Dot & Do · Exploring the UK and Europe with children. Free to use.
Manchester with kids: days out, clubs and events
Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum and Manchester Museum are free to get into, and Heaton Park is one of the biggest city parks in Europe. Soft plays and indoor play centres round the city help on a wet day.
On the map within about 20 km:
📅 What’s on in Manchester this weekend
Find by type
- Baby and toddler groups 48
- Scouts, Guides and youth groups 15
- Sports clubs 6
- Outdoor and forest school groups 19
- Soft plays 16
- Trampoline and inflatable parks 9
- Play parks 1005
- Farms 10
- Parks and walks 655
- Museums and attractions 113
- Pools 46
- Beaches 5
- Cinemas 15
- Libraries and classes 125
- Cafés and restaurants 1009
- Other places to stay 7
Free to get into
- Manchester Art Gallery Museum & attraction · Manchester · Free
- Greater Manchester Police Museum & Archives Museum & attraction · Ancoats · Free
- People's History Museum Museum & attraction · Manchester · Free
- Science and Industry Museum Museum & attraction · Manchester · Free
- The Manchester Museum Museum & attraction · Chorlton-on-Medlock · Free
- Salford Museum and Art Gallery Museum & attraction · Salford · Free
For a rainy day
- Museum of Illusions Museum & attraction · City Centre
- National Football Museum Museum & attraction · Manchester
- Special Collections Museum Museum & attraction · Manchester
- Castlefield Gallery Museum & attraction · Manchester
- Manchester Jewish Museum Museum & attraction · Strangeways
- Museum of Transport Greater Manchester Museum & attraction · Cheetham Hill
Out in the fresh air
- Castlefield Viaduct Urban Park Park & nature walk · Manchester
- Castle Irwell Park Park & nature walk · Charlestown
- Highfield Country Park Park & nature walk · Reddish · Free
- Beech Farm Farm & animals · Swinton
- Clifton Country Park Park & nature walk · Kilcoby · Free
Clubs that meet every week
- Books and Rhymes at Ordsall Library Baby & toddler groups · Ordsall · Mondays 10am (not in summer or Christmas holidays)
- Alexandra junior parkrun, Moss Side Outdoor & forest school · Manchester · Every Sunday at 9am
- Books and Rhymes at Broughton Library Baby & toddler groups · Broughton · Wednesdays 10am (not in summer or Christmas holidays)
- 59th Manchester Boys' Brigade Scouts, Guides & youth groups · Manchester · Anchors (5–8) Fridays 6:30pm–7:30pm; Juniors (8–11) Fridays 7.00pm–8.30pm; Company (11–15) Fridays 7.00pm–9.45pm; Seniors (15–18) Fridays 7.00pm–9.45pm
- South Manchester junior parkrun Outdoor & forest school · Manchester · Every Sunday at 9am
- Seymour Park junior parkrun Outdoor & forest school · Manchester · Every Sunday at 9am
- Books and Rhymes at Pendleton Library Baby & toddler groups · Pendleton · Fridays 10am (not in summer or Christmas holidays)
- Stay & Play at St Paul's Withington Baby & toddler groups · Withington, Manchester · Wednesdays 10am-12pm
Coming up in the next few weeks
- Manchester Christmas Markets Santa & Christmas · Manchester city centre · Free · 📅 Sun 15 Nov – Sun 3 Jan
- Northern Lights Manchester Santa & Christmas · Prestwich · 📅 Thu 19 Nov – Thu 31 Dec
- Christmas at Dunham Massey Santa & Christmas · Altrincham · 📅 Fri 20 Nov – Sat 2 Jan
- Cinderella: A Fairytale Santa & Christmas · Bolton · 📅 Fri 20 Nov – Sat 9 Jan
- RHS Glow Santa & Christmas · Worsley · 📅 Thu 26 Nov – Wed 30 Dec
- Santa Specials Santa & Christmas · Bury · 📅 Sat 28 Nov – Thu 24 Dec
- Jack and the Beanstalk Santa & Christmas · Stockport · 📅 Fri 4 Dec – Sun 3 Jan
- Dick Whittington Shows, theatre & panto · Manchester city centre · 📅 Sat 5 Dec – Sun 3 Jan