York for kids
The Best of York for Kids this Autumn
Hello, and happy Halloween!
Autumn is one of the best seasons to spend in York, with loads going on in and around the city for families. From gentle conkercollecting walks to pumpkin festivals and scarier spectacles for older children, there’s something for everyone.
It’s also that time of year again when we launch the Little Vikings Awards, and this year is our 10th anniversary! For a whole decade we’ve been asking you to nominate and vote for your very best of family-friendly York, and we’d love you to do it again this year. Head over to our website and have your say. Shortlists will be announced before Christmas.
Have a good one and see you next time!
Best wishes
All at Little Vikings HQ
Since last issue, we've….
• Checked out the new bakery openings in York. Visit our website for our pick of the best (because who doesn’t love a croissant or a cookie?)
• Tucked into pizza at York’s new pizzeria, Rudy’s. It’s totally delicious and familyfriendly too - give it a go.
• Enjoyed a few walks along York’s city walls, which never gets old
• Made the most of our family memberships over the summer: Castle Howard and National Trust. They’re well worth the cost if you’ll visit a few times.
Little Vikings was founded and is run by a York family. Contact us at hello@little-vikings.co.uk. Content © Little Vikings 2024. Little Vikings is a registered trade mark. Every effort has been made to ensure that this guide is up-to-date and accurate, but some things are liable to change. Always check details before you travel.
Now Booking
101 Dalmatians at the Grand Opera House York
Hit musical 101 Dalmatians is coming to Grand Opera House York this autumn, starring Kym Marsh as Cruella De Vil. When fashionista Cruella de Vil plots to swipe all the Dalmatian puppies in town to create her fabulous new fur coat, there’s trouble ahead for Pongo and Perdi and their litter of adorable, tail-wagging young pups. 5th to 9th November 2024 atgtickets.com
Kids’ workshop - How to Make a Game
Join Aesthetica’s fun workshop for 7 to 10-year-olds, where experienced instructors will introduce kids to Clickteam Fusion 2.5, a beginnerfriendly coding tool. Children will create their own digital stories, games, and animations. Part of the Aesthetica Short Film Festival!
www.asff.co.uk/tickets/
Kids’ workshopDo you want to be a Game Developer?
Learn the basics of game design. Discover the fundamentals of character development, level creation and storytelling. Get hands-on experience creating your own games, learning about coding and programming. Unleash your imagination as you bring your own ideas to life. Suitable for 11 to 14-yearolds, it’s part of York’s Aesthetica Short Film Festival.
www.asff.co.uk/tickets/
Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland
Get your skates on! York’s only ice rink opens on 15th November, and tickets are on sale now. Glide (or wobble) around to festive tunes and warm up with a hot chocolate afterwards. There’s a Santa experience and fairground rides, too.
yorkshireswinterwonderland.com
Paddington’s arrived in York
To celebrate the release of Paddington In Peru on November 8th, a trail of Paddington benches is being launched across the UK and York has been lucky enough to get one. You’ll find everyone’s favourite bear in Dean’s Park, next to York Minster. Take a seat and a marmalade sandwich!
Heritage conservation farm opens
There’s even more furry and feathered reasons to visit Askham Bryan Wildlife Park: the opening of a new heritage conservation farm. Walk to the end of the park and you’ll meet geese, pigs and more.
New independent bakery opens
Heppni is the newest bakery on the York scene, and it’s delicious. Follow the scent of freshly baked pastries along Swinegate and you’ll find a welcoming, family-friendly bakery with plenty of space for buggies and a tempting selection of things to eat and drink.
New event for ghost lovers
Ghosts in the Gardens has become a muchloved fixture in York’s calendar, and now there’s an evening event. Head to Ghosts After Dark from 7th to 10th November to see the illuminated sculptures and listen to spooky stories. Tickets are on sale now via the York Museums Trust website.
PHOENIX at York Minster
York Minster’s brand-new light and sound projection PHOENIX opens later this month. Get ready to experience York Minster in a new light this autumn when the cathedral is illuminated with the story of the 1984 fire. The show commemorates the bravery of those who responded to the blaze, celebrating the resilience of York Minster and the people of York through their own words, in the place where it happened. Opens Saturday 19th October 2024 and runs each evening until Saturday 2 November 2024. yorkminster.org
Hocus Pocus at Mother Shipton’s
Deep within the spooky forest at Mother Shipton’s, a world of eerie enchantment awaits! Step right up and prepare to be thrilled and amazed by hauntingly captivating displays and spine-tingling surprises. Explore abandoned circus tents as they whisper ghostly secrets from their forgotten past and meet a host of creepy characters waiting to steal the show in this festival of frights.
