Wet, rainy days can be tough when you have children. There are some fantastic indoor places to take children on our doorstep and a short journey away, below are some suggestions. If you have any other suggestions for an indoor day out that you have enjoyed, or you want to feature your attraction, please contact me here.
Rock Up, St Stephens Centre, Hull.
It’s Time To Reach New Heights! Rock Up Hull – 26 incredible fun climbing walls towering over 8m with multiple routes to their peaks. Take on the twister climb, run up the speed walls, walk up the stairway to heaven, zoom up the astro balls. Enjoy first time climb on the hex and cheese walls. There’s something for everyone. Climb from 4 years, ideal for kids of all ages, teens and adults.
We do thousands of fun climbs every year at our centres and kids LOVE IT. Break away from mobiles, screens and TVs. Take on a challenge that is healthy and totally enjoyable. Share with friends. Great for fitness and confidence.
Also available on site is a fantastic SOFT PLAY area for babies and toddlers plus a café serving freshly made hot and cold snacks and drinks. NEW! Soft play entry is now a day pass so you can come and go as you like all day!
Plenty of onsite parking at St Stephens. Discounted parking available. Open 7 days a week. Soft play is suitable for under 8s, climbing is suitable for over 4s and upwards. Book online to climb, turn up for soft play.
For more information please visit their website here.
Located in Hull, The Deep is an award-winning aquarium that is home to almost 3,500 fish including green sawfish, sharks and tropical fish. Not forgetting an array of invertebrates, amphibians, turtles and a colony of Gentoo penguins!
Journey through the story of the world’s oceans travelling through a unique blend of spectacular marine life from warm tropical waters to the cold Antarctic seas. Enjoy the fun and educational interactive and audio-visual presentations on your voyage of discovery. Highlights include the daily dive show, touchpool sessions, twice-daily penguin feeds, the underwater tunnel and bubble lift through the 10m Endless Oceans exhibit. Details of feeding times and all other info is on their website here.
The Deep has its own café serving a range of homemade hot/cold meals, snacks, drinks and excellent children’s boxes, plus a snack bar that is open in during peak times inside the attraction. There are also indoor and outdoor picnic areas for those who wish to bring their own food.
The Deep is fully accessible for people with disabilities or accessibility requirements and can provide and range of things to help visitors enjoy a more pleasant visit.
The Deep also have brand new VIP Experiences that run all year round: Get hands on and help The Deep crew with a series of day to day activities as well as seeing behind the scenes. Experience days are ideal for youngsters with a passion for the marine world or those looking at getting into a Marine Biology career, but are also perfect for adults with an interest in aquaria. Suitable for participants aged 8 and above.
Save 10% by booking your tickets on their website before you visit. The Deep also accepts Tesco Days Out vouchers, which form part of the Tesco Clubcard scheme. Don’t forget to sign up to the Day Plus Pass scheme which allows FREE return visits to The Deep for 12 months (this is included in the normal price of a ticket, T&C’s on their website).
During the school holidays there are also arts, crafts at Craft Corner, see their website for details of the next events.
Tower Street, Hull, HU1 4DP (Sat Nav HU9 1TU). 01482 381000. Open daily 10am – 6pm (last entry 5pm), closed 24th/25th December.
Grade 1 listed building with stunning Georgian courtroom, plus 2 exhibition rooms with local items. Specifically for children are:
Free admission. Open Wednesdays & Fridays 10am-4pm.
Register Square, Beverley, HU17 9XX. 01482 392783.
Walk around the beautiful Beverley Minster, which has been a place of prayer for over 1300 years. You can walk around yourself admiring the architecture, or alternatively for a fee, floor and roof tours are available on Wednesdays and Saturdays from April onward (booking essential). The guides are very experienced and great with children, they will guide you around the history of the Minster, and show you amazing things normally hidden from public view.
Open weekdays – April – October: 9am – 4.45pm. November – March: 9am – 4pm. Sundays – 12noon – 5pm.
Minster Yard North, Beverley, HU17 0DP. For more information about the tours call 01482 868540.
Come and discover Barnsley’s hidden treasure – the island paradise that is Calypso Cove Waterpark. Calypso Cove is home to fantastic flumes, sensational slides and wonderful waves – making it a great day out for the whole family! Splash your way through the slides, flumes and pools before retreating to The Hideout on poolside to refuel and relax with some hearty grog ‘n’ grub!
The Metrodome Leisure Complex, Queens Road, Barnsley, S71 1AN. 01226 730060.
