Family things to do in Manchester and the North

Shekina Rose, Families Editor

Get ready for a fun-packed Easter holidays, with a whole host of events and activities for families to enjoy. The weather is never straight-forward up north, so we’ve pulled together our top picks of indoor and outdoor activities in this month’s Families Guide, from children’s theatre to creative and interactive adventures.

History and science lovers will be kept entertained throughout the holidays with the abundance of exciting activities taking place at the Science and Industry Museum and People’s History Museum, from historic banners, to activism, to science experiments and poo, there really is something for everyone!

Theatre fans won’t be disappointed, with the fin-tabulous Shark in the Park at The Dukes and Grooving with Pirates at Z-arts for the more musically minded, and moving into June, get ready for a seriously roar-some adventure at Jurassic Earth in Halifax, also roaming to venues across the UK.

More Easter events include Peter Pan Goes Wrong at the Manchester Opera House, Kaleidoscope at Z-arts, Easter Holiday fun at the magnificent Temple Newsam and the super-sized family adventure at RHS Garden Bridgewater.

Events further ahead include 42 Balloons at The Lowry, the Manchester Histories Festival 2024, the 100 Story Hotel at Z-arts, Awful Auntie at the Manchester Opera House, Bluey’s Big Play and Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book at The Lowry, Batteries Not Included at the National Football Museum and TOTFest Cheshire.

Our top picks

Easter at the People’s History Museum

Easter at People’s History Museum (PHM), Manchester, 29 March–12 April 2024, free entry - Find Out More

Families with children of all ages can enjoy a creative and educational adventure at the People’s History Museum.

A child drawing Easter at the People's History Museum
People's History Museum

Easter Holidays at Temple Newsam

Easter Holidays at Temple Newsam - Fabulous Food and Fancy Feasts at Temple Newsam, Leeds, Until 14 April 2024, from £4.20 - Book now

Embark on a journey of culinary history and uncover the secrets of food and dining from times gone by in the magnificent grounds of Temple Newsam.

Easter Holidays at Temple Newsam
Image supplied by Leeds Inspired

42 Balloons at The Lowry

42 Balloons at The Lowry, Manchester, 18 April–19 May 2024, from £29.50 - Book now

Soar to new heights of inspiration with the uplifting tale of Larry Walters and his skyward adventure at 42 Balloons at The Lowry.

The cast of 42 Balloons at The Lowry
The cast of 42 Balloons. Image courtesy of The Lowry.

Shark In The Park at The Dukes Theatre

Shark In The Park at The Dukes, Lancashire, 12–13 April 2024, from £10.00 - Book now

Get your swimsuits on and head to Shark in the Park to see all three of Nick Sharratt’s hilariously funny and super energetic shark-y books, live on stage!

Shark in The Park at The Dukes Theatre
Nonsense Room Productions

Jurassic Earth at Victoria Theatre

Jurassic Earth at The Victoria Theatre, Halifax, West Yorkshire, 16 June 2024, from £20.00 - Book now

Prepare to be roar-truck as you embark on an epic journey through Jurassic Earth and come face to face with the most incredible Dinosaur species to ever roam the planet.

 

Jurassic Earth at the victoria theatre
Image supplied by Leeds Inspired

Grooving with Pirates at Z-arts

Grooving with Pirates at Z-arts, Manchester, 13 April 2024, from £9.50 - Book now

Ready yer sails and set course for an adventure like no other with Groove Baby’s Grooving With Pirates.

Groove Baby

Shaun the Sheep: Find the Flock at Tatton Park

Shaun the Sheep: Find the Flock at Tatton Park at Tatton Park, 29 March–23 June 2024, from £6.00 - Book now

Enjoy a baa-rilliant family adventure with Shaun the Sheep: Find the Flock at Tatton Park this spring and throughout the Easter holidays.

 

Shaun the Sheep
Tatton Park

Peter Pan Goes Wrong at the Manchester Opera House

Peter Pan Goes Wrong at Palace Theatre, Manchester, Until 31 March 2024, from £13.00 - Book now

Get ready for some serious Pan-demonium at Peter Pan Goes Wrong this spring.

Peter Pan Goes Wrong at the Manchester Opera House
via ATG Tickets

The Giant Easter Egg Hunt at RHS Garden Bridgewater

The Giant Easter Egg Hunt at RHS Bridgewater at RHS Garden Bridgewater, Manchester, 29 March–14 April 2024, from £0.00 - Book now

Enjoy a super-sized family adventure at the Giant Easter Egg Hunt at RHS Garden Bridgewater, packed with Easter fun, treats and activities.