19th October to 3rd November 2024 - mothershiptons.co.uk
Go back in time at Jorvik Viking Centre
Discover the Vikings this October School Holidays with a fun filled trip back to 10th century York! Experience the sights, sounds and smells of the Viking Age as you journey on our underground ride that shows you all the characters (and animals) of everyday Viking life.
Pre-booking a timeslot is essential. It’s easy to book - head to jorvikvikingcentre.co.uk
Get curious about creatures at Barley Hall
This October Barley Hall is celebrating the stories of animals in medieval life. Learn about all creatures great and small with games, activities, and guided tours.Combine your visit with a trip to JORVIK Viking Centre, DIG: An archeological Adventure and The City Walls Experience by purchasing a PastPort for all four attractions starting at £18 pp.
www.barleyhall.co.uk/
Spooktacular fun at DIG!
If you’re looking for something fun and creative to do with the family this October, why not try Dig After Dark! Gather around the campfire and listen to some spooky ghost stories appropriate for the whole family. Cosy around the campfire with snacks and a hot drink, all included in the price.
www.digyork.co.uk/
Centuries of history at the City Walls Experience
Take the kids to visit City Walls Experience – the Royal gateway to the city of York – and discover 2,000-year stories involving battles, imprisonment and near destruction of the walls!
Learn about the characters whose stories are intertwined with Micklegate Bar: a princess, a Royalist and a 20thcentury policeman who made the gatehouse his home www.yorkcitywalls.com/
Piglets
Pumpkin Festival
Where can you go this October half term where you can get lost in a mysterious maze, watch a magic show, enjoy oodles of indoor and outdoor play AND pick and carve your own pumpkin? Piglets Adventure Farm, that’s where! It’s a lovely event for the whole family. Selected October weekends and the whole of half term.
pigletsadventurefarm.com
SE W ERBY
ZOO ACTIVITY: HALLOWEEN SCARY FAT BALLS
Halloween at The Hole in Wand
Visit The Hole In Wand York this Halloween for a magical and spooktacular time! The wizard-themed attraction will be dressed to impress, with additional seasonal surprises. Prices start from only £6.99 per person and every player gets a magical potion to take away! Magician Adrian Salamon will make an appearance on Saturday, 19th October, and the award-winning Mad Alice on 12th and 26th October. Owls Adventurers will be there on Saturday, 2nd November.
Show your Little Vikings Family Card for a FREE Premium upgrade. theholeinwand.com
Pumpkin picking at The Balloon Tree
Nothing says ‘autumn’ more than a giant orange root vegetable, so celebrate the season with a spot of pumpkin picking. The Balloon Tree, just outside Stamford Bridge, is our top spot so we can combine it with a trip to the Little Vikings Awardwinning cafe and play area while we’re there.
theballoontree.co.uk
Bolton Abbey Pumpkin Trail
The Bolton Abbey Pumpkin Trail is returning for 2024! Navigate your way through Strid Wood using the map and the giant pumpkins. Keep your eyes peeled for clues hidden in the mystery boxes along the way and help to solve the puzzle.
The trail is included in the car park fee (pre-booking of car park spaces recommended). 19th October to 3rd November 2024 - boltonabbey.com
Autumn at Beningbrough
Come out to play at Beningbrough this half term.. Explore the gardens and get involved with the Harvest Heroes hunt or take part in a naturerelated activity (available on selected days). There’s space to play on the south lawn, trees to climb and fish to spot or head to the wilderness play area and den zone. Call into the hall and discover the new art exhibition The Botanical World of Mary Delany.
Open every day for half term – 26th October to 3rd November – free to National Trust members and under-fives - nationaltrust.org.uk
Find more ideas for things to do by signing up for the Little Vikings weekly newsletter! Subscribe through our website, Facebook page or Instagram
Little Vikings Awards 2025!
