walk and he did some map reading too to find the next cache, smiley face was added when we found one. Make sure you take some bits of treasure too to do some swaps!!
To download the Geocaching app – click here. We used the basic version which is free but you can pay for the premium upgrade.
If you’re stuck inside as the weather is miserable, cold or snowy outside check out these tried and tested ideas to keep your kids busy and not saying … I’m bored!!
Click here for indoor activities for a rainy day
Click here for indoor activities for babies & toddlers
Click here for 20 Activities to Keep Toddlers Busy at Home
Click here for educational TV programmes
Click here for 13 family-friendly card games
Click here for indoor scavenger hunt
Click here for indoor safari picture hunt
Click here for 101 things to do indoors
Wakefield Libraries have fun, friendly and free storytime sessions at libraries across the region!
Under 5’s can join in with stories – pre- booking required.
Please call in advance to pre-book your place as numbers are reduced due to Covid-19 restrictions, demand is expected to be high and things are having to be done a little differently.
Find out about 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 ‘darn pit’ is led by an ex-miner with loads of experience, he’ll take you 140m underground through 180 years of mining.
In the galleries you will see the evolution of the mines and their communities. Investigate the mechanical workings of the pit through interactive models and the giant machinery. Strike up a conversation with our Blacksmiths then relax and reflect in the Miners’ Memorial Garden.
Listen to the birds sing as you walk through woods and reed beds that help clean the mine water. Meet our ponies and horse then let off steam in the Adventure Playground!
Book your visit at www.ncm.org.uk
Please note we are closed Mondays & Tuesdays
National Coal Mining Museum, New Road, Overton, WF4 4RH
National Trust Nostell is a Georgian treasure house, with landscaped gardens, parkland and stables courtyard.
Nostell is one of the greatest treasure houses of the north of England, surrounded by 300 acres of parkland and gardens. Created as an ambitious statement by the Winn family between 1725 and 1785, generations added to the richness of the house, from Robert Adam interiors and a world-class collection of Thomas Chippendale furniture, to priceless paintings and antique curiosities.
Become a Damage Detective and learn about all the things that can damage an old house like Nostell, from dust to light to little bugs, on our new house trail.
Beyond the house, there’s lots to discover. You can wander through the Kitchen Garden and marvel at the towering banana trees. Make the most of your day and explore acres of parkland, grab a bite in the Courtyard Café, or get your muscles moving in the Play Area.
Nostell also has a shop and a second-hand bookstore.
Entry and parking is free for National Trust members. For non-members there is a parking fee of £5, with additional admission charges for the house and gardens.
Please visit the National Trust website for admission fees
Doncaster Road, Nostell, Wakefield WF4 1QE
Visit Pontefract Castle, Key to the North!
Built in 1070 by Ilbert de Lacy, it has many stories to tell. It was a prison for Richard II, immortalised in Shakespeare’s plays, and an important fortress during the English Civil Wars.
Discover the captivating stories of the castle – and the people who lived there. Take a chilling tour of the dungeons and see where prisoners scratched their names into the dungeon walls.
Stand in the remains of the bakehouse and be transported to a time when the castle held lavish banquets, playing host to some of England’s most famous kings and queens!
Enjoy the sights and smells of our medieval herb garden and let the kids loose on the castle-themed play area featuring a battering ram swing, drawbridge, ramparts, and more! Round off your visit with a trip to our Gift Shop and a tasty treat from the Castle Coffee Shop.
We host lots of exciting events throughout the year, from our Easter Ilbert’s Dragon Egg Hunt, to the sensational summer Proms at the Castle and a range of Home Education workshops. Check https://bit.ly/WMandC-Events for the latest information.
For full visitor and access information, visit https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/museums-and-castles/pontefract-castle
Castle Garth, Pontefract, WF8 1QH (SAT NAV WF8 2JF)
Visit Pontefract Museum and learn all about the town’s eventful history!
Discover Pontefract’s royal links, from the Domesday Book to the English Civil Wars. Find out how local people made national political history. See how the town flourished thanks to the sweet success of liquorice. Marvel at the Museum’s beautiful art nouveau building, still retaining many of its original features.
The museum is a haven for families. Children can have all sorts of fun with the liquorice themed soft play area, rocking racehorse, dressing-up costumes and even a market stall based on Pontefract’s iconic Buttercross Market!
Every Saturday 11am until 3pm join us for Family Fun crafts, inspired by the objects around us in the Museum.
Be inspired by the Lionesses with the Women in Rugby League: Life with the Lionesses exhibition (until 26 August 2023).
There are regular craft sessions for children throughout the year, as well as seasonal events during school holidays. For more information go to https://bit.ly/WMandC-Events.
For full visitor and access information, visit https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/museums-and-castles/pontefract-museum
5 Salter Row, Pontefract, WF8 1BA
Pugneys Country Park is a local favourite for a reason. With so many different parts of the park appealing to different people and different age groups. There really is something for everyone.
From museums to mining, lakeside walks to sculptures, Wakefield has lots of fun, free, family activities!
