If you’re looking for ideas of free things to do in York in summer, look no further! It is possible to have plenty of fun out and about in the summer holidays in York without spending lots of money.
We’ve pulled together a list of ideas that are free (or very cheap) to keep everyone entertained over the summer holidays.
York Mumbler is the place to come to find out everything going on in York for families. This summer our website is packed full of information to help make your life easier. If you are looking for holiday clubs & childcare or inspiration for a fantastic day out in the summer holidays, then you’ve come to the right place.
We also stay up to date with all the events happening in York so you don’t have to – all you have to do is look at our daily events calendar.
We’ve also got 50 amazing ideas of things you can do over the summer at home or out & about in York! Why not download the Mumbler Activity Checklists and get planning your summer holidays now.
York Art Gallery is very family-friendly and there are some brilliant fact sheets and colouring sheets you can download and print for free before you visit to keep the kids engaged and entertained on the way round.
Activity bags are also available to buy from the shop for £6.99. A reusable tote bag full of coloured pencils, an activity guide, a kaleidoscope and a colour wheel. You can take it around the gallery with you and complete all the activities.
After visiting the gallery you can walk down into the Artists Garden and the Edible Wood before exploring the rest of the beautiful York Museum Gardens.
ℹ️ Find out more on Mumbler here
💷 Entry to York Art Gallery is free, although charges do apply for any special exhibitions.
📅 O pen Wednesday – Sunday, from 11am to 5pm.
📍 Exhibition Square, York, YO1 7EW
Enjoy the craft activities in the summer tent in Dean’s Park this summer. Suitable for children aged 4+
Plus the York Bird of Prey Centre from Huby will be in Dean’s Park to share and show off the wonderful variety of birds they care for every Thursday & Friday from 28 Jul – 2 Sep.
ℹ️ See York Minister website for more information
💷 Cost: Charges apply at some venues, some are in nature so obviously free!
📅 When: Thursdays and Fridays in August, 10am – 3pm
Go paddling or swimming outside 💦
When the weather is warm it’s the perfect excuse to go paddling, splashing or swimming outside to cool off. From streams to stepping stones and splash areas to outside swimming pools, we’ve rounded up all the places near York that you can cool down this summer.
ℹ️ See Mumbler for more information
💷 Cost: Charges apply at some venues, some are in nature so obviously free!
📅 When: Anytime!
There is plenty to do this summer at the National Railway Museum.
ℹ️ See Mumbler for more information
💷 Cost: Free entrance
📅 When: Open 10am – 5pm, activities run 11am – 3pm
Enjoy a relaxed stroll around one of the Nature Reserves we are lucky enough to have in York. The Woodland Trust has some great ideas for summer activities you can do together or why not enjoy one of our scavenger hunts!
Here are two our favourites:
🌳 Askham Bog – the boardwalk is a short loop so perfect for little legs and pushchairs
🌳 Moorlands Woodland – with a trail for children to follow this safely enclosed woodland, makes it perfect for young explorers of nature
ℹ️ See Mumbler for more information
💷 Cost: Free
📅 When: Open daily
Enjoy a taste of the seaside at York Designer Outlet this summer, with a roller-skating rink, a vintage carousel and funfair game stall, a café, a sandy beach and even a boat for kids to play in.
The Beach Café will serve freshly cooked food including burgers, sausages, pizza and fish and chips and has a fully-licensed bar.
ℹ️ See York Mumbler for more information
💷 Cost: Free, tickets required for roller-skating priced at £9.75 for adults and £8.75 for children (aged 16 and under). Family discounts available
📅 When: Open from 9.30am until 7pm daily from 14th July to 4th September at the South Entrance of York Designer Outlet, just off the A19/A64 interchange.
Another summer holiday essential is a trip (or twenty trips) to your local park. Why not ring the changes and visit a park in York you might not have been to before? We’ve listed over 25 brilliant parks with play areas in York guaranteed to keep everyone happy.
If the sun is shining, it is the perfect time to go on a family picnic! We’ve rounded up some great picnic spots in York for you to discover!
Plus if you are all out of ideas as to what to pack for your picnic and fed up with sandwiches, then we’ve got some great food ideas too!
ℹ️ See York Mumbler for more information and here for picnic ideas
💷 Cost: Free
📅 When: All parks & play areas are open daily
Going on a trail or treasure hunt is a great way to get together on a family walk. In and around York there are lots of free trails, so many in fact we have written a whole guide about them which you can read here!
🗺 Of course, there is our very own Mythical Creature Quest – collect your free trail sheet for Visit York or download it here!
🗺 We also love the Squirrel Trail in the Museum Gardens!
🗺 Plus there are lots of indoor trails if the weather isn’t great!
ℹ️ For more information see York Mumbler
💷 The majority of the trails in our guide are free
📅 Year-round
📍 Various locations in and around York
Enjoy a walk around the City Walls, taking in the sights from a new angle. If you enjoy family walks, we’ve also got over 50 ideas on one of our most popular blogs!
ℹ️ See York Walls.org for route information
💷 Cost: Free
📅When: 8am to dusk daily
We’ve come up with 50 ideas using resources you will already have at home, or could easily get your hands on…so no excuses not to get involved!
ℹ️ See York Mumbler for more information
💷 Cost: Free
📅When: Anytime!
You can take part in the challenge for free in Explore Libraries – to complete the challenge, children need to read 6 books over the summer holidays
This year the Gadgeteers will help spark children’s curiosity about the world around them and encourage them to feed their imagination over the summer holiday. They will be boggled by brilliant facts, gaze at the stars, and be inspired by getting hands-on with creativity and invention.
As well as the challenge there will be some children’s activities in libraries – more information is available on the Explore website.
ℹ️ See York Mumbler for more information
💷 Cost: Free
📅When: Anytime!
That’s the end of our list of free things to do in York this summer. Do let us know if you hear about any other great free or cheap activities to do over the summer so we can share them with all the other Mumblers.
Last updated July 2022
PS
If you want even more ideas of things to do in York for free, then visit our year-round section, crammed full of ideas to have fun for free in York! You can have such a fun day out in York for free, that we even made a video about it to inspire you! 💜
Watch our video to plan your perfect free day out in York with kids!
