We’re busy collecting all the details of what’s on over May Half Term. We’ve got a few activities listed below but check back often for updates!
Come out to play in Beningbroughâs gardens with a brand-new free nature trail, 50 things to do before youâre 11 Ÿ and all the usual places to adventure.
Open every day and free to National Trust members and under-fives.
Launching for the holidays is brilliant butterflies â strange facts and giant butterflies wait to greet you as you explore.
There are a couple of activities to get stuck into. On Tuesday 31 May, make a paper pot, fill with homemade compost, and sow a sunflower seed to take home and grown. On Wednesday 1 June join Stories Alive for a specially created outdoor story session.
Head over to the wilderness play area and find your favourites or spend time in the den zone. Clamber on the stack, cross the rope bridge to the slides and choose from one of the swings â the pendulum is perfect for older children.
The youngest family members havenât been left out with tunnels, balance beams and a Wendy house to get their imagination going. Thereâs a new mini clamber stack for smaller legs and accessible bucket seats in some of swing spots.
The hall and galleries are currently closed for a 2.3 million infrastructure project and due to re-open in summer 2023.
01904 472027
Visit Website
With the days getting longer and the sun getting hotter it feels like the perfect time to come and explore Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal. Spend a full day running, jumping and discovering the abbey ruin and Studley Water Garden. If you find yourself in the deer park, keep an eye out and you may catch a glimpse of the new baby deer.
Pick up your watery-themed trail map and enjoy finding a variety of giant pond themed creatures as you wander the site. Let your nose lead the way, following the scents of wild garlic and bluebells filling the air. Head to the sweet chestnut tree on the abbey west green and listen to what happens behind the bark of a tree with our tree listening installation. The world has come alive again and youâll be able to see signs of the late springtime all over the estate.
Join in our pond dipping activity, learn more about our watery wildlife and see what mini beasts you can discover. Take your hand at building a mini raft out of sticks and test how well it floats in the water garden. Or why not bring the whole family along and learn how to make a mini dragonfly using a peg?
All of our activities are free with normal admission and thereâs no need to book, just pop along and have fun!
Event Listings
Tree listing instillation.
The event is running daily until 31st July. Head to the sweet chestnut tree on the abbey west green and put on a pair of the hanging headphones. The highly sensitive microphones pick up the hidden sounds in the tree.
Waterlogged: an art trail with the Henshaws.
The event is running From Saturday 28th May â 19th June, pick up a trail map from any admissions point and enjoy finding a variety of giant pond themed creatures around the site anytime between 10:00am and 4:30pm.
Family Crafts: make a dragonfly.
Join us between 11:00am and 3:00pm any day between Saturday 28th May and Sunday 5th June at Swanley Grange Workshop to have a go at some simple but striking craft. Be inspired by the giant sculptures on our Waterlogged trail to make your own mini dragonfly work of art to take home.
Mini Raft Building
Come along between 2:00pm and 3:30pm on Monday 30th May to enjoy building rafts out of sticks and seeing how well they float in the ornamental ponds of Studley Royalâs water gardens.
Pond Dipping
Come to the water gardens at any time between 11:00am and 3:00pm on Wednesday 1st June to have a go at pond dipping. Learn more about watery wildlife by seeing what you can find and identify. All equipment will be provided.
With over 40 rides and attractions for the whole family to enjoy, youâll find mega adventures around every corner at Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park.
Come join us for our Best of British May half-term week, filled with celebrations and jubilations to honour our Queenâs Jubilee.
Lightwater Valley, Water Lane, North Stainley, Ripon, HG4 3HT
Create a buzz this May Half term at RHS Garden Harlow Carr and learn how to encourage these fantastic pollinators into your garden. There will be a garden trail, activities and beekeeping demonstrations to help you to learn more about these fascinating insects.
Head down to our Event Marquee, where there are many things to see and do at our âHive of activityâ. There is a giant walk-in beehive where you will see what it looks like in a hive from a honeybeeâs point of view. You can also check out our display beehive donated from the Harrogate & Ripon Beekeepers.
We have different activity sessions planned throughout half term, check the schedule for when theyâll be running:
Platinum Jubilee Weekend
In 2022, weâll be celebrating at RHS Garden Harlow Carr as Her Majesty The Queen becomes the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee â 70 years of service â having acceded to the throne on 6 February 1952 at the age of 25.
Giving the opportunity for communities and people throughout the UK to come together, join us over the extended bank holiday weekend, from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June, for live brass bands in the garden to commemorate this historic milestone.
Live music will be playing in the garden between 1pm to 4pm. Here are the bands that will be joining us on the following days:
Performances from 1pm to 4pm
ENCHANTED STORIES MAY HALF TERM AT MOTHER SHIPTONâS
28th May â 5th June 2022
Wander into a world of Enchanted stories at Mother Shiptonâs this May Half Term!
See giant story books and a Wonderland of fairy-tale themed displays with fantastical photo opportunities throughout the ancient woodland. Watch out for the pesky dragon, The Wicked Witch of the West and the Big Bad Wolf, peek into miniature fairy houses, and sit on the Wishing Chair throne. Dressing up as your favourite storybook character is thoroughly encouraged, prizes will be awarded to Mother Shiptonâs favourites when you share them on Instagram #mothershiptons.
