Haworth
The home of the Brontes, wild moors and quirky shops and one of the best places to re-live the past in Bradford. A great place for children of every age, Haworth offers opportunities to learn more about the History, Geography and Literature of Bradford. Energetic families can go for walks up on the dramatic Moors and visit the setting of famous books by the Brontes like Wuthering Heights at Top Withens. Children can enjoy painting pottery in ‘Cobbles and Clay’ cafe and History lovers can visit The Bronte’s Parsonage where the sisters lived and discover what it was like to live during those times. For treats,after a busy day of discovery, you can visit the Old Sweet shop in the centre of Haworth and choose amazing old fashioned sweets from glass jars. Haworth also has a lovely little park and playground down at the bottom of the cobbled hill with picnic spaces for the summer. Christmas time in this Victorian village is magical with special Winter rides on the magnificent steam train that travels from Keighley to Haworth, definitely worth a journey for children who love trains!
Buses B1, B2, B3, K15 leave from Keighley Bus station and there are several pay and display car parks in the centre of Haworth.
Bronte Parsonage Family ticket costs £24 for 2 adults and up to 4 children. Steam Trains run daily and Under 5’s free!
What you can do
- For a treat book a trip on the steam train. Santa may be traveling on the train too during Christmas!
- Talk to your children about who the Brontes were, that they wrote books stories a long long time age. Show them the house they lived in.
- Take you child for a short walk up to moors and maybe take a kite on windy days.
- Potter around Haworth looking in the unusual shops.
What your child can do
- Run around on the moors and collect some heather to take home.
- Buy a small bag of old fashioned sweets.
- Explore the Bronte’s old house.
Cliffe Castle
This is the perfect place to visit after a steam train journey from Haworth as it’s a 5 minute drive from Keighley train station. A lovely old house set within a large park area, good for cycling and with a stunning backdrop of the hills. Once inside it’s difficult to know where to start as it’s packed full of things to look at and talk about. Explore their vast selection of fossils and beautiful mineral rocks. See how they sparkle! Children can pop on a yellow hard hat and build using rubber bricks piled high in two boxes ready to be played with. Another huge room is full of stuffed birds, creatures and skeletons. Slightly unusual but really fascinating for children and it allows you to be close up to animals you wouldn’t easily see in the wild. Make sure you listen to the different bird calls and see if you recognise any! The round gallery space is full of artwork to look at and talk about. Children enjoy walking along the balcony on the first floor and looking down at the gallery below. Climb the grand staircase to the next floor and gaze at the beautiful stained glass windows on display, what can the children find in each one? Find the space full of the history of Keighley and enjoy looking at the old toys exhibited. Children will enjoy playing with the dolls house, with two comfy seats either side for a grown up rest! After a quick visit to the tiny gift shop head outside to stretch those legs and explore the newly designed play area which has equipment for all ages. A great afternoon full of history and nature and more fresh air!
Entry is free!
12-25 minutes walk from Keighley railway station, 6-15 minutes walk from the bus station. Buses from Bradford pass the lower main gates. The 903 bus service operates from Keighley Bus Station and serves Cliffe Castle on a limited basis
What you can do
- Encourage children to feel the different rocks on display. Are they smooth? Rough?
- What different types of creatures and birds can children name?
- Play I spy in the stained glass window gallery, what can they see hidden in each window?
- Talk about the past with your child. What was it like when you were young?
What they can do
- Watch the rocks and minerals as they glow in the dark when the light dims
- Make the sounds of the animals and birds they see
- Play with the dolls house
- Whizz down the silver slide and play with the alphabet snail in the playground
Yorkshire Sculpture Park
A place to explore BIG art in the beautiful surroundings of green park space with lakeside views. Although you have to pay to park this place is free to visit and is a truly fantastic day out for the whole family. Spend time in the large gallery spaces where new art is regularly exhibited and great for talking about with texture, materials and colour with little ones. Enjoy a delicious lunch in the spacious cafe area and play hide and seek behind the huge sculptures scattered around the park. There are lots of different areas to walk around. A formal garden with a pond and woodland area. Try and discover where the spaceship and eggs are hidden! A huge open green space where you can run down hills and climb over and through stone statues. There are a series of lovely lakeside walks you can do further into the park if you’re feeling energetic! On warm days, save some money and enjoy a family picnic and soak up the views with picnic benches placed in great spots. The shop is filled with artistic treats and beautiful crafts, all quite pricey but the card selection is stunning and you could always take one home to frame as a special memory of a fabulous day. They also run regular family workshop activities during school holidays so do check their website before you visit.
Entry is £6 for adults and under 18’s are free
What you can do
- Talk to your child about the shapes and colours and textures of the sculptures and art work found in the gallery and the Park.
- Take a picnic to have in the woodland picnic area.
- Take some paper and crayons to do some tree bark rubbings.
- Walk along the Lake playing I spy games on the way.
What your child can do
- Climb on and hide behind the sculptures in the Park.
- Run down the grassy hills of the park.
- Pretend to catch fish in the lake and pond.
- Play hide and seek in the formal gardens.