There’s plenty to do in Leeds, West Yorkshire with the kids this summer. Here’s the lowdown of what’s going on whether you live in Yorkshire or are visiting for a fun day out.
Abbey House Museum
School Holidays
Until 30 Aug
Inspired by our current temporary exhibition, Danger Zone, we will be making crafts and having fun with a different theme each week. From bugs and insects to spies and crimes, there’s plenty to get involved in with the family. Plus, we’ll be theming our silly science sessions so come along to get involved and find out something new!
30 Jul & 2 Aug – Spies and Crimes crafts
31 Jul – Spies and Crimes silly science
6 & 9 Aug – Reptiles and Roars crafts
13 & 16 Aug – Dinosaur crafts
14 Aug – Dinosaur silly science
20 & 23 Aug – Jungle crafts
27 & 30 Aug – Pirates crafts
28 Aug – Pirates silly science
Each Thursday in the holidays – Danger Zone Quest
All sessions run 10am-12pm & 2-4pm.
Leeds Art Gallery
Artspace: Sculpture Experiences
Until 29 Sept
Leeds Art Gallery’s popular creative space for families and others hosts imaginative activities inspired by YSI artist-work within the gallery making links between sculpture and everyday experience of a world full of objects. Check our website for Artspace pop-up events aiming to surprise, play and make us laugh hosted by the Henry Moore Institute and others.
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Leeds City Museum
School Holidays
Until 30 Aug, 10am-12pm & 1-3pm
Make Marvellous Music at Leeds City Museum this summer holidays. Explore the musical side of our collections by following our Strange Sounds trail and hear the haunting tune of the Malham Pipe, our 2500 year old whistle! Each week make and decorate two different simple musical instruments from shakers and castanets to Japanese pellet drums and an Ancient Egyptian Sistrum. Design a sheet music decoration to take home.
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Leeds Industrial Museum
School Holidays
12.30 to 3pm Tues, Wed, Thurs in summer holidays
Arts & craft workshops linked to our museum collection, including printing and wool felting.
Vintage Bus Day
18 Aug, 10am-5pm
Catch beautifully restored buses and coaches to hop between the city centre and Leeds Industrial Museum, Middleton Railway and Thwaite Mills. Purchase a ticket to either Leeds Industrial Museum or Thwaite Watermill and gain free entry to the other one on the same day! Jump off the bus at Thwaite Mills for a day of fun activities for all the family, including a classic car show and children’s entertainment then head over to Leeds Industrial Museum to see a transport themed movie in the 1920s cinema.
Thwaite Watermill
School Holidays
Until 27 Aug, Tues & Thurs, 1-5pm
Join us on Tuesdays and Thursdays for crafts and experiments with a different theme each week. Make a windmill, design some super cool shades and discover the wonders of ‘smart materials’ this summer.
Vintage Bus Day
18 Aug, 10am-5pm
Catch beautifully restored buses and coaches to hop between the city centre and Leeds Industrial Museum, Middleton Railway and Thwaite Mills. Purchase a ticket to either Leeds Industrial Museum or Thwaite Watermill and gain free entry to the other one on the same day! Jump off the bus at Thwaite Mills for a day of fun activities for all the family, including a classic car show and children’s entertainment then head over to Leeds Industrial Museum to see a transport themed movie in the 1920s cinema.
Lotherton
A Sixties Summer of Fun
24 Jul – 1 Sept
Stuck for something to do for six weeks? Then why not visit us throughout summer for our Flower Power trail, swinging sixties crafts and on special days, artists workshops. Each week we will have a new theme that celebrates Lotherton as it approaches its special milestone birthday.
Week 1: Sixties Summer week
Week 2: Flower Power week
Week 3: Lotherton Birthday week
Week 4: Fashion Crafts week – from the 1960s to now
Week 5: Groovy Zoo week
Week 6: Love Lotherton week
Temple Newsam
Through the ages for all ages tour
Every Sat & Sun, 2.30pm
A tour for our younger visitors with a chance to handle some items from our collection and hear stories of some of the people who lived here.
School Holidays – Monsters in the Mansion
Until 1 Sept
Calling intrepid explorers of all ages to a summer of beastly adventurers! Borrow a monster back pack and go on our monster trail or simply follow the monster map around the house to discover ‘creatures’ in the objects and walls! Hear fantastical stories of awesome animals and become a creative creature in our own beastly lair. Make your own unicorn, dragon or griffin and design a marvellous monster mask to take home.
Amazing Animals
10 – 18 Aug, 10am-4pm
A celebration of our fantastic rare-breed farm animals, native wildlife and birds and animals from all over the world! Hands-on activities, animal encounters and more.
Clay Creatures
21 Aug, 10.30am-12.30pm
Go on an adventure around the House in search of fantastical beasts with our friendly Learning Officer Nikki Caines then learn some clay skills in order to create your own beast to take home.
Kirkstall Abbey
Free entry
Kirkstall Abbey Markets
29 – 31 Aug
12-3pm
With over 40 stalls in the cloisters of the abbey, the Kirkstall Abbey Market is the perfect place to find high quality Yorkshire produce, handmade crafts, collectables and freshly cooked treats for a tasty lunch. Put an extra spring in your step and take a stroll through the grounds afterwards.
Mini Dragons
30 Jul, 6 Aug, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, 10-11am
Our weekly under 5’s session has a dragon theme for the summer holidays. Bring along your mini dragon for fun crafts and activities in the abbey. Please be prepared that we might messy and we like to go spread outside in nice weather. Older siblings welcome.
Games Galore
Every Weds in summer holidays, 10am-3pm
Each Wednesday of the school holidays we will be putting out a selection of games in the cloister for people to help themselves and have fun.
Outside Art
8 & 28 Aug
Join us in the cloister for some outside art. We will have lots of materials and different techniques to explore.
Picnic with Barry the Dragon
15 Aug, 1-3pm
Come along to the abbey, bring a picnic and meet our friendly dragon Barry. Just make sure he doesn’t eat your sandwiches!
Kirkstall Abbey Fun Dog Show
22 Aug, 1-3pm
Our fun dog show returns with super serious categories such as dog with the waggiest tail and prizes for sausage eating and best control on lead!
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Leeds Discovery Centre
School Holidays
Various dates, 10am-12pm
Fun themed sessions every week to come along to, explore and discover our marvellous collections, then take a tour of our incredible object store:
31 Jul – Money, Money, Money
7 Aug – A day at the Seaside
14 Aug – Indian Summer
21 Aug – Marvellous Minerals
28 Aug – Magnetic Toys and Games
Behind the scenes tour
Every Thursday at 11am and 2pm
One of the best ways to access and see our collections is to enjoy our free store tours held every Thursday. These unique tours highlight fascinating objects and delve into the stories behind some of our most unusual items.
These events are free but must be booked, please call 0113 378 2100 or email discovery.centre@leeds.gov.uk
To find out more about Summer Holiday Family Events in Leeds…
For further information including opening times and admission prices please visit: museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk
