We’ve been in touch with everyone running Summer Holiday Classes & Groups in York to see what they are up to over the summer and you can find all the details below of Summer Specials for young children in York. We’ve also included the details of some local playgroups still running over the summer.
Just because the schools are on holiday doesn’t mean the little ones have to miss out!
ARTventurers are running summer holiday specials that are available as one-off sessions (but you can come to as many as you wish!). Enjoy a colourful, creative (and often messy) art class. Each session is based around a different theme and features a range of art, craft and free-play activities. Suitable for age 6 months – 7 years.
📅 Dates, times and themes:
📍 Venue: John Jeffery Community Pavilion, Wigginton
🎟 Cost: £9.50 per child
ℹ️ More information and booking: Prebooking necessary – book here.
Baby BandWe are holding a number of pop-up classes (45 mins) over the summer holidays, to be booked on an individual basis. Mixed age classes from 3 months upwards – you are welcome to bring along older siblings to enjoy the Baby Band fun too.
📅 Date and time: various – check our website for more details.
📍 Venues: Poppleton, Acomb, Monk Fryston, Sherburn, Wetherby
🎟 Cost: £7.50 per child
Baby SensoryWe are running a number of summer specials classes suitable from birth to 13 months on a variety of themes as follows:
📅 Dates, times, venue and themes:
ℹ️ More information and booking: Booking links and further information here.
Chestnut Forest SchoolPreschool children are welcome to come to our mixed age forest school summer sessions (adults must stay throughout). Sessions are varied and may include nature hunts, arts and crafts, den making, tying knots, fire making and cooking on a fire, and games and team building activities.
📅 Date and time: Various – see website here
📍 Venues: Snowball Plantation, Stockton on the Forest; and North Duffield Primary School, near Selby.
🎟 Cost: £10 per child, per session. OFFER: If you book one session before the end of the school term, you can book another for only £5 per child.
ℹ️ More information and booking: Prebooking required – booking details here.
Messy, crafty play sessions in Easingwold with Alison from The Crafty Crew. There’s everything from a big floor canvas and lots of paint to a sensory pit for the little ones with lots of edible sand, paint and spaghetti.
📅 Date and times: Tuesdays throughout the summer holidays, 10:30 am-12pm
📍 Venue: Easingwold Scout Hut, Chase Garth Road, Easingwold, YO61 3GG.
🎟 Cost: £3 for over 1’s, £3 for the second sibling and £1.50 for every additional sibling (Older siblings are welcome too). Drop in – no need to book.
T: 07816 175035
Explore York LibrariesThe weekly Story and Rhyme Time sessions are set to continue at most of York’s library branches (with the exception of Dunnington) – please check this link for times and venue details. These sessions are free for under 5s and their grown-ups. No need to book, just turn up on the day.
Messy AdventuresTwo Messy Play summer sessions scheduled for August, as well as the joint party with Tiny Stompers (see below). Suitable for age 6 months upwards (recommended to 4 years).
📅 Date and times: 21st August and 22nd August, 10-11am
📍 Venue: Hurst Hall, Strensall
🎟 Cost: £7.50 per ticket
ℹ️ More information and booking: Email messyadventuresyork@gmail.com to book your place.
Music with Cath SmithsonCath is teaching a number of Outdoor ‘Family Time’ classes for Mixed Ages over the summer.
📅 Dates, times and venues:
Rowntree Park – Mondays 10.00am and Thursdays 10.30am (Aug 3, 7, 10, 14, 17)
Homestead Park – Thursdays 2.00pm and Fridays 10.00am (Aug 3, 4, 10, 11,17, 18)
🎟 Cost:£8/child, siblings half price. Discount for newcomers.
ℹ️ More information and booking: Contact Cath to reserve your place on 07982 607674
My Baby Can Dance is an multi award winning movement to music class with classes for babies from birth to 1 and from age 1-4. The classes give you a fantastic time to bond with your little one, introduce them to the world of movement and music. It’s also a friendly relaxed atmosphere enabling you to make connections with other parents and have some fun together.
There are lots of classes running through the summer holidays so plenty of opportunities to join in with the fun and to keep some sort of routine going. Siblings, cousins, friends are welcome and classes are open for anyone to book, not just existing attending families. Sibling discounts are available. You are welcome to book as many classes as you wish and the entire family is welcome. There is also a competition running to win a free block of classes in the Autumn term!
