Things to Do With Kids in Harrogate

Things to Do With Kids in Harrogate

Harrogate is a surprisingly easy place to explore with children.

There are big family attractions within a short drive, but you don't always need to plan an expensive day out. Parks, playgrounds, farms, woodland, reservoirs and some brilliant natural spaces give you plenty of options for filling anything from an hour to a whole day.

And because Harrogate is relatively compact, it's easy to mix things up. You can spend the morning at an attraction, grab some lunch in town and still have time for the playground, an ice cream or a walk later.

Here are some of our favourite things to do with kids in and around Harrogate.

Explore RHS Garden Harlow Carr

Crag Lane

Harlow Carr might have gardens at its heart, but don't assume it's only for adults.

There's plenty of space for children to explore, dedicated play areas and family activities throughout the year, making it an easy choice when you want somewhere that works for different generations.

The gardens themselves give children room to wander without the experience feeling like a conventional attraction, while seasonal trails and events give families reasons to return.

And there's a Bettys Café Tea Rooms at Harlow Carr, which is useful when everyone needs refuelling.

GOOD FOR
Gardens · Play · Outdoor exploring · Families · Bettys

Spend a day at Stockeld Park

Near Wetherby

If the children are the priority, Stockeld Park deserves to be high on the list.

It's built around family adventure, with a mixture of indoor and outdoor activities spread across a large estate.

The Enchanted Forest combines woodland with adventure playgrounds, there's a giant maze to tackle and the Playhive provides a substantial indoor option when the Yorkshire weather isn't playing along.

The experience changes throughout the year too, with seasonal events and additional activities around school holidays.

This is one to allow plenty of time for rather than trying to squeeze it into a couple of hours.

GOOD FOR
Big family day out · Adventure play · Younger children · Rainy days · School holidays

Have a family adventure at Lightwater Valley

North Stainley, near Ripon

Lightwater Valley has changed over the years, but it remains one of the biggest family days out within easy reach of Harrogate.

Today it's focused much more firmly on families, with more than 35 rides and attractions spread across a large countryside site.

There's a mixture of rides for younger children, family rollercoasters, adventure play, soft play and outdoor attractions, making it particularly well suited to families with primary-school-age children.

Newer attractions include the Spinning Racer family rollercoaster, Lightwater Wheel and Junior Driving School, alongside favourites such as Splash Falls, the Lightwater Express Train and Jurassic Adventure Golf.

This is one to treat as a proper day out rather than something to squeeze into an afternoon.

GOOD FOR
Theme park rides · Younger families · Full day out · Adventure · School holidays

GOOD TO KNOW
Lightwater Valley operates seasonally and opening days vary through the year, so check before travelling.

Spend the day at Birchfield Ice Cream Farm

Summerbridge

Birchfield is one of those places local families return to throughout the year.

It's a working family farm in Nidderdale with animals, play areas, a giant sandpit and plenty of opportunities for children to get involved.

What makes it particularly worth knowing about are the seasonal events. Depending on when you visit, that can mean lambing, pick-your-own strawberries, sunflowers, a maize maze, pumpkins or Christmas activities.

And then there's the ice cream.

Birchfield makes its own ice cream using milk from the farm, with an on-site café and ice cream parlour providing a pretty essential end to the visit.

GOOD FOR
Farm animals · Younger children · Ice cream · Seasonal events · Family days out

Let them loose at Brimham Rocks

Near Summerbridge

There isn't a conventional playground at Brimham Rocks.

That's rather the point.

The giant rock formations, paths and open moorland effectively create a huge natural playground where children can explore, scramble and use a bit of imagination.

For older children, simply exploring the rocks can occupy hours, while activities such as orienteering and geocaching can add another dimension.

There are steep drops and the rocks can become slippery, so children need appropriate supervision while exploring.

But for kids who would rather climb, explore and get muddy than follow an organised attraction, Brimham is hard to beat.

GOOD FOR
Adventure · Exploring · Older children · Walking · Outdoors

Play in Valley Gardens

Valley Drive

For something easy in the centre of Harrogate, Valley Gardens is hard to beat.

There's much more here for children than just gardens and open space.

Alongside the large children's play area, you'll find a skatepark, tennis courts, crazy golf, pitch and putt, a model boating pond and a paddling pool during the summer season.

That means it works for very different ages. Younger children can head for the playground and paddling pool, while older kids can bring a scooter or skateboard, play tennis or have a go at crazy golf.

There's plenty of space for a picnic too, and you can grab an ice cream or something to eat without leaving the gardens.

It's particularly useful because you don't need to organise the whole day around it. Combine it with Montpellier, head into town afterwards or simply let the children burn off some energy.

GOOD FOR
Playgrounds · Skatepark · Crazy golf · Tennis · Picnics · Summer days

LOCAL TIP
Don't just stay around the main entrance. Some of the family activities are further up through the gardens, so keep walking.

Walk, cycle or picnic on The Stray

You don't need an attraction every time you leave the house with children.

The Stray gives you huge stretches of open grass around the centre of Harrogate, making it perfect for kicking a football around, riding bikes, having a picnic or simply going for a walk.

Spring is particularly beautiful when the crocuses and then the blossom trees bring colour to different parts of The Stray.

Because it's so central, it's easy to build into another day rather than making it the destination itself.

Sometimes you just need a big patch of grass and some space to run around.

GOOD FOR
Bikes · Picnics · Running around · Spring blossom · Free things to do

Take the train to Knaresborough

Sometimes the journey can be part of the day out.

Knaresborough is only a short train ride from Harrogate, making it an easy adventure with children without needing the car.

Once there, explore around Knaresborough Castle, take in the famous view across the River Nidd and railway viaduct and then make your way down towards Waterside.

