Rainy day activities in Manchester

7 Spot Pottery

Salford

Wheel throwing and handbuilding courses for adults, plus private parties, but this one's honest that it's not set up for kids' pottery painting.

Accessible toiletBooking requiredFree parkingParty rooms+1 more

Adventure Forest Trafford Park

Manchester

Family soft play in Trafford Park with toddler zone, mini quads, cafe and autism-friendly sessions - book ahead.

Indoor playCaféBirthday partiesParty rooms+5 more

Alan Gilbert Learning Commons

Manchester

A university library that lets you bring your child in if you book a group study room, with 24-hour access and a foyer café.

CaféToiletsWi-Fi

Amazonia Bolton

Bolton · ages 0-14

Jungle-themed soft play with a toddler zone, mini golf next door and an arcade for when they've had enough climbing.

CaféIndoor playUnder-5s area

Archie's Atomic

Manchester · ages 6+

A neon-lit roller rink with an arcade and free-to-enter shake bar, built for six-year-olds upwards who fancy a wobble on skates.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsFood on siteParty rooms+1 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

Baby Bear's Play Cafe

Oldham · ages 0-7

A softer, quieter play cafe with a role play village and a proper pre-walker area for the ones not on their feet yet.

Birthday partiesCaféIndoor playSensory friendly+1 more

Baby Boom Class

Bolton · ages 0-4

Baby massage, sensory sessions and messy play for newborns up to four, in a sensory room on a Bolton industrial estate.

Baby changeBirthday partiesSensory room

Baby Gaga

Bolton · up to age 5

Named sensory classes and drop in play for under fives, from Wriggle Kicks to a spa style session, plus themed parties.

Booking requiredCaféIndoor play

Bean & Brush Art Cafe

Sale · ages 6+

Sit down and paint a pot to keep, with proper café food and cake while you work.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféHalal options+2 more

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

Bolton Steam Museum

Bolton

Free entry to watch a collection of working mill steam engines turning over, some driven by real steam.

Free parking

Boom Battle Bar Manchester Printworks

Manchester · ages 0-18

Axe throwing, crazy golf and shuffleboard under one roof, but the clock ticks fast once you're under 18 after 7pm.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCard onlyGroup bookings+5 more

Breakout Manchester Newton Street

Manchester

An hour locked in a themed room in central Manchester, working as a team to crack puzzles before the clock runs out.

Booking required

Brookside Pottery

Stockport

Pick a pot, paint it over a couple of hours, and either take it home the same day or come back for it once it's glazed.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredFree parking

Burnage Library

Manchester · ages 0-11

Storytimes, Lego Club and a garden Easter egg hunt, all free at this small local library.

Toilets

Bury Art Museum & Sculpture Centre

Bury

Free gallery and sculpture centre in Bury, though roof works mean reduced hours and less on show right now.

Baby changeGift shopToiletsWheelchair accessible

Carver Theatre

Stockport · ages 4+

A proper theatre panto plus junior and youth shows, with pyrotechnics that'll spook anyone under about four.

Hearing loopWheelchair accessible

Casbah Coffee Club Historic Site

Liverpool · ages 0-16

Walk into the actual basement club where the Beatles played their first gigs, on a pre-booked tour that traces the birth of Merseybeat.

Booking required

Castlefield Gallery

Manchester

Free contemporary art exhibitions in the city centre, with lifts to every floor if you've got a buggy or a wheelchair.

Accessible toiletBike parkingBlue badge parkingWheelchair accessible

Chads Theatre Company

Cheadle

A local am-dram theatre putting on plays and pantomime, with a bar, snacks and its own free car park.

Accessible toiletFree parkingFood on siteParking+2 more

Chemical Airsoft

Ashton-under-Lyne · ages 11+

Indoor CQB airsoft games plus pool, darts and axe throwing, aimed squarely at the 11-plus crowd.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsFood on siteParty rooms

Cheshire Art Gallery

Stockport

A small gallery to duck into for a browse round the art, with a car park a minute away.

Chetham's Library

Manchester · ages 8+

A guided tour through a 600-year-old library with a chained collection, medieval cat flaps and the desk where Marx and Engels studied.

Booking required

Chorlton Players

Manchester

A local am-dram stage doing pantomime and plays, with £7 tickets for kids and no fuss about where you sit.

Chuck Gallery

Manchester

A free contemporary art gallery in Manchester where you can wander round paintings and mixed-media work with the kids in tow.

Clayton Hall

Manchester

Dress up in Victorian costume and hunt for witch marks scratched into the walls of a moated manor house, free of charge.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCaféGift shop+4 more

Cockfields Farm Park

Ashton-under-Lyne

Ashton farm park with animals, indoor play and jumping pillow - open daily, free parking.

