Top Things To Do In Wakefield This May Half-Term

Transport yourself back in time at the vibrant Castleford Roman Festival! This free family fun day celebrates the town’s rich Roman heritage through interactive demonstrations, hands-on activities, and immersive experiences that will delight visitors of all ages. From witnessing skilled artisans at work to trying your hand at ancient crafts, games, and even an archaeological dig, this festival offers an unforgettable journey into Castleford’s captivating past.

Where: Castleford Town Centre
When: Saturday 1 June, 10am – 4pm
How Much: Free
How to Book: Booking not required, just drop in!

Meet George Webster, the inspiring 23-year-old BAFTA-winning TV presenter who made history as CBeebies’ first host with Down Syndrome. George will be appearing at Wakefield Cathedral where he’ll read excerpts from his popular children’s books and share his remarkable story of positivity, determination and advocating for disability representation.

Where: Wakefield Cathedral
When: Wednesday 29 May, 5pm – 6:30pm
How Much: £5 per person
How to Book: Click here.

Time flies when you are making history – let’s find time to shine at Pontefract Museum! Learn about watchmaker Maria Taylor and other local Victorian businesswomen. Be a time-travelling detective and go on a terrific treasure hunt and even build a working clock and decorate it with your own letters and patterns.

Where: Pontefract Museum
When: Wednesday 29 May, 10:30am – 3pm
How Much: Free
How to Book: Booking not required, just drop in!

Wakefield Cathedral invites you to a delightful half-term adventure! Join them for a day filled with excitement as you explore the wonders of the Cathedral through a variety of free crafts and activities. Little ones and adults alike will find themselves immersed in a world of creativity and joy, creating lasting memories together.

Where: Wakefield Cathedral
When: Thursday 30 May, 10am – 3pm
How Much: Free
How to Book: Booking not required, just drop in!

Get ready for an explosion of fun and excitement at Farmer Copleys! Paulo’s Circus is coming to town with a spectacular show that will dazzle audiences of all ages. From high-flying acrobats to hilarious clowns, Paulo’s Circus promises a delightful experience filled with wonder and laughter.

Where: Farmer Copleys
When: Friday 17 May – Sunday 2 June, various times
How Much: £8 – £16
How to Book: Click here for all dates, times and booking information.

Design your family coat of arms with ButterCrumble, a Yorkshire-based creative studio known for its playful designs. Through hands-on illustration and collage, participants can explore meaningful words that encapsulate their family values, feelings, and aspirations. They can then sketch and design their coat of arms, incorporating symbols and colours that reflect their heritage and individuality.

Where: The Addy, Knottingley (other venues available) 
When: Wednesday 29 May, 10am (under 5s) and 1pm (over 5s) (other dates and times available)
How Much: Free
How to Book: Click here.

Learn what hieroglyphs are and take a close look at some real Ancient Egyptian artefacts! Follow a fun hieroglyph decoding trail around Wakefield Museum and create your own hieroglyph bookmark on papyrus paper like the sort used in Ancient Egypt.

Where: Wakefield Museum
When: Friday 31 May, 10am – 12pm or 1pm – 3pm
How Much: £2.50 per child, accompanying adults free
How to Book: Click here.

Join West Yorkshire History Centre for a fun, family friendly exploration of balance, colour and shape using Annie Morris’ sculpture outside the History Centre as inspiration! You can even take away your own mini stacked sculpture to display at home.

Where: West Yorkshire History Centre
When: Thursday 30 May, 10am – 3pm
How Much: Free (£1 donation per family is encouraged to cover materials)
How to Book: Booking not required, just drop in!

Come along and discover a local story being wound through Story Trails’ Crankie Theatre, then create your own cardboard crankie, complete with a story scroll. This workshop will introduce you to crankie theatres, some fundamentals in visual storytelling and using story scrolls, and will support you to create your own crankie and accompanying story.

Where: Horbury Library (other venues available)
When: Saturday 25 May, 10am (other dates and times available)
How Much: Free
How to Book: Click here.

Follow the wildflowers and pollinators trail as it winds through the gardens and woodland adventure play area of Nostell to find out about the incredible work that our garden friends do. Weave amongst the wildflowers and meet the leaf cutter, honey, miner and bumble bee along the way before buzzing off on your next adventure to the house to get busy with family craft activities.

Where: Nostell
When: Saturday 25 May – Sunday 2 June, 11am – 5pm
How Much: Free, normal admission charges apply
How to Book: Booking not required.

Seals, stamps and styli! This half term learn to write like a Roman at Castleford Museum. Discover how the Romans kept their post private and try your skill at decoding the Roman milestone. You can even make your own sealed letter and try writing on a wax tablet.

Where: Castleford Museum
When: Tuesday 28 and Thursday 30 – Friday 31 May, 10am – 3pm (not open on Wednesday 29 May)
How Much: Free
How to Book: Booking not required, just drop in!

