As the first half term of 2025 approaches, you might be looking for activities to keep the kids busy on their week off. Manchester has an exciting array of family-friendly events and attractions, from the four-day free Super Duper Family Festival to learning all about our brains, bogies, and senses at the Science and Industry Museum

Find the perfect blend of education and entertainment, ensuring the week is filled with laughter, discovery, and cherished moments with the family below:

A Four-Day FREE Family Festival

The Super Duper Family Festival is coming to Manchester. Four days of Free Half-Term Fun across the city.

Manchester will turn into a playground for all, with a series of FREE Play Zones to explore. 

See Manchester’s public spaces, squares, and venues transformed into exciting Play Zones, with games, dancing, activities, crafts, performances, and more to enjoy. 

Explore the Play Zones: 🎮The Arcade, 🌴The Garden, 🏃‍♀️The Playground, 🎠The Carnival, ⚽The Sports Hall, 🎉The Party

The Arcade 15 Feb 2025

The Arcade

The Arcade at The Printworks  Step into retro gaming world at Printworks! Under…

The Garden 15 Feb 2025

The Garden

The Garden at the Exchange Square  Step into our city Oasis   • A real…

The Carnival 15 Feb 2025

The Carnival

The Carnival at St Ann’s Square The Carnival is coming to Town!  Get ready for an…

The Sports Hall 15 Feb 2025

The Sports Hall

The Sports Hall at The Great Northern All Your Favorite Sports Under One Roof!   Get ready…

The Party 15 Feb 2025

The Party

The Party at Aviva Studios, home of Factory International Grab your dancing shoes and join the…

February half term events in Manchester...

Wild 11 Feb 2025

How far will you go? Will going ‘wild’ help us to tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis? Manchester Museum's new exhibition  Wild , opening in the Exhibition Hall on 5 June 2024, explores our relationship with the natural world and looks at how people across the globe…

Toddler Baby Bash at Cockfields Farm 11 Feb 2025

Join us for the Toddler Baby Bash at the Farm! *Children of all ages are welcome* Bring your preschoolers for a delightful day surrounded by adorable newborn lambs, chicks, and ducklings while the big kids are at school! Enjoy engaging farmer talks, a bottle-feeding demonstration, and fun…

40 things to see, do and discover 11 Feb 2025

Discover 40 of the highlights and hidden gems that are available to explore everyday at the Science and Industry Museum. Whether it's uncovering objects from the collection, testing your own ingenuity through hands-on experiments and activities, or exploring the ideas and people who change the…

LEGO Creativity Academy 11 Feb 2025

Explore your creativity at LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Manchester to learn awesome LEGO® skills, tips and tricks from our talented Playmakers and Master Model Builder. Take part in fun LEGO activities to stretch your imagination and creativity! Creativity Academy Activities: - Pick up your…

Power Up 11 Feb 2025

Take gaming to the next level with Power Up at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester.  Play the very best video games from the past five decades and try out over a hundred different consoles with the ultimate hands-on gaming experience. There's something for everyone, from Pong to…

Sensory Exploring 14 Feb 2025

Explore the sky garden with your senses! Use the spotter sheets to find flowers that smell like chocolate and leaves which feel as soft as rabbit's ears. Discover how bats and bees use their senses as well! There will be garden and craft activities throughout February half-term. The…

Half term junkbots 15 Feb 2025

During the SUPER DUPER Family Festival, visitors to People's History Museum (PHM) can take part in Family Friendly fun inspired by the Deceptioncon robot costume, which has recently made its home at the museum. A whole host of colourful junk will be waiting, ready to be recycled into your own…

Half Term Baby Bash at Cockfields Farm 15 Feb 2025

Join us for the Barnyard Baby Bash at the farm! Surround yourself with adorable newborn lambs, chicks, and ducklings! Enjoy farmer talks, a bottle-feeding demonstration, and "Learn to be a Farmer" activities in our maternity ward. You might even witness a live birth! Cuddle Corner will be…

The Detective Dog 17 Feb 2025

Tiny & tall productions, formerly Tessa Bide Productions, brings you Julia Donaldson and Sara Ogilvie's well-loved story, the detective dog on stage for deaf and hearing family audiences. Whether it’s finding a lost shoe or discovering who did a poo on the new gravel path, Nell’s…

Discover Manchester Craft and Design Centre 18 Feb 2025

Discover Manchester Craft and Design Centre Located in the heart of the Northern Quarter, the Manchester Craft and Design Centre is a vibrant hub for creativity and craftsmanship. For over 40 years, it has been home to some of the region's most talented independent designers and makers. With 20…

