The best: May half term activities around Manchester

From Sat 25 May-Sun 2 Jun, the Science and Industry Museum hosts a fascinating programme of family fun and educational entertainment inspired by the blockbuster world-premiere exhibition, Operation Ouch! Food, Poo and You, alongside its mesmerising year-round galleries and ongoing installations.

Open until Sun 9 Jun, the gleefully gross Operation Ouch! brings the hit BBC Children’s TV series to life and celebrates the silliness of science in an immersive journey through a super-sized human digestive system. Gastronomic adventurers can experience the wacky and wonderful inner functions of the body by travelling from the mouth to the ‘exit’ as a poo, playing a variety of gut-churning games and conducting educational experiments along the way.

Throughout the holiday, budding doctors can bring their furry friends to the museum’s Teddy Hospital to learn about our amazing anatomy, and how to take care of every bone and organ with fun puzzles and challenges across the Department of Heads, Department of Hearts, Department of Bones and the Department of Bottoms.

Elsewhere, the expert Explainers are on hand to illuminate the captivating secrets of science with an interactive live show, while ‘ultimate gaming experience’ Power Up continues to delight visitors with a sprawling selection of playable titles spanning fifty years of video game magic, from nostalgic arcade favourites to cutting-edge VR systems. Book an annual pass and get unlimited access to Power Up in Manchester for a whole year for just £15.

Check out the Science and Industry Museum’s full Brilliant Bodies half term programme and book your visit below.

Boasting ‘#sevendaysofstufftodo’ throughout the half term week, Heaton Park hosts a fun-filled programme of free events, activities and workshops for all ages from 11am to 3pm, including family-friendly cinema in the classroom, nature explorations, board games, colouring sessions and even a chance to meet the park’s animals.

Set to the iconic original score by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, the smash-hit Broadway and West End production of the classic Disney film arrives at the Palace Theatre on Wed 22 May for a six-week run.

Ideal for families with children aged 6 and above, the timeless tale follows the courageous young street urchin who discovers a wisecracking genie inside a magic lamp and, armed with three wishes and endless possibilities, embarks on a spellbinding journey to win the heart of Princess Jasmine and thwart the sinister sorcerer Jafar, as the talented cast perform sing-a-long favourites like Prince Ali, Friend Like Me and A Whole New World.

From A Whole New World to the stars beyond, world-renowned astronomy hub Jodrell Bank whisks visitors on an intergalactic odyssey across the universe with a breathtaking programme of space-faring events and activities from Fri 24 May-Sun 2 Jun.

The brand new science show Curious Kids: Solar System Spectacular takes aspiring astronauts beyond the Milky Way with illuminating experiments, interactive quizzes and more, while the Space Pavilion hosts a series of craft workshops in which cosmo kids can design their own rockets as the Explainer team are on hand to shed light on the biggest mysteries of the universe.

Throughout half term, new temporary installation Time is Running Out explores the most urgent questions faced by climate scientists and engineers, as our brightest minds seek to plot a sustainable course into the future with a range of groundbreaking solutions.

Check out the full programme and book your visit below.

Running during half term and continuing all year, SEALife Manchester presents a bucket-list opportunity to feed its resident turtles Ernie and Cammy in an awe-inspiring VIP experience for aquatic enthusiasts aged 8 and above.

Join a member of the animal care team and enjoy the lunch of a lifetime while learning about Manchester’s only giant green sea turtles before exploring the rest of the aquarium.

Featuring endless garden trails in bloom, storytelling sessions and a dazzling array of botanical excitement, RHS Bridgewater’s week-long Family Garden Festival invites kids and grown-ups alike to revel in the wonder of world-class horticulture with a series of engaging, accessible events guaranteed to ignite a lifelong love of horticulture.

Hailed as ‘Colourful, charming, perfect for children’ by London Theatre, The Very Hungry Caterpillar reimagines Eric Carle’s beloved story of a charmingly voracious larvae with a vibrant menagerie of 75 puppets. Alongside the titular tale, acclaimed theatre company Rockerfeller Productions also presents enchanting stage versions of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, 10 Little Rubber Ducks and The Very Busy Spider.

Inspired by Oscar Wilde’s delicate, profoundly stirring story of understanding and self-acceptance, Tiny & Tall and Soap Soup Theatre present a entrancing puppetry-based exploration of love and friendship through the tale of a crabby, hardened giant who lives alone in her icy, walled-off house, ignoring a world which discarded her and left her in exile. One day, a group of children find a loose fixture in the giant’s garden wall and climb through, irrevocably changing both theirs and the giant’s lives forever.

Located at various spots around the city centre, The Manchester Flower Festival brings a carnival of colourful flora to town with a weekend of professionally designed plant displays each themed around local legends, from the sandy landscapes of Boddingtons Blooms and botanical recreations of the Afflecks mosaics to a monochromatic Hacienda Garden and a touching tribute to Caroline Aherne, created by Liv Woodward in partnership with iconic Mancunian artist Stanley Chow.

Check out the full Manchester Flower Festival programme below.