Indoor playOutdoor playCaféFree parking+3 more

Code to Exit

Altrincham · ages 12+

A locked room, a 60 minute clock, and puzzles to crack before the ship blows or the painting stays lost.

Booking requiredToilets

Community Clay Studio Manchester CIC

Manchester

Family ceramics sessions where kids get hands on with a pottery wheel or hand-building clay, in a proper working studio in Stretford.

Bike parkingWheelchair accessible

Contemporary Six

Altrincham

A small contemporary art gallery where kids can look at original paintings, prints, sculpture and ceramics, with talks and events laid on too.

Cuppa' Chaii (Manchester)

Manchester

A café with proper carrom board tables, board games and a room big enough for a full-on family party.

Halal optionsIndoor playIndoor seatingFood on site+2 more

Daneside Theatre

Congleton

A proper local theatre stage with pantomimes, plays, musicals, films and dance shows through the year, tickets from £5 for members.

Accessible toiletParkingToiletsWheelchair accessible

Delta Force Paintball Manchester

Manchester · ages 7+

Kids storm bunkers and attack castle walls with paintball markers scaled down for younger players, from age 7 up.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGroup bookingsSchool visits

Depot Climbing Manchester

Manchester · ages 1+

Bouldering walls and roped climbing from age one, with quiet sessions and free carer entry for accessible climbing.

CaféCard onlyGift shopFood on site+7 more

Diggerland Yorkshire

Castleford · ages 4-14

Kids get behind the controls of real diggers and dumpers, plus over 20 rides included in one ticket.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGift shopGroup bookings+5 more

Doodle Pots (Paint a Pot & crafts)

Mossley, Manchester

Paint a pot, make a bear or mix up a batch of slime at a craft studio with its own café for the wait.

Birthday partiesCaféGroup bookingsFood on site+1 more

Eccles Public Library

Salford

Free rhymes sessions, a whole library of books for under 16s, and computers to use, all with no overdue fines to worry about.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBlue badge parking+4 more

Elizabeth Gaskell's House

Manchester

A Victorian house museum where kids follow Cranford the Cat's trail and try on period costume, with under-16s free.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBlue badge parking+11 more

Epicland UK

Manchester · ages 0-9

Age-zoned soft play with baby corners, climbing frames and craft tables, plus a café that does more than chicken nuggets.

Allergy awareBirthday partiesBooking requiredCafé+4 more

Escape Hunt Manchester

Manchester · ages 8+

Lock yourselves in a themed room and puzzle your way out in an hour, or take the games outside with a City Hunt.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCard onlyGroup bookings+2 more

Escape The Van

Manchester · ages 7+

A mobile escape room in a van, with puzzles and locks to crack in as little as ten minutes or a full hour.

esea contemporary

Manchester

A free contemporary art gallery in the city centre, open most days, with a new exhibition landing this October.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingParking+2 more

Everyman Altrincham

Altrincham

A sit-down cinema with waiter service, plus baby and toddler screenings if silence isn't happening anyway.

RestaurantSensory friendlyStep-free accessWheelchair accessible

Everyman Manchester St. John's

Manchester · ages 0-14

Baby and toddler screenings with the sound turned down and cake included, plus school holiday films at half price for older kids.

Accessible toiletAllergy awareSensory friendlyToilets+1 more

Fan Boy Three

Manchester

A boardgame and card game hangout with hundreds of titles to try, plus demo nights for Magic, Yugioh and Pokemon.

Group bookingsIndoor playFood on site

Fired Paint a Pot Cafe

Bury

Pick a blank piece of pottery from over 100 designs on the shelves and paint it yourself over a coffee.

Booking requiredCaféIndoor seatingFood on site

Fireground

Rochdale · ages 0+

A museum of old fire engines and firefighting history, open Thursday to Saturday in Rochdale.

CaféFree parkingPublic transport nearbySchool visits

First Light Pavilion

Macclesfield

A planetarium film about Jodrell Bank, a working orrery and a whispering dish outside to shout across the lawn at.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBottle warming+13 more

Flip Out Rochdale

Rochdale

Wall-to-wall trampolines, a foam pit and a climbing tower for kids who want to bounce, not just watch telly on a wet Saturday.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsFood on siteParking+1 more

Funtastic Childrens Play Centre

Radcliffe, Manchester · ages 0-11

An indoor play centre in Radcliffe for babies through to pre-teens, with prices that shift depending on the day you turn up.

Birthday partiesIndoor playParking

Game Vault

Bolton

Free to walk into, then it's tokens for the VR pods, pinball and pool tables.