The Three Little Pigs 18 Feb 2025

Enter the incredible world of Stuff and Nonsense. There’s a wolf coming… but for now, The Three Little Pigs have tricked him onto a bus. If he catches them, he’ll huff and he’ll puff and we all know how that ends… On the run and with the need to build a strong…

Family Fun day at Rochdale Town Hall 18 Feb 2025

Join us for a spectacular Free Family Fun Day, where laughter and joy await! Come together and enjoy a delightful day filled with arts, crafts, music, dancing, circus and more! Let your creativity soar as you explore the Town Hall with your family. Take part in arts workshops run by our friends from…

Jack & The Beanstalk 22 Feb 2025

Fee Fi Fo Fum! It's a giant of a show and The Waterside would love you to come! This classic fairytale now gets the Lyngo treatment so expect lots of surprises and beautiful images as Patrick Lynch (from Cbeebies) tells the gripping story of Jack who sells his cow for 5 magic beans and…

This February, Z-arts invites audiences of all ages to experience the enchanting story of The Velveteen Rabbit or How Toys Become Real, brought to life by northern dance theatre company balletLORENT. This timeless tale of love and transformation, adapted from the 1920s classic children's story…

Strap in and prepare to blast off on a cosmic adventure like no other as you venture into the thrilling music experience of Groove Onto the Moon! In this fun sci-fi adventure, children aged 3 to 7 and their adventurous grown-ups will be transported into space, encountering alien creatures, embarking…

After their SELL OUT 10 year anniversary tour, Circus Funtasia is back with a bang! Bear witness to some amazing feats by world class talent... Hear the roar of motorbike engines (this year even MORE death defying), become mesmerized by the stunning aerialists and jaw dropping wheel of death…

The Wizarding Adventure 19 Feb 2025

It's time to sign up to our spellbinding school of sorcery as you take a wacky and wonderful whistle stop tour of the Wizard Academy and learn to become a master of mystery and magic. Your adventure includes a steam train ride from Bury to Rawtenstall and back, a roughly two-hour wizard…

Bing's Birthday 20 Feb 2025

Join Bing and his friends Sula, Pando, Coco, Amma and of course Flop as they get ready to celebrate his special day in the brand-new live stage show, Bing's Birthday! It’s Bing’s birthday and everyone is very excited! Things won't always go to plan but, with the guidance of Flop…

Travel to Wonderland 20 Feb 2025

You're late, you're late, for a very important date! It's time to take a tumble down the Rabbit Hole for a curious adventure through Wonderland with Alice and her friends. Your adventure includes a steam train ride from Bury to Rawtenstall and back, a roughly two-hour Wonderland…

Day of Dance with Lowry 17 Feb 2025

Love to move? Aged between 10-16 years? If so, this Day of Dance is for you! Dance Artists, Cameron and Shannon, share their top tips and inspire young people of all abilities through a day of physical, creative workshops. Who? Dance enthusiasts of all abilities aged 10-16 years beginner-advanced…

Illuminate Light Night 2025 22 Feb 2025

Illuminate 2025 See Oldham in a new light as Illuminate Light Night returns for its seventh year in the town centre on Saturday 22 February 2025, 6-9pm and Sunday 23 February 2025, 6.30-9.30pm, at Northern Roots Urban Farm and Eco Park. Experience 'Light Art in the Dark' inspired by our 2025…

Family films at HOME 11 Feb 2025

Join us every week for family films at HOME Treat yourself to a Saturday cinema trip or catch a film on select Wednesdays during school holidays with our Disney classics and latest releases. All tickets are £3.50 (even the adults!) and kids eat free* in our restaurant with a film ticket. *…

Work In Theatre Course 18 Feb 2025

This February Half Term. Palace Theatre are thrilled to offer an exclusive opportunity to discover more about theatre careers… Work in Theatre is the programme for young people aged 14-17 to gain key insight into the different workings, roles and skills that make up the theatre…

Tatton's Park Scarecrow Festival 15 Feb 2025

Fee-fi-fo-fun for all the family at the annual Scarecrow Festival at Tatton Park this February Half Term Families will love spotting their favourite fairytale characters while visiting the Gardens and Farm this half term, from 15 February until 2 March (closed on Mondays). From Rapunzel to…

