Just before the Easter half term started we went for a day out to Thornton Hall Country Park. They were hosting their very own Toddler Party! Honestly, I’d never heard of the place before but thanks to the power of Facebook ads this event popped up on my feed.

Located in North Yorkshire and not far from Skipton, Thornton Hall Country Park is a large farm with lots to do for young children. Another hidden gem nestled in the middle of beautiful countryside just like the other hotspots I’ve had the pleasure of discovering recently!

The first thing we did for the day is headed to the large soft play on-site. Adjoined to the restaurant, this place was a great chance to get out of the elements and enjoy some food and drink whilst the kids play. Whilst I didn’t actually eat here I did notice that the menu looked incredibly tasty! My daughter enjoyed the soft play here for a good couple of hours with her friends.

The Toddler Party meant they were offering free glitter tattoos within the building. This has got to be one of my daughters highlights, she still talks about her ‘tattoos’ even now, weeks later! The room was quiet so the lady spent plenty of time with her letting her choose which design she wanted. She was really happy to choose some pirates and as her first transferable tattoo experience she was pretty fascinated with the whole thing! She just wanted to show her arms off all day!

I thought this was a great free activity on offer for kids. I’ve never seen this offered anywhere so it was nice to find something different.

After this we headed outside for the giant bubbles where everybody could have a go with the giant bubble wand. It was a little complicated for my 2 year old to grasp and instead she just ended up soaking wet from the solution popping over her! A lot of the little ones enjoyed this though and again it was nice to see something a little different – Included in the entry price too!

We ventured into the barn for animal petting which was lovely. Rabbits and guinea pigs were roaming and you had the opportunity to sit on the haystacks and pet them. I thought my toddler would love this but she was surprisingly afraid despite being exposed to animals like this numerous times. Just like animals – Kids can be just as unpredictable! I thought this was a brilliant opportunity to learn about the animals with a hands-on experience. I must admit i’m not one for petting zoos but the keepers were knowledgeable and it was a great opportunity for the little ones to learn.

Outside we found the giant bouncy pillows. Previously we visited Piglets Adventure Farm where my daughter was not a fan of these because she wanted them all to herself and it was too busy! Luckily at Thornton it was super quiet and she finally got her wish!

There was a lot of the outside grounds sectioned off ready for an Easter trail. It looked like it could be really magical but it wasn’t taking place during our visit. I’d be interested to head back here sometime when it’s on and see what it’s all about.

We also came across the tractors outside which are always a hit with kids. This was a small area but beautiful spot with the backdrop of the Yorkshire dales in the distance.

Another activity we tried briefly was the Easter Crafts. This was located in the conservatory with a member of staff coordinating it. They had set out foil eggs to scratch to create a colourful picture. My daughter enjoyed this and we hung ours on to our bag as we left.

Probably my favourite activity of the day and definitely my daughters was the party games in the Secret Garden. What a great venue! Outside, in what looked like a giant marquee was a stage area surrounded by tables complete with its own dancefloor! We played three rounds of games including musical statues, pass-the-parcel and parachute. A mixture of K-Pop Demon Hunters and Taylor Swift kept all the kids happy dancing away. Pass-the-parcel went down a treat of course and who doesn’t love a parachute? She talked about winning stickers at the ‘dance contest’ for weeks afterwards.

But let’s not forget the fact this is a working farm and there are so many animals to see! I’ve been to a lot of farms over the last couple of years. I’ll list a few I’ve visited in Yorkshire at the bottom of this post if you are on the look out for other attractions to visit.

Thornton Hall Country Park takes the prize for the greatest lamb feeding experience. I don’t know if it was just because it wasn’t as busy as other farms I’ve visited previously but this was the best by miles. We visited mid-week and besides my daughter and her two friends they were accompanied by only a handful of other children for the feeding. There were so many lambs that needed feeding it meant we were actually able to feed full bottles and do so multiple times with different lambs. My toddler was such a pro by the end she was even doing it by herself!

Even I got an opportunity for the first time ever!

Previous farms we’ve visited involved queuing and very limited time for this kind of experience. It normally attracts large crowds or incurs an additional cost. Here it was free and easily was one of the highlights of our day. I also learnt all about the lambs, where they come from and what they are fed by being able to chat to the keepers in a quiet relaxed environment.

It was a great experience and I recommend visiting for this part alone!

Overall, we had a fab time at the Toddler Party! I’ve never been to Thornton Hall on a regular day so i’m unsure if there would be enough there to fill a whole day without the activities but on the whole it was well worth a visit.

~ Visited Thornton Hall Country Park, March 2026 ~

Useful bits

Website: https://thorntonhallcountrypark.co.uk/
Location: North Yorkshire, less than 15 minutes drive from Skipton
Entry Fee: Prices differ including a significant difference between midweek term-time and weekends
Bonus Factors: Free parking and plenty of it. Good outdoor space and lots of animal activities included. Picnic areas if you want to bring your own food. Play area for the kids to enjoy but better for older kids rather than toddlers.
Verdict: I really enjoyed our experience at The Toddler Party but on the whole it was very quiet. I think because it was quiet, we had a better experience overall. Had it of been busy the lamb feeding might not have been as good as it was. I think the price is steep on a weekend as you have to pay per adult and child whereas the price mid-week is great value! I would definitely revisit in the future – Maybe next Easter for the trail?
TripAdvisor: Thornton Hall Country Park

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