Things to do for Families

Two people sit at a gaming station inside the National Videogame Museum, playing a video game on two large screens. The setup includes controllers, a console, and bright red tables, with other gaming stations visible in the background. Two people sit at a gaming station inside the National Videogame Museum, playing a video game on two large screens. The setup includes controllers, a console, and bright red tables, with other gaming stations visible in the background.

Sheffield is the perfect spot for a fun-filled family getaway

Your next family adventure starts here

As a compact city, Sheffield makes exploring easy.

Many of the top attractions, parks, playgrounds, and food spots are close together, so you can fit plenty into your trip without spending hours traveling between activities.

If plans change, alternatives are never far away which is ideal for keeping little ones happy and entertained.

Need inspiration? Scroll down to discover some of the best family-friendly things to do in Sheffield…

Two people sit at a bright yellow table in a café, assembling a toy train model. Other tables with children and adults are visible in the background, along with mugs and menus on the table, creating a playful and family-friendly atmosphere.
A small red miniature train travels along a track surrounded by trees and greenery. Several passengers are seated on open carriages behind the engine, passing a wooden fence and a yellow sign in a leafy outdoor setting.

Unique Family Experiences

Children playing football at Yard Ball, an indoor football park. Builder's Brew Café logo on the outside of a building. The logo has the words 'Builder's Brew' round a cartoon character, who is shaped like a toy building brick, holding a mug of tea. Two children are stood smiling with four alpacas, just about to set off for a walk from Holly Hagg. A whimsical café interior with a fantasy-inspired theme. The ceiling is painted like a blue sky with clouds and decorated with hanging objects and ornate frames. The space features exposed brick walls, artificial cherry blossom trees, and rustic wooden furniture. Several tables are occupied by people enjoying food and drinks, and the room is softly lit with decorative chandeliers and warm ambient lighting.

Yard Ball

Inspired by spending every minute playing out on the streets with a football, Yard Ball is a place to love the game again. Take on the Yard Ball challenges and test your skills against family and friends in the Yard

Yard Ball

Builder's Brew Cafe

Imagine a café where you get to play with LEGO® while you enjoy a drink and a bite to eat…that’s Builder's Brew Café!

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Alpaca Treks

Holly Hagg are famous for their guided treks. You can ​take one of their gorgeous alpacas or llamas for a walk, amidst the woodland and beautiful scenery of Sheffield's Rivelin Valley, all under the supervision of their experienced guides.

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The Steel Cauldron

A wizard themed tea room and tavern! The Steel Cauldron serves up a magical menu to suit the whole the family, alongside activities, crafts, magicians and actual owls. 

The Steel Cauldron

Hands-on museums

Sheffield has some fantastic museums where you can learn as you play. Be sure to look out for their extra activities during school holidays too. 

The National Videogame Museum

The UK's national cultural centre for videogames! Come and play this interactive museum dedicated to exploring the culture, playfulness, design and people behind videogames. From retro arcade classics to Nintendo, Sega and beyond - game on! 

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A large statue of Sonic the Hedgehog stands on a circular platform labeled “SONIC” inside the National Videogame Museum. The figure is bright blue with white gloves and red shoes, posed with arms crossed.

Weston Park Museum

Discover the real story of Sheffield! The city's amazing collections of beautiful, varied and unusual treasures are brought to life through fascinating histories, incredible facts and interactive exhibits.

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A display at Weston Park Museum of a large woolly rhinoceroses.

National Emergency Services Museum

With over 40 vehicles on display and three floors of exhibits, the museum is located in one of Yorkshire's first purpose-built combined Police, Fire and Ambulance Stations, dating back to 1898.

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A row of old fire engines at the National Emergency Services Museum.

Sheffield's City Farms

If you're looking for a great family outing or you're just an absolute animal lover, Sheffield has some fantastic farms across the city, where you can visit and meet a host of furry friends.

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A child wearing a blue cap is feeding a white llama by hand at an outdoor animal enclosure. The child is standing next to an adult who is holding a paper bag, likely containing food. The background shows a dark wooden building with a sloped roof and a picnic table.

Adrenaline adventures

Perfect for rainy days, here's some fun physical activities the whole family can get stuck into. 

Air Haus

Bounce your way round the UK's first inflatable indoor park, 30-metre squared of inflatable obstacles. With fast-paced tech games to extensive sensory experiences, there’s something for all ages and abilities. 

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Children playing on a huge, inflatable slide at Air Haus in Sheffield.

Ninja Warrior UK Adventure Park

Do you have what it takes to be a Ninja Warrior? Tackle this fun-packed course inspired by the hit ITV show and find out. There are obstacles the whole family can enjoy - whether you're starting out as a Ninja-in-training, or you already consider yourself a bit more of a master.

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Inside the Ninja Warrior UK Adventure Park.

Jump Inc

One of the largest dedicated trampoline parks in the UK, with over 24,000 square feet of spring-loaded fun and 120 trampolines all under one roof! This giant bouncy warehouse playground is literally wall-to-wall trampolines, so you can bounce and boing to your heart’s content.

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Great green spaces for families

Pound's Park

Pound’s Park, named after Sheffield’s first Chief Fire Officer, Superintendent John Charles Pound, is hugely popular spot for everyone in the city to relax and for children to play.

An urban playground surrounded by tall modern buildings, with people sitting on curved benches and children playing on wooden climbing structures and slides. The area includes a rope bridge, landscaped flower beds with colorful blooms, and paved walkways. The background shows city architecture under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.