Experience the Magic of Louby Lou 20 Feb 2025

Experience the Magic of Louby Lou on The Orient Main Stage, 20 February Get ready for a show packed with laughter, surprises, and pure excitement! Louby Lou blends traditional clowning with modern Ibiza dance tunes, dazzling magic, and plenty of unexpected fun. To top it all off, she finishes with…

Hold On To Your Butts 12 Feb 2025

65 million years ago, dinosaurs ruled the Earth… 30 years ago, a movie about dinosaurs ruled the box office… This February, you are invited to HOLD ON TO YOUR BUTTS! Hold On To Your Butts is a must see “shot-for-shot” parody of the greatest dinosaur film of all time. After…

Pirates & Mermaids Cruise 20 Feb 2025

Arrgh, there be MUTINY! The dastardly Irwell Pirates have been joined by the Mersey Mermaids for another mutiny on the Isabella. Pirate Tilly and her cohorts brings another kids TAKEOVER to the Manchester Ship Canal. On an hour-long cruise from Salford Quays the Mermaids & dastardly Irwell…

Chila Welcomes You 11 Feb 2025

Step into Chila Kumari Singh Burman’s imagination at  Chila Welcomes You , a major new art commission for IWM North.  The exhibition is a personal perspective on the heritage of conflict and stories of Indian migration to Britain after the Second World War.  In an immersive and…

Day trip ideas for February half term in Manchester...

With a fantastic selection of rides, attractions and shows to see each day, Gulliver's World guarantees you one of the best family days out in the UK. There's so much to experience, from the wild rides in Western World to the thrilling rides of Smugglers Wharf. Gulliver's Resort…

Cockfields Farm is an amazing day out for the whole family. Spend your day feeding, handling, stroking and learning about the massive range of animals they have on the farm. Animal handling encounters usually run every 30 mins so you can get up close with bunnies, guinea pigs, lizards, snakes…

Chester Zoo is home to over 27,000 endangered and unusual animals based in beautiful, award-winning zoological gardens. With over 500 different animal species in our 128 acres of award-winning gardens, you’re sure to have a great day out full of adventure where you’ll feel empowered and…

Nestled deep in the heart of the Irwell Valley, the East Lancashire Railway spans 12 miles of beautiful Lancastrian scenery and over a century of rich history.  The railway can trace its storied origins back to the heady days of the Industrial Revolution when it was part of a network ferrying…

Manchester welcomes World-Famous Museum of Illusions to the city! Enter the fascinating world of illusions where nothing is ever quite as it seems. This highly anticipated new attraction promises a captivating experience for visitors of all ages, immersing them in a world of optical illusions and…

Oxygen Activeplay is about to bounce into Manchester, bringing BIG-TIME fun to MediaCity from the 17th of February! In the new, state-of-the-art venue, families can let loose on 24 awesome trampolines, leap into the comfort of a mega-air bag, battle it out in an interactive strike arena, scale an…

Adventure through the streets of Manchester's city centre and unlock a hidden trail by finding clues, solving puzzles & completing challenges, earning points along the way all self-guided through the Go Quest Adventures app. See the area's highlights, explore it's hidden gems and…

Manchester City Stadium Tour is part of the Visit Manchester Pass - giving you entry to iconic attractions and access to exclusive discounts across the city, make the most of your time in Manchester with the Visit Manchester Pass. With 1, 2 and 3 day passes, find out more and purchase…

Extraordinary Powerful Stories  IWM North makes full use of its renowned architecture to present powerful and inspiring stories. Explore a vast collection of 2,000 objects from the First World War to present day and learn about the impact of world-shaping events and war on people’s lives…

You can find Go Ape in the heart of Lancashire, a 20-minute drive from Bolton. Tucked away in the borough of Chorley, the high ropes experience lies adjacent to Lower Rivington Reservoir. If you're looking for things to do and a fun day out close to Manchester look no further. Days out at Go Ape…

Graystone is a world class action sports facility located just off Liverpool Street. The facility features a 25,000 sqft park, 'The View' Bar & Restaurant, a retail store, fitne studio, physio space, versatile meeting room/classroom and a digital media suite. Graystone offers…

Family friendly hotels in Manchester

February Half Term is the perfect opportunity for families to extend your stay in Manchester and explore everything the City has to offer. Take a look at some of our top family-friendly hotels...

February half term offers in Manchester

Take advantage of Manchester's special offers to make your half-term adventures even more affordable.

For more inspiration on things to do in Manchester over half term and beyond, check out our What's On page.