Indoor Things to Do with Kids in Leeds: Soft Play and More

Leeds is a sensible choice for a wet or cold day with children. Soft play centres, active venues, museums and cinemas are spread across the city centre and the surrounding suburbs, so you can usually find something close to where you are. The venues below are grouped by type, with the details we hold on each.

Soft play

Soft play is the obvious answer when children need to burn off energy. The choice around Leeds is wide, and several centres have a clear focus on younger children.

• Kids Club House Ltd in Horsforth is rated 4.8 from over 1,500 Google reviews. It has onsite parking, but facilities are limited, so plan ahead if you are bringing younger children.
• Monkey Maze is a jungle-themed adventure playground with bridges, slides and ball pools. It also has a spacious dedicated zone for toddlers under two.
• Munchkins spreads slides, trampolines, ball pits and tunnels across three floors. It has baby-changing facilities and pushchair access throughout.
• Jigsaw Gyms in Pudsey has a large multi-storey play frame, a mini football pitch and a separate area for under-3s. There is also an onsite café and parking.
• Kids Go Bananas Soft Play in Armley is for under-12s. It has onsite parking, toilets, baby changing and a restaurant.
• The Hidden Village Leeds on Call Lane is aimed at families with young children. It has baby changing areas, pushchair-friendly spaces and dining options.

Active and sporty

For older children, or those who want something more physical than a play frame, these venues are worth a look.

• Jump Inc by AirHop Adventure & Trampoline Park Leeds has interconnected bounce zones and full wheelchair and pushchair access. It is rated 4.5 from over 2,400 Google reviews.
• Squires Ice Skating Rink, near Sherburn in Elmet, offers year-round skating on a synthetic surface. It is rated 4.6 from over 4,000 Google reviews.
• The Climbing Lab is a bouldering centre with dedicated kids' zones, wheelchair access, onsite parking and baby changing. You can bring your own picnic, and it is rated 4.8 from 950 Google reviews.
• LaserZone Leeds is a multi-level laser combat arena at Cardigan Fields.
• Putt & Play Leeds in The Springs has nine mini golf courses. It is fully accessible, with pushchair facilities and baby changing.

Creative

A pottery painting session is a calmer option, and you come home with something you have made.

• Jackrabbits Pottery is an accessible ceramics studio where toddlers to grandparents can paint together. It has baby facilities and snacks, and is rated 4.8 from 312 Google reviews.
• Firefly Pottery in Horsforth lets you paint your own pieces, with refreshments from the onsite café.

Museums and galleries

Leeds has several museums that suit curious children, and most are well suited to a rainy afternoon.

• Royal Armouries Leeds holds Britain's national collection of arms and armour, with interactive displays and live demonstrations. There is a restaurant and seasonal jousting shows. It is rated 4.7 from over 15,000 Google reviews.
• Leeds City Museum in Millennium Square has ancient Egyptian treasures and prehistoric fossils, plus workshops and holiday activities.
• Thackray Museum of Medicine is an interactive museum about healthcare through the ages. Its exhibits are gruesome but captivating, and children who like the grisly side of history tend to enjoy it.
• Leeds Industrial Museum at Armley Mills is a former woollen mill with working machinery and stories of Yorkshire's textile heritage. It has parking and refreshments.
• Abbey House Museum has recreated Victorian streets with period shops and homes, and is rated 4.6 from 858 Google reviews.

Bowling and cinemas

Bowling and a film are dependable choices when the weather is poor and the plans have fallen through.

• Hollywood Bowl Leeds on Kirkstall Road has accessible lanes, onsite dining and parking at Cardigan Fields.
• Showcase Cinema de Lux Leeds in Batley is a modern multiplex with snacks, onsite parking and wheelchair access. It has no baby changing facilities.
• Vue Leeds, Kirkstall Road has 10 screens, full wheelchair and pushchair access and baby changing rooms.
• Cineworld Leeds - White Rose is inside White Rose Shopping Centre and shows special children's film screenings. It has onsite parking and a snack bar.
• Vue Leeds, The Light is on The Headrow in the city centre, with wheelchair access, onsite parking and a choice of family films.

Tips for an indoor day out

• Book weekend and school-holiday slots ahead where you can, as indoor venues fill quickly when the weather turns.
• Check the venue's own page for current times before you set off.
• Soft play centres often ask for socks, so pack a spare pair for everyone.
• Pair one active venue with one calm one, such as climbing in the morning and a museum or pottery session after lunch.
• Bring a change of clothes and a bag for wet coats and shoes.