We confirmed 11 Christmas events for kids in Leeds for 2026, from 19 November to 16 January. Every listing links straight to the host. This page is part of our guide to Christmas events for kids in the UK.
The short version
- 11 kids’ Christmas events confirmed for 2026 in Leeds, Aberford and Harewood
- First: Dr Seuss's How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, Leeds, 19 November
- Free events: None confirmed yet
Below is every event we could confirm, grouped by area, with the date, time, price and the small things parents ask about (booking, ages, what is included).
Leeds Christmas events for kids at a glance
- Kids’ Christmas events
- 11 confirmed for 2026
- Areas
- Leeds, Aberford and Harewood
- Season
- 19 November to 16 January
- Free events
- None confirmed yet
- Last checked
Christmas events for kids in Leeds
8 confirmed events in Leeds, soonest first.
Dr Seuss's How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical
Panto or Christmas showLeeds Playhouse · Leeds
- Host
- Leeds Playhouse (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- The Quarry, Leeds Playhouse, Playhouse Square, Quarry Hill, Leeds LS2 7UP
- When
- Nov 19, 2026 to Jan 16, 2027, mostly 7pm with some matinees
- Price
- £17 to £71.50, plus £2.95 booking fee
- Ages
- Ages 4+
- Booking
- Booking essential
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
This is the Christmas show in The Quarry theatre at Leeds Playhouse, a new UK production of the Broadway musical directed by Artistic Director Tom Wright. The Grinch schemes to ruin Christmas for the Whos of Who-ville, with his loyal dog Max telling the story. The show runs for about 90 minutes and the theatre suggests it for ages 4 and up.
Tickets range from £17 to £71.50, with a £2.95 transaction fee per booking. Most performances start at 7pm, with some 2pm matinees, so check the full date list when booking. The Playhouse says there will be Grinch themed festive activities in the building before the show, with details to follow. Groups of 10 or more can book group rates, and BSL and audio flyers are available. For access performances, contact the box office on 0113 213 7700.
Parent tip: Evening performances start at 7pm, so look for a matinee if you have younger children. Grinch themed activities are planned in the building before the show.
See dates and details from Leeds Playhouse (opens in a new tab)Jack and the Beanstalk
Panto or Christmas showCarriageworks Theatre · Leeds
- Host
- Carriageworks Theatre (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Carriageworks Theatre, 3 Millennium Square, Leeds LS2 3AD
- When
- Nov 20, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027
- Price
- See Carriageworks box office for prices
- Ages
- Family pantomime
- Booking
- Booking essential
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Leeds City Council's own Carriageworks Theatre on Millennium Square presents Jack and the Beanstalk as its 2026 family pantomime, produced with Paul Holman Associates. Jack swaps the family cow for magic beans and climbs into the clouds above Leeds, where a giant and treasure are waiting. Expect costumes, musical numbers, special effects and plenty of audience participation.
Sir Kevin Sinfield voices The Giant and is donating his fee to motor neurone disease charities. The cast includes Jez Edwards as Simon Trott, Aaron Steadman as Dame Trott and John Lyons as King Crumble. The council gives the run as Friday 20 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. Ticket prices and performance times are on the theatre booking pages, or call the Leeds Ticket Hub on 0113 376 0318.
Parent tip: Book through the Leeds Ticket Hub on 0113 376 0318 and check exact performance times when you book.
See dates and details from Carriageworks Theatre (opens in a new tab)Merrion Centre presents Santa's Cabin
Meet SantaMerrion Centre · Leeds
- Host
- Merrion Centre (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Merrion Centre (main mall), Merrion Centre, Leeds LS2 8NG
- When
- Selected dates, Nov 28 to Dec 24, 2026
- Price
- From £7 per child, up to two adults free
- Ages
- Birth to 18
- Booking
- Booking essential
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Santa's Cabin sits on the main mall of the Merrion Centre in Leeds city centre, between the Three store and Direct Discount. Children meet Santa and his cabin crew in a festive log cabin, and visits are kept small, with a maximum of six people per group including adults.
Tickets start at £7 per child, and every child from birth to 18 needs one. Up to two adults go free, and extra adults are £2 each. A gift from Santa (£2) and a printed photo (£6) can be added, and may be available on the day by card only. Dedicated SEND sessions run during quieter periods for families with additional needs, and there is a separate booking link for general sessions. The cabin opens on selected dates from 28 November to 24 December 2026, and you choose an arrival time when you book.