The Giant Easter Egg Hunt at RHS Garden Bridgewater
RHS Garden Bridgewater

Preston: City Event Programme

Preston: City Event Programme, 1 April–28 September 2024, free entry - Find Out More

From Easter egg rolling to the 50th anniversary Caribbean Carnival, there’s all manner of fun happening in Preston this year.

Image of a stage with a band playing and a crowd of audience members stood and sat down.
Michael Porter Photography

Kaleidoscope at Z-Arts

Kaleidoscope at Z-arts, Manchester, 27 April 2024, from £9.50 - Book now

Prepare to be dazzled in this mesmerising event taking you on a journey of discovery through an incredible symphony of the senses. For little ones aged 6-18 months.

Kaleidoscope at Z-arts Image of baby wearing kaleidoscope glasses and the words
Filskit Theatre

Manchester Histories Festival 2024

Manchester Histories Festival 2024, 6–9 June 2024, free entry - Find Out More

Make amazing memories with a weekend of family fun at the Manchester Histories Festival 2024, bringing history, culture and delight to the people of Manchester.

Manchester Histories Festival 2024
Manchester Histories

Bluey’s Big Play at The Lowry

Bluey's Big Play at The Lowry, Manchester, 31 July–11 August 2024, from £18.50 - Book now

Get ready for an exciting family adventure with Bluey, Bingo and their dad!

Bluey's Big Play at The Lowry
Darren Thomas

Awful Auntie at the Manchester Opera House

Awful Auntie at Palace Theatre, Manchester, 18–21 April 2024, from £18.00 - Book now

Prepare for a horrifying and heartwarming family adventure at the live-stage adaptation of David Walliam’s hilarious Awful Auntie.

Awful Auntie at the Manchester Opera House
via ATG Tickets

Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book at The Lowry

Charlie Cook's Favourite Book at The Lowry, Manchester, 23 July–4 August 2024, from £19.00 - Book now

Explore a magical world of books and tales in this musical production inspired the original book, Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book, written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.

Charlie Cook's Favourite Book at The Lowry
Little Angel

The 100 Story Hotel at Z-arts

The 100 Story Hotel at Z-arts, Manchester, Until 31 July 2024, from £9.00 - Book now

Step inside the 100 Story Hotel at Z-arts and meet all sorts of peculiar guests while experiencing an immersive wonderland of play and storytelling.

The 100 Story Hotel at Z-arts
Z-arts

TOTfest Cheshire

TOTfest at Chester Racecourse, Cheshire, 21 July 2024, from £12.00 - Book now

Tiniest festival goers can look forward to TOTfest Cheshire, packed with endless entertainment for kids and their grownups.

TOTFest Cheshire
TOTFest Cheshire

More families events

A scene from the stage adaptation of Jungle Book featuring 5 performers in costume
Until
FamiliesManchester
Jungle Book at Aviva Studios

Brought to the stage by visionary director Robert Wilson, this spellbinding production is like no version of Jungle Book we’ve seen before.

from £10.00
OUTDOOR ART CLUB AT THE WHITWORTH
Until
ChildrensManchester
Outdoor Art Club at The Whitworth

Enjoy fun and creative activities designed to encourage your little ones to play freely in the fresh air, while exploring nature and the outdoors with family and friends.

free entry
Easter Holidays in Manchester and the North
Spotlight on

Things to do over the Easter Holidays

Looking for some ideas to keep little and big kids as busy as the Easter bunny? Check out our guide.

Take me there

Family things to do in Manchester and the North

Manchester
Park
Platt Fields Park

Platt Fields Park in Fallowfield is steeped in history, the land having been acquired by the Platt family in 1225.

HOME Manchester
Manchester
Theatre
HOME Manchester

Now back open with a packed schedule of events and things to do, HOME Manchester is one of the city’s leading hubs for arts and culture.

Cumbria
Event venue
Penrith Old Fire Station

Main venue for Eden Arts, an artist-led organisation based in Eden in Cumbria creating projects around mass participation, local distinctiveness and digital engagement, from Picnic Cinema to The Winter Droving.

The MerseyMade building in Liverpool
Liverpool
Shop
MerseyMade

In the MerseyMade shop you’ll find bottled gin from the likes of Turncoat Gin, Anfield Gin, Albert Dock Gin and Three Graces Gin. Yep, Liverpool REALLY likes its gin.

The Hepworth Wakefield
Wakefield
Gallery
The Hepworth Wakefield

Winner of the 2017 Art Fund Museum of the Year Award, The Hepworth in Wakefield is easily one of the leading cultural highlights of the North.

Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in Manchester and the North

Affecting contemporary performances and fresh, relevant takes on enduring classics, we pick out shows that help us scrutinise the world we live in.

Teenage Dads
Music in Manchester and the North

Fresh concert seasons, forward-thinking festivals and a revolving door of amazing gigs. Things are looking bright as spring comes into view.