Indoor seatingFood on site

Gameface

Manchester · ages 8+

Ten fast-paced social games mixing physical challenges and quick thinking, built for teams of mates rather than little kids.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCard onlyGroup bookings+3 more

Goodtime Games

Manchester

A board game café where you pick from hundreds of games, get staff help learning the rules, and settle in with pizza and cocktails.

CaféIndoor seatingVegetarian options

Greater Manchester Police Museum & Archives

Manchester · ages 6+

Free walk-through police history museum in the Northern Quarter, open Tuesdays only, with a real Victorian courtroom and cells to poke around.

Accessible toiletBaby changeGift shopGroup bookings+3 more

Grip & Go

Rossendale · ages 4+

Sixty minutes on 24 themed climbing walls, with a leap-and-catch trapeze challenge if you want to fork out extra.

Birthday partiesLockersFood on site

Guide Bridge Theatre

Manchester · ages 3+

A proper small theatre for a first pantomime, with step-free access and only two wheelchair spaces so it pays to book ahead.

Accessible toiletBaby changeFood on siteStep-free access+2 more

Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker

Lane

A genuine Cold War nuclear bunker 40ft underground, packed with authentic equipment and a spy mouse trail for the kids to follow.

CaféGift shopGroup bookingsSchool visits

Head Over Heels Chorlton

Manchester

Award-winning soft play in Chorlton with a big frame, under-3s zone, sensory rooms and a cafe - book ahead at weekends.

Indoor playCaféParkingBaby change+6 more

Hebden Bridge Little Theatre

Hebden Bridge

Proper pantomime and drama in a small local theatre, with a bar for interval drinks and ice cream in your seat.

Accessible toiletCaféHearing loopWheelchair accessible

Height Library

Salford

Free rhyme time for under-fives and a quiet spot to borrow books, with holiday activities laid on too.

Accessible toiletParkingStep-free accessToilets+2 more

Hippodrome Theatre

Todmorden

A proper old theatre in town that puts on family shows, with doors opening half an hour before curtain up.

Accessible toiletDog friendlyFood on siteToilets+1 more

Houdini's Escape Room Experience - Harpurhey

Manchester · ages 2-18

A private hour locked in a themed room, solving puzzles as a team to escape before the clock runs out.

Parking

Houdini's Escape Room Experience - Leeds

Leeds · ages 2-18

Sixty minutes locked in a themed room working through puzzles and riddles as a team, with the game master watching the clock.

Booking requiredCard onlyGroup bookings

Houdini's Escape Room Experience - Manchester Parrs Wood

Manchester · ages 6+

An hour locked in a themed room, working together to crack puzzles and riddles before the clock runs out.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredFree parkingGroup bookings+1 more

Huddersfield Observatory

Huddersfield · ages 0+

Solar telescopes, star talks and beginner astronomy courses run by a members' society meeting twice a month.

ParkingPicnics allowedToilets

Hyde Festival Theatre

Hyde

A proper local stage for pantomime and family shows, with relaxed and BSL performances built into the run.

Accessible toiletWheelchair accessible

Hyde Little Theatre

Hyde · ages 4-18

Weekly youth theatre sessions in Hyde where kids do drama, singing and games by age group, with a shot at the stage in real productions.

Inflata Nation Inflatable Theme Park Manchester

Manchester · ages 0-99

A giant inflatable arena of slides, ball pits and an assault course, with a separate under-4s zone for the smaller ones.

Birthday partiesCaféGroup bookingsIndoor play+3 more

Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre

Macclesfield

UNESCO radio telescope day out near Macclesfield - Space Dome films, trails and cafes.

ParkingFree parkingCaféGift shop+5 more

Jolly Giraffes

Rochdale · up to age 11

Rochdale soft play with under-3s area, three-tier frame and SEN sessions - height limit 4ft 9in.

Indoor playCaféBirthday partiesUnder-5s area+2 more

Jump Heaven LTD

Stockport · ages 0-17

Wall-to-wall trampolines, foam pits and an indoor zip line, with a toddler session for the under-fives too.

Birthday partiesBlue badge parkingBooking requiredCafé+8 more

Jungle J's Play & Party Centre

Oldham

Chadderton soft play with 3-level frame, 12ft free-fall slide, toddler mornings and free parking.

Indoor playCaféBirthday partiesFree parking+3 more

Junior Sport Stars

Stockport · ages 1-18

Gymnastics classes, toddler stay and play, and holiday camps for ages 1 to 18, all under one roof in Stockport.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredFree parkingIndoor play

Junkyard Golf Club Manchester

Manchester

Three indoor crazy-golf courses at First Street - family deals before 6pm weekdays.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsToilets

Kickair

Manchester · ages 0+

Trampolines, ninja obstacles and inflatable challenges under one roof, with a separate soft play corner for the under-5s.