Parent tip: Arrive about 10 minutes before your slot, as visits are first come, first served within each time. Tickets are non-refundable.
See dates and details from Merrion Centre (opens in a new tab)Christmas on the Farm
Family Christmas eventTemple Newsam Home Farm (Leeds Museums and Galleries) · Leeds
- Host
- Temple Newsam Home Farm (Leeds Museums and Galleries) (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Home Farm, Temple Newsam, Temple Newsam Road, Leeds LS15 0AE
- When
- Tue Dec 1 to Thu Dec 24, 2026, from 10am
- Price
- Included in farm admission
- Ages
- All ages
- Booking
- Booking recommended
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Home Farm on the Temple Newsam estate celebrates the season through December with Christmas on the Farm. The farm invites families to experience the magic of the season while exploring the farm, and the festive programme is included in standard farm admission rather than sold as a separate ticket.
It runs from Tuesday 1 December 2026 from 10am, with the last day on Thursday 24 December, when the farm closes at noon. Farm tickets are booked through the Leeds Ticket Hub. In the same month the farm hosts a children's festive craft workshop on 16 December, and Temple Newsam House next door has the Christmas Tree Trail and The Elf Academy, so families can easily build a full day out. The estate is on Temple Newsam Road in east Leeds, and the ticket team can be reached on 0113 376 0318.
Parent tip: Christmas Eve is a half day, closing at noon. Book farm admission in advance through the Leeds Ticket Hub.
See dates and details from Temple Newsam Home Farm (Leeds Museums and Galleries) (opens in a new tab)Christmas Tree Trail
Christmas lightsTemple Newsam (Leeds Museums and Galleries) · Leeds
- Host
- Temple Newsam (Leeds Museums and Galleries) (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Temple Newsam House, Temple Newsam Road, Leeds LS15 0AE
- When
- Sat Dec 5 to Sat Dec 19, 2026
- Price
- Bookable, see Leeds Ticket Hub
- Ages
- Families and under 5s
- Booking
- Booking recommended
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Temple Newsam House fills its historic rooms with more than 25 decorated Christmas trees each December, and the Christmas Tree Trail leads families from one to the next. Leeds Museums and Galleries tags the trail for families and for under 5s, which makes it a gentle option for younger children who enjoy spotting lights and decorations.
The trail runs from Saturday 5 to Saturday 19 December 2026, with booking through the Leeds Ticket Hub via the house admission calendar. It overlaps with The Elf Academy in the same house, and Home Farm on the estate runs Christmas on the Farm through December. The estate is on Temple Newsam Road in east Leeds. For help with tickets call 0113 376 0318 or email tickets@leeds.gov.uk.
Parent tip: Book house admission through the Leeds Ticket Hub calendar and combine the trail with a visit to Home Farm.
See dates and details from Temple Newsam (Leeds Museums and Galleries) (opens in a new tab)The Elf Academy
Family Christmas eventTemple Newsam (Leeds Museums and Galleries) · Leeds
- Host
- Temple Newsam (Leeds Museums and Galleries) (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Temple Newsam House, Temple Newsam Road, Leeds LS15 0AE
- When
- Sat Dec 5 to Wed Dec 23, 2026
- Price
- Ticketed, see booking page
- Ages
- Families
- Booking
- Booking essential
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
The Elf Academy is a new Christmas event for 2026 at Temple Newsam House, the Tudor-Jacobean mansion on the east side of Leeds. Children are invited to become fully-fledged Christmas elves, training up in time for the big day inside the decorated house. It is aimed at families and runs through the school holidays as well as December weekends.
Sessions run from Saturday 5 to Wednesday 23 December 2026 and are booked through the Leeds Ticket Hub. Relaxed sessions with a quieter, reduced capacity format were scheduled for 12 and 13 December, though these were already sold out when checked. The same house is hosting the Christmas Tree Trail, and Home Farm next door has its own Christmas activities, so it is easy to make a day of it. For bookings call 0113 376 0318 or email tickets@leeds.gov.uk.
Parent tip: Book ahead through the Leeds Ticket Hub; the relaxed sessions sell out first.
