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Family things to do in the North

Shekina Rose, Families Editor

2025 is upon us and Manchester and the North’s arts and cultural calendar continues to thrive with amazing events and activities for families, from comedy shows, to sense-sational science exhibitions, kid-friendly fairy-tale ballet and robot-themed arts and crafts.

Read our highlights below, including Olaf Falafel’s Stupidest Super Stupid Show at The Lowry, Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You at the Science and Industry Museum, Northern Ballet’s Hansel & Gretel, Half Term Junkbots at People’s History Museum, Wild About Birds at Manchester Museum and more.

Our top picks

Olaf Falafel’s Stupidest Super Stupid Show at The Lowry

Olaf Falafel's Stupidest Super Stupid Show at Lowry, Manchester, 2 March 2025 - Book now

Olaf Falafel is back and he’s more stupid and hilarious than ever before! Expect ridiculous family friendly comedy as Olaf Falafel’s Stupidest Super Stupid Show comes to Manchester this March.

 

Find out more
Olaf Falafel

Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You at the Science and Industry Museum

Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You at Science and Industry Museum, Manchester, 15 February 2025–4 January 2026, from £10.00 - Book now

Get ready for a sense-sational adventure packed with super-sized science and brilliant biology!

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Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You Dr Chris, Dr Xand and Dr Ronx sitting on a hospital bed
Science Museum Group

Northern Ballet’s Hansel & Gretel

Hansel & Gretel at Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre, Leeds, 15–22 February 2025, from £8.25 - Book now

A magical family adventure awaits at Northern Ballet’s brand-new children’s production, Hansel & Gretel. 

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An illustration of Hansel & Gretel standing on a hill with a city scape behind them Northern Ballet's Hansel & Gretel
Image supplied by Leeds Inspired

Wild About Birds at Manchester Museum

Wild About Birds at Manchester Museum, Manchester, 15–23 February 2025, free entry - Find Out More

Explore the wonderful world of birds at the Manchester Museum this February half-term.

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A heron in the Wild exhibition at Manchester Museum.
Manchester Museum

Half term Junkbots at People’s History Museum

Half term Junkbots at People’s History Museum (PHM), Manchester, 15–23 February 2025, free entry - Find Out More

Enjoy an awesome family activity, where little inventors and big ones too can build their very own robot.

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Two colourful 'robots' made from kitchen rolls and different coloured paper. Half term junkbots at people's history museum
© EvaMur - stock.adobe.com

Horrible Histories: Awful Egyptians

Horrible Histories: Awful Egyptians at Manchester Opera House, Manchester, 13–15 February 2025, from £15.00 - Book now

Get ready for a hilarious and educational adventure that makes history fun for the whole family – kids, parents, grandparents included!

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Horrible Histories: Awful Egyptians
Image supplied by ATG Tickets

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at Palace Theatre

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at Palace Theatre, Manchester, 11–16 March 2025, from £15.00 - Book now

Our favourite flying car is brum-brumming over to Manchester for a fun-filled musical adventure to magical, faraway lands.

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Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at Palace Theatre
Image supplied by ATG Tickets

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, Manchester Barton Square, The Trafford Centre, Manchester, M17 8AS - Visit now

The ultimate indoor playground! LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is an immersive indoor attraction where iconic sites from Manchester’s skyline and other famous UK buildings can be enjoyed by both kids and adults.

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LEGOLAND Discovery Centre

Mary Poppins at the Palace Theatre

Mary Poppins at Manchester Opera House, Manchester, 9 April–17 May 2025, from £15.00 - Book now

A supercalifragilisticexpialidocious family treat awaits as the world’s most loved nanny flies over to Manchester in April 2025.

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Mary Poppins at the Palace Theatre
Mary Poppins. Image courtesy of Daniel Boud.

Discover and Explore at the Science and Industry Museum

Discover and Explore at the Science and Industry Museum at Science and Industry Museum, Manchester, Until 30 September 2025 - Book now

Whether you’ve half an hour or a full day, you’ll always find something new to discover at Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum.

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Discover and Explore at the Science and Industry Museum
State of Mind installation at the Science and Industry Museum. Image courtesy of Orbie Pullen Photography.

Power Up at the Science and Industry Museum

Power UP at Science and Industry Museum, Manchester, Until 30 March 2025, from £8.00 - Book now

From Mario to Sonic and Pong to Fortnite, play your way through five decades of the best video games. Fun and educational. Win-win.

Find out more
Boy playing retro arcade games in Power Up.
Image courtesy of the Science and Industry Museum.

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Family things to do in the North

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Theatre
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The MerseyMade building in Liverpool
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A table with a view of Liverpool at the fine dining restaurant Panoramic 34
Liverpool
Restaurant
Panoramic 34

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A sculpture of a dark brown dog looks to the right, hanging out of its middle and the back are what appears to be its insides (in cream) spilling out.
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