Visit Dinostar – Hull’s Dinosaur Experience – the exciting, interactive dinosaur museum. A children’s museum with dinosaurs! Highlights include a Tyrannosaurus rex skull, Triceratops bones you can touch and our unique Dinosaur Sound Box. Our dinosaur and fossil shop offers genuine and replica fossils plus a range of dinosaur toys, all at reasonable prices. Ideal for children of all ages!
Open every weekend 11am -5pm and some school holidays.
28-29 Humber Street, Hull, HU1 1TH. 01482 320424
An interactive children’s museum approximately 1 hour 20 mins drive from Hull. A great family day out, lots of interactive, hands on exhibits for children that are fun and educational. Eureka also has the annual pass option – pay once and visit as many times as you like in the following year.
Open term time Tuesday-Sunday 10am-4pm (5pm Saturday & Sunday), open daily in school holidays 10am-5pm
Discovery Road, Halifax, HX1 2NE. 01422 330069
Free art gallery in Hull city centre. Explore a magnificent collection of paintings and sculptures, plus there is a regular program of temporary exhibitions and events. Includes a very good children’s area to play in and get creative and a good child friendly cafe (Cafe Venue Hull). They hold regular children’s activities and events, Mini Masterpieces and Gallery Expedition are sessions for the under 5s and sessions are available for older children during school holidays (see our school holiday section for more information).
Queen Victoria Square, Hull, HU1 3RA. 01482 300300.
Trampoline park located on the top floor of St Stephens (entry outside next to Next). Lots of fun for children and grown ups! A floor of trampolines and bouncy activities.
They also hold toddler sessions where only under 5s can bounce (must be over 18 months old). The last Friday of the month toddler session is a themed one, usually fancy dress with other activities such as face painting. Plus they have all new VIB Birthday Parties!
Enquire about their new annual pass. For more info and to book call 01482 231707.
St Stephens Shopping Centre, Ferensway, Hull.
Set in the old Grammar School where William Wilberforce studied, a history museum including the history of Hull. This gallery is home to a genuine 2,600 year old mummy and unique replicas of King Tutankhamen’s treasures. Free entry.
Opening times – 12 to 4pm on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month
South Church Side, Hull, HU1 1RR General Enquiries – 01482 300 300
Hedon Museum is located behind the Town Hall, accessible by a small alley between Watmough’s Arcade and Iveson Close Car Park. Open Wednesdays and Saturdays 10am-4pm. Closes for Winter.
Museum all about the town of Hedon and it’s heritage, includes a children’s corner. Free entry.
For more info call them on 01482 890908 or email kmiller.hedonmuseum@miller3.karoo.co.uk.
Hull’s Hollywood Bowl has 26 lanes to choose from, and there is also a bar and diner on site, as well as an amusement arcade. Family packages are available and they sometimes run themed competitions or family fun weekends. Open daily from 10am.
Kingswood Leisure Park, Gibraltar Road, Hull, HU7 3DB 0844 826 1461
If you’re looking for a fun family day out why not head to Hornsea Freeport. There are 2 great children’s attractions there, along with the usual range of shops and discount outlets.
Discover Beach Cove, the fantastic play experience at Hornsea Freeport. Swing, slide, zip, bounce, climb, dig and twirl in the AWESOME outdoor activity park… and explore the AMAZING soft play zone indoors. Time for a break? Relax in the Rockpool Café and terrace overlooking the play areas.
Head into Bugtopia, the hands-on tropical nature attraction featuring Huge Bugs, butterflies, birds, spiders, and MORE! INCREDIBLE leafcutter ants have arrived at Bugtopia too!
Hornsea Freeport, Rolston Road, Hornsea, HU18 1UT. 01964 534211
There are several cinemas in Hull, some of which do special children’s discount sessions (prices correct as of April 2019) –
Cineworld – ‘Movies for Juniors’ – Children’s discounted films on Sat & Sun mornings. They also do Autism friendly screenings at selected times. Gibraltar Road, Kingswood Retail Park, Hull, HU7 3DB. 0871 2002000.
Vue Cinema – ‘Mini Mornings’ – Children’s discounted films on Sat & Sun mornings and week days in the school holidays. Princes Quay, Hull, HU1 2PQ. 08712 240 240.
Odeon Luxe – Recently refurbished (2019) – ‘Odeon Kids’ – Children’s discounted films on Sat & Sun mornings and week days during the school holidays. Kingston Park, Hull, HU1 2TX.
Reel Cinema – ‘Kids Club’ – Children’s discounted films on Sat & Sun mornings, plus week days in the School holidays. St Stephens Centre, Hull, HU2 8LD. 0870 801 0870
Walk through various ages of history. 235 million years of history is brought to life, with mammoths, Saxon invaders, an Iron Age village, a Roman bath house and stunning mosaics. Located in the Museums quarter next door to the Streetlife Museum. Free entry.