For more information take a look at http://www.Facebook.com/MyBabyCanDanceYork/
Class details: https://my-baby-can-dance-york.class4kids.co.uk/
Or contact Katherine on 07714 210814
Aimed at pre-school age, but siblings welcome.
📅 Date and time: Wednesday 26th July, 3-4pm
📍 Venue: Naburn Village Hall, Vicarage Lane, YO19 4RS
🎟 Cost: FREE!
Come and join Rhythm Time York this summer for a host of special classes! Check out my timetable by clicking the image opposite to enlarge – with classes on at a range of venues and different days, there’s something for everyone! We will also be holding a special Usborne class at Murton Park, as well as a FREE outdoor class for all ages on Thursday 26th July (venue TBC). More info on the Mumbler listings here.
📅 Dates/times/venues: Various venues and times – see poster.
🎟 Cost: regular classes £8 for a 30 minute music session followed by juice and biscuits (60 mins total). Usborne Session £11. Discounts available for multiple classes, siblings etc. Under 12 months free at family sessions.
ℹ️ More information and booking: check our facebook post here for FAQs, dates and individual booking links!
A warm welcome to families with SEND and or adopted children. Get together for coffee, conversation and stories with your pre- schoolers. Take a break with this informal free story time for your little ones. Hosted by Joy Richardson, an adoptive/SEND Mum, experienced primary teacher, coach and mentor.
📅 Date and times: 8th August 2023, 10:30 am – 11:30 am
📍 Venue: Acomb Library, Front Street, York
🎟 Cost: FREE! No need to book.
ℹ️ More information: Telephone Joy on 07745 057 815
Sign with Sarah-JadeFor our one-off Summer Special, we are going on a bear hunt! Join us for an hour long session to experience wet play and messy play plus sign language. Suitable up to 7 years old. Siblings welcome.
📅 Date and times: 31st July 2023, session times will be between 8.10am to 12.40pm.
📍 Venue: Fulford Scout Hut HQ
🎟 Cost: £6.50 for one child or £10 for 2 children.
ℹ️ More information and booking: Prebooking required. Text only please to 07447 099065.
Find us on facebook here.
Sing & SignSing and Sign, York + Selby would love you and your little ones to join us for some themed summer specials over the summer weeks. No previous baby signing experience is necessary so whether you attend for some wiggles and giggles, some fun on the farm, some bounces on the beach or to learn how to visually enhance the telling of nursery rhymes, you and your little one will have fun whilst learning something new!
📅 Dates/times/venues/themes: See poster opposite.
🎟 Cost: £7.20 per family (for babies 4-24m and siblings over 3 years)
ℹ️ More information/booking: Select ‘Special Events / Tasters’ once you land on the booking site here.
For more info please email: annagibbeson@singandsign.co.uk or call/WhatsApp:07811651720
Join us for one of our intergenerational sessions during the holidays – held in a care home setting, these bring families with their babies, toddlers and talkers to share musical fun and friendship with the residents. Older siblings also welcome.
📅 Date and time: Tuesday 29th August 2023 11am – 12pm
📍 Venue: Ouse View Care Home, 1 Fordlands Road, YO19 4QT
🎟 Cost: FREE! But please pre-book with Thea on tjsongbox@yahoo.co.uk or 07765 574564.
Wild Things Forest School and Story Craft Theatre are teaming up this summer to bring you “The Secret Life Of A Garden”, a magical show packed full of fun and wonder. The event will include: free play in the forest school garden, a scavenger hunt, craft making, interactive theatre show and finish with hot chocolate and marshmallows for the children and hot drinks for the adults.
Suitable for 2-8 year olds. Limited places available and booking is essential.
📅 Date and times: Friday 11th August 2023, sessions at 10am and 1pm (90 mins each)
📍 Venue: In the grounds of Millthorpe School, Nunthorpe Avenue, York, Y023 1WF
🎟 Cost: £15 (child ticket plus one adult – please buy a ticket for each child attending. Babes in arms can accompany their older sibling for free). £3 per additional parent/carer.
ℹ️ More information: Please find further event information and book your space via this link here.
The Little GymFor ages 4 months to 6 years, we have our Summer Class pass – 6 weeks of unlimited classes for just £62! Classes run throughout the holidays and you can just join for summer – no prior membership required. View our Summer schedule here.