Birthday partiesFree parkingIndoor playIndoor seating+3 more

Kil'n Time Pottery Studio

Manchester

Pick a blank piece from over 120 options and paint it yourself with proper paints and stencils, ready to collect a week or so later.

Birthday parties

Knutcraft Pottery Painting Cafe

Knutsford

Pick a blank ceramic animal, dinosaur or mug and paint it yourself before it goes off to be glazed and fired.

CaféGift shopIndoor seating

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

Lane7 Manchester

Manchester · ages 14+

A bowling, pool and karaoke night out for teens, though it's over 18s only after 7pm.

Allergy awareBirthday partiesGroup bookingsFood on site+2 more

Lawrence Batley Theatre

Huddersfield · ages 0+

Proper theatre seats and a stage full of pantomime, puppets or dinosaurs, with tickets from £16 and under-2s free on a lap.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesCaféGroup bookings+6 more

Lemon Studio

Altrincham

Hand-build porcelain decorations and imprinted clay vases at a pottery party you book and decorate as your own.

Booking required

Let Loose - Soft Play And Cafe

Sale · ages 0-10

Soft play sessions for under-10s with a Make-a-Bear corner, Build-a-Pup adoption bit and a graffiti party room for hire.

Birthday partiesCaféFree parkingGroup bookings+4 more

Levenshulme Old Library CIO

Manchester

A community arts space where kids can join drama sessions and take in exhibitions, with a café for afterwards.

Café

Limited Edition: The Tabletop Tavern

Leigh · ages 8+

A tabletop games bar where kids from eight up can join weekly D&D nights, trading card games and wargaming.

Little Play Town Heywood Ltd

Heywood · ages 1-8

Themed role-play town for under-eights, booked in timed sessions with shoes off and socks on throughout.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféFree parking+3 more

Liverpool Boat Tour

Liverpool

A half hour cruise round Liverpool's dock system, past the yachts and working boats moored in the Marina.

Card onlyIndoor seatingFood on site

Machu Picchu: Journey to the Lost City - Manchester

Manchester · ages 10+

A free-roam VR trek through Machu Picchu where you walk the citadel itself, headset on, no seats and no snacks.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCard onlyGroup bookings+5 more

Mad Science North England

Preston · ages 5-11

A Mad Scientist brings slime-making, rocket launches and chemical reactions to your own party venue for a hands-on science show.

Booking required

Manchester Cathedral

Manchester

Wander a huge old cathedral for free, with volunteer-led tours most days if you catch them on a quiet moment.

Group bookingsPublic transport nearbyWheelchair accessible

Manchester Jewish Museum

Manchester · ages 0+

A restored Victorian synagogue turned museum with scavenger hunts, baking workshops and a toddler session, all done in under two hours.

Accessible toiletCaféFree parkingGift shop+9 more

Manchester Museum

Manchester

Free Oxford Road museum with dinosaurs and living worlds - Soft Play N never.

CaféChanging PlacesGift shopFood on site+2 more

Manchester Poetry Library

Manchester

A free poetry library in town to duck into for a browse, with a café if the kids need feeding after.

Accessible toiletCaféFood on siteStep-free access+2 more

Manchester Roller Skating

Manchester · ages 0-12

Weekend disco skating sessions with music and lights, £5 including skate hire, no booking needed.

Card onlyCash onlyFree parkingIndoor seating+1 more

meetspaceVR (ft Zero Latency)

Manchester · ages 8+

Free roam VR shootouts, escape rooms and a Quest Arena for kids eight and up, starting at £10 a head.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredFree parkingGroup bookings

Millgate Arts Centre

Oldham

A pennine village theatre doing pantomime, family films and National Theatre Live screenings, with a youth theatre for teens on top.

Accessible toiletCaféHearing loopFood on site+2 more

Monkey Playland

Haslingden

A 13,000 sq ft soft play with a separate Game Zone of bumper cars, tea cups and an assault course.

Birthday partiesCaféIndoor playKids menu+4 more

Moss Pottery Studio

Altrincham · ages 0-12

Hand-build, paint pre-made ceramics or try the wheel in a two-hour taster session for kids and families.

Booking required

Mount Sion Steam Crane

Manchester

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

Move Urmston

Manchester

A leisure centre mixing softplay and sing-alongs, swimming sessions, a sensory room and a junior gym under one roof.

Birthday partiesCaféIndoor playSensory friendly

Museum of Illusions - Manchester

Manchester · ages 0-18

A trick-your-eyes museum of 65+ hands-on illusions, from a vortex tunnel to hanging off a Metrolink tram.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCard onlyDog friendly+6 more

Museum of Transport, Greater Manchester

Manchester

Vintage buses to climb aboard, a card game about them, and on special dates a free ride on a heritage service.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCaféDog friendly+4 more

National Coal Mining Museum for England

Wakefield · ages 0+

Free entry to a 42 acre former colliery, with the real draw being a guided trip 140 metres underground.

