You can do just fine on a city trip to Manchester with kids. There is enough to do in the city for families with kids to keep you entertained for a few days in this great British city. In addition, you have a number of (budget) airlines that fly to Manchester in just over an hour from the Netherlands. In short, a good reason to visit the city of Manchester with the family. We list the best activities in Manchester with kids.
Manchester with kids #1: Legoland discovery centre
If your kids love Lego then a visit to Legoland Discovery Centre is a fun option. Legoland Discovery center is located in the west of the city and public transportation will get you there in half an hour. Of course, everything here is all about Lego and this activity is especially suitable for young kids up to about eight years old.
For example, here you have a kind of indoor playground in the theme of Lego Ninjago City Adventure. Here kids can climb and scramble, play with Lego and test their speed. There is also a sort of Madurodam-like city (Liverpool, Manchester and Blackpool) recreated from Lego, where kids can use buttons to turn things on. There is also a 4d cinema, where they use different special effects in a movie made by Lego.
It is also possible for kids (for an additional fee) to drive a kind of race with VR glasses on. There is also a restaurant at the Legoland Discovery Centre where you can get something to eat and drink. For more information on opening hours, entrance fees and different activities, take a look at Legoland Discovery Centre’s website.
Manchester with kids #2: Heaton Park
If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city with the family, this huge city park is a good option. Heaton Park is the largest urban park in Europe and you can get there from the city center by public transportation in half an hour. They have a cool playground located here (Lakeside Adventure Playground) and there is also a large lake, where you can rent pedal boats. Especially in the summer, this is a great activity in Manchester with kids.
This park is also home to the Treetop Adventure Heaton Park climbing park, where kids can complete various courses among the trees. For example, you have a Mini Trek course for kids as young as five. This course already goes up to eight meters in height, so definitely a challenge for young kids, and has eight challenges along the way and five ziplines. This activity lasts about an hour.
For kids as young as seven, they have the Full Trek which lasts two hours and where they have 20 obstacles and 14 ziplines. You go up to a height of 18 meters in this course. They also have another play area with nets and large balls for kids as young as three. Here they also have five different slides and two different houses to play in the trees.
Manchester with kids #3: science and industry museum
The Science and Industry Museum is located right in the center of the city and is free to visit. A great reason to stop in here during your city break to Manchester with kids. The museum is dedicated to the textile industry and you will find all kinds of old machines, trains, planes and cars, among other things.
The museum is very kid-oriented and very interactive. Kids can do various games and experiments here and in this way learn about the technological developments that have taken place throughout time. This way, kids can see how everything works and was created.
Of course, there will be plenty of things that aren’t interesting to kids, but if your kids enjoy doing all kinds of experiments, you can have a great half-day of fun here in Manchester. For more information on opening hours, admission prices and the various exhibits, check out the Science and Industry Museum website.
Manchester with kids #4: stadium tour manchester
If your kids love soccer then you have plenty of options in Manchester with kids. For example, the city of Manchester has two soccer clubs that are among the best clubs in the world: Manchester United and Manchester city. At both clubs, you can book a stadium tour with the family and get an inside look at these great clubs.
Manchester United’s stadium is Old Trafford and you can book a stadium tour, which takes you past all the important places in the stadium such as the players’ tunnel, the field and the dressing rooms. In addition to the stadium, with your ticket you can also visit the museum, where you can find more information about the club’s history and, of course, admire the various awards the club has won. Just keep in mind that tickets for this stadium tour are quite pricey. Especially if you do the tour with an entire family.
You can also tour the stadium at the Manchester City club. Here, too, you do pretty much the same things as on the tour of Manchester United’s stadium. You will also get to the players’ tunnel, the field, the locker rooms and the trophy cabinet here. Finally, in Manchester you can also take kids to the National Football Museum, which focuses on the history of English soccer. This museum also has a whole floor with an interactive section, which is especially fun for kids who love soccer.
Manchester with kids: other activities
There are more activities to do with kids in Manchester besides those listed above. We briefly name them below.
#5 Manchester museum: you can also visit this museum for free and this museum is also located right in the center of the city. They have many collections and exhibits in many fields here. For kids, the section with dinosaurs, mummies and stuffed animals may be interesting to visit.
#6 Hop on Hop off buses: if you want a quick (and relaxed) way to see the city of Manchester then these buses are always a great option. The buses go around the city and this entire round takes about 90 minutes. They stop at 12 different sights along this route. You can have unlimited use of these buses for two days and get on and off as often as you like.
#7 Manchester Inflatable Theme Park: a fun activity with young kids when it is raining, for example, is this indoor inflatable park. In a large hall there are several large air cushions with all kinds of obstacles, where kids can have a great time. This park is located in the west of Manchester and you can get there in twenty minutes by car (public transportation a little over half an hour). Press the blued text above to get more information on the aerial park website.
#8 Sea Life Manchester: As in many major cities around the world, you can go to Sea Life in Manchester. The formula is kind of the same everywhere. You will find several aquariums with different tropical fish such as the NEMO fish, turtles, rays and sharks. Again, you can walk through a tunnel and view the underwater world around you.
#9 Swimming Pool Active Tameside: If the weather in Manchester is not so good for a day and you still want to do something active in the city, you can choose to go swimming for a morning or an afternoon. This pool has several pools and slides, and there is also a cafe by the pool.
#10 Streetart tour Manchester: If you are a lover of street art, Manchester is the place to be. The city has beautiful artwork on various walls of buildings in the city. Online, you have several blogs, which have posted many pictures of the artworks, also mentioning the place where you can find the artworks. Nice to take a tour of the city this way with your family, while letting the kids try to spot the artworks. With a little creativity, you can even turn it into a scavenger hunt at home to give to the kids there.
Where to stay in Manchester with kids?
You can stay in Manchester with kids just fine. There are plenty of accommodations suitable for families. We list some good options that all score at least an eight from many reviews.
Budget hotel: Old Trafford Stadium Hotel
Mid-range hotel: Crowne Plaza Manchester City Centre, an IHG Hotel
Luxury hotel: Holiday Inn Manchester – City Centre, an IHG Hotel
For a list of all accommodations in Manchester, take a look here.
