Updated July 2023
With the cost of living at an all time high you may well be looking for some free or low cost things to do this summer. So fear not, we’ve put together a list of some of the best in Doncaster and some of the surrounding areas too…
Picnic at the Park
There’s something really lovely about having a picnic in the park on a summer’s day and it doesn’t cost a penny. We are lucky to have lots of lovely parks and green spaces in Doncaster with plenty of play equipment to keep the children happy. Lots of parks host events throughout the summer holidays so it’s worth keeping an eye on their social media channels. Sandall Park always has a lot going on for families- you can see their event days HERE.
Summer Safari Trail
This Summer we’re delighted to have teamed up with Get Doncaster Moving to deliver an interactive Safari- themed trail to get you and your Mini Mumblers outdoors and active. Taking part in the trail is easy, you can download our trail sheet here and head to one of the eight local parks during the summer holidays to join in with this fun and free activity.
Click here to find out more and see whereabouts in Doncaster you can join in.
Lakeside Village- Crazy Golf Adventure and Summer Cinema
In addition to the outdoor and indoor play areas, Lakeside Village has some other free activities for the whole family to enjoy this summer. Their Crazy Golf Adventure is available now and will be running until the 10th September. Putters and golf balls are available from Bensons Outlet (Monday to Saturday 10am- 5pm & Sunday 10am- 4pm).
If you’re looking for a full day out then why not combine some crazy golf with a walk around the lake and a visit to Lakeside’s Summer Cinema? They have some fantastic family films (such as Encanto and Toy Story 3) showing at 11am and 3pm every Thursday in August. See the full screening schedule here and don’t forget to take your fold up chairs!
On 5th August & 2nd September Lakeside will also be hosting their Artisan Craft Fayre which is free to attend and will be running from 10am- 5pm.
See the full programme of events at Lakeside Village here.
Danum Gallery, Library and Museum
This unique, purpose built cultural centre houses an art gallery, two museums, a library, and a rail heritage centre, so there’s plenty to see here! Between 1st July and 2nd September you can explore the Brick by Brick exhibition and discover amazing works by artists, designers and photographers using LEGO® bricks as their inspiration. Alongside the artworks on display, you can get hands-on and create your own brick artworks with a LEGO® graffiti wall. You can also build tables, play games and take part in competitions. Other artworks and activities are also available at The Point, Doncaster.
Throughout the summer holidays there will also be a programme of free events aimed at children aged 4-12 which will be taking place in either the Children’s Library or Paddington Room (
See the full programme of activities here). The Moving Museum’s summer tour also kicks off on 31st July and will be travelling to a location near you (
See the full list here). If you go along you’ll be able to get hands-on with history, make a badge and sign up to
Doncaster Libraries‘ summer reading challenge, which is suitable for all age groups.
It’s also worth checking the facebook pages of your local libraries too as many of these also provide free children’s activities in the school holidays.
Pick Your Own Fruit and Flowers at Eastfield Farm
We love strawberry picking and do it at least once a year. Eastfield Farm is a family run farm with farm shops open during the soft fruit season (June/July). PYO Sunflowers and Wildflowers are available in July and August, plus, for the first time ever Eastfield Farm will have a Maize Maze to explore from late July.
The activity and parking at Eastfield Farm is free but the strawberries are charged at £4 per kilo, sunflowers at £1 per stem and The Maize Maze is £5 per person with under 3s going free.
Cusworth Hall Museum and Park
Cusworth Hall is always on our list of places to go in the summer holidays. It’s free to visit but parking charges do apply. The Hall itself is not open every day so it’s best to check their facebook page for more information if you’re wanting to go inside and have a look around. Even without a visit to the Hall though, it’s a brilliant place for children to explore some lovely scenery and a great playground. It’s also a fab place for a picnic or alternatively you can buy food, drinks and snacks from either
Butler’s Tea Room or
The Old Brewhouse. There’s always an ice cream van there in the summer holidays too!
Go for a Nature Walk
Doncaster has some stunning places to get outdoors and at one with nature, lots of which are completely free. We love visiting Sandall Beat Wood which has a fantastic new play area too. Bawtry Forest is also a great place for a nature walk and Sprotbrough Flash is a brilliant place for birdwatching. Thorpe Marsh Nature Reserve is free and a fantastic place to see butterflies, birds and cattle grazing; you can explore ponds, lakes and woodlands here too. Need some more ideas? Read our Mumbler blog here-
5 Nature Reserves near Doncaster.
Walkers Nurseries & Garden Centre
There’s some award winning gardens at Walkers which are beautiful in the Summer time and completely free to enter and explore; they provide a lovely backdrop for photographs too. The outdoor play area (which opened earlier this year) was a welcome addition to the space which means you can easily spend a morning or an afternoon here while the children explore both the gardens and the play area without spending any money.
The Garden Centre itself is a great place for some retail therapy and Bobo’s Boutique offers a lovely selection of children’s clothing and nursery accessories. The Garden Restaurant serves a variety of hot and cold meals plus delicious cakes and coffee too.
Doncaster Family Hubs
Doncaster Family Hubs will be offering free activities for families at a variety of locations across Doncaster. These sessions are aimed at children aged 0-11 and will be based around a variety of themes.
