Things to do around Manchester that are Fun for Kids AND Adults
Do you find yourself googling “family things to do in/around Manchester” on a regular basis when you find yourself wanting something to do with your little team but can’t think of anything other than the local park? Or are you just a tad fed up of going to the same soft play centres which you only endure for the littlies? Don’t get me wrong, soft play CAN be fun - but not all the time, right?
Here are a few suggestions of places to go where both the kids AND you will have fun!
The Family Fridays events held at Grub are the perfect place to hang out with friends and little ones. Where you can grab a craft beer and some awesome food (hello vegan kebabs!) - but also where you can craft with your kids, cuddle up in the cinema room, listen to story time, and play!
When we went to the last event on New Years Eve, it was really relaxed and inviting - and the adults seemed to be having as much fun as the children!
There is space to leave your pram downstairs, and also a play area with wooden food fest stalls for role play downstairs if you need a bit of quiet time away from the main event.
When Marnie is a little older and will sit for longer than 0.5 seconds, I can’t wait to get cosy in the cinema room - local beer in hand!
Book in advance, and be quick as it’s often a sell out.
The Ice Cream Farm is about an hour south of Manchester - but it is worth the drive!
There is an abundance of fun play areas and activities for littlies of all ages - from Daisy’s Garden, a magical playground packed with ice cream themed equipment - to The Loft which is a graffiti covered arcade space for older kids.
You don’t need to worry if it starts raining as there is indoor play too.
But wait, don’t think I have forgotten you parents. There’s a pizza oven, amazing ice cream (over 50 flavours!) and other delish foods to sample, plus refillable cups of caffeine which you may need to keep up with the little ones around all the different play areas!
There’s free parking which always makes things easier. You need to purchase a Play Pass per person (under 12 months are free) which you can do in advance or on the day - all the details are on the website (link in the title above).
Some of the best food and drink vendors in the North, in a beautiful market building with a great atmosphere - and is super kid friendly! What more can you ask for?
Weekends see the covered markets packed full of local vendors with their gorgeous produce and artisanal makes. It can get extremely busy and they don’t take bookings - so plan to go off peak or be prepared to wait - but I’d say it is (usually!) worth the wait!
There are long tables in the centre of the market hall with the vendors situated all around. So it makes for the perfect place to meet up with friends - and you can nip off to grab a bite/ another drink whilst your mates keep an eye on the babes and you’re not too far out of sight!
There’s a cute little play area for the kids too.
If you can, maybe leave the pram at home/ in the car (there is no dedicated parking but lots of options nearby) as it can be a bit of a squeeze when there are so many buggies around. There is more room for prams outside though.
As well as being welcoming your little people, you can also bring your fur children too - and a lot of the stalls will throw in a fancy treat for your dog when you’re grabbing your coffee!
Be Diddy / Tipi Cafe, Chorlton
I had to include this awesome little spot in Chorlton in this blog post - it is such a lovely place to spend some time with your little people and friends. Be Diddy is a gorgeous little shop packed with carefully curated stylish vintage clothing and beautiful toys which the kids will love - and will conveniently look great in your home too..!
Be Diddy shares its home with The Tipi Cafe. There are lots so gorgeous treats on offer - and delicious coffee to savour whilst your little ones are kept entertained copying mummy/daddy with their babyccino.
I spent a lovely couple of hours here with Marnie where we chatted to the owner of Be Diddy - Kayleigh. She is such a friendly, lovely person - and this is clearly a driving force behind the popularity of this cute spot. As I sat there, so many people who came in and out were clearly regulars. And one mum was telling Kayleigh that her little girl kept asking to “go to the green cafe”! So this is clearly a winner for both big and mini members of the family.
I love businesses which do their bit to help minimise waste - if you know me, you’ll know I can’t stand waste! Be Diddy offer a buy back scheme where you can trade in your Be Diddy loved items once your child has outgrown them in exchange for 30% off code against your next vintage purchase - what a great idea!
Go pre school finish time if you want to grab a seat at this popular spot. There is a car park at Longford Park (about 8 minutes walk) if you can’t find any street parking around the shop/cafe. Plus Longford Park is a great spot to visit before/after too!
Brookside Miniature Railway, Poynton Garden Centre
We had a little drive to Poynton recently and had a magical ride on the miniature railway. Marnie was pretty content but me, Mark, my brother Ben and sister Olivia (all fully grown adults) absolutely loved it! As it was all set up for Christmas at the time, it was extra sparkly, but we think we’d love it any time. There is a super cute little station where you get the tickets, then the conductor stamps them like Tom Hanks in Polar Express.
It’s only £2.50 per person - be warned though, you’ll likely be purchasing another ride shortly afterwards!
There is a lovely garden centre and shop to wander around too. We bought our latest house plant to try not to kill there.
I’d also highly recommend finishing off your trip out at Vinehop, a short drive away in the town centre. It has such a warm and inviting atmosphere - and the food is amazing. You have to try the Karaage fried prawns! And there are lots of great local beers to try - I had to order a second of the milkshake IPA…!
Despite the rainy weather, we had such a great afternoon out here.
Last but not least is a more cultural spot.
The Whitworth Gallery on Oxford Road is a fab place to spend time with your littlies. Their Early years programme has so many sensory and hands on activities for you to join in with.
When Marnie was a dot and in-person classes weren’t yet running, we joined the PLAY Live Baby online classes held by the Whitworth. They were so lovely, helpful (so many genius ideas for activities around the house with everyday items) and welcomed during that weird time where I had a tiny baby but nowhere to go! They’ve carried on the online sessions once per month which we join in with when we can as they’re so fun.
The gallery holds an outdoor art club which brings together art, nature and creativity - and is in a lovely spot at the back of the gallery. It is free and you just drop in.
Plus, the gallery itself is a gem!
**Trigger Warning: Baby loss
There is an exhibition running at the moment (until 4 September 2022) called “Still Parents: Life After Baby Loss” which is the first exhibition of its kind to support families who have experienced the loss of a baby. This is one of the many ways which the gallery supports parents.