Things to do with kids in Manchester

Looking for things to do with kids in Manchester? The summer holidays are well underway and we have gathered together some of the best things you can do with the kids this summer in and around Manchester.

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Childrens 21–30 July 2022,

REFRACT Festival 2022 at Waterside

Activity 20 July–12 September 2019,

Summer Holidays at Quarry Bank

Exhibitions 20 July 2019–29 November 2020, FREE

The Sun at the Science and Industry Museum

Families 2 July–31 August 2022, FREE

Playtime: Summer Family Activities at The Whitworth

Families 10 August 2019 11:00 am, FREE

Sadler’s Yard Summer Jam 2019

Festivals 8–9 August 2020, FREE

Caribbean Carnival of Manchester at Alexandra Park (CANCELLED)

Exhibitions 23 March–1 September 2019, Lyme admission prices apply (free for National Trust members) £2.50 for trail

The Lost Words at Lyme

Families 17–18 August 2019, from £11.50

Romeo and Juliet at Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens

Families 21–25 October 2019, from £10.00

The Lost Words: Told in Gold at Dunham Massey

People’s History Museum (PHM)

Exhibitions 25 2018–8 September 2019, FREE

Rocket Returns to the Science and Industry Museum

Education 30 July–1 August 2019, from £18

School Holiday Drama Workshops at The Met

A World Inside A Book courtesy Suzi Corker

Exhibitions 12 February–26 October 2019, from £6

A World Inside a Book: Gruffalo, Dragons and Other Creatures at Z-arts

Exhibitions 19 July–3 November 2019, from £5

Roy of the Rovers – The Exhibition at the National Football Museum

Greater Manchester Police Museum

Culture Guides

Music

Some excellent bands descend on Manchester this month, with the old and new guard of post punk in particularly strong supply.

Theatre

Check out our updated guide for lively theatre festivals, rip-roaring rooftop circus and dreamy outdoor shows.

Classical Music

We preview the standout classical music events and venues in Manchester and the north.

Food and Drink

Plan your May Bank Holidays with the best restaurants and bars in Manchester and the North.

Cinema

We look at the ingenious, atmospheric outdoor screenings popping up across the North this summer.

Exhibitions

The spring season in museums and galleries continues, with an abundance of new exhibitions all over the North.

Winnie the Pooh at Manchester Opera House

Families

The sun has finally got his hat on! Enjoy our top picks of family-friendly events and activities, both indoors and outdoors.

Literature

Festival fever has live literature land gripped, and libraries get their very own celebration in Greater Manchester, so you have your pick of performances from a star-studded cast this month…