Accessible toiletAllergy awareBike parkingBlue badge parking+13 more

New dawn pottery

Manchester · adults only (18+)

An adults-only pottery studio in Manchester, strictly no under-18s, so this is one for a childfree afternoon rather than a family outing.

Booking required

Nixon's Farm Shop

Cheadle · up to age 10

Heald Green farm shop with animals, play barn and tea room - book play sessions at weekends.

ParkingToiletsCaféBaby change+5 more

Northenden Players Theatre Club

Manchester

A local am-dram theatre club putting on shows, with non-members paying £5 a ticket.

Northwest Rollersports CIC

Atherton, Manchester · ages 3-99

A no-frills rink where kids skate proper family sessions, learn from marshalls, and cheap admission beats most soft play.

Accessible toiletAllergy awareBirthday partiesCafé+11 more

Old Queen's Head

Sheffield

A Grade II listed Tudor building in Sheffield with a courtyard to explore and pub food to fill you up after.

Food on siteRestaurant

Oldham Library

Oldham

Free sessions for babies, toddlers and Lego fans, plus theatre shows that run from £5 to £10.

Accessible toiletBaby changeParkingSensory friendly+3 more

Open Air Bounce

Bolton · ages 0-16

A field full of giant bouncy castles, slides and a fairground carousel, but only during school holidays and only when it's dry.

Accessible toiletBaby changeFirst aidFood on site+3 more

Paint Away Events

Manchester · ages 11+

Guided painting sessions on canvas, candles or wine glasses, led step by step by an artist, with private parties for older kids.

Free parkingIndoor seatingFood on site

Paint Splat

Manchester · ages 3+

An hour with splatter guns and brushes at a splat station, ending with a canvas to take home.

Birthday partiesFree parkingGroup bookingsPram storage+3 more

Paradise Island Adventure Golf Trafford Centre

Manchester

Two indoor 18-hole adventure golf courses at the Trafford Centre - book ahead at weekends.

Birthday partiesWheelchair accessibleToiletsParking

Partington Theatre

Glossop · ages 6+

Pantomime, cinema screenings and youth drama classes on one stage, with tickets from £6.

Indoor play

Party and Play Funhouse

Westhoughton, Bolton · ages 0-12

Westhoughton soft play with indoor and outdoor zones for 0-12s, cafe and free parking - book for a table.

Indoor playCaféBirthday partiesParty rooms+5 more

Peak Cavern

Castleton

Walk a guided showcave under the gorge with a rope-makers story - chilly low section, from £13.75 online for children.

Booking required

Peak Wildlife Park

Leek · ages 0+

Walk with lemurs and penguins, meet polar bears Nanook and Noori, then burn energy on outdoor play and indoor jungle soft play.

Free parkingParkingToiletsAccessible toilet+14 more

Pendleton Library

Salford

A free, no-fuss library with Books and Rhymes sessions for under-fives and holiday activities laid on for older kids.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingParking+3 more

People's History Museum

Manchester

Free Spinningfields museum of democracy and protest - Soft Play N never.

Accessible toiletBooking requiredCaféChanging Places+9 more

Pet Station

Rotherham

A pet shop where kids can wander past guinea pigs, hamsters, fish tanks and even iguanas for free.

Free parking

Planet Play

Heywood, Rochdale

Heywood soft play with a huge 3-tier frame, toddler zones and cafe - open daily, no booking for walk-in play.

Indoor playCaféBirthday partiesParty rooms+4 more

Play! Oldham

Oldham · ages 0-11

A three-storey play frame for juniors plus a separate baby and toddler area, with term-time weekdays priced to let you go unlimited.

Birthday partiesIndoor playKids menuFood on site+2 more

Players Theatre

Cheadle Hulme

A local stage putting on theatrical productions, with a season ticket that gets you four shows for the price of three.

Hearing loopIndoor seatingFood on siteParking+2 more

Playkidds Play Centre

Manchester

Swinton soft play with parties and wraparound care - check weekend hours before you set off.

Indoor playBirthday partiesToiletsUnder-5s area+1 more

Ponden Kirk & Fairy Cave

Keighley

A rocky crevice cave and gritstone outcrop on the moors above Haworth, tied to the Brontë novels.

Portland Basin Museum

Ashton-under-Lyne · ages 0-5

A recreated 1920s street and a hands-on play area for under-fives, free to walk round in Ashton-under-Lyne.

