The Mrs has full day cooking course next Tuesday (as an early xmas present – she asked for it, it wasn’t my suggestion!). So we are stopping over in Harrogate the night before as we are on out way to visit in-laws prior to xmas. This gives me a full day to entertain the toddler in the area. I was thinking the National Rail Museum in York would be pretty good with (he is 2 months away from being 4). I am guessing this wont take up the whole day at toddler speed so what else can people suggest in York or Harrogate suitable for a toddler? Don’t really want to do softplay and weather might not be the best so needs to be wet weather appropriate.

Also I can see there is a car park at the museum. Is it worth driving in or better to get the park and ride?

Cheers

Get the train from Harrogate to York it’s only a short walk (carry) to the railway museum and the York castle museum is only a short walk over the bridge (Not sure it’s toddler intetesting)

Be warned York is mental busy.

Watching with interest. My 2 yo is going through a Thomas phase and I suspect he’d love it.

YRM is simply awesome. That’s all. Sorry not able to help with the rest!

Its a nice city centre to wander round, compact and traffic free, packed with history. Probably not that interesting for a toddler but there might be a few buskers who can be entertaining. We had no trouble driving in and parking. Wasn’t cheap though. As mentioned the museum is right by the station.

We did it with toddlers. Lots to do, and varied, do you may be surprised how long they spend there between riding mini train, wandering around displays, playing on things etc.

We travelled by train Sheffield to York, and that made it full day.

Harrogate has a good playpark somewhere, but I couldn’t tell you where…

Just go to Masham for the afternoon, the little ones love the Theakstons visit/shop…. 8)

is the Viking Centre still open in York

Yeah, NRM then a bus across town (or carry if you’re up to it) to Jorvik, the Viking centre, going via the Christmas market on Parliament street would be a fun day.

If you are driving to York rather than getting a train you could park at Poppleton park and ride, which is about £3 for the day and then you can catch the same bus around from the station to near enough Jorvik.

It’ll be mad busy in town itself this weekend, but VERY Christmassy.

Yorvik is open again but don’t know how toddler friendly it is. Train in is a good idea, there’s a couple of old fashioned fair ground rides set up near the of the Shambles and the food stalls down the bottom of the market are brilliant and have covered seating.

I used to visit Harrogate with my Toddler. The train to York is easy and then its a short walk to train museum (carry on shoulders). The Museum is great and will fill up most of the day along with the train journey. A walk along the walls is also a bit of an adventure for them. To be honest, at that age they’re happy doing fairly simple things and one activity can easily fill most of the day.
Also as mentioned, there is a really good park in Harrogate and as it’s in Yorkshire it doesn’t rain so often, but it is just a bit cold.

Yep, deffo train in or park at Poppleton. Trying to park in the centre is pointless, frustrating and expensive.

NRM and a walk around the city centre would probably fill most of the day. Lots to see at the Christmas Festival, like others have said it will be crazy busy but also very festive.

The park in Harrogate – that will be in the Valley Gardens.

If you dont mind a walk in, our street is dead in the day time so you could park there and right round the corner from NRM. Probably about 10-15 mins walk down the river into town with a toddler.

Also worth noting that if you take the train from harrogate it’ll be the oldest train you see all day.

in seriousness though –
the taps at both train stations are pretty reasonable if you happen to need to fill 20 minutes waiting for your train.
Do not wait on the platform at York if it can be avoided, it is seriously nithering.
NRM is well received by everyone, I’ve not been in years but it was excellent fun from what i recall.
museum gardens/Yorkshire museum is a few minutes walk over the bridge and likely to have a child friendly exhibition on.

taking a toddler that likes trains to the NRM is an excellent way to exercise your inner train geek. They get to climb about and pretend to drive the trains and so do you…

Not read the other replies but I agree with getting the train as it makes it all part of the ‘train’ experience. I did it with my two around that age and they loved it – we got the train from Pannal (easier/cheaper parking than Harrogate and free if you can find a space in the small car park on the Leeds Road side of the bridge). Spent a few hours in the museum, had a train ride on the miniature railway at the museum then went into the Museum Gardens for a picnic / ice cream (it was the summer so it was nice weather). I believe the Jorvic Centre has re-opened now so that would be worth a visit.

