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Fun Things to do in Sheffield
There are a surprising amount of fun indoor activities in Sheffield for kids in 2026. When winter hits hard and you want to get out of the house with the kids, it’s good to have some fun go to ideas for kids that don’t rely on the weather. If you are looking for an extensive list of things to do in Sheffield with kids, both indoor and outdoor we have put together 34 fun things to do in Sheffield with kids too. If you love free stuff to do, don’t miss our top 10 free things to do in Sheffield.
Best toddler sessions in Sheffield
After a few long winters with young kids we have found all the best toddler sessions Sheffield has to offer. Having a toddler then a newborn baby over a long wet winter hit pretty hard so we quickly got to grips with all the best places to take a toddler on a tight budget. The good news is that most of the top fun places in Sheffield offer some kind of toddler session really cheap. They tend to be morning sessions around 10:00 AM so we’ll outline details for each as we unpack all the fun indoor activities in Sheffield for kids.
Fun things to do near Sheffield
There is a lot to do near Sheffield, but the most impressive thing by far is that Sheffield is right on the edge of the absolutely stunning peak district. If you are feeling more adventurous and want to try some amazing family walks, we have put together the best family walks in the peak district with maps for you. The most iconic family walk in the area has to be the padley gorge round route. It is beautiful, has a great paddle spot and to be honest is just the easiest to get to as a family from Sheffield. If you haven’t been, it’s worth exploring as a family, even if you don’t do the walk it’s a super fun spot to hang out as a family, so book mark that one for later.
ANYWAY, if you have come looking for a blog on indoor activities in Sheffield for kids, you’re probably not in the mood for anything outside, or have been rained off a few too many times, so let’s jump into all the super fun indoor activities you can find locally. Some are active, some are more chill, some ideal for toddlers, some only possible for teenages, we’ll point out which is which as we go through the list.
1. Jump Inc kids and Toddlers
Kicking off with our absolute favourite of ALL the fun indoor activities in Sheffield for kids … drum roll please … The £5 toddler session at jump inc. If you have children 5 years and younger they let you and 2 adults in for £5. It is such a bargain and so much fun as a family.
It’s a crazy cool win that Jump Inc offers a toddler session this cheap, but even if you don’t have toddlers that young and have to pay the normal price, Jump Inc is worth going to. The upshot of going with older kids is if you want to chill whilst they bounce there is a pretty good cafe with a great view across the park. They have trampolines, foam pits, a wipe out game, and a huge airbag to jump onto. The great thing is that it is progressive rather than novel, you and your kids will feel an improvement in what you can do each time you go. If you are looking for fun active indoor activities in Sheffield, don’t miss this one!
2. Moor Market
If you are downtown and want to spend some time indoors, the Moor Market can be fun. There is a real bustle and if you have a good look around, pretty much everyone in the family should be able to find a tasty treat. There is everything from fruit shops, to Thai food, fish mongers, handy man stalls and nail bars. All local businesses, all under one roof. It might not be the most exciting of all the indoor activities in Sheffield for kids, but if you just want somewhere a little different to explore indoors in the city centre, it can be fun.
3. Botanical gardens glass pavilion
It’s only little, but it’s definitely worth exploring if you are in this part of Sheffield. The glass Pavilion at the botanical gardens is beautiful and a great place to explore if you get caught out in rain. It is also very close to a little park cafe, so if your day is really turning into a wash out you can pop in there for a tasty treat. We would only really class this as a back up fun indoor activities in Sheffield with kids. It’s always good to have back ups if the weather looks like it’s unpredictable when you set off. Botanical gardens on the whole is great with kids. There are lots of activities, nature learning areas and even a historical bear pit.
4. Cup of coffee with a cat
YEP! you read that right there is a super cute cat cafe right here in Sheffield. Tabby Teas is beautiful in every way. The cats are of course adorable and the cafe serves quality, creative food and drinks. Everything is very reasonably priced too. They home rescued cats and work with local charities to help support more cats in the community. So this super cute experience is one of the most ethical animal encounters you can have too. This has to be the most loveable little sanctuaries in Sheffield for both cats and humans. If you are planning fun indoor activities in Sheffield with older kids make sure you include this little gem. Please do note, there is a minimum age requirement of 10. Perfect for some quality time with pre-teens and teenagers.
5. The Climbing Works
The climbing works is one of the best climbing centres in the whole of the UK! No exaggeration and one of the things we love most is it is a great place to climb indoors whatever your ability or age. They are passionate about getting people climbing and so run a huge range of classes and drop ins for all ages. If it is your first time climbing, get intouch with the The Climbing Works first and book into an induction. They’re not too intense, you learn loads and then you can free climb straight after. As well as a good range of classes for kids of all ages they also do a great toddler session.
