Families Leeds and West Yorkshire Magazine

12/02/2025

February Half Term is almost here! Here’s a round up of some fun things going on for families during the week:

✨📖 Brand-new Leeds Storytelling Festival with Leeds Libraries. Award-winning family theatre, acclaimed author readings, costume-making workshops, a city-wide trail and more. Over three weeks from February 14.

✨🐰 Miffy Trail at Leeds City Museum. Find Miffy hidden in different places and claim your Miffy sticker. Don’t forget to explore our Miffy’s 70th Birthday exhibition while you’re there.

✨ 📣 Experience the Acousatron at Eureka! The National Children's Museum. Book online and let the kids make noise somewhere it’s actually encouraged!

🎨 ✨ Crafting at White Rose Shopping Centre. Head to the Central Atrium for free kids’ craft activities, daily from 11am-4pm.

👿 ✨ There’s A Monster In Your Show at Carriageworks Theatre on February 15 and 16. The stage adaptation of Tom Fletcher’s ‘Who’s in Your Book?’ series.

✨🪅 Harewood House will be transformed into an exciting, interactive art space. To explore outside, pick up a Snowdrops Wildflower Walk trail sheet or a Winter Safari Bag.

📚✨ Story Time is the new exhibition at Abbey House Museum, taking a playful and nostalgic look at children’s stories through the ages with Leeds Museums and Galleries.

11/02/2025

⛑️ In our current issue we feature Leeds mum and first aid expert Helen Underwood, from Underwood Training First Aid, who has launched an easy-to-access, virtual course to share life-saving skills for parents and other carers to small children.

It’s called Big Sick Little Sick?! - First Aid for Parents, and it can be found at www.underwoodtraining.co.uk.

Read more about Helen’s journey to setting up the course here: https://issuu.com/familiesonline/docs/98fleedsjf25_issuu/4

08/02/2025

It’s one week to February Half Term!

White Rose Shopping Centre is a fab place to take the kids for a day.

🎨 During the week, there’ll be free family craft activities 🖌️
plus enjoy:
🛝 All weather free play area
🚗 Free parking
🛍️ Shops
🍿 Cinema
🍕 Restaurants

05/02/2025

🙌 Wonderful news! Abbey House Museum will stay open 🧡
Looking forward our next visit and seeing the current Story Time exhibition there 📚🥰

Find out more here: https://news.leeds.gov.uk/news/abbey-house-museum-to-remain-open-following-public-consultation?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0wRKC_FxW_NlrbQQr7mwsnaCKu1Tj_1nMo1lshHfi92fACvNeYpEhpOdc_aem_9nk9mdmlXl8LlQpWVSKKbg

📸 small selection of the many fab memories we’ve made there over the years - dating back to Messy Monkeys arty sessions in 2009 😮 🥰


Child Friendly Leeds

05/02/2025

🙌 Abbey House Museum to stay open 🧡

Abbey House Museum in Kirkstall is to remain open following a passionate response to a public consultation, it was announced today. Leeds City Council has been consulting on the attraction’s future as the authority explores a range of proposals to address unprecedented financial pressures. And aft...

31/01/2025

Tom Fletcher’s much loved books have leapt from page to stage with There’s a Monster in your Show! 💥

Coming to Carriageworks Theatre on February 15 and 16, it’s a high-energy, interactive adventure - the perfect introduction to live theatre 🎭

Book tickets at www.carriageworkstheatre.co.uk

30/01/2025

🌟 ⛺️ Don’t miss your chance to win this gorgeous prize!

Enter our giveaway for a Teepee Playtime 4 piece play bundle at www.familiesmag.co.uk/go before February 17 🤞

By entering, you’ll also sign up to receive our digital magazine to your inbox every two months, full of information about what’s on, parenting and education features, and of course giveaways! ✨ 💕

Good luck to all our lovely readers 🍀

26/01/2025

We’ve had some fabulous entries to our colouring competition!