Explore slab building techniques with clay to create your own ceramic bug house or hotel for the garden or outside space. You’ll build your own box and then decorate it with coloured slips and small details which will be perfect for little insects and minibeasts! All work will be fired through The Art House’s kiln and will be available to collect approximately 3 weeks after the session.

Where: The Art House
When: Thursday 30 May, 10am – 12pm
How Much: £15 per child
How to Book: Click here.

The May-Hem! open event at Castleford College is an opportunity for Wakefield Children’s University members and their friends and family to take part an exciting array of activities led by various learning destinations and college tutors. From crafts and sports to interactive exhibits and skill-building sessions, there’s something for everyone aged 5-14 to explore their interests and discover new passions.

Where: Castleford College
When: Wednesday 29 May, 10am – 2pm
How Much: Free
How to Book: Booking not required.

A very exciting new addition for young visitors to discover at Yorkshire Sculpture Park is Little Wild Wood – a natural creative play space, designed to inspire imaginations – somewhere for kids to connect to nature and sculpture at their level. Explore tunnels made from willow, tree stump stepping stones and raised wooden platforms, create your own dens and seek out the exciting sculptures.

Where: Yorkshire Sculpture Park
When: Seven days a week, 10am – 5pm
How Much: Under 18s are free, 19-25 year olds £7, standard entry £9.50 (or visit after 3pm for £3 per adult)
How to Book: Booking not required, but you can book here.

📸 © David Lindsay, courtesy YSP

If you have a little person (or a big person!) who love tractors, tele handlers, diggers and wagons then the Big Machine Weekend at Blacker Hall Farm is for you. Come along and take a closer look at the amazing machines uses to run the farm, hop onboard for a photo op and imagine what it’d be like to be a Blacker Hall farmer!

Where: Blacker Hall Farm
When: Saturday 25 – Monday 27 May, 10am – 4:30pm
How Much: £3 per ticket (under 1s go free)
How to Book: Click here.

Join storytellers Jackie and Jo on a whistlestop tour of the Wakefield district’s heritage and experience real life stories in a way you have never done before, engaging all the senses. Sing, dance, create and absorb yourselves in a truly interactive and memorable workshop. Carefully formulated for young children these workshops can be enjoyed by children and their adults of all ages!

Where: Walton Community Library (other venues available)
When: Wednesday 29 May, 2pm (other dates and times available)
How Much: Free
How to Book: Click here.

Discover a world of creativity and adventure at The Hepworth Wakefield Garden! This delightful outdoor space invites families to stack, build, draw, and let their imaginations soar through hands-on activities. Get inspired by the beautiful artworks, plants, and surroundings as you craft masterpieces together.

Where: The Hepworth Wakefield Garden
When: Every day during the school holidays.
How Much: Free
How to Book: Booking not required, just drop in!

Calling all 7-12 year olds! Get creative at the National Coal Mining Museum’s hands-on Caphouse Creators club, working with authentic materials to learn practical techniques! Make impressions into clay with organic materials to create a unique botanical relief casting.

Where: National Coal Mining Museum
When: Wednesday 29 – Friday 31 May, sessions at 11am – 12:30pm and 2pm – 3:30pm
How Much: £5 per child
How to Book: Click here.

Join Charlie and Nick to create new music and sounds to explore stories about where you live. This two-hour workshop will include sharing stories, creative writing, poetry and exploring music using live and electronic instruments, loop pedals, synths and drum machines. You can bring your own instrument, or just yourself, and use the resources they provide.

Where: Balne Lane Community Centre (other venues available)
When: Friday 31 May, 2pm (other dates and times available)
How Much: Free
How to Book: Click here.

Learn about the medieval garden at Pontefract Castle and the plants that were grown there in the past. Recycle old paper into new to create your own special seeded paper card or bookmark. You can then take your seed paper home to plant and watch it grow into something beautiful!

Where: Pontefract Castle
When: Wednesday 29 May, 10am – 11am (SEND session), 11:30am – 12:30pm or 2 – 3pm
How Much: £2.50 per child, adults go free
How to Book: Click here.

Let your hair down in a brand-new adaptation of the popular fairy tale Rapunzel at Theatre Royal Wakefield. With a wicked witch, a feisty heroine, a tap dancing horse and a host of adventures, Rapunzel promises to be a vibrant take on a classic and much loved story. Packed with songs, dance routines and jokes a-plenty, there is something for everyone to love!

Where: Theatre Royal Wakefield
When: Tuesday 28 May, 2:30pm
How Much: From £10 per person
How to Book: Click here.

Embark on an exciting journey back to the Merrie Fair, Wakefield 1827, as the crowds gather to witness the daring hot air balloon mission of the mysterious Brown Brothers! Up and Away is an interactive family friendly show using words, puppetry, and physical theatre, in a celebration of hope and dreaming the impossible!

Where: Normanton Library (other venues available)
When: (other dates and times available)
How Much: Free
How to Book: Click here.