Castle Howard grounds

There's a lot more to North Yorkshire's premier stately home than drawing rooms, painted ceilings and marble floors (though they're mighty impressive). The house sits in 1,000 acres of countryside on the edge of the North York Moors offering bracing walks on to the Howardian Hills to pretty woodland picnic spots. If you need the kids to burn off some energy, then hitch a ride in the Kelly Car, a bright yellow tractor-powered road train that runs all day from the ticket office to the lake. There you'll find a large adventure playground. At its centre is a magnificent pyramid tower that houses two curling slides. A great place for kids to work up a sweat and for parents to grab a coffee from the cafe while keeping an eye on them.
• 01653 648333, castlehoward.co.uk. House and grounds/grounds only: £13/£8.50 adults, £7.50/£6 children, family ticket from £33.50/£23, under-5s free. Open 10am-4pm (grounds only) in low season and 10am-5.30pm high season

Ryedale Miniature Railway at Gilling East, near Ampleforth

Imagine having a giant model railway in your back garden, one with trains big enough for you and lots of friends to sit on top of. That's basically the template for the Miniature Railway at Gilling East on the edge of the moors. On certain Sundays during the summer months the beautiful, sleepy village near Ampleforth echoes to the sound of small steam engines and tooting whistles. A local group of model engineers (generally older men with flat caps and generous smiles) open their track to the public who can ride on special carriages for a small fee (usually 50p a time). There's a smart new clubhouse and cafe built with Lottery funding and many people bring a picnic to eat on the grass while the trains chuff past.
• rsme.org.uk. Open Sundays from 8 April-30 September (excluding 20 May and 26 August) from 12.30pm-4.30pm

Eden Camp Modern History Theme Museum, near Malton

Most children roll their eyes in dismay at the thought of a museum, but Eden Camp, on the Pickering road just outside the national park, is hugely popular with young people of all ages for the way in which it tells the story of Britain during the second world war. It is based around a genuine prisoner of war camp and many of the exhibits are inside the original camp buildings, while outside are vehicles and aircraft of the period. Life on the home front and overseas is recreated in vivid detail through sights, sounds and even smells. You can see and hear what the London Blitz was like and experience being in a submarine. It treats the subject matter with respect without ever being dull.
• 01653 697777, edencamp.co.uk. Open Monday to Sunday 10am-5pm, adults £6, children £5

Paddling at Sandsend, near Whitby

If you want to get your feet wet but don't fancy running into the stormy North Sea, slip off your shoes and paddle in the stream that runs across the beach at Sandsend. This is where a Victorian railway bridge once stood and you can still see the foundations of one of its mighty pillars. The stream pools around it and during the summer families come here to splash and play in the water. Without tides and currents it's a safer alternative to the main beach, great for younger children or those less confident in the water. If you like beach afternoons without having to be on constant look out for the kids, this is a great spot to head to.

Back in time at the Ryedale Folk Museum, Hutton-le-Hole

This three-acre, open-air museum, off the road from Pickering to Helmsley, has a delightful collection of more than a dozen historical buildings to explore. All of them have been rescued from dereliction and moved here. From a crofter's cottage to a 1953 village shop and an Edwardian photographic studio (the oldest of its kind in the country) – the buildings are a wonderful way to find out how generations of people in the North York Moors lived and worked. The museum also has a lively events programme including traditional cooking and craft demonstrations. On 2 and 3 June, there will be a second world war weekend, with historic vehicles and people dressed in period 1940s' clothing.
• 01751 417367, ryedalefolkmuseum.co.uk. Adults £7, children £6, family ticket £22.50, under-4s free

Monk Park Farm, near Thirsk

Children and animals are always a good mix, and the visitor centre at Monk Park Farm is aimed squarely at younger visitors. It's been developed from a dairy farm in the heart of Herriot country and is now home to a wide range of animals from sheep and cows to alpacas and wallabies. There are both indoor and outdoor feeding areas where children can meet some of the animals up close and even bottle feed a lamb or two. There is also a petting barn with smaller animals such as guinea pigs and rabbits, an adventure playground, a lake and a large tearoom. If you're bringing your own food, then there's also a picnic area. It's lively, friendly and most definitely hands-on.
• 01845 597730, monkparkfarm.co.uk. Open every day until Sunday 4 November from 10.30am-5pm (till 6.30pm Wednesdays until 5 September). Adults: £5.50, children £4.50, family ticket from £18 (card payment charges apply)

Mountain biking in Dalby Forest

For the time being the mountain-bike hire shop in Dalby Forest has closed down, but if you have your own wheels, then Dalby is a wonderful place to ride. The forest is criss-crossed by a network of trails which are graded by colour in a similar way to ski runs, allowing riders of all abilities to enjoy this wonderful part of North Yorkshire. The simplest, graded green, follow forest roads and are great for family outings and gentle meanderings. The red trail is the longest and takes riders into the heart of the forest, which was first settled during the Bronze Age. The black trail is for skilled mountain-bikers and includes some scarily steep descents between the trees. Whichever trail you pick, you'll enjoy being at the heart of the Great Yorkshire Forest.
• 01751 460295, forestry.gov.uk. Foot, cycle and horse access is free. Cars £7 from 6am-4pm and £4 after 4pm (seven-day pass £15)

Take the lift to West Cliff at Whitby

Stepping into the lift to take you down to the beach can be slightly disconcerting. You're expecting it to be a Victorian wrought-iron contraption hauled by giant chains – but instead you travel in a modern department store elevator through 120 feet of solid Yorkshire rock. Once at the bottom, a pedestrian tunnel leads onto the beach itself. But it's worth the rather odd journey: a wide stretch of sand that is mercifully clear of litter and rubbish. Enthusiastic young lifeguards keep an eye on swimmers and body boarders and there is a cafe, shop and toilet facilities. Many people come to Whitby without ever visiting West Cliff but it's worth seeking out.
• Lift operates 30 April-27 September, 60p single journey

Rock-pooling at Robin Hood's Bay

Grab a net and explore the many rock pools that appear when the tide goes out in Robin Hood's Bay. It's a steep walk from the top of the village where the car parks and bus stops are, but it's worth it. This is the rock pool central of the Yorkshire coast – you can spend hours exploring and searching for all manner of marine life left behind by the retreating sea. When you've finished (or the tide's turned), head to the coastal exhibition at the coastguard station. This explains how the coastline was formed and has water tanks full of local sea life in case you were unsuccessful in your own rock-pooling endeavours. There's just time to grab a locally made, ice-cream before you prepare for the epic walk back up the hill.

Falling Foss Tea Gardens, Sneaton Forest, near Whitby

Falling Foss looks like somewhere out of a fairytale: a small stone house in a beautiful wooded valley next to a magnificent waterfall. Tea gardens may sound grand and formal but this place is wonderfully relaxed and child-friendly. The house is owned by a husband and wife team who serve great food and drinks in what is basically their own garden. But it's more than a place to eat; it's a place to explore. The garden is encircled by a stream in which you can splash and play and Sneaton Forest is great for walking, climbing, running and generally getting up to mischief. Up in the forest is The Hermitage, a hermit's cave carved from stone. It's the kind of place to fire the imagination as well as your appetite.
• 07723 477929, fallingfossteagarden.co.uk. Open April to October, 10.30am-5pm

• Jerry Ibbotson is founder of yorkparents.co.uk

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