If you don’t want to do soft play then Harrogate doesn’t have much to offer for children but there is a good playground / skate park in the Valley Gardens. If you are all feeling very energetic you can also have a great long walk all the way up to the Pine Woods and on to Harlow Carr Gardens (RHS so there is an entrance fee) – they have a great Santa there but I reckon he’ll be fully booked (but might be worth checking). They also have some great playgrounds at Harlow Carr. But be warned – the walk will be around 30/40 minutes each way if you go all the way to Harlow Carr.

Can only repeat what others have said, did the NRM with my daughter when she was two I think? Got a bit bored but reckon she would be more interested now. All day can be filled in there easily, think I had to dump her and jog round one of the halls to see a few things.

Fancy going back to their other site but probably during the summer

taking a toddler that likes trains to the NRM is an excellent way to exercise your inner train geek

I don’t have a kid and I go once a year 😳

We did the Christmas thing at Castle Museum a couple of years ago and it looks like it is on next Tuesday.

https://www.yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk/a-victorian-christmas-at-the-castle/

My kids loved it. The youngest was aged 6 at the time.

NRM is excellent too. Parking is about £8 IIRC.

The museums are a good mile apart though.

That Victorian thing is on everyday after 4, is expensive though.

My lad was 4 when he first went – his face as we walked down the stairs into the main turntable shed and he realised what was there was a real joy to see.

Cheers for the replies. Sounds like we will be fine. Where we are dropping her off is quite close to Starbeck and Knaresborough train stations. Is there parking at either of those?

Mini fiat (4) is obsessed with the NRM. Utterly completely obsessed. Its an excellent attraction. Not sure it’ll fill an entire day at toddler speed mind you.

Things not to miss:
The model railway hidden in the walls beside the bullet train.
The locomotive works / restoration shed where they’re currently rebuilding Sir Nigel Gresley and a Rocket repro.
The cafe in the new train shed is far better than the one in the main hall. (Take the tunnel under the road from next to the main cafe).
Turntable demonstration. Ask when you go in when it’s due to happen.
Miniature train rides outside of the new train shed.
Play park next to miniature train is good for 4yr-olds.
The big Chinese engine. Tell him its the polar express engine (its not, but hey).

Things to avoid:
The main cafe. Sodexo’s finest.
With a toddler – the posh tea room cafe outside in the carriage behind the main cafe.
Toilets in main building are straight from the 70s.
The shop.

Parking in York is a right PITA. Its like they’re trying to be Oxford, but less well thought through. NRM has a car park. Its £10 for the day. You can also take the road train from there into town. Train from Harrogate would be my choice.

be prepared for it being cold inside the train sheds.

Starbeck has no dedicated parking but there is some to be had on the highstreet and residential all around.
Knaresborough has a small dedicated car park, plenty of restricted town centre parking I easy distance. Needs either a disc or pay and display but likely 3hours max which will barely get you to York and back.

[Edit] Starbeck is probably best bet – most parking in harrogate/Knaresborough has a relatively short limit on it (3hr mostly) or is a out of the town centre residential stuff (Not toddler friendly distances for Harrogate, not so bad in Knaresborough. Starbeck isn’t the most salubrious part of town but by comparison with a lot of cities could be Beverly hills. It’s also an easy walk through from Morrison’s where there is loads of parking (supposedly restricted but I’ve never seen anything which looks like a method for checking. Obviously your risk your decision etc.)

She is at Betty’s cookery school which is next to Morrisons isn’t it? IN which case I can just park the car there for the day and walk through to Starbeck

Check for cameras on the carpark. You don’t want an £80 bill.

I’d drive and park at the NRM myself.

Sorry I meant I can park at Bettys as they provide parking for people attending the course. I just didn’t think I would be able to walk to the station.

