Free things to do in Liverpool with kids

Anderton Boat Lift Visitor Centre

Northwich

Free to visit engineering landmark with a boat trip, a play area and a maze made from the lift's old counterweights.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCaféDog friendly+2 more

Astley Hall

Chorley

Free entry to a 400 year old hall with a play area, a walled garden and a café for cake afterwards.

CaféGift shopFood on siteOutdoor play+2 more

Be Well Nest

Liverpool

Yoga, breathing and mindful movement sessions in Liverpool, with family and children's classes alongside walk-and-talk and journaling sessions.

Bebington Central Library

Wirral

A free library with regular baby, toddler and kids' sessions, from rhyme time to Lego Club and Dungeons and Dragons.

Baby changeFree parkingIndoor seatingToilets+2 more

Birkenhead Central Library

Birkenhead

Rhyme time for babies, an after school Lego club and free books, all in one Birkenhead library that costs nothing to visit.

Accessible toiletBaby changeFree parkingToilets+1 more

Blacon Adventure Playground

Chester · ages 8-16

Free outdoor adventure playground with big play structures, woodland to explore and a small city farm, best for kids aged 8 to 16.

Baby changeFirst aidPicnics allowedToilets

Blakemere Village

Northwich

Free entry village with a mini railway, Segway forest rides, falconry and archery, plus a playground for the ones too small for any of it.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesBlue badge parkingCafé+9 more

Bolton Museum, Aquarium and Archive

Bolton

Free museum with real Egyptian mummies, hands-on touch screens and local history, right in the middle of Bolton.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingGift shop+3 more

Castle Park Arts Centre

Frodsham

Free galleries, changing exhibitions and a courtyard with live music most mornings, tucked into Frodsham's Castle Park.

CaféDog friendlyParkingStep-free access+2 more

Crosby Beach

Liverpool

A wide stretch of sand dotted with 100 cast-iron statues by Antony Gormley, free to wander any time.

Crosby Library

Liverpool

A free local library with weekly story time and a Lego and board games club, plus study pods upstairs.

ParkingStep-free accessToiletsWheelchair accessible+1 more

FACT Liverpool

Liverpool

Free galleries with art installations, an arthouse cinema, and a monthly relaxed screening built for families who need the lights left up.

Accessible toiletBike parkingBlue badge parkingCafé+6 more

Formby Beach Woods

Liverpool

Pinewoods behind the dunes where you go looking for red squirrels, snowdrops and autumn fungi, free to wander.

Parking

Greenhead Park

Huddersfield

A free park with a double zip wire and a miniature steam railway that only runs on Saturday afternoons.

Changing PlacesOutdoor playToiletsWheelchair accessible

Greenslate Community Farm

Wigan · ages 5-16

A working community farm where kids groom goats and donkeys, build dens and try bush craft over a two-hour session.

CaféFood on siteOutdoor playPicnics allowed

Lancashire Mining Museum CIO

Manchester

Wander round a real colliery site with a 98ft headgear to gawp at, colliery cottages and a miner's canteen to poke round, all free to get in.

Café

Leighton Observatory (Liverpool Astronomical Society)

Widnes

Free public stargazing every Wednesday at 7pm, with members on hand to point telescopes at whatever's overhead.

Liverpool Cathedral

Liverpool

Free to wander the cathedral itself, with a paid Tower climb for city views and a hunt for hidden treasures along the way.

Accessible toiletAllergy awareBaby changeCafé+10 more

Liverpool Guild of Students

Liverpool

A students' union venue in Liverpool with a café, a shop and a late-opening main space for talks and events.

CaféDog friendlyGroup bookingsIndoor seating+3 more

Mayfield Park

Manchester

Free outdoor park with a play yard of six slides built around a daylighted stretch of the River Medlock.

Dog friendlyOutdoor playToilets

Mere Sands Wood Nature Reserve

Ormskirk

Free wildlife trails and hides around a former sand quarry, open Wednesday to Sunday with a café on site.

Accessible toiletCaféOutdoor playPushchair friendly+2 more

Mount Sion Steam Crane

Manchester

Free crafts and guided nature or wildlife walks around a historic steam crane site on a Canal Fun Day.