There’s still time to enter. Turn to page 13 of your magazine. Get creative with colour on this lovely drawing of Leeds City Museum.

A parent or carer should then take a photo and email your entry to [email protected].

Closing date January 31.

If you haven’t picked up a magazine yet, message us to find out where you can.

The winning entry will become the design on a tote bag.

The winner will also receive family tickets to Leeds Industrial Museum, Abbey House Museum and Thackray Museum of Medicine.

Thank you to our sponsor, Leeds Museums and Galleries 🤎

24/01/2025

Yo-ho-howl! There’s still time to bag your little adventures tickets to PAW Patrol Live! The Great Pirate Adventure at First Direct Arena this summer 🐶 🤩
Go to PAWPatrolLive.co.uk for more info and tickets…

22/01/2025

💨 This half term is whizzing by!

Booking is now open for lots of classes and clubs in our area after the February school holidays.

Explore a new activity with your little one 🥰

💡 Find lots of ideas in our Clubs and Classes Directory on pages 6-7 of our latest issue: https://bit.ly/FLWYJF25

16/01/2025

🌈 🎨 In our latest issue we have a fabulous colouring competition! 🎨🌈

Bring your creativity to this awesome drawing of Leeds City Museum ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Grab your free print copy of Families Leeds & West Yorkshire magazine, turn to page 13 and get colouring!

Parents and carers can then email entries in to be in with a chance to win an awesome bundle of museum tickets 🎟️ 🤩

Thank you to Leeds Museums and Galleries for sponsoring the competition and to City Nonagon for the drawing, which features in the Amazing Leeds Colouring Book. The winning design will also be made into a tote bag! 🛍️

❤️

13/01/2025

Big smiles all round for students back at Razzamataz Theatre Schools Leeds classes last week!
Razzamataz Theatre School Leeds offers high quality, affordable performing arts tuition for children aged 4 to 18 🎶 🎭 🕺 💃 🎤

09/01/2025

🎉 Happy New Year! 🎉

Our new winter issue is out now, read it here: https://bit.ly/FLWYJF25 or pick up a copy locally.

It’s packed full of things to warm you up this winter ✨

In this issue you’ll find:

🪇 A bumper guide to classes - from dance, music and drama to sensory play, numeracy, climbing, swimming and first aid for parents.

🎨 Colouring competition - get creative and enter to win a bundle of museum
tickets!

🤩 Interview with an 8-year-old ambassador

🏫 Insight into pastoral care in primary schools

📆 What’s on for families throughout January and February.

And much more…

28/12/2024

🎊 Twixtmas! 🎊 It’s the perfect time for a panto - oh yes it is 😁
Jack and the Beanstalk the Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto is on at City Varieties Music Hall until January 12 🫘 🌿🎤🎸

24/12/2024

Peace and love to everyone on Christmas Eve 🕊️🕯️🤍

Coughs, chaos and naughty elves have been keeping us busy…

Feeling in the Christmas spirit though, like our favourite literary heroine .

We hope you have a very Merry Christmas 🎄 ❤️

23/12/2024

Congratulations to our competition winner ! Her little one thoroughly enjoyed her trip to to see Mr Snow ❄️ 🥰

On until January 4.

20/12/2024

Very last few tickets available for the utterly magical Mischief at the Mansion at Harewood House 🎄🎅🏻✨

18/12/2024

Leeds Museums and Galleries are consulting on changes to the service in response to Leeds City Council facing unprecedented financial challenges.

There are two proposals, which are now out for public consultation:

- To close Abbey House Museum to the public, to make an annual saving of £160,000 starting in 2025/26.

- To change admission charges at Kirkstall Abbey to charge everyone to visit the main Abbey ruins.

These proposals are subject to public consultations which are live until January 23.

You can fill out the consultations online by visiting the Museums & Galleries website or using these links:

https://bit.ly/AHMconsultation
https://bit.ly/KAconsultation24