With a schedule including world-first scientific exhibitions, immersive aquatic trails and enchanting family-friendly train journeys, Greater Manchester’s half term calendar promises fun, affordable entertainment for toddlers, teens and parents.
Here are some school holiday highlights around the region.
For the aquatic experience of a lifetime, SeaLife Manchester offers a selection of incredible VIP packages to enjoy as a family throughout half-term, from snorkelling with over 1,000 sea creatures and swimming with sharks (ages 10+) to exclusive sharks-after-dark tours, breathtaking VR undersea journeys and even a lunch date with Cammy and Ernie, the aquarium’s resident giant green sea turtles.
To see the rest of the aquarium during half-term, book an advance ticket from £18.50.
Check out the full list of VIP experiences below.
Comprising two interactive exhibitions and a packed family-friendly programme exploring the playful heart of scientific innovation, the Science and Industry Museum’s half term schedule provides peerless weekday entertainment throughout the holidays.
From Sat 10 Feb to Sun 25 Feb, visitors can embark on their own Curiosity Quest and try out an array of hands-on activities including scarf-weaving, paper plane races and storytelling sessions, while the blockbuster world-premiere exhibition Operation Ouch! Food, Poo and You remains open and the ‘ultimate gaming experience’ Power Up provides fifty years of video game magic across over 100 consoles and an endless variety of classic titles.
Running for a seventh year, Oldham’s beloved light art festival returns with parades, spellbinding performances from artists across the country and an illuminated townscape stretching from Oldham Civic Centre to the Town Hall, as well as a special By The Light of the Moon spectacular which explores the magical world of moths.
Suitable for ages 3-5 with accompanying adults free, Stoller Hall’s Ferocious Wolf invites visitors in from the rain to enjoy a heartwarming story featuring original drawings, delightful songs and a host of family-friendly entertainment.
Ahead of warmer weather and a reopened spring train schedule, East Lancashire Railway hosts a diverse, captivating set of half term events at Bury Transport Museum, with a magical Wizarding Adventure, a Bluey and Bingo Family Fun Day, a Jurassic Dino Adventure and more.
Jodrell Bank hosts an awe-inspiring programme of interstellar wonder for all ages, with dazzling live shows, spellbinding exhibitions and more.
Running from Sat 17 – Sun 25 Feb (excluding Wed 21 Feb), the brand new live science show Curious Kids transports young brainiacs and bright sparks on a journey across the solar system, as Jodrell Bank’s expert Explainers explore the earthly and extraterrestrial forces that make up our stellar neighbourhood with thrilling live experiments.
- Words:
- Wolf McFarlane
- Published on:
- Fri 2 Feb 2024
Running until Sun 25 Feb, the National Football Museum’s Batteries Not Included charts the history and development of football toys and games, and their profound influence on our core childhood memories and broader understanding of the beautiful game.
Featuring 17 interactive games and exhibits including updated classic pastimes, a variety of arcade games and the generation-bridging tabletop nostalgia of Subbuteo, the National Football Museum’s latest exhibition transports visitors of all ages from the Victorian Era to the present day through the evolution of football-based games and the cultural influences which shaped them throughout.