Manchester’s status as a desirable destination in modern England has made it attractive to young families looking to build their lives there. The facilities and leisure activities that the city now boasts are amongst the finest in the country with something for everyone available for all the family to enjoy.
Manchester Kids Activities
Choosing the right things to do to keep children of all ages entertained can often be a difficult task however, particularly with the demands of busy lifestyles meaning that any available free time is quickly taken up with important tasks. With the summer holidays on the way, this can be even more taxing. Let us try to take the strain away for you with our list of the very best things to do with kids in Manchester.
As we take you on a guided tour of the most impressive spots for young minds to have a lot of fun, learn a little, and stay engaged all day, you too can reconnect to the child within and amuse yourself along the way.
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National Football Museum
Manchester is blessed with two football teams that have both reached the greatest heights possible in world football. Manchester United and Manchester City have enjoyed achievements over the last thirty years with both sides completing historic treble seasons and FIFA World Club Cup trophies too. It seems fitting that the National Football Museum should find its home here to build on this wonderful tradition for soccer success. The National Football Museum is an impressive glass building with four unique galleries, lots of interactive games to play, and a collection of football memorabilia that is the envy of the world.
This wonderful tribute to the beautiful game will take little ones on a journey through history from the beginnings of football to the sporting and entertainment giant it is today. There are opportunities to take part in a penalty shoot-out, hold some of the most famous trophies in world football, and get up close to some amazing artefacts such as the original rules of the game as penned by Ebenezer Cobb Morley in 1863. For little football fanatics and casual fans alike, this place is definitely a big win.
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Museum of Science and Industry
Manchester has had such a huge influence on the worlds of science, engineering, and technology. The Museum of Science and Industry celebrates this heritage within some of the most important buildings and locations that the exhibits tell stories about. This includes a tour through the world’s oldest passenger railway station and the incredible Grade II listed Power Hall built in the 1880s. There are plenty of discoveries to be made here for inquisitive minds too, with a look at Baby, the very first electronic-stored computer that was designed, developed, and created in Manchester in 1948.
The Textiles exhibition documents how Manchester became ‘Cottonopolis'' during the age of industrialisation using children as part of a workforce to weave the fabrics that were sold all over the world. A mix of temporary and permanent exhibitions and events here are always a great way to spend the day with interactive games and displays that will keep kids engaged, excited, and educated.
The Power Up Gallery is a great example with 160 video games consoles that chart the history of gaming from Pong to Pacman and Mario Kart to Minecraft over the last 50 years. MOSI café has lots of child-friendly snack pack options throughout the day and there are plenty of picnic spaces open in the building and surrounding areas that provide moments of rest and re energising when required. This really is a must for Manchester-bound families to experience.
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The Whitworth
The Whitworth is a celebration of everything that Manchester has to offer on a day out for families in the modern world with a respectful tribute to the people and history that made the city great. This is essentially a museum and arts space housed inside a wonderful green park close to the city centre that has been a huge part of Manchester since its creation as The Whitworth Institute and Park in 1889. Its name is in memory of the industrialist Sir Joseph Whitworth and its mission has always been to use art for social change connecting Manchester University with its residents with a vision for ‘The perpetual gratification of the people of Manchester’.
The Whitworth has been honoured with many accolades including Art Fund Museum of the Year and Best Emerging Cultural Destination in Europe, and you will understand just why as you take your children on a walk around it. Over 55 thousand works of art are on show here across its gallery spaces, learning studios, study centres, and collections areas. The £17 Million redevelopment by architects MUMA made The Whitworth a building that seamlessly blends into the park through incredible viewing platforms and open air seating and dining options. Learning and having fun in this environment feels like a thrilling and exciting activity for children of all ages and adults will undoubtedly feel the same too.
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Manchester Museum
Manchester Museum reopened in February 2023 with a beautiful new extension and vibrant energy that has been welcoming families ever since. This place is a real playground of curiosity and wonder that kids will want to return to again and again to pursue their own discoveries. The Exhibition Hall is currently home to the Golden Mummies of Egypt exhibition that explores the remarkable and mysterious world of the pharaohs. These mummies that date back thousands of years have been given a modern update through digital technology to show how they would have lived and died along with fantastic modern storytelling to convey their beliefs and traditions for the afterlife.
There are around 4.5 million objects at Manchester Museum that are presented across areas of history, biology, earth sciences, and living cultures. The Fossils and Dinosaurs Gallery on the ground floor is always a firm favourite with the younger ones with exhibits that include the prehistoric giant, Stan, a life-size Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton that towers above you as you enter. Children are guaranteed to stomp and roar with approval during a visit here.
From football to fossils, art to archaeology, and gaming to galleries, Manchester has a wonderful menu of kids' activities that will keep you coming back again and again. Get started by ticking off these honourable mentions from our guide and make sure to explore for yourself to find more of what Manchester has to offer for kids this summer.