Open Monday to Saturday 10am-4.30pm, Sunday 11am-4pm, plus bank holidays (except Good Friday)
36 High Street, Hull, HU1 1NQ. 01482 300300
Hull History Centre holds all of the cities archives. Also runs children’s activities (usually the 1st Saturday of the month) and family events – see Events Calendar for details
Open Tuesday – Friday 9.30am – 5.30pm and on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month 9am – 4.30pm
Worship Street, Hull, HU2 8BG. 01482 317500
***The Ice Arena is temporarily closed from 8th – 26th July 2019 for maintenance works***
Hull’s Ice Arena has lots of different skating sessions including:
Hull’s Ice Hockey team, Hull Pirates, play from the Arena too. Come and watch a game and support the local team.
Kingston Park, Kingston Street, Hull, HU1 2DZ. Call them for latest times and prices on 01482 325252.
Hull’s most historic church, very friendly and welcoming and open most days to have a look around inside. Hull Minster is located in the heart of the Old Town Hull. They regularly run the following for families:
A cafe is available onsite and entry is free for all to enter.
Parish Centre, 10a-11 King Street, Kingston upon Hull HU1 2JJ
A real factory tour of this local, famous rock producer. Touch, hear, smell, see and taste the secrets of rock and chocolate production. They are a seasonal tourist location and the hours do vary depending on whether it’s the school holidays or term times. (No tours on a weekend). The standard opening hours are as follows, however, we always recommend that if you are travelling from a distance that you telephone on the day of your visit to confirm our opening times. Factory Tour Entry Times: (Monday to Friday) 11am to 12pm & 1.00pm to 3.30pm
Also at the site – John Bull’s Candy Kingdom, soft play centre for ages 0-12.
Lancaster Road, Carnaby, Bridlington, YO15 3QY. 01262 678525.
A trip to the library to choose and take out children’s books is a great activity to do for free. Below is a list of all the libraries in our area. Many libraries run Toddler Times, see Weekly Classes for listings.
Hull:
East Riding:
Museum of Hulls maritime past. Free entry. Often holds children’s events.
Open Monday to Saturday 10am-4.30pm, Sunday 11am-4pm, plus bank holidays (except Good Friday)
Queen Victoria Square, Hull, HU1 3DX. 01482 300300
Great day out for children. Large display of trains and old steam engines some of which children can get on, historic station, activities, outdoor play area and miniature train, good cafe. Steam Rides are available for a small fee, running most Saturdays (can book online). Free entry but donations are welcome.
Open daily 10am-5pm in Winter, 10am-6pm in Summer. Located next to York Railway station so a good place to get the train from Hull to or there is a car park across the road from the museum (£10 for parking but you can park all day and get the land train from here into York city centre)
Leeman Road, York, YO26 4XJ. 0844 815 3139
Trampoline Park in Hull with open jump sessions, toddler sessions, fitness, dodgeball, SEN sessions.
Open 7 days a week Monday-Thursday 10am-8pm and Friday-Sunday 9am-9pm (8pm Sun).
Unit 2 Malmo Park, Stockholm Road, Hull, HU7 0XW. 01482 826228. Owned by and adjacent to Monkey Bizness
Rockcity has a range of adult and children’s climbing walls and a bouldering area ideal for children from 3 years +. Bouldering allows children (and grown ups) to climb without ropes in a safe area with different rooms to explore. Also a great cafe on site serving hot and cold drinks and areas to view the climbing with your drinks.
They also offer a range of weekly clubs known as Young Climbers Club (YCC) which follows the National Indoor Climbing Award Scheme (NICAS). Ages start at 7, and we have something for all levels if skill and experience for young climbers! Also run holiday clubs during the school half/full term holidays.
Opening times: Full Centre open Mon-Fri 10am-10pm, Saturday-Sunday 10am-7pm.
For more info or to book a session call 01482 223030 or email info@rockcity.co.uk.
Rockcity, Hawthorn Avenue, Hull, HU3 5GL.
History brought to life with live combat demonstrations, dramatic performances, talks and tours throughout the exhibition. Explore arms and armour from across the world and through time over five floors of stunning displays.
Open daily 10am-5pm. Admission is free.
Armouries Drive, Leeds, LS10 1LT
Saramique Studio is an independent, distinctively different, pottery painting studio. Based in the lovely town of Hessle, with the iconic Humber Bridge as backdrop, we serve the whole of the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire region. A socially inclusive venue welcoming all customers for pre booked sessions or walk ins. Striking just the right balance, our studio is a fantastic environment, enjoyed by adults and children alike. No experience or artistic ability is needed to enjoy this truly therapeutic activity that spans all generations. We offer:
9 South Lane, Hessle. 01482 641419
Large sea life centre with various enclosures, including turtles, penguins, seals, sharks, and otters. Also an outdoor play area and mini golf.
