This role-play centre is smack bam in the middle of Leeds City Centre, in West Yorkshire, making it a great place to visit to break up a shopping trip. With the range of play ideas at The Hidden Village, it’s suitable from very small babies up to children age 10, and each visit is for an hour and half slot. It’s a great opportunity for little ones to develop their imagination and get stuck into some role-play!
A second Hidden Village can be found in Keighley, and the Hidden Castle can be found in Skipton.
Opening Times and Tickets:
The Hidden Village is open daily and each ticket is for an hour and half slot. Off peak tickets are cheaper than peak times. Midweek special offers are also offered, including quieter sessions and free snacks. Babies under 12 months go free with a paying sibling.
Click here to check opening times and prices.
Parking/ Travelling:
Trinity Car Park and Crown Street Car Park are both around a five minute walk to The Hidden Village.
If travelling by train, the nearest station is Leeds Station, which is around a 7 minute walk. It is also about 7 minutes to Leeds Bus station.
Prams and Suitability:
The Hidden Village is a small site, so prams are welcome but they ask that you fold them. However, Leeds isn’t great for prams as there are lots of cobbles so we chose to use our sling instead and were glad of it!
As they are a venue specifically designed for children , all the facilities that you would expect were provided, from baby changing to reasonably priced kids food.
Things to do at The Hidden Village
1. Explore the village! There are multiple areas for kids to get creative, including a construction site, police station, vets, fire station, shop, and lots more!
2. Use the baby sensory area. If you have small babies that need entertaining while their older siblings play, there is a small area with lots of baby suitable toys and things to feel. My 13 month old enjoyed pottering around the whole area, but kept returning to the baby section to shake the noisy toys!
3. Enjoy a bite to eat. They serve a selection of hot and cold drinks as well as light bites and cakes. They even had a vegan cake when I was there.
Things to do nearby
A free museum like no other, the Royal Armouries has tons of weapons and armour from throughout history on display. There are many activities for children to interact with and daily events such as live sword fighting. In the school holidays then even host international jousting competitions.
A farm, historic house and extensive grounds, Temple Newsam Estate has something to offer everyone. Spring is an especially lovely time to visit as they have lots of baby animals.
3. Tropical World
Visit the desert, rainforest and mangroves at this zoo, a 13 minute drive from Leeds City Museum. Here you can see reptiles, meerkats, crocodiles and other wonderful animals. A highlight for me at Tropical World is the butterfly house. Just outside Tropical World are the beautiful Specialist Gardens and Canal Gardens too.
4. Discovery Centre
On Wednesdays and Thursdays, this museum has free tours where you can explore their collection of over one million objects. If you and your children have a particular interest, such as meteorites, insects, historical fashion or anything really, the tour guides will tailor the tour and make sure you get to see the objects that will be of most interest to you, and to hear the stories about them.
Packed full of opportunities for children to play, explore, and get hands-on with friendly farm animals, it’s a place where memories are made. Whether your little ones want to feed the goats, meet the pigs, or simply run wild in the outdoor play areas, Swithens Farm offers a fun, educational, and down-to-earth experience that kids—and parents—will love.
Nominated for the Most Family Friendly Museum, Abbey House Museum is packed with interactive exhibits and toys for children to explore and learn with. There is a Victorian street to explore, as well as lots of story themed play opportunities upstairs.
Located in the heart of Leeds City Centre, this is another free museum. There are exhibitions on the history of Leeds as well as on Ancient Greece and Egypt. You can even find the mummified body of a pharaoh here!
