Chorlton Water Park
A flat mile around a lake, swans included, plus a genuinely good playground with a zip line, sand play and sensory equipment. Free entry, free parking, and south Manchester knows it, so go early on sunny days.
Days out with the kids in Manchester
15 places in Manchester, Greater Manchester, 8 of which cost nothing. Everything below is within easy reach if you live locally.
15 in Manchester8 free10 indoor
Manchester's great trick is that the best of it is free. The Science and Industry Museum and Manchester Museum sit within a tram ride of each other, and between working steam engines, a T. rex cast and live frogs in the vivarium you can fill a wet week without spending anything beyond lunch. Heaton Park is one of the biggest municipal parks in Europe, with a free animal centre and a vintage tram on summer days, and Wythenshawe Park has a proper community farm - pigs, goats, horses - for nothing at all.
When it rains, and it will, the museums absorb the worst of it, with Treetop Adventure Golf and Depot Climbing as the paid backups. The National Football Museum is superb if yours care about football and pointless if they do not. Locals know about Runway Visitor Park: jets close enough to feel, Concorde parked by the fence, a play area for the waits between planes. Days out in Manchester with kids run far cheaper than the city's reputation suggests.
Places in Manchester
Heaton Park
One of the biggest municipal parks in Europe: a free animal centre, boating lake, adventure playgrounds and an actual vintage tram running on summer days. You will not do all of it in one visit.
Manchester Art Gallery
Free, right in the city centre, and properly set up for children: the Lion's Den family gallery has its own play space and the family activity programme costs nothing. Closed Mondays.
Manchester Museum
A T. rex skeleton cast, live frogs in the vivarium, Egyptian mummies and a genuinely good natural history floor. Free, university-run, and less overwhelming than the big London equivalents.
Platt Fields Park
Fallowfield's big Victorian park: a lake with a boathouse, play areas, a skatepark and BMX track, and enough flat grass to wear anyone out. Free, and better than its student-land reputation suggests.
Runway Visitor Park
Watch jets take off close enough to feel them, with Concorde parked by the fence. Free in, pay for parking, and there is a play area and cafe for the wait between planes.
Science and Industry Museum
Working steam engines, the story of Cottonopolis, and hands-on galleries in the world's oldest surviving passenger railway station. Free, and the live demonstrations are the bit kids actually remember.
Wythenshawe Park & Community Farm
A big south Manchester park with a proper community farm - pigs, goats, horses - a Tudor hall, and enough playground to earn the trip on its own. All free.
Depot Climbing Manchester
A serious bouldering gym in Trafford Park with a proper kids' programme: coached hour-long sessions for £11 including shoes, classes from age 4, and a parent-led play session for under-5s. No ropes, no harnesses, just deep mats.
Museum of Transport, Greater Manchester
A 1930s bus garage in Cheetham packed with around 70 historic buses, run by volunteers who know every rivet. Under 16s go free with an adult, so a family visit costs one or two £7.50 tickets. Only open Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays.
Treetop Adventure Golf
Two indoor jungle-themed mini golf courses inside the Printworks, plus a bonus 19th hole that can win you a free round. The easiest wet-weather hour in the city centre, if not the cheapest.
Bubble Planet Manchester
More than ten rooms of bubble-themed sensory spectacle at Depot Mayfield: a giant balloon-filled ball pit, an LED underwater room, an infinity mirror room and a VR section. Kids love it, adults are mostly there for the photos, and the run ends on 27 August.
National Football Museum
Shirts, trophies and match footage across six floors, with penalty shootout and skills games that football-mad kids refuse to leave. If yours do not care about football, skip it - it is exactly what it says.
The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience
The nineties TV show rebuilt for real: around 75 minutes of physical, mental, skill and mystery games across four themed zones, ending in the crystal dome. Brilliant from about nine up, but it is strictly 9+ and the adults have to play too.
Z-arts
The UK's only arts centre run entirely for children, in Hulme. Come for a booked show or an Adventures in Wonderland session rather than a wander: this is a plan-ahead venue, and a very good one.
What’s on in Manchester
53 dated events coming up, 3 of them this weekend.
The Clockmaker’s City (opens on Z-arts, Manchester)
Z-arts · Manchester
2 Aug. Sunday 2 August, 2.30pm
Starts at 2.30pm. Times, prices and tickets are on the organiser's own page.
Listed by Z-arts, Manchester · collected 2 Aug
Adventures in Wonderland (opens on Z-arts, Manchester)
Z-arts · Manchester
until 29 Aug. 12 dates, 11.30am and 10am
Runs on 12 dates. Times, prices and tickets are on the organiser's own page.
Listed by Z-arts, Manchester · collected 2 Aug
The Library of Enchantment (opens on Z-arts, Manchester)
Z-arts · Manchester
until 29 Nov. 48 dates
Runs on 48 dates. Times, prices and tickets are on the organiser's own page.
Listed by Z-arts, Manchester · collected 2 Aug
Little Movers and Shakers (opens on Manchester Libraries (Library Live))
Henry Watson Music Library · Manchester
3 Aug. Monday 3 August, 11am
Starts at 11am. Times, prices and tickets are on the organiser's own page.
Listed by Manchester Libraries (Library Live) · collected 2 Aug
Summer Reading Challenge: Read and Rave! (opens on Manchester Libraries (Library Live))
Henry Watson Music Library · Manchester
3 Aug. Monday 3 August, 2pm
Meet DJ Mu-Mu who will demonstrate the art of turntables and vinyl at our Read & Rave activity!
Listed by Manchester Libraries (Library Live) · collected 2 Aug
Summer Reading Challenge: Ukulele Taster Session (opens on Manchester Libraries (Library Live))
Henry Watson Music Library · Manchester
4 Aug. Tuesday 4 August, 2pm
Join Jim Wallace for a fun and relaxed beginner ukulele session for children.
Listed by Manchester Libraries (Library Live) · collected 2 Aug
Everything on in Manchester47 more not shown here
Also worth the drive
Not in Manchester, but close enough for a day out.
Zip World Manchester
The cheapest real activity anyone is recommending this summer, and it's indoors. An hour of play for a fiver a head, with picnic benches for when you need to sit down.
Pennington Flash
A big lake with easy flat paths, bird hides and a decent play area. Free, close, and a good one for scooters and a picnic.
Imperial War Museum North
War told through people's stories in a building designed to feel like a shattered globe. The hourly Big Picture Show projections fill the whole gallery and stop everyone mid-step. Heavy themes, handled well - better for the top end of primary.
RHS Garden Bridgewater
One of the biggest garden projects in Europe, and more fun for kids than a flower garden has any right to be: a huge walled kitchen garden, lake walks, and space to run that feels endless.
Legoland Discovery Centre
Two rides, a 4D cinema, build zones and Manchester's skyline done in miniature bricks. Squarely aimed at 3 to 10, and it knows it: adults can only visit with a child.
Sea Life Manchester
Ocean tunnel, rays, seahorses and rockpool touch sessions, sized for smaller legs - you can do the whole thing in a morning and pair it with Legoland next door.
The Snow Centre Manchester
Real snow all year round at the venue Manchester still calls Chill Factore. Little ones get the Snow Park with sledging and slides; older kids can learn to ski or board on the UK's longest indoor slope.
Play Factore
One of the biggest soft play arenas in Europe: a vast frame, go-karts, laser tag and a zip wire that crosses the entire building. Older primary kids do not age out of this one.