From a free festival to giant sandpits and summer trails, here’s our pick of the best family-friendly events in and around Manchester this summer.
Summer of Play | Dunham Massey | 23rd July to 28th August
National Trust’s Dunham Massey hosts a programme of themed drop-in activities throughout the summer holidays. Wordy Wednesdays invite families to celebrate reading and poetry at the pop-up book nook, add to the summer word tree, or write a nature-inspired poem. Arty Thursdays bring drop-in art workshops hosted by Our Kids Social. Fancy Dress Fridays let imaginations run wild – come in your own costume or borrow one from the Play Hub, with costume parades at 11am, 12pm, 1.30pm, and 2.30pm.
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Trail | Tatton Park | 23rd July to 7th September
Inspired by Michael Rosen’s classic, Wild in Art and Walker Books have created a colourful trail of 10 beautifully painted bears across the gardens and farm. Eight bears are hidden in the garden, each carrying a letter to collect and help solve the summer clue.
The Princess Proms | The Bridgewater Hall | 26th July
A family concert with Enchanted Voices singing the magical music from Frozen, Wicked, Moana, Kpop Demon Hunters, Taylor Swift, Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Anastasia, Pocahontas, and more.
Mission: Mad Hatter | Z-arts | until 29th July
Step into Wonderland for an interactive adventure. The Mad Hatter’s tea party guests have disappeared, and it’s up to you to find them. Working in teams, you’ll follow clues, solve puzzles, and explore the space using a digital tablet. Part scavenger hunt, part escape room, and part game, it’s a fast-paced challenge where you race against time. Designed for ages nine and over, this is a fun, imaginative experience for children and their grown-ups to enjoy together.
Little HOME | HOME | 1st and 2nd August
HOME’s free annual family festival returns for a packed weekend of performances, film screenings, craft workshops, and outdoor activities. Highlights include carnival beats from Batala Manchester, circus skills with Spectacular Skylight Circus Arts, family dance sessions with Afrocats, and craft sessions with Phoebe Foxtrot. The Chill Zone returns with board games, drawing, and fidget toys.
Bubble Planet | Depot Mayfield | until 26th August
This fully interactive experience features 10 thematic environments and virtual reality. Voyage through fantastical, pastel landscapes designed to appeal to all five senses. Dive into an underwater world and visit dwellers beneath the sea, take a dip into an ocean of living balloons, feel miniaturised in a huge bath pit, and let yourself be carried away by the continuous illusions of the infinity room.
Giant Sandpit | The Great Northern | until 31st August
The Great Northern Warehouse’s iconic amphitheatre has reopened its newly redesigned playhouse and ever-popular giant sandpit for the summer. With 50 tonnes of sand, wooden logs to sit on, and buckets and spades to borrow, it’s a perfect free drop-in for families in the city centre.