Open daily from 10am-5pm
Scalby Mills, Scarborough, YO12 6RP. 0871 4232110
Museum inside the working windmill with children’s activities. Specifically for children are:
Also a good playground in the field adjacent and cafe in the courtyard.
2019 opening times – Saturday to Tuesday 10am-12.30pm & 1pm-5pm.
Skidby, HU16 5TF (follow the brown signs from the A164). 01482 848405
Soft Play Centres are a great place to take the children on a rainy day. You can find full details of all the Soft Play Centres in the Hull and East Riding Area on Mumbler here.
If you decide to stay at home on a rainy day check out our guide with our Top 10 ideas to do at home to keep the kids entertained at home!
From treasure hunts to making slime, read the full article here.
Old buses and trams that children can climb on and scenes from olden day Hull to explore. Experience 200 years of transport history as you walk down a 1940’s high street, board a tram or enjoy the pleasures of our carriage ride. Usually hold children’s events during the school holidays, see Events calendar for details. Located in the Museums quarter next door to the Hull & East Riding Museum. Entry is free.
Open Monday to Saturday 10am-4.30pm, Sunday 11am-4pm, plus bank holidays (except Good Friday)
High Street, Hull, HU1 1NQ. 01482 300300
Superbowl UK offers a concourse for players of all ability levels. 12 state of the art lanes including a unique VIP Bowling Experience. The latest scoring system along with bumpers and ramps are provided to make ten-pin bowling more enjoyable and engaging than ever. There is also Laser Quest and soft play, as well as an arcade prize zone.
Special offers are available throughout the week, they also do parties and group bookings. Open daily, 9am til late.
Lower Deck, Princes Quay Shopping Centre, Hull, HU1 2PQ. 01482 231053
Swimming is a great rainy day activity. Mumbler has full details of all the Swimming Pools and Leisure Centres in the Hull and East Riding area. Find them here.
Pottery painting studio and cafe. Excellent with children, have a variety of pottery for children to paint or to put hand/footprints on. Cafe has a good range of children’s drinks and snacks. They also do Toddler Sessions which are £10 to paint a piece of pottery, juice and a snack, and a hot drink for the grown ups (call to book):
155 Kingston Road, Willerby, Hull HU10 6AL. 01482 653611
Huge swimming pool with multi-pool wonderland and lagoons, slides and rapids. Also a big ice rink, soft play centre and cafe. Great wet day activity, approx 40 mins drive from Hull.
The Dome, Doncaster Lakeside, Bawtry Road, Doncaster, DN4 7PD. 01302 370777
Historic building and home of art and sculpture exhibitions including the Hull Tapestry. Entry is free.
Guildhall, Hull, HU1 2AA. 01482 300300
Heritage centre and museum with plenty of activities for children, including hands on interactive exhibits, historical costumes to try on, and colouring sheets. Also a great view of Beverley from the tower. Beverley Library is also in the same building. Open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am, admission is free.
Champney Road, Beverley, HU17 8HE. 01482 392780
This house is William Wilberforce’s birthplace, inside is now a museum telling the story of the slave trade and galleries about West Africa.
Open Monday to Saturday 10am-4.30pm, Sunday 11am-4pm, plus bank holidays (except Good Friday)
23-25 High Street, Hull, HU1 1NQ. 01482 300300
Wednesdays and Thursdays in term time, 10am – 5pm, the World of Wonder is open for families to use for free. Magical rooms with various imagination play equipment including a play kitchen, a faraway tree, a hobbit hole, sensory room and narnia props. Plus large hall with ride-ons to use. Free tea, coffee and toast and access to fairshare foods too.
Please note that only families can use the world of wonder room but anyone can come in and use the rest of the facilities. Please check times and sessions with them prior to going, different sessions on in school holidays.
For more information email contact@wowhull.com
Hull Community Church, 310 Newland Avenue, Hull, HU5 2NB
Lots to do for all the family at Xscape – Golf, Cinema, Funstation, Gravity Aerial Adventures, Gravity Rocks & Trampoline Parks, Laserzone, Bowling, Snozone (artificial snow slope for skiing and sledging, they run children’s ski lessons for 3 years and above), and Volcano falls crazy golf which is also good for young children.
Open daily 6.30am-11.30pm
Colorado Way, Glasshoughton, Castleford, WF10 4TA 01977 664 794
