Events, activities and places to visit

• Barnsley town centre hosts many events and festivals throughout the year that are perfect for families. It gives you the chance to spend quality time together, enjoy experiences with the Barnsley community and discover new skills or interests. You can find more details on the events page.
  Watch our video about visiting Barnsley this summer.
• You can also use the Visit Barnsley website to explore places to visit and things to do across the borough.
  Take a look back on 2023 events in Barnsley town centre.
• Explore Barnsley’s heritage and culture with exhibitions, events and activities at Barnsley Museum. Visit the Barnsley Museums website to learn more.
  Watch our video about Barnsley Museums.
• Our libraries can spark your interests and curiosities with books and resources for all the family. They host fantastic events and activities for children and adults, including those with a creative and cultural focus as part of our Arts Council England funding. Find out more on the Barnsley Libraries page.
  Watch our video about some of our events at Barnsley Libraries.

Staying connected to your local area

• Keep up to date with events and activities in your local area team. Visit the area teams page to find your ward and follow the team on social media.
• If you live in or near one of our principal towns or local village centres you can learn more about investment and highlights for the area. Visit the principal towns page to discover what’s taking place.

Outdoor spaces and physical activity

• Our borough has many outdoor spaces for all the family to enjoy. Keeping active brings many benefits. Hear from Barnsley FC defender, Donovan Pines, to learn more!
  
  
• There's lots of ways you can move more, from competitive sports to a walk in the park with family. Feeling inspired? Check out the What’s Your Move website to find what’s right for you. You can also stay up to date by following the What’s Your Move Facebook page.
• If you love to get outdoors, visit our parks and green spaces page to explore places to enjoy. You can also follow the teams on their Barnsley Parks and Green spaces Facebook page.

Discover new skills and talents

• The Barnsley Youth Council help to make sure that young people have a voice in our borough. Learn more about what they do, and how to get involved on the Youth Council page.
  Find out about Barnsley Youth Voice.
• New skills, talent and creativity can open exciting new prospects. Hear from Tom Masters to learn how musical skills have helped him to develop into the person he is today.
• Find out how the Barnsley Music Hub helps children, young people and adults to enjoy music education. Find out more on the music education page.
  Watch our Barnsley Music Hub advert.
• Explore what’s possible for choral training through the Barnsley Youth Choir website.

Education and learning

• When children are well-prepared for school, they can get the most out of learning. Barnsley’s School Alliance have created a video for helping your child be ready for nursery and school setting. It explores the skills that make a difference for children starting school.
  
  

   

• Our skills and employability team can help you to get started or progress with learning, work, volunteering or training. Discover how they could work with you and get in touch on the skills and employability page.
  Find out more about how we can help you develop your skills through training.
• New skills and abilities can help parents to feel more confident to support their children’s learning. You can learn more about skills for everyday life on the Adult Skills and Community Learning page.
• Barnsley Children's University gives children and young people chance to develop skills, knowledge, and confidence outside the classroom through a range of activities. The programme is delivered through local schools. You can find out more on the Barnsley Children's University page.

Family hubs and groups

• Family hubs across the borough provide early help services for children from pre-birth up to 19 years (or 25 years if the young person has a disability). A range of experts are on hand at our family hub buildings. These include family support professionals, health visitors, early help workers, midwives, mental health support services, employment advisors and adult learning teams. They can help you and your family to get the right help at the right time. You'll be able to access a wide range of services and activities online. You'll be able to do this on the Virtual Family Hub and in other community locations through our Family Hubs in the community pop up services. This includes venues such as libraries, youth centres, schools, early years settings, health settings, community centres and faith buildings. Visit the Virtual Family Hub website to discover what’s right for you.
  
  

• Our infant feeding team support expectant parents and new families with support around breastfeeding and infant feeding. Take a look at the infant feeding team’s page to learn more.
  Watch our Barnsley breastfeeding video.

• Our fostering team help Barnsley people to explore opportunities for fostering. Hear from their fostering community. If you’d like to learn more, visit the fostering page.

Targeted support

• With free school meals, more children in Barnsley enjoy healthy, fresh and nutritious meals at dinner time. Visit the free school meals page to see if you could apply. Children who get free school meals can also get a free place at our Healthy Holidays clubs. Watch the video to learn more and visit the Healthy Holidays page.
  Watch our video about Healthy Holidays 2023.
• Barnsley’s Family Support workers support families that have been referred into the Early Start service. Find out how the service works with families on the Early Help page.
  Watch our video about Early Start and Families.
• The Targeted Youth Support team help children, young people and their families in the community. Find out more about what they do on the early help and targeted support page.
  Find out about our Targeted Youth Support.
• Barnsley’s Youth Justice Service helps to stop child offending by working with children and young people that are involved in the criminal justice system. Learn more about their work on the Youth Justice Service page.
  Watch our video about the Youth Justice Service.
• SENDIASS is Barnsley’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service. They provide free, neutral advice to parents and carers of children and young people who have, or might have, a special educational need or disability (SEND). You can learn more about what they do on the SENDIASS page.
  Find out about the SENDIASS offer.
• Barnsley’s Virtual School helps to support children in care to do well at school, develop socially, and become confident, independent adults. Visit the Virtual School page to learn more if you’re in, or have been in care, are a foster carer, parent or carer.