Millhouses Park

Millhouses Park is located approximately 3 miles south-west of Sheffield City Centre on Abbeydale Road South. It contains a skate park, playing fields, playground, bowls green, basketball court, boating lake and and incorporates a section of the River Sheaf corridor. 

The boating pond at Millhouses Park.

Endcliffe Park

Endcliffe Park is a large park and popular family visitor destination in Sheffield. Comprising parkland as well as woodland, is the first in a series of parks and green spaces, known collectively as Porter Valley Parks, which you can follow all the way out to Peak District.

A path through a wooded are in Endcliffe Park. © Shane Rounce

Hillsborough Park

Hillsborough Park is located approximately 3 miles north-west of Sheffield City Centre. The park features sports facilities, a children's playground and walled garden, along with a park cafe operated by Depot Bakery.

A row of tall trees are silhouetted against a low sun.

Graves Park

Sheffield's biggest park in the South West of the city, Graves Park is made up from a mixture of open greenspace and woodland, and boasts lots of facilities for visitors including a cafe, two children's playgrounds and Graves Park Animal Farm.

An open grass area surrounded by trees at Graves Park.

Sheffield Winter Garden

One of the largest temperate glasshouses to be built in the UK during the last hundred years has created a stunning green world in the heart of the city. There are more than 2,500 plants from around the world creating a superb display. The building itself is 70 metres long and 22 metres high!

A view of the outside of the Sheffield Winter Garden seen from Millennium Square.

Best Hotels for Family Stays

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Modern double bedroom with seating area and ambient mood lighting. A hotel room with two single beds. A bar area in a hotel with bright, modern furnishings. Spacious living area at Homely Serviced Apartments – St. Paul’s featuring comfortable seating and stylish furnishings.

Sandman Signature Sheffield Quays Hotel

Nestled on the picturesque Victoria Quays waterfront, the newly refurbished Sandman Signature Sheffield Quays Hotel blends contemporary design with historic charm for an unforgettable stay. Whether visiting for business, leisure, or both, our prime riverside location places you close to Sheffield city centre, Sheffield Arena, and the breathtaking Peak District. 

Sandman Signature Sheffield Quays Hotel

Hampton By Hilton Hotel

A former police HQ on the edge of the Kelham Island district with great access to everywhere.

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Leonardo Hotel Sheffield

At the heart of the city, the bedrooms are spacious and comfortable and the public areas are great for the family to hang out before or after the day's adventures.

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All our hotels

It doesn't matter whether you're limiting your budget or looking for luxurious surroundings, you're guaranteed a warm welcome. That's worth a lot.

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More family outing ideas

The Treehouse Board Game Cafe

Sheffield's first board game cafe offers a friendly, welcoming place to eat, drink and play! With over 800 games you'll be spoilt for choice, but don't worry because their expert staff are on hand to make recommendations and help with the rules.

Inside The Treehouse Cafe. You can see tables and chairs, the counter and three shelving units full of board games.

The Dice Box Sheffield

The Dice Box Sheffield is a family run board game cafe in the heart of Shalesmoor/Kelham with an extensive library of great games. Fully licensed with a great selection of drinks, good food, and a welcoming community, The Dice Box isn’t just a café—it’s a cozy, friendly hub for families, students, gamers, and curious newcomers alike.

A table at The Dice Box Sheffield with a cocktail, a slice of cake and a game called Dodo.

Our Cow Molly Farm

Delighting locals with their artisanal ice cream since 2007! Come up to the farm and enjoy an ice cream in their parlour or grab one of their bright pink benches outside and enjoy the stunning views looking out across Sheffield. 

A family enjoying an ice cream at Our Cow Molly Farm.

Tenpin Sheffield

An enhanced bowling experience with 21 lanes, complete with fully immersive sound and lighting. The venue also features a pitch and putt, four escape rooms, a futuristic laser tag arena, three karaoke rooms, and a large arcade space boasting the latest video games.

Bowling lanes at Tenpin Sheffield

The Great Escape Game

The Great Escape Game is your premier destination for thrilling and immersive escape room experiences in Sheffield. Get ready to unleash your imagination and dive head first into an alternate reality where every twist and turn will keep you enthralled until the very end.

Three people in a room dimly lit by blue light are solving a puzzle at The Great Escape.

Tropical Butterfly House, Wildlife & Falconry Centre

Encounter the exotic and discover a wild family day out at the Tropical Butterfly House, Wildlife & Falconry Centre. Meet lemurs, meerkats, owls, otters, snakes, and other amazing animals during unforgettable animal encounters throughout the day.

Several different breeds of butterfly resting on a tree trunk.

Teamsport Go Karting

New, state of the art indoor go karting venue located 2 miles from Meadowhall Centre. There are 3 tracks over 4 levels with nail biting bends, exhilarating long straights and jaw dropping ramps.

A person driving a go-cart on an indoor track.

Gameshow All-Stars

Gameshow All-Stars is a first-of-its-kind activity bar located in Sheffield's Orchard Square. Indulge in some friendly competition with the 6 high-tech mini games, all based on some of the nation's favourite game shows.

Interior of Gameshow All Stars.

Cambridge Street Collective

Europe’s largest purpose-built food hall, Cambridge Street Collective is a ‘one of a kind’ foodie destination to meet, eat, and share in Sheffield. Showcasing the very best in up-and-coming food and drink talent, they house over 20 different food vendors offering exciting cuisine from around the globe.

Inside Cambridge Street Collective.

Cutlery Works

The largest food hall in the North of England, Cutlery Works is over two floors featuring a mixture of permanent and semi-permanent unique and independent restaurants, communal dining spaces, bars and coffee roasters.

Inside Cutlery Works, filled with customers dining.
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