There’s a convenient ‘road train’ that takes you from NRM to Yorkminster. Much easier than trying to walk into the City Centre with a toddler. Mini Aazlad went a few months back (just 4) and loved it. You will have to pass the dreaded shop though. A stroll around York was good with the nipper as the central bit from the minster is all pedestrianised.

It’s a doddle from the cookery school. 5 minute adult walk. There is even a new costa right next to Starbeck station to keep warm in…

She is at Betty’s cookery school which is next to Morrisons isn’t it? IN which case I can just park the car there for the day and walk through to Starbeck

Yep – no reason not to do that – I’d say more like 10 – 15 minutes to the station not five though (especially with a little one). And the Betty’s Cookery School is fantastic – but don’t yet her take any bank cards or she’ll wipe you out in the little onsite shop full of great gadgets.

Great sounds like we are all sorted then. Thanks for the advice guys. Looking forward to it. Will be hard trying to convince him he doesn’t need a new train 5 days before xmas!

Not having a kid, maybe I shouldn’t comment, but I didn’t think Jorvik was all that child friendly (in spite of having a Viking jobbie on display) but NRM most definitely was. Allow about twice as long as you might think for a museum.

IN which case I can just park the car there for the day and walk through to Starbeck

The path you want is down the side of the Morrison’s building, go into their car park and head towards the far left corner, past the cash machines and Amazon locker thing. Brings you out at the end of prospect road, then straight along there till the main road. Train station is far side of the road, you need the side over the level crossing/under the tunnel for York. Don’t think you’re running late just because the crossing is down – it only gets lifted about 3 minutes an hour.

Oh and it’s a nice view heading into Knaresborough.

The path you want is down the side of the Morrison’s building, go into their car park and head towards the far left corner, past the cash machines and Amazon locker thing. Brings you out at the end of prospect road, then straight along there till the main road. Train station is far side of the road, you need the side over the level crossing/under the tunnel for York. Don’t think you’re running late just because the crossing is down – it only gets lifted about 3 minutes an hour.

Oh and it’s a nice view heading into Knaresborough.
Agreed 100%

If the weather’s good and you want to have a good look around York you could do worse than follow the York Cat Trail.
Last time I was there there were herds of families searching around for the cats.

herds of families searching around for the cats

That’d be a pounce of families shirley?

😆

i can only agree with the positive comments. I wish i had video’d cranbrats first entry into the museum. He caught sight of a small ride on thomas the tank engine just to the side of the main hall and ran towards it with a look of pleasure only for his head to spin round with utter stunned ecstasy as he realised he was running into a hall full of full sized steam engines.

Make sure you wrap up warm it will be very cold particularly if you go on the very good ride on mini railway and the outdoor play area. The food in the caffe is good but not cheap.

head to spin round with utter stunned ecstasy as he realised he was running into a hall full of full sized steam engines

this is often accompanied by one parent doing the same and the other giving a world weary eye roll.

[Edit] back when i were a lad there was also a very good model railway museum not far away. Also excellent was automata though it seems from a quick Google that closed before i left school 😕

NRM is the best museum I’ve been to ever probably. My boys (8 and 4) adore the place and theres always something different to see. I remember as a kid when it was completely free (not ‘free’ but with a suggested contribution which everyone should pay!), my dad used to take me almost every Saturday morning whilst my mum was in town shopping. Those were the days…

Other stuff for a small person in York just before Christmas? Nothing – honestly, keep away from the centre. Jorvik centre is rubbish – from what I’ve read its now worse than it was before and it was poor before I thought.

If you’re on the train to York, by the time you’ve got there and done the NRM properly, had some lunch etc then I’d guess it’d be pushing towards the end of the day and time to go home with a very happy 4 year old if they’re anything like mine. Theres a bit at the far side of the engine restoration shed where you can stand and watch stuff going in and out of York station – thats awesome too!

I remember as a kid when it was completely free

Unless they’ve changed it recently, I thought it was still free? But obviously still encouraged to make a contribution.