Baby changeBlue badge parkingCaféFree parking+5 more

Practically Family Holiday Clubs in Stockport

Cheadle · ages 3-11

Forest trails, den building and inflatables days for school-age kids, booked by the half, short or full day.

Booking requiredIndoor playOutdoor playToilets

Printworks

Manchester

A city-centre complex of IMAX cinema, mini golf, bowling and karaoke under a huge digital ceiling screen.

First aidToiletsWi-Fi

Projekts MCR Skatepark

Manchester · ages 0-99

An indoor skatepark under the Mancunian Way flyover with open sessions, coaching and toddler-only slots for beginners on wheels.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesCaféIndoor seating+1 more

Redbank House

Manchester

A sensory room booking on Manchester's edge, weekdays only, with step-free access and blue badge parking right by the door.

Blue badge parkingSensory roomStep-free accessWheelchair accessible

Redrock Stockport

Stockport

A big multiplex by Stockport station where the film is the whole plan, with a proper cafe bar to bookend it.

Bike parkingCaféKids menuFood on site+3 more

Rollercity Rochdale

Rochdale · ages 5+

Roller skating sessions and skate discos for over-fives, with a Saturday and Sunday skate school if they've never strapped on a pair of wheels.

Café

Roxy Ball Room Manchester Deansgate

Manchester

A strictly over-18s games bar with duck pin bowling, ice-free curling and shuffleboard.

Accessible toiletCard onlyFood on siteToilets+1 more

Royal Albert Dock Liverpool

Liverpool

A waterfront cluster of warehouses by the Mersey with cafés, restaurants and step-free paths for a wander, not one single attraction.

Accessible toiletBlue badge parkingCaféDog friendly+3 more

Royal Exchange Theatre

Manchester

A working theatre in the city centre where you can watch a show, but also just wander in for a coffee and a quiet sit-down.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBooking requiredCafé+11 more

Royal Liver Building 360 Tour

Liverpool · ages 5+

Climb up above the clock face of the Royal Liver Building for 360 degree views and a close look at the Liver Birds on the roof terrace.

Accessible toiletGift shopToilets

Run of the Mill Play Centre

Stockport

Stockport soft play at Pear Mill with baby zone, trampolines, cafe and daily sessions - handy for east Manchester.

Indoor playCaféBirthday partiesParty rooms+4 more

Runway Visitor Park

Altrincham

Climb aboard a retired Concorde and a DC10 parked up outside Manchester Airport, with runway views thrown in free.

Accessible toiletBlue badge parkingCaféGift shop+7 more

Saddleworth Museum & Gallery

Oldham

A small local history museum in Uppermill with hands-on learning areas for kids and galleries telling the story of Saddleworth.

Free parkingGift shopToiletsWheelchair accessible

Salford Museum & Art Gallery

Salford · ages 0+

Free wander round a rebuilt Victorian street and hands-on galleries, with Victorian toys to play with along the way.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingCafé+10 more

Salford Trampoline Centre

Salford

Gymnastics-style trampolining with beams, bars and a tumble track, built around structured skills rather than just bouncing.

Birthday parties

Samlesbury Hall

Preston

Historic black-and-white hall near Preston - Soft Play N.

ToiletsCaféGift shopParking+1 more

Science and Industry Museum

Manchester

Free Manchester science museum on Liverpool Road - engines, hands-on halls and a proper cafe.

CaféGift shopToiletsWheelchair accessible+2 more

SEA LIFE Manchester

Manchester

Indoor aquarium at Trafford Palazzo - ocean tunnel, sharks, turtles and rays next to the Trafford Centre.

Free parkingParkingToiletsGift shop+6 more

Seven Limes Pottery

Manchester

Hand-building or wheel-throwing classes where you make actual tableware, not just paint a plain mug.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGroup bookingsPublic transport nearby

Shakespeare North Playhouse

Prescot

A proper theatre in Prescot with family shows, tours and a play area by the café, and you decide what to pay for some performances.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBike parkingBlue badge parking+11 more

SHELLEY WOOD STUDIO

Ashton-under-Lyne

A two-hour clay taster where you hand-build a bowl or vase, no wheel skills needed.

Birthday partiesBooking required

Silk Museum

Macclesfield

Free galleries on 300 years of silk history, plus a timed-entry mill tour with working Jacquard looms you have to book ahead for.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingBooking required+6 more

Slick City Action Park Nottingham

Nottingham · ages 4+

Nottingham - Slick City indoor slide action park in Lenton, dry slides and Air Courts from £14.95.

CaféBirthday partiesBooking required

Smithills Open Farm

Bolton

Bolton open farm with animal feeding, tractor rides and free adult entry - open daily 10-5.