HAF Holiday Clubs & Camps
Free activities, a bit further afield…
Rufford Abbey Country Park
Rufford Park is free to visit and you can easily enjoy a full day out here. It’s one of our favourite places to go with family and if you take a picnic then you only need to pay for parking (which is £5 per car for the whole day). There’s plenty to explore at Rufford including walks around the lake, gardens and woodlands. There’s a fantastic adventure playground too which the little ones spend ages on!
This summer there will be lots going on at Rufford including free Punch & Judy shows on Tuesdays and The White Post Farm Petting Zoo will be there on Wednesdays (priced at £2.50 per child).
Rufford Park has a range of other activities available such as boating, adventure golf and archery (all charged additionally). There will also be an Outdoor Theatre and Little Princess Sing Along on selected dates but tickets for these events need to be pre-booked online.
Clifton Park, Rotherham
Clifton Park is great for children of all ages. Of course there’s a brilliant fun park (with rides that you pay for) but there’s also a lot to keep the children entertained here without spending money on anything except your parking. The play area has something for everyone- the 10 metre tall tower slide and skate park is popular with teenagers, aswell as musical stepping stones and a huge sandpit for the little ones to explore.
The water splash area is also wonderful for children of all ages. There’s fountains, a paddling pool, a whirlpool and over 70 water jets that activate at random so it’s really good fun. It’s worth noting that the water splash area is sometimes closed for repairs or maintenance so do check the
Rotherham Parks facebook page for any announcements before you travel.
The Clifton Express Land Train is by far the best way to see the park (£2 per rider). It has stops at either end of the park and does regular circuits from the activity area to the Museum and Cafe. It’s free to have a look in The Museum too!
The National Railway Museum, York
The National Railway Museum in York is a brilliant free day out for families. If you arrive by car there is a parking charge of £10 per day to park in the visitor car park or you might wish to use York’s Park & Ride service which is low cost and there is no charge for children.
At the museum you can see amazing rail vehicles including the Mallard (the world’s fastest steam locomotive) and you can climb aboard the Japanese ‘bullet train’. This summer (from 27th July) they also have ‘Wonderlab: The Bramall Gallery’, a special interactive experience for families and the ‘Flying Scotsman VR Experience’, where you can see the famous locomotive’s story come to life around you.
Find out more here and pre-book your tickets.
A Trip to the Beach!
Would it be really be summer without a trip to the beach? All you need is a picnic and your bucket & spade and you’re ready to go! It’s a great, free activity and you can spend the whole day there if the weather is fine.
Cleethorpes Beach only takes an hour to get to and there’s usually plenty of space on the beach for digging and building sandcastles. Last time we went we had to take a long walk to the sea for a paddle! There’s also toilets, arcades, cafes, and fish and chip shops nearby. We also like the boating lake at Cleethorpes where you can feed the ducks and the swans too.
If you’re happy to travel further, then Sutton on the Sea Beach is a great option. It’s not far from the bigger resort of Mablethorpe and is a bit of a hidden gem. It’s a traditional seaside town with excellent sandy beaches that are perfect for families and great for swimming. Sutton on Sea and Mablethorpe have both been awarded the Blue Flag for clean beaches and there’s lifeguard cover from June to September. There’s also a children’s play area here, paddling pool and a crazy golf course.
Other great options for a trip to the seaside are of course Scarborough (see photo’s below), Whitby and Hornsea.
Wentworth Castle Gardens
If you have National Trust membership then Wentworth Castle Gardens is a great place to visit and you can join in with their ‘Summer of Play’ activities between 24th July and 3rd September.
There’s a fairy-tale castle, secret gardens and winding wilderness paths which feature a new natural play space where you can scramble, climb and balance. For smaller members of the family, there’s the chance to become a mini gardener and get digging in the messy play space in the Union Jack Gardens. In another section of the maze-like gardens, take a break from the noise and the sun with sensory play and quiet games.
There will also be specific events happening throughout the summer e.g. storytelling workshops, archery experiences and football fun. See the National Trust website for more information. It’s also worth noting that Wentworth Castle Gardens is a low cost day out even if you’re not a member (prices start from £7.50 for one adult and up to 3 children) with car parking included in the cost of admission.
Meadowhall
The Riverside Adventure Playground at Meadowhall is a fab outdoor play area which is free to use and based in the Oasis dining quarter courtyard.
Launching on 21st July, Meadowhall’s Orange Car Park will be transformed into a 1,000sqm beach, theme park and AquaPark with street food stalls and chill out zones to enjoy a relaxing drink. Tickets cost £2.50 per person for the full day (which includes entertainment) but entry to the AquaPark and ride tokens are an additional cost. Take a look at Meadowhall’s website for more information.
There are also lots of places where kids eat free for Summer 2023.
Check out this list!
Whatever you get up to this summer, we hope you have a great time! Here’s hoping the weather will be kind to us so that we can enjoy lots of free activities outside!
Find out more about what’s going on in the Doncaster area this Summer
HERE.You might also like our ‘Free Activities’ area of the website
HERE.