There are cafés, ice cream and plenty to explore along the river.

And when the weather is right, there's another reason to head down there.

GOOD FOR
Train trips · Half-day adventures · Castle · River · Families

Hire a rowing boat in Knaresborough

Knaresborough Waterside

Seeing Knaresborough from the river is much more fun than simply looking down at it.

Hiring one of the traditional rowing boats and heading out onto the River Nidd is one of the classic Knaresborough experiences.

You'll row beneath the famous railway viaduct with the town and castle above you, giving children a completely different way to experience the place.

You don't need to build the entire day around the boats either.

Take the train from Harrogate, explore the castle, walk down to the riverside, have lunch or an ice cream and then get out onto the water.

The combination of train + castle + river + rowing boat makes Knaresborough a particularly good family half-day.

GOOD FOR
Rowing boats · Families · Train trips · River · Half-day adventures

Walk around Swinsty Reservoir

Washburn Valley

Swinsty is a great option when you want to get everyone outside without planning a serious hike.

The reservoir sits in the Washburn Valley and is surrounded by woodland and countryside, giving you a straightforward family walk with plenty to look at along the way.

Bring decent footwear, some snacks and perhaps a picnic and you've got a relatively simple family outing within easy reach of Harrogate.

It's particularly good with children who have reached the age where playgrounds aren't quite enough but a full day hiking in the Dales might be pushing things.

GOOD FOR
Family walks · Older children · Dogs · Picnics · Countryside

Explore Fewston Reservoir

Washburn Valley

Next to Swinsty, Fewston gives families another way to explore the Washburn Valley.

You can choose one reservoir for a manageable outing or explore more of the area if you've got older children who are happy covering additional ground.

The combination of woodland, water and open countryside makes it feel like a proper escape despite being relatively close to Harrogate.

It's less about attractions and more about being outdoors together, which sometimes makes for the best kind of family day.

GOOD FOR
Walking · Nature · Older children · Dogs · Outdoors

Discover Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal

Near Ripon

Fountains Abbey is history without children necessarily feeling like they've been dragged around a museum.

The scale of the abbey ruins gives them plenty to explore, while the wider Studley Royal estate adds water gardens, woodland, open spaces and a deer park.

There's enough here to make a full family day of it, particularly if your children are happy walking.

Bring comfortable shoes and don't try to rush it.

GOOD FOR
History · Exploring · Walking · Picnics · Full day out

Have an ice cream in Ripley

Ripley

Sometimes you don't need an entire day out.

The village of Ripley is only a short journey from Harrogate and is a lovely place to stop for a wander and an ice cream.

With Ripley Castle at its heart, the village itself is unusually picturesque and has long been a popular stopping point for local families, walkers and cyclists.

It's also easy to combine with something else.

If you're heading towards Nidderdale, Brimham Rocks or Birchfield, Ripley can be a simple addition to the journey rather than a whole day's itinerary.

GOOD FOR
Ice cream · Short trips · Younger children · Village walks · Cycling stops

Go swimming

When the weather turns, swimming is one of the easiest ways to keep everyone active.

The Harrogate Leisure and Wellbeing Hub has swimming facilities and runs different sessions throughout the week, including family-friendly swimming.

There are also pools at Knaresborough Leisure and Wellbeing Hub and Starbeck Swimming Pool, giving you several options depending on where you're staying.

Public swimming sessions and timetables change, so check what's running before setting off.

GOOD FOR
Rainy days · Swimming · Active kids · Families

Have a rainy-day plan

Yorkshire weather occasionally has other ideas.

Fortunately, a wet day doesn't automatically mean abandoning your plans.

Stockeld Park's Playhive is one of the strongest dedicated indoor family options near Harrogate, particularly with younger children.

Swimming is another easy option, and it's worth checking the programme at Harrogate Theatre for family shows and seasonal performances.

You can also embrace the weather rather than fight it. Put the waterproofs on, find somewhere good for lunch afterwards and accept that muddy children are sometimes part of the deal.

Things to do with younger children

With younger children, we'd keep things relatively simple.

Valley Gardens is easy, central and has enough going on to fill several hours without needing much planning.

Harlow Carr gives you more of a day out while still allowing children plenty of freedom.

Birchfield is particularly good if farm animals and ice cream are likely to go down well.

For a bigger dedicated family attraction, choose between Stockeld Park and Lightwater Valley, depending on the ages of your children and the sort of day you want.

And when everyone simply needs some space, head for The Stray.

Things to do with older kids

Once children are old enough to want something more adventurous, you've got plenty of options.

Brimham Rocks is one of the standouts, particularly for children who would rather scramble around outside than follow an organised attraction.

Take scooters or skateboards to Valley Gardens, walk around Swinsty or Fewston, or take the train to Knaresborough and hire a rowing boat.

For a full day outdoors, Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal gives you enough space to explore without the day feeling overly structured.

Free and low-cost things to do with kids in Harrogate

A family day out doesn't always need an admission ticket.

Some of the simplest options are also among the best.

Walk or cycle across The Stray, take scooters to Valley Gardens, walk around Swinsty or Fewston, explore the riverside in Knaresborough or pack a picnic and spend a few hours outdoors.

That's one of the advantages of Harrogate for families.

You can plan a big day at somewhere like Stockeld Park, Lightwater Valley or Harlow Carr, but you don't have to spend a fortune every time you want to keep the children entertained.

And don't overlook the simple stuff

Some of the best family days around Harrogate aren't really attractions at all.

Get an ice cream in Ripley. Take scooters to Valley Gardens. Walk around Swinsty. Catch the train one stop to Knaresborough and hire a rowing boat. Let the kids explore Brimham Rocks. Have a picnic on The Stray.

Those are often the things children remember anyway.