Indoor playOutdoor playCaféFree parking+3 more

Space Studio Manchester

Manchester

Pick a pot from over 40 options and paint it, with sessions running under two hours in an Ancoats studio.

Booking requiredIndoor seatingWheelchair accessible

Sparkles Adventure Play Ltd

Oldham · ages 0-10

A castle-themed frame with a two-lane slide and a proper ball pool, split into 90-minute sessions so nobody outstays their welcome.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféIndoor play+2 more

Speedwell Cavern

Castleton · ages 5-15

A boat ride into a flooded lead mine to see the Bottomless Pit, down 106 steps in Castleton.

Booking requiredParking

Splash World

Southport

Water slides and a swimming pool under one roof, open weekends all year and weekdays in the school holidays.

Birthday partiesFood on siteVegetarian options

Sprouts Club

Manchester · up to age 2

A pretend high street for toddlers, with a café, pharmacy, salon and shop to potter round in timed sessions.

Booking required

St Helens Theatre Royal

Saint Helens

A proper pantomime, Peter Pan this year, with tickets from £20.

Stockport Nerf Centre

Stockport · ages 6+

Foam-dart battles under glow lights and smoke, booked in one or two hour slots.

Booking requiredParty rooms

Sunita Asal Art

Manchester

Sip & Paint sessions where you work from a set scene, like a moonlit lake or a window with flowers, on a proper canvas.

Swell UK Ltd - Garden, Pond and Aquatic Supplies

Hyde

A garden and aquatic supplies shop where you can wander past tanks of tropical, coldwater and marine fish, plus reptiles and amphibians.

TeamSport Go Karting Manchester Trafford Park

Manchester · ages 4-99

Indoor karting on a 450-metre multi-level track with a flyover, plus a Mini Racer version for the small ones.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesBlue badge parkingBooking required+8 more

Tenpin Manchester Harpurhey

Manchester

Twenty lanes of bowling plus laser tag, escape rooms and karaoke under one roof, with pizza delivered straight to your lane.

Birthday partiesGroup bookingsIndoor seatingFood on site+1 more

Tenpin Manchester Parrs Wood

Manchester · ages 4-13

Bumper bowling, laser tag and karaoke rooms under one roof, with free parking sorted for you.

Birthday partiesFree parkingFood on site

That Fun Place at Jump Xtreme Bolton

Bolton · ages 0-12

Soft play climbing and slides for babies through to age 12, tucked inside the Jump Xtreme trampoline site in Bolton.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféIndoor play+2 more

The Adventure Hub - Indoor Climbing and Outdoor Activities

Hope Valley

A bouldering wall for kids from 4 up, but public opening hours are tight so plan around the Saturday slot.

Birthday partiesGift shopIndoor playParty rooms

The Archertype

Manchester · ages 10+

Foam-tipped arrow battles and a buzzer-round gameshow for teenagers and adults, booked online in advance.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGroup bookingsParty rooms

The Bridgewater Hall

Manchester

Concerts and family-friendly shows in a proper concert hall, with relaxed performances and building tours for kids who fancy a look backstage.

Accessible toiletCaféHearing loopLockers+4 more

The Brindley

Runcorn

A theatre stage for panto and family shows, with a café and free parking right opposite.

CaféFree parking

The British Commercial Vehicle Museum

Leyland

Climb into real lorry cabs and grip the wheel of vehicles that used to rule the roads, all under one roof near the M6.

CaféFree parkingGift shopToilets+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 Crystal Maze

Manchester · ages 9+

Live-action team challenges across themed zones, ending in the Crystal Dome chasing golden tokens, for groups of nine-year-olds and up.

Accessible toiletBirthday partiesGroup bookingsFood on site

The CUBE Manchester - Putters - Urban Playground

Manchester · ages 5+

Electronic mini-golf with on-screen animations and prizes, nine themed holes in under an hour.

Birthday partiesCard onlyGroup bookingsFood on site+1 more

The Dice Box Stockport

Stockport · ages 2+

A table booked by the hour, over a thousand board games to pick from, and staff who'll teach you the rules on the spot.

Birthday partiesGift shopGroup bookingsIndoor seating+2 more

The Edge Theatre & Arts Centre

Manchester

A Chorlton theatre with shows, cinema screenings and classes in everything from acting to ukulele.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCaféParking+2 more

The Fusilier Museum

Bury

Two galleries of 300 years of military history, a shooting simulator to test steady hands, and a ticket that gets you back in free all year.

Café

The John Rylands Library

Manchester

Free entry to a neo-Gothic library packed with rare books, manuscripts and a working antique printing press.

Accessible toiletCard onlyGift shopWheelchair accessible

The Light Stockport

Stockport

Films, bowling, pool, darts and karaoke all under one roof, with party packages for kids that bundle in food and a host.

