School is out from 26th May to 5th June, so JLife has compiled a kid-friendly, crowd-pleasing list of half-term highlights.
Steaming Ahead
If you have a train-mad member of the family, head down to Bolton Steam Museum, which boasts the largest collection of working mill steam engines in the UK, on either the 28th or 29th of May. Over the spring bank holiday you will be able to view a slice of history, as volunteers have rescued and restored 30 old stationary steam engines — some of which once powered the cotton and woollen mills in the north of England. Many of the engines are the only ones left of their kind to survive anywhere in the world and will be running for these two days only.
Admission to the museum is free and there is also free unlimited parking on the Morrisons supermarket car park site close by.
Nmes.org
Dino Drama
The live and interactive show Dinosaur World runs at The Lowry theatre from 29th until the 31st May. So take your little ones on a Jurassic adventure and explore the pre-historic world of the Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops and more. There is also a 15 minute post show ‘meat and greet’ that allows the audience to get a closer look at the life-like dinos. Tickets start at £16 and the show is suitable for ages three and up.
Thelowry.com
Brick By Brick
There are surely plenty of kids big and small that would enjoy Legoland’s all-new Discovery Centre complete with 4D cinema, factory tours and shop. The build and test zone allows visitors to race and time their Lego vehicle creations, construct their own cityscapes and take part in adventure play features such as Ninjago™ City Adventure, where children can practice their ninja skills. Online Saver tickets are £11.
Manchester.legolanddiscoverycentre.co.uk
Family Fest
Geronimo Festival 2017 has added glamping and camping options to its roster, meaning you can really make a weekend of the UK’s largest children’s festival. From the 27th to 29th May, Arley Hall and gardens in Cheshire will turn into an entertainment extravaganza. This year the theme is princesses, knights and dragons and, as usual, there will be an abundance of live music and acts, including bird of prey displays, Saul’s Junk Orchestra and Happy’s Circus, as well as an array of food stalls. Single day tickets start at £25.
Geronimofest.com
Ahoy There!
East Lancashire Railway has a myriad of half-term events for the whole family to enjoy. Choose from a buccaneering pirate adventure and treasure hunt on a heritage steam train, or take part in the railway’s small engines weekend and view rarely seen locomotives from its home fleet.
You can also get into the swing of things with a vintage 1940s weekend across the length of the railway from 27th to 29th May, which includes food, drink, dancing, stalls and a working spitfire display. So, If you simply cannot decide, why not do it all?
Eastlancsrailway.org.uk