See dates and details from Temple Newsam (Leeds Museums and Galleries) (opens in a new tab)Santa at the Museum
Meet SantaAbbey House Museum (Leeds Museums and Galleries) · Leeds
- Host
- Abbey House Museum (Leeds Museums and Galleries) (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Abbey House Museum, Abbey Walk, Kirkstall, Leeds LS5 3EH
- When
- Sat Dec 12 and 19, 12 to 4pm; Sun Dec 13 and 20, 10am to 4pm
- Price
- £8 per child, plus museum admission
- Ages
- Children, including under 5s
- Booking
- Booking essential
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Abbey House Museum in Kirkstall turns its recreated Victorian streets into a festive scene for four December weekend days. Children meet Santa in a snowy square next to his grotto, share their Christmas wishes and receive a special gift. They can also post letters to the North Pole, follow Christmas trails around the decorated streets and take home a craft bag.
Santa is in on Saturday 12 and 19 December from noon to 4pm, and Sunday 13 and 20 December from 10am to 4pm. The Santa visit costs £8 per child, and everyone in the group also needs a general admission ticket, which can be booked online or bought at the museum. The museum is opposite Kirkstall Abbey on Abbey Walk, which makes it easy to combine with a winter walk in the abbey grounds.
Parent tip: Book the Santa slot and general admission separately; admission can be bought online or on the day.
See dates and details from Abbey House Museum (Leeds Museums and Galleries) (opens in a new tab)Children's Festive Craft Workshop: Table Decorations
Christmas craftsTemple Newsam Home Farm (Leeds Museums and Galleries) · Leeds
- Host
- Temple Newsam Home Farm (Leeds Museums and Galleries) (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Home Farm, Temple Newsam, Temple Newsam Road, Leeds LS15 0AE
- When
- Wed, Dec 16, 2026, multiple session times
- Price
- Low cost, booking required
- Ages
- Children
- Booking
- Booking essential
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Home Farm at Temple Newsam is running a children's festive craft workshop on Wednesday 16 December 2026, with several session times through the day. Children make Christmas table decorations, and the farm invites families to come and craft, create and make some merry memories. Leeds Museums and Galleries lists it as a low-cost, midweek workshop.
Places are booked in advance through the Leeds Ticket Hub, using the farm tickets calendar. During December the farm also runs Christmas on the Farm, which is included in farm admission, so a craft session pairs well with a look around the animals and the rest of the estate. The farm is on the Temple Newsam estate in east Leeds. For help with booking call 0113 376 0318 or email tickets@leeds.gov.uk.
Parent tip: Choose your session time when booking; the workshop is listed as low cost but places are limited.
See dates and details from Temple Newsam Home Farm (Leeds Museums and Galleries) (opens in a new tab)Christmas events for kids in Aberford
2 confirmed events in Aberford, soonest first.
Santa's North Pole at The Christmas Experience (Aberford)
Meet SantaLotherton (Leeds Museums and Galleries) · Aberford
- Host
- Lotherton (Leeds Museums and Galleries) (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Lotherton Hall, Off Collier Lane, Lotherton Lane, Aberford, Aberford LS25 3EB (near Leeds)
- When
- Evenings, weekends and school holidays, from Nov 21, 2026
- Price
- From £16.95
- Ages
- Families with children of all ages
- Booking
- Booking essential
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Santa's North Pole is the main Santa visit at The Christmas Experience on the Lotherton estate near Aberford, run by Leeds Museums and Galleries. Families travel deep into the North Pole, meet the elves and Mrs Claus, and then see Santa in his cosy home, where children receive a special gift. It suits families with children of all ages and runs on evenings, weekends and school holidays.
Tickets start at £16.95. The wider Christmas Experience runs from 21 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 and includes the reimagined 12 Days Walk, with oversized play installations such as cabins with slides, giant dancing flowers and nutcracker drummers, all designed to be touched and played with. The Courtyard serves hot drinks, warm food and has a small market. Book online, by phone on 0113 376 0318, or by email at tickets@leeds.gov.uk.
Parent tip: Check the booking calendar for the Santa dates. Estate entry without Santa is £12.50 for adults, £7.75 for children 3+ and free for under 2s.