It’s that time of year again— your chance to show your appreciation for the many fantastic family-friendly places in and around York! Now celebrating its 10th year, the Little Vikings Awards recognizes the very best York has to offer for children and families. It’s the only awards scheme that highlights the top places to visit, things to do, classes to join, and the best spots for shopping, eating and staying in and around York, all chosen by the people who matter most: families themselves. Many thanks to our headline sponsor, The Mount School!
Thank you to our category sponsors: Middletons Hotel, En Pointe Dance School and York’s Chocolate Story!
The businesses with the most nominations will be shortlisted, so it’s up to you who makes it! Nominations are open until 31st October 2024, and we will announce the shortlists in November. Winners will be chosen by public vote and announced in the New Year. Nominate in as many, or as few, categories as you like.
THE DETAILS
• How do I nominate? Visit little-vikings.co.uk
• When do nominations close? 31 October 2024
• How are finalists chosen? Shortlists will be based on the number of nominations received by our readers/followers – we leave it up to you to tell us what you love. We don’t choose the nominees or winners, and any business or person can be nominated. It doesn’t matter if they have worked with us in the past or not – the awards are a true reflection of what families love in and around York this year.
• When can we vote for the winners? Once the shortlists are announced, you will have until midnight on New Year’s Eve to vote for your winners. Winners will be announced in the New Year.
THE LITTLE YORK GHOST HUNT
The ever-popular Little York Ghost Hunt returns for 2024. Each evening a hundred of York Ghost Merchants' little ghosts are hidden along the atmospheric streets that flank York Minster and if you find one, you can keep it! It’s part of York Ghost Week, which is one of the best weeks in York’s calendar. Visit our website for details of all the events.
The Little York Ghost Hunt 2024 – 28th to 31st October 2024
GHOSTS IN THE GARDENS
Autumn’s here and there’s something spooktacular going on in York: the return of Ghosts in the Gardens! The York BID is once again bringing some horribly good wire mesh sculptures to some of York’s most beautiful spaces. New for 2024 is Ghosts After Dark. Running from 7th to 10th November 2024, visitors will experience Ghosts in the Gardens like never before, with the exclusive chance to explore York Museum Gardens after dark and see all the unique ghostly sculptures, dynamically lit against an atmospheric background of smoke and sound. This is a ticketed event, and you can book yours now at https://www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk/ghosts-after-dark/.
21st September to early November 2024
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS SPECIAL
It’s that time of year again when many schools open their doors to welcome prospective parents to have a look around. Details of all the open events for state schools in York can be found on our website as there are too many for us to list here! As for the independent schools in and around York, here are the all-important details and their latest news.
Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate
1st and 2nd in Yorkshire
The senior schools of Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate (QE) are celebrating another wave of excellent A Level, BTEC and GCSE results. Across the two schools, the combined percentage of A*/A grades at A Level are 78%, with the percentage of BTEC Distinction* and Distinction grades in QE Faculty reaching 73%. In addition, the Year 11 students across QE achieved 62% grades 7-9 in their GCSEs.
These results place QE College and QE Faculty as 1st and 2nd in Yorkshire in the Independent Schools Exam Results for A Levels, which was recently published in The Telegraph and The Times. The same league table ranked QE College as the top independent school from the North of England for A Level and GCSE results, which follows suit with the Sunday Times Parent Power 2024 that confirmed QE College as the top school in the North of England for academic performance for a third year in a row. QE Faculty, which offers bespoke performance pathways for sport and the arts, ranked 7th for academic performance in the North of England in the Sunday Times Parent Power 2024.
Principal of the Collegiate, Daniel Machin, said: ‘We are immensely proud of our Year 11 and Year 13 students – for their results, for the people they have become in their time with us and for the well-rounded, resilient and ambitious adults they will go on to become. We are thrilled that so many students achieved their first choice university places."
Just off the A59 and set in 220 acres of countryside between York and Harrogate, QE is an award-winning, co-educational school for children from 3 months to 19 years and boarders from Year 3. The Collegiate emphasises growing students into resilient, caring, compassionate and confident adults with many students beginning their journey in Chapter House Prep (3 months to Year 5) or King's Magna Middle School (Years 6-9). It offers over 100 clubs onsite, making use of its exceptional facilities including 30 acres of elite grass and 3G pitches, a 25m swimming pool, martial arts studios, and a 314-seat professional theatre.