6. Air Haus
Giant bouncy inflatable fun for adults and children. What’s not to love?? I know we’re a bit nuts and just love to bounce around, but Air House has to be our second favourite of all the indoor activities in Sheffield for kids. if you haven’t been yet with kids, don’t miss it! They have lots of great deals for families and like Jump Inc, they also do a great toddler session for £5 including to adults. It is out by Meadowhall and is an epically fun way to spend some time indoors! If you love a good laugh there are some great games you can play there too. WARNING, it will bring out your competitive side! Definitely one of the top fun indoor activities in Sheffield for families that love to be active or even just like to have a giggle together.
7. Millennium Gallery and Winter Gardens
Beautiful light and art filled indoor city centre spot to explore. If you are having a Sheffield City Centre day, don’t miss out this absolute gem. Including the galleries and stopping at the cafe you could easily spend a few hours wondering around and enjoying gallery and gardens. Just for fun, take a sketchbook, relax and see what you can capture; when was the last time you drew something?
8. Vue Cinema
If you are looking to chill, this plush cinema makes for a great indoor activity. Vue is another great company that has made time with your toddler more fun and affordable by running what they call mini mornings. Each day at 10:00 AM they have toddler friendly showings for only £2.49. It’s a great and forgiving environment that embraces the chaos of having toddles. They lower the sound so it’s more safe and suitable for little ears too. Even if you go with older kids later in the day, there are still lots of great deals. They have made the price of cinema as a family very reasonable again. Some days you just need to chill.
9. Western Park Museum
Western Park Museum is a great museum whatever the weather; a nice way to spend a few hours indoors. The first time you go it is just fun to take it in and explore as it is. If you know you’re going to need to build up an arsenal of fun indoor activities in Sheffield for kids then it’s good to make a mental note of certain activities you can build on. There are a few areas that you could return to with pens and paper to draw, take rubbings or find other creative ways to encourage your children to connect with it on a deep level.
Visiting Western Park is donation based and they have a gift shop and their own cafe. If you’re a sucker for Starbucks, there is a handy little one just opposite the entrance.
10. Kelham Island Museum
Kelham Island is a great neighbourhood to explore with kids. If your kids are a bit older they can connect with the local history from just walking around the area. If you are looking for fun indoor activities in Sheffield though, the Museum itself is a great place to check out if you want to take an interesting deep dive into the local heritage. Though kid’s of all ages might enjoy tottering around, this one is better for older children.
11. Sheffield’s best play cafes
Sheffield has a lot of great play cafes for young children. If you are looking for indoor activities in Sheffield for kids that are on the younger side, there are loads of great options. One of the best for creative imaginary play is Curious Kids Town. You have to pre book a time slot, but it is worth it as they reset the play area for every session so it maximises engagement for the children. Millhouses Play Cafe is a personal favourite as the children can play for hours for a one off fee which suites our ever energetic little ones best. Medieval Mayhem on Penistone road is another great fun option, it is essentially a themed playhouse. All these places range between £4 and £8 depending on where you go and the age of the children. All three also have decent cafes where you can grab at least a coffee whilst they play. The first two have healthy kids food options, the Medieval Mayhem is more fast food.
12. Magna Science Museum
Possibly one of the best, most interactive museums in the country is right here in Sheffield. Absolutely perfect for kids of every age, there is always something fun going on here. It is certainly the most fun and interactive museum around Sheffield and is based around the elements and very interactive. If you are looking for fun indoor activities in Sheffield for kids and want to learn some great science OR do a bungee jump, Magna Sheffield is pretty epic!
13. Ice Hockey Game
If you are looking for fun indoor activities in Sheffield for kids and want to try something totally different, try and catch a Steelers game. Until we tried it, we had no idea how much fun a live ice hockey match can be! I would say by as young as 4 children will find it exciting and interesting, but if you want to enjoy the game too, it might be best to do with older children. If you are in season, definitely check it out. Whatever the weather, whatever the season it is nice to know you can always go ice skating. If you don’t fancy watching a game, you could always just go skate yourself. Ice Sheffield just on the outskirts of the city, reachable by local transport.
14. Unique boat house experience
The Boat Hotel is such a unique place to stay in Sheffield it is an experience in itself. We stayed here with our toddler and it was pretty magical. Of course with little ones and being on the water you need to keep a close eye on them, but we found it very manageable.
Although it is accommodation, we wanted to include it in fun indoor activities in Sheffield for kids as it is so much more than just somewhere to sleep. We strongly recommend that if you do book the Boat Hotel, you plan to spend time on the barge itself enjoying the Victoria Quays and the fun novelty of actually being in a barge; it’s beautiful, serene and quirky.
Sheffield is just on the doorstep of the Peak District
If you’re looking for some outdoor family adventures in the Peak District check out our Peak District family walks. We also have a special guide for Peak District walks with toddlers.