See dates and details from Lotherton (Leeds Museums and Galleries) (opens in a new tab)Santa's Cabin at The Christmas Experience (Aberford)
Meet SantaLotherton (Leeds Museums and Galleries) · Aberford
- Host
- Lotherton (Leeds Museums and Galleries) (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Lotherton Hall, Off Collier Lane, Lotherton Lane, Aberford, Aberford LS25 3EB (near Leeds)
- When
- Term-time weekday daytimes, late Nov to Dec 2026
- Price
- £12 per child
- Ages
- Pre-school children
- Booking
- Booking essential
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Lotherton's Christmas Experience includes a calmer option for the youngest visitors. Santa's Cabin is described as a gentler, slower visit designed for pre-school children, who meet Santa in his woodland cabin and take a gift home. It runs on weekday daytimes during term time, which usually means smaller crowds than the evening and weekend North Pole sessions.
The price is £12 per child. The Christmas Experience season on the estate near Aberford runs from 21 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, and families can also explore the 12 Days Walk, the woodland paths, the Fairy Dell and the Edwardian Hall. The 12 Days Walk returns for 2026 with oversized, touchable installations made from recycled and reclaimed materials. The Courtyard has hot drinks and warm food. Bookings are through the Leeds Ticket Hub online, on 0113 376 0318, or at tickets@leeds.gov.uk.
Parent tip: Sessions are weekday daytimes in school term only, so check the calendar for exact dates before planning a trip.
See dates and details from Lotherton (Leeds Museums and Galleries) (opens in a new tab)Christmas events for kids in Harewood
1 confirmed event in Harewood, soonest first.
Harewood's Elf Village Father Christmas Experience (Harewood)
Meet SantaHarewood House · Harewood
- Host
- Harewood House (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Harewood House, Harrogate Road, Harewood, Harewood LS17 9LG (near Leeds)
- When
- Weekends Dec 5 to 20, plus Dec 21 to 24, 2026, three sessions daily
- Price
- £39.95 to £49.95 per child or non-member adult; member adults £19.95
- Ages
- Designed for ages 1+, especially 2 to 8
- Booking
- Booking essential
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Harewood builds an Elf Village of yurts on the North Lawn opposite the house for this festive experience. Each two hour session opens with a sing-along at the Elf Cocoa Café, then families watch an interactive Santa School show, visit the Tinker Tent and the North Pole Post Office, and finish with a personal visit with Father Christmas. Every child ticket includes a gift, and the ticket also covers Harewood House, Gardens and Grounds.
Sessions run at 9.45am, 12.05pm and 2.35pm on December weekends and from 21 to 24 December 2026. Child and non-member adult tickets are £39.95 to £49.95, and member adults pay £19.95. Babies under 12 months can come free as babes in arms, without a gift. Harewood says the experience suits ages 1 and up, with 2 to 8 year olds enjoying it most.
Parent tip: Arrive 20 to 30 minutes early, but entry is only at your booked time. Many sessions were showing as sold out, so check the booking page for returns.
See dates and details from Harewood House (opens in a new tab)A story for the trip home
Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is hand-painted in watercolour. It is a cosy five-minute read after a big day out.
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolour. Ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon.co.uk (opens in a new tab)Leeds Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What Christmas events for kids are in Leeds in 2026?
We confirmed 11 Christmas events for kids in Leeds for 2026, each on its host’s own page, including Dr Seuss's How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, Jack and the Beanstalk, Santa's North Pole at The Christmas Experience (Aberford), Santa's Cabin at The Christmas Experience (Aberford), Merrion Centre presents Santa's Cabin, Christmas on the Farm, Christmas Tree Trail, Harewood's Elf Village Father Christmas Experience (Harewood), The Elf Academy, Santa at the Museum and Children's Festive Craft Workshop: Table Decorations. Each one is listed above with times, cost and a link to the host.
Where can kids see Santa in Leeds this year?
Santa appears at Santa's North Pole at The Christmas Experience (Aberford), Santa's Cabin at The Christmas Experience (Aberford), Merrion Centre presents Santa's Cabin, Harewood's Elf Village Father Christmas Experience (Harewood) and Santa at the Museum. Times and booking rules are in each listing above.
How do you confirm these events?
We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city, library or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on 2 November 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.
Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.
