The Skelves return every weekend this summer to tell the Tale of the Tawy Owl! Join Rowan, the Skelves’ healer and potion maker, as she tells the story of how she forged a bond with a very special Tawny Owl.
Alongside this, there are lots of creative tasks and den making in the wooded area close to Skelf Island. Let their imagination go wild, as they create their own special space at Castle Howard.
Skelf Island itself offers hours of fun for your little ones, with tree top structures, rope bridges and slides!
Book tickets to Skelf Island
* Admission included in a standard Gardens ticket.
Ray Wood is a hidden gem with beautiful plants, wonderful wildlife and a whole lot of woodland to immerse yourselves in! The perfect place to make memories, taking lovely family photos and collecting a few things from the ground to create an artistic picture from your visit. We recommend: - Petals/leaves from the ground - Unique and interesting stones - Sticks (brilliant to create people within pictures!)
At Castle Howard, we welcome picnics and hampers. Whether that’s one you’ve brought from home or, one you’ve purchased and then filled with our Farm Shop goodies… If you are bringing one from home, why not get your kids involved with making it? Here’s a few healthy and delicious options that we think are worth packing in your Castle Howard picnic box: - Pesto pasta - Pizza pitta - Hummus salad jars - Flapjacks
We recommend the following pages for lots of great foodie ideas for kids: BBC Good Food and Picnic Ideas for Kids.
A visit to Castle Howard is never complete without a venture around the House. It’s also the perfect place to cool off on a hot day or, to encourage the kids to have a break from hours of play at Skelf Island. We know that history, walking and kids are not always the most compatible, but we have some fun counting ideas that should keep them entertained and interested. The best things to count on the visitor route are:
- Lions - Clocks - Horses - Vases Our Top Tip: If you are visiting with a group of children, why not bring along a notebook and get them to keep tally of the object they are counting. Then at the end, whoever has counted the most, gets a small treat (a cake, ice cream from our cafes on site or a small gift from our Gift Shops or, even just an extra go on the rope bridge!)
There are so many things to do within the area of Castle Howard, so why not make the most of the beautiful landscape by camping at our Lakeside Holiday Park.
The Lakeside Holiday Park is within walking distance from Castle Howard and is based in the quaint village of Coneysthorpe – which was featured in Bridgerton. Camping not only enhances a child’s sense of adventure but can also be a great opportunity to develop resilience, confidence, and respect for the environment. You can also make sure to leave the Ipads and phones at home for some much-needed family time. . With only a short drive our bus ride into the city of York too, we recommend Visit York as a great source of things to do in York.
Castle Howard not only has lots going on during the Summer for kids but also in Autumn and Winter with our ‘Into the Woods: A Fairytale Christmas’ theme. See Castle Howard transformed into a wonderland of happily ever afters, fair maidens and magic.
After last year’s sell out and award-winning Christmas, you certainly don’t want to miss out!
Book tickets for Christmas 2022