Baby changeBirthday partiesBooking requiredBreastfeeding friendly+8 more

The Magic Burrow

Manchester

A calm, low-sensory play space with fairy lights, a fairy village and dressing up, built with SEN families in mind.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBirthday partiesBlue badge parking+5 more

The Monastery Manchester

Manchester

A free Gothic Revival building to wander with a zen garden, a café and a nave that looks nothing like a normal day out.

Accessible toiletBaby changeCaféFree parking+6 more

The Mystery of Banksy – Manchester

Manchester

A walk-through of roughly 200 recreated Banksy pieces, from graffiti to sculpture, in a slick indoor Manchester space.

Accessible toiletBooking requiredGift shopLockers+3 more

The Nook Saddleworth Play Cafe

Oldham · ages 0-8

A calm, Montessori-inspired play space in a Delph mill, best suited to babies and under-fives.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféFood on site+2 more

The Northwest Face Climbing Centre

Warrington · ages 6+

Fifty-odd climbing lines, a proper bouldering area and eight auto belays for kids to work their way up without needing a parent on the rope.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredCaféGroup bookings+3 more

The Pankhurst Centre

Manchester

A small suffragette museum where kids get a garden to chalk in and a photo op, not just glass cases to file past.

Accessible toiletBaby changeBlue badge parkingCafé+6 more

The Place at Platt Lane

Manchester

Free drop-in sessions for every age, from baby rhymes to a Saturday LEGO club and a teens poetry project.

The Portico Library

Manchester

Free exhibitions of books and contemporary art in a Georgian library, with a café under a domed roof.

Blue badge parkingCaféGift shopParking+1 more

The Upper Room Cafe

Cheadle

A café with a small play corner for the kids and a proper menu for the grown-ups, open weekday daytimes only.

Indoor seating

The Whitaker

Rossendale

Free contemporary art exhibitions and family workshops in a park setting, with a café for afterwards.

Café

Treak Cliff Cavern

Castleton · ages 5-17

A 45-minute self-guided walk into a real cavern hung with Blue John stone, but it's steps and slopes, not a pram job.

ParkingToiletsCaféGift shop+1 more

Treetops Play and Party Cafe

Warrington · ages 0-8

Soft play with sensory areas and free weekday pre-school sessions, plus a cafe that won't let you sneak in your own snacks.

Allergy awareBirthday partiesIndoor playKids menu+2 more

TT Craft Studio

Manchester

Tufting workshops where you make your own fluffy rug or soft décor piece to take home.

Birthday partiesBooking requiredGroup bookings

Urmston Books and Board Games

Manchester

A café where you can browse and buy books, play board games over a coffee, and catch a ukulele sing-along for babies and toddlers.

CaféIndoor seatingFood on site

Victoria Theatre Halifax

Halifax

Ballet, panto and big musicals on stage in Halifax, with wheelchair access and a hearing loop built in.

Accessible toiletHearing loopToilets

Warrington Play and Sensory Centre

Warrington

Four different zones, from a sensory room to a calmer corner, built for kids who need options rather than one big frame to climb.

Booking requiredCaféSensory roomWheelchair accessible

Wentworth Garden Centre

Rotherham

A free-to-wander garden centre day out with a family farm, an adventure playground and a pets and aquatics centre to nose round.

Baby changeCaféDog friendlyFree parking+6 more

Western Approaches

Liverpool

Wander a real WWII bunker beneath the city streets, from the wartime shop fronts to the Operations Room where the maps still sit.

Baby changeCard onlyGift shopGroup bookings+2 more

Wigan Little Theatre

Wigan · ages 3+

Panto and family shows in a proper old theatre, with seats booked in advance rather than turning up on spec.

Booking required

WMB Cornerstone Day Nursery (The Beehive)

Manchester · ages 0-11

A day nursery and after-school club in Manchester running football, music and cooking sessions for children from 6 months to 11 years.

Baby changeIndoor playFood on siteOutdoor play+3 more

Working Class Movement Library

Salford

A free library and archive of working class history in Salford, with exhibitions and Friday afternoon tours.

Accessible toiletStep-free accessToiletsWheelchair accessible

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

Wynwood Lanes

Manchester

Ten pin bowling, pool and arcade games on a lane in Manchester, with pizza delivered straight to you, though kids have to be out by 7pm.

Food on site

Wythenshawe Forum Library

Manchester

A library and leisure hub where the birthday party is football, roller skating or swimming, not just cake and balloons.

Bike parkingBirthday partiesBlue badge parkingCafé+4 more

Zombie Uprising Manchester

Ashton-under-Lyne

Three hours of live action zombie survival across four themed zones, weapons and kit provided.