QE's excellent pastoral team are available 24/7, ensuring mental health remains a top priority. QE’s Inspection Report (ISI, 2023) commented that "Pupils feel that their opinions matter and that leaders are alert to their welfare needs, which promotes their self-esteem."
Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate, Thorpe Underwood, Estate, York YO26 9SS www.qe.org - admissions@qe.org - 01423 333330
St Peter’s School, York
With 50 green acres in the heart of York, St Peter’s School offers an award-winning learning environment with extensive space for pupils to learn, grow and thrive.
All children aged 2-18 have access to outstanding facilities, such as a swimming pool, Forest School, industry recognised sports pitches, fully-equipped science labs, an expansive art studio with its own exhibition gallery, and the largest Music department in the North. Combined with over 80 different co-curricular options across the school, learning opportunities are endless.
Their mission is to create amazing adults, who go on to lead happy, successful and fulfilled lives and make a positive impact on the world.
Enrolment in the Nursery or Reception begins your child’s exciting journey through to this oversubscribed school, but they also welcome applications at Year 4 (with places prioritised for York Minster Choristers), Year 7, Year 9 and Sixth Form.
They would be delighted to welcome you to their upcoming Open Days, or arrange a personal tour. Please visit the website to register.
St Peter's School, Clifton, York YO30 6AB www.stpetersyork.org.uk/admissions/visit-us
The Mount School
Curiosity leads the way at The Mount Junior School!
It is an exciting period of change at The Mount Junior School as they recently welcomed boys from Pre-School into Reception and this happy, co-educational class is flourishing.
Across the Junior School children take part in a bespoke Explore, Discover, Create curriculum. This is an innovative way of harnessing children’s natural curiosity and making learning what it should be – fun!
“At the Mount we foster individuality, we know no two children are the same. Every child learns in a different way and so our curriculum and teaching offers children the opportunity to work in depth, giving them the time, they need to reflect, consolidate and transfer their learning,” explains Rachel Capper Head of The Mount Junior School.
The school’s pupil-led approach ensures children develop the confidence and independence to question, cultivate and articulate their own opinions and ideas.
“The ‘Creative Curriculum’ is all about Creative Thinking, exploring, discovering and creating with your mind. It is about encouraging the children to think outside the box, giving them opportunities to develop and express themselves, and their ideas, in new ways. In fact, we don’t just encourage children to think outside the box, we encourage them to destroy the box!”
The Mount School, Dalton Terrace, York YO24 4DD mountschoolyork.co.uk
Curiosity leads the way.
. .
Our bespoke Junior School curriculum is an innovative way of harnessing children’s natural curiosity. Our children have the confidence to explore, discover and create!
Take a fresh look at The Mount School.
Food: Little Vikings bake… Halloween treats
If you're looking for a simple recipe to do with your kids this Halloween, it doesn't get much easier than this. All that's involved is a bit of melting (grown-ups only, please), then let them loose with the decorations. We attempted ghosts, but you can decorate the bark however you like - sweets, sprinkles and googly eyes all work, the more terrifying the better.
Method
1. Break up the chocolate into two separate bowls: the white in one and milk or dark in another.
2. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
3. One by one, melt the chocolate in your microwave according to your machine's instructions. Don't overdo it - we melt it until it's about half done, then keep stirring it until the whole lot melts.
4. Pour the dark/milk chocolate onto the tray to create a big bar in the shape of your choice.
5. If making the white chocolate ghosts, dot teaspoonfuls of the white chocolate around the bar and shape as you like. Add the eyes.
Ingredients
• 2 x 100g bars of milk or dark chocolate
• 1 x 100g bar white chocolate
• Decorations of your choice, eg sweets, sprinkles and edible eyes (Morrisons and Tesco both sell them, among other places)
6. Working quickly, as the chocolate will set fast, add any other decorations like sweets and sprinkles.
7. Leave to set, then cut into pieces.
26/10 to 03/11 26/10 to 03/11
Whatisamummy’s favouritetypeofmusic?
Wrapmusic!
Whydidthezombie skipschool?
Hewasfeelingrotten!
Whydidthevampire need mouthwash?
Because he had bat breath!
Whatdoyoucalla witch’sgarage? A broom closet!
Autumn & Halloween at Castle Howard
Enjoy frighteningly fun events for the whole family at Castle Howard this autumn.
Book now for a family adventure castlehoward.co.uk
What do skeletons order at restaurants?
Spareribs!