Click here to find out our top 5 for you!
Visit Wakefield Museum to discover the fascinating history of our city at work and play!
Follow its growth from a Tudor wool trade centre to the capital of Yorkshire’s West Riding. Soak up the Merrie City’s nightlife and relive Wakefield Trinity’s rugby league triumphs.
Based on the ground floor of Wakefield One, the museum tracks the shifting fortunes of the region over more than 2,000 years. From Stone Age settlers to homegrown chart-topping bands, discover the extraordinary through our wide range of inspiring and unique objects and artefacts.
Wakefield Museum also has a lot to offer families with interactive exhibits and games, a dressing-up collection, a child-size 1950s style play kitchen, and lovely books and craft sheets.
Visit Moving Stories, our new, interactive exhibition full of bright colours and local stories! Take a peek behind the scenes and have your say about our New Library & Museum, due to open in 2025.
Every Saturday 11am until 3pm join us for Family Fun crafts, inspired by the objects around us in the Museum.
We hold family events throughout the year, as well as seasonal events during school holidays. For more information go to https://bit.ly/WMandC-Events.
For full visitor and access information, visit https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/museums-and-castles/wakefield-museum
Wakefield One, 159 Mulberry Way, Wakefield, WF1 2UP
Wondering which are the best spots of where to see animals for FREE?Once again at Wakefield Mumbler, we’ve had some fun tracking as many different animals and creatures down as possible so we can tell you where to see animals for FREE! (more…)
Our list of 10 Things to do in Wakefield for £10 or less is a mix of days out, days in, adventures and activities to suit all families. We love to share these ideas on our Wakefield Mumbler Facebook page and Wakefield Mumbler Chat Group. Pop over to Facebook to join the conversation.
Anglers Country Park draws families from afar for so many different reasons. A calming walk around the lake, a lovely bike around on the flat path or a casual stroll with a pushchair.
Have a try of the Mumbler Autumn scavenger hunt – I’ve left them unlabelled so the bigger kids can practice their writing skills!
Download your free I Spy card or collect a card from the Cavendish Shop. Spot the pictures on the card as you follow one of the trails around Strid Wood. Who will be the first to get four in a line? (more…)
This animal picture hunt was used at the Children’s Activity Day last year (the one where the butterfly disappeared!) and I thought it may be a useful activity for you to do with your children!
If you’re looking for FREE PLAYGROUPS near you, we have found as many as groups and classes in the area as we could and collated them below. If you know of anymore, please tell us about them on Facebook so we can share these with parents and carers across Wakefield. There a lots of classes and groups, so keep scrolling to find one in your area.
Do you ever look at the Oak trees that tower above us and wonder how it all began for them? From a tiny little Acorn. This week we’ve been teaching our Mini Mumblers all about growing Oak Trees from an Acorn. From collecting the acorns, watching them sprout, growing their first leaves to potting them in their first plant pot. This free and easy activity is a wonderful way to spend a chilly Saturday and enjoy for months and even years ahead. (more…)
The Hepworth Wakefield is your space to explore, play and create together. New Explore & Draw packs have been created for families to explore our artworks, galleries and garden with specially devised looking and drawing activities!
Gallery Walk, Wakefield WF1 5AW. Open daily 10am – 5pm
💜 RECOMMENDED BY A MUMBLER! 💜
For kids who love trains, pop over to Moorthorpe Train Stain, near South Kirkby (WF9 3TA) 🚄🚂☕
It’s a nice quiet train station for the kids to watch the trains passing [Recommended – BP]
Note – unfortunately the cafe is now not operating xx
If you’re planning a staycation or a day out outside of Wakefield with the kids you’ll want to make the most of your time and money.
Why not use other Mumbler sites to do research on the area that you’re visiting?
We have fully operational sites in the following areas;
Yorkshire:
STAG Mumbler (Selby, Tadcaster & Goole)
Leeds (North Leeds Mumbler, South Leeds Mumbler, Wharfedale Mumbler)
Further afield:
The new nature-based fairy trail, funded by Wakefield Council Culture Grants, is nestled in local woodland at Earnshaws Fencing Centre, Midgley. This is a great FREE activity for families to discover nature in our local environment. Each fairy on the trail represents a different species which lives in the woodland and they have many top tips to share with you about looking after wildlife and the environment.
Newmillerdam is a local favourite. It offers a little something for everyone. From woodland trails, picnic spots, feeding the ducks, kids adventure trails, bird spotting and creepy crawley hunts.
Whenever we go on a walk where there are ducks, they are always being fed by people of all ages! It is such a good activity to get some fresh air and run off some energy with the kids (as well as being FREE!!)
You can enjoy the beauty of the lake on a circular walk at any time. There are always plenty of opportunities to spot birds and wildlife.
The visitors centre and small cafe
Children can take part in pond dipping during Spring & Summer months
9:30am – 4pm
Access is free, parking charges apply
Newton Lane, Castleford, WF10 2BH
Have a try of the Mumbler summer scavenger hunt – I’ve left them unlabelled so the bigger kids can practice their writing skills!