National Trust - Formby

Liverpool

Sand dunes, pinewoods and two beach trails to explore, with sand wheelchairs on loan and no fires allowed to keep the wildlife happy.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBlue badge parking+11 more

Open Eye Gallery

Liverpool

Free photography exhibitions in a small gallery by the waterfront, with a quiet hour on Sunday mornings.

Bike parkingBlue badge parkingEV chargingGift shop+4 more

Performers Theatre School

Liverpool · ages 2-19

Weekend drama, dance and singing classes for ages 2 to 19, with a free trial before you pay a penny.

Pigeon Tower

Bolton

Free grounds to wander around a Victorian tower, an Italian-style lake and gardens on the edge of Lever Park.

CaféDog friendlyFree parkingGift shop+2 more

Recycling Discovery Centre

Liverpool · ages 0+

A free guided tour showing where your rubbish actually goes, and how to sort it properly.

Booking requiredFree parkingToiletsWheelchair accessible

Ryelands Park

Lancaster · ages 0-12

Free play park with a proper play area for under 12s, an outdoor gym and open grass for football.

ParkingWheelchair accessible

Sefton Park Palm House

Liverpool

A free stroll through a Victorian glasshouse in Sefton Park, with plant trails and themed show gardens to spot along the way.

CaféGroup bookings

Speke Adventure Playground

Liverpool · ages 0-16

Free play, youth clubs and holiday sessions for kids and teens, with no entry charge and food on site.

Food on site

Spud Wood

Lymm

A free woodland with a brook and canal to follow, plus a proper trail out to Lymm village and Dunham Massey.

Free parkingParkingPicnics allowedPublic transport nearby+1 more

Storyhouse

Chester

A theatre, cinema and library rolled into one, with family shows, films and free craft sessions most weeks.

Accessible toiletBike parkingBirthday partiesBreastfeeding friendly+8 more

Tam O'Shanter Urban Farm

Bidston · ages 0-16

Free farm visit where kids meet the animals, hunt for clues on the nature trail and let loose in the playground.

Accessible toiletCaféOutdoor playPicnic area+1 more

Tate Liverpool

Liverpool

Free wide-angle art exhibitions and a family art trail round Albert Dock, currently based at RIBA North while the main building's redone.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBlue badge parking+2 more

The Black-E

Liverpool

Dance, theatre, music and soft play sessions run in the school holidays, and it's free to join.

Accessible toiletCaféIndoor playStep-free access+1 more

The Children's Adventure Farm Trust

Altrincham · ages 0-17

A free two-hour farm visit for children with additional needs and their families, animals, woodland and a sports hall included.

Booking requiredIndoor playFood on siteOutdoor play+2 more

The Fab4 Store - Beatles Souvenir Gift Shop

Liverpool

A Beatles gift shop packed with official merchandise, from badges and mugs to soft toys and exclusive souvenirs, and it costs nothing to browse.

Walton Gardens and Hall Zoo

Warrington

A free zoo and estate where the animals are only part of it, alongside crazy golf, a land train and a proper high ropes course.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesBlue badge parking+7 more

Warrington Museum & Art Gallery

Warrington

Free permanent displays and changing exhibitions, plus Saturday craft drop-ins, all with no entry charge.

Gift shopParkingPicnics allowedWheelchair accessible

Williamson Art Gallery & Museum

Birkenhead

Free wander round art and museum collections in Birkenhead, with a café and a car park that won't cost you a penny.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCaféChanging Places+4 more

Wirral Country Park

Wirral

Free to visit, a 12-mile trail along the Wirral Way, a beach at Thurstaston and a bird hide over the River Dee.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBreastfeeding friendly+8 more

Worden Park

Leyland · ages 0-99

Free park with a hedge maze, mini golf, a model railway and a playground, plus woods and meadows to wander through.

Bike parkingCaféDog friendlyFree parking+1 more

World of Glass

Saint Helens

Free walk through a Victorian glass street, hands-on light and lens exhibits, and live glass blowing you can watch for a few pounds extra.

CaféGift shopGroup bookingsParking+1 more