February events for families in the North West and Manchester area

There is always loads going on for families in the North West, including free and cheap events, but over half term some venues push the boat out and put on some really special events. Here are some of the things you can get up to with your children this half term and Spring...

In Manchester...

The intu Trafford Centre

Foodie arts and crafts activities 12-5pm outside Topshop, Upper Regent Crescent.


Tuesday 21st - Children can create their dream breakfast with a variety of fillings for their crepes or waffles. Healthy options include blueberries and bananas while a dash of toffee and chocolate sauce for a tasty treat.
Wednesday 23rd - For a twist on the traditional lunch, little chefs can create sandwich sushi rolls or sandwich kebabs with a variety of ingredients.
Thursday 24th - Give kids the chance to design their own pizza topping in an afternoon of fun, followed by a take-home pizza ready to bake in the oven.
Friday 25th - Sweet tooths beware we have saved the best till last - its dessert time! Children can make their very own mini banoffee pie or fruit & sponge sundae to devour.

Restaurant activities:

Tampopo Wednesday 22 & Thursday 23 Feb 11:30-12:30 both days (12 children per day, must be pre-booked: http://intu.co.uk/traffordcentre/events/gyoza-making-at-tampopo) Kids will get the chance to make everyone's favourite little Asian dumplings - delicious gyozas in this fun, interactive child-friendly cooking class. Please note the workshops are for children only, parents can watch.
Coast to Coast Tuesday 21 Feb 3-5pm (half an hour each, 10 children per class, must be pre-booked: http://intu.co.uk/traffordcentre/events/kids-mocktail-classes-at-coast-to-coast) Mini mixologists will love Coast to Coast where they can learn all about the delicious ingredients that go into making these tasty mocktails and how to shake up their own.

Activities are free for all the family and are open to all ages. Visit the Trafford Centre Website to find details of what’s on and opening hours.

Waterside Arts, Sale, Manchester

For all fans of the loveable sheep and animation of all kinds, there is also still time to catch Waterside Arts Centre’s acclaimed exhibition, Puppet Masters Return with Aardman Studios, running until April 1st. This fantastic exhibition is packed full of original props, puppets and production artwork from many of Aardman’s most famous films and characters. From Timmy Time and Wallace and Gromit to the Pirates! In An Adventure with Scientists!, this really is the perfect half term treat for film fans big and small. Entry is free.
Join us on February 25th for a spot of ComedySportz - our monthly improv show. Largely aimed at ages 8+, this comedy-fuelled evening features two teams as they battle it out with wit and wacky songs in quick-fire rounds, sketches and games. Audience participation encouraged - sense of humour essential.

Our weekly Family Club will be in full swing offering a range of crafty activities for little makers and their handy grown-ups. In celebration of our Aardman Exhibition, create a 3D card on Saturday 25th February.  Family Club 10am – 12pm Drop In – no booking necessary (first come first served basis) £1(for Family Club members)/ £2.50 (for non Family Club members) Suitable for ages 4 + Comedysportz Saturday 25 February 6.30pm £7/£5 Suitable for ages 8+ Box Office – 0161 912 5616 Exhibition: Puppet Masters Return with Aardman Studios Ongoing until 1 April Mon – Sat 10am – 5pm Free – drop in Suitable for all ages

Full information on all these shows and activities plus listings of the Waterside Arts Centre’s complete Spring Season – including theatre, live music, workshops, films, comedy and much more – is available via the Waterside Artsc Centre website.

Greater Manchester

Octagon Theatre, Bolton

Octagon Theatre Bolton are thrilled to announce the line up for 2 exciting festivals celebrating new talent this Spring. The Octagon's second annual REVEAL Festival (Tue 28 February - Sat 18 March 2017) will be showcasing talented work from theatre makers from across the country inside the Octagon’s Studio space, online and in a variety of locations outside the theatre. This is an amazing opportunity to experience the work of emerging theatre-makers and artists in different spaces,

Running alongside the REVEAL Festival will be the Octagon's annual Top 5 season of plays, which will be performed in the Octagon Studio by professional actors, script-in-hand (Wed 1 March - Thu 9 March 2017). Selected from over 800 entries this is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy the work of talented writers from across the country.

Find out more and book tickets on the Octagon Bolton website.


Further Afield...

Eureka - The National Children's Museum in Halifax 

There's a  Space Trek event running through 11th to 26th Feb. Science fact meets science fiction for a space adventure!
We love Eureka, it's a great place to visit with children 0-11. Entry is £12.95pp/£5.25 aged 1/under 1 free. Car parking charges apply. Don't forget to upgrade your daily entry tickets to annual passes for FREE as you leave! For more information, see my review or the Eureka Website. 

Epstein Theatre, Liverpool

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Wednesday, 22nd February 2017 Time: 11.30am and 2pm Tickets: £11, family tickets (2 adults & 2 children) £40
The Tiger Who Came To Tea Thursday, 30th March – Saturday, 1st April 2017 Times: Thu 1.30pm, Fri 10.30am & 1.30pm, Sat 11am& 2pm. Tickets: £13.50, £11 for groups of 10+
Sleeping Beauty Friday, 7th April – Sunday, 23rd April Times: Vary Tickets: Adults £18.50, Concessions £16.