Our Parent Survival Nights are also suitable from age 3 years up if you parents want to have a break on a Friday night! Fridays 4-7pm throughout the summer holidays. More information here.
📍 Venue: The Little Gym, York Community Stadium, Monks Cross Drive.
Includes a Music and Movement class, a “mini” Messy Adventures session, and facepainting. Session suitable for 6 months to 8 years (please note that facepainting is for over 3s only).
📅 Date and times: Monday 7th August 2023. Sessions at either 9.30-11am or 10.30-12.00.
📍 Venue: Linton-on-Ouse Primary School
🎟 Cost: £9 (A portion of the ticket price is donated to the school)
ℹ️ More information: Book via BookWhen here. Further info can be found on any of our social media channels.
Wacky Warehouse Tots Club TuesdayWacky Warehouse are hosting a weekly Tots Club for under 5s on Tuesday mornings in the summer holidays.
📅 Date and times: Tuesdays 9am – 12pm in the summer holidays
📍 Venue: Wacky Warehouse (Flying Legends), Clifton Moor
🎟 Cost: £5.50 per session, or 6 weeks unlimited with a summer pass.
Wild Things Forest SchoolOne off sessions are ideal for the family – the activities appeal to all ages, from 18 months to 11 years (but grandparents love it too!). Each event has a theme (Summer Bug Hunt; Gruffalo Trail; Fire Starters; Campfire Cooking), and lots of child-led play opportunities so no pressure to follow the crowd.
📅 Date and times: Various dates in August
📍 Venue: in the grounds of Millthorpe School (Nunthorpe Avenue, YO23 1WF).
ℹ️ More info: see our Featured Listing here for further details and booking links.
York Vineyard ChurchOur Growbaby Pop-Up Shop and Soft Play Baby and Toddler Group will be open for a one off session on Thursday 10th August, 10am-12pm at York Vineyard Church (YO10 4AH). Feel free to drop in to choose some free clothes for 0-5s and stay for our free soft play group for 0-3s. For more info please get in touch with Nicolette on 07808 863645.
Osbaldwick Baby & Toddler Group will be running every Wednesday in the summer holidays except for the last two weeks in August (no group 23rd or 30th August 2023). The organisers have advised that if the weather is good, then the group may meet outside instead of at the usual venue – the group’s facebook page will be updated on a weekly basis to advise on group location. Older children will also be accommodated during the holidays.
SongStars at Belfrey Hall is NOT running in its usual format over the summer (last session Tuesday 18th July); however, organiser Liz is facilitating some (hopefully!) outdoor social meet ups over the holidays for SongStars families on the dates shown in the flyer opposite. SongStars restarts as normal on Tuesday 4th September.
St Nicholas Church Dunnington will be hosting a couple of FREE Messy Summer sessions in place of the termtime Little People Play and Praise group. Sessions will be on Thursday 3rd August and Tuesday 15th August, both at 10am-12pm. Lots of craft-based fun and games. Bring a picnic! Held in the Tower Room of St Nicholas Church, Dunnington.
Although Tuesday Tots at St James the Deacon(Woodthorpe/Acomb) is school term time only, they are running two extra “Summer Special” sessions over the holidays: 1st and 15th August, from 9:30am to 12:30pm! They are open to pre-schoolers and older children (all must be accompanied by a responsible adult). Sessions are free and will have a range of activities, as well as refreshments, food parcels to take home and a clothes bank. Kindly supported by Tesco Askham Bar, York Foodbank and City of York Council. More details on the poster below (click to enlarge).
And finally…If you’re into boardgames, then there is an informal group of parents that meets on Wednesdays from 12pm to 2pm at Doe Bakehouse at Layerthorpe, including in the summer holidays. The idea is to have a place for parents to get together and play a few board games in a child friendly space. There is no charge for these meet ups but buying a coffee from the venue is encouraged! The group is obviously more parent-focussed (with the ability to bring babies whilst the adults attempt to play games whilst baby wrangling), but definitely worthy of a mention for parents to socialise and stay sane in the holidays!
If this sounds like your bag, then contact the organisers on the Boardgaming Parents of York facebook page to find out more!
☀️ 💜 ☀️ We hope you have a lovely summer in York with your little ones and get out and about to enjoy one of the Summer Holiday Classes & Groups running. ☀️ 💜 ☀️
All details correct at the time of publication (last updated 2 August 2023). If you know of any more not listed here, please email fiona@mumbler.co.uk with details!