Youâll be OVER THE RAINBOW to discover how Mother Shiptonâs is filled with mystical delights for all ages: see what curiosities are hanging from the Petrifying Well, make a wish in the Wishing Well, and step inside the cave where Mother Shipton was born. This May Half Term you can gaze at a brand new exhibition of fantastical creatures in the museum alongside petrified celebrity items, and browse the unique attraction gift shop.
Go wild in the Adventure Playground, or have your own Mad Hatterâs Tea Party with artisanal coffee, cakes, sandwiches and ice cream available to purchase from our vintage style coffee kiosk. There are plenty of picnic benches with scenic views of the River Nidd and Ancient Royal Forest.
Dogs are welcome everywhere except the childrenâs adventure playground and must be kept on a lead at all times.
Roll up, roll up, the Stockeld Circus is in town!
This Spring, the National Festival Circus are joining us for a half term filled with excitement! Every day throughout the Spring Adventure there will be three circus shows! (There are NO animals involved in the circus). Let your imagination run wild with the Stockeld Circus! A true feast for the eyes, a real family treat!
The National Festival Circus is a magical mix of laughter and excitement. Slapstick clowns, balancing equilibrists, fast tempo juggling, baffling magic, high flying diabolos, mesmerising spinning hoops and buckets full of fabulous fun.
Circus tickets are an add on to your Spring day passes, available on a first come, first served basis. Just select the date and time for your Spring Adventure, then before checkout, you can add your circus tickets onto your booking. Everybody requires a circus ticket, except for babes in arms.
Stockeld Park, off the A661 Wetherby Road, LS22 4AN. Tel:Â 01937 58633
Plenty going on at the Caves this half term May 2022!
Join Cavewoman and magician Rob for a grand magic tour of Stump Cross Caverns. Play party games Cavewoman style and enjoy food whilst watching The Croods in our cinema room. All children will receive a party bag.
ÂŁ30 per child includes cave visit, cinema, food and party bag.
ÂŁ20 per adult includes caves, film and a cuppa
Sunday 29th May 2022 2-4pm.
Spiderman Disco 2pm start for Superhero Disco with Dance Matt, followed by the film Spiderman and food.
ÂŁ20 per child for party, cinema & food
ÂŁ6 per adult for cinema
Monday 30th May 2pm
Join us in the caves for fossil huntil with Dr John! Monday 30th May and Tuesday 31st May.
Flamingo Land Theme Park, Zoo and Resort is open daily from 10am.
There are a variety of junior and family rides, including the new Flamingo 1 racing cars, where both children and adults can test their driving skills as well as the Peter Rabbit Adventure playground.
Call 0800 40 888 40 for info.
Join us this May half term (Sat 28th May-5th June) and beyond, where we turn your littles ones into Mini Wildlife Explorers!
For just ÂŁ2 each, you’ll follow our “explorers pack” to discover lots about nature, wildlife and the farm using your binoculars and magnifying
glass. From mini beast hunting in our bug hotel and mud pile, to bird watching around our lovely farm; you can enjoy a fun challenge, fresh air and family time this half term.
ONLY 2 POUNDS PER TICKET
Just come along to the farm from Saturday 28th May – Sunday 5th June
âą Recommended age range 0-13
The UKâs largest tractor festival takes place over the Bank Holiday Jubilee weekend â Friday 3 to Sunday 5 June â in celebration of the Queenâs 70th anniversary as monarch.
âą WHEN? Friday 3 June â Sunday 5 June 2022, 10am-5pm
WHERE? Newby Hall & Gardens, Ripon, North Yorkshire
COST ÂŁ16 for adults. ÂŁ12 for children (4-16 years) â under 4âs free. A family
ticket (2 Adults & 2 Children) ÂŁ50
Are you looking for something to do with the family for half-term?
Our family activities this May half term will be focused on the theme of entertainment in the Workhouse to coincide with our upcoming exhibition; Workhouse Entertainment: Paupers and Philanthropists.
Join us between 30 May and 3 June (12pm-3pm) for crafts and baking!
For more information visit: https://riponmuseums.co.uk/things-to-do/
01765 690799
Unlock the wonderful gateways to have a family countryside adventure đżđđđŠđđŒand a magical đ§ââïžStudfold day
We are open everyday in half term APART from Saturday 4th.
Picnics can be ordered on your arrival đ§șđ„Șđđ§đ„đ„
Dogs welcome on leadsđŸ
T. 01423 755228
The Forbidden Corner is a unique labyrinth of tunnels, chambers, follies and surprises created within a four acre garden in the heart of Tupgill Park and the Yorkshire Dales. A tourist visitor attraction unlike anywhere that you have been before, ideal for the adventurers and those young at heart!
Pre-booking advised.
Tupgill Park Estate, Coverham, Middleham, Leyburn, DL8 4TJ Tel:  01969 640638
AÂ host of magical creatures have created their very own trail within the Arboretum – a maze of doorways, hidden spaces and enchanting scenes. They are asking families to come and share in the beauty of their mythical world this half term.
Nestled in 100 acres of woodland, our enchanted trail will be running daily from Sat 28th May – Mon 6th June. Our resident Gnome will also be here to hand out prizes and to help with the odd bit of fishing!
Trail sheets are ÂŁ2.50 and can be bought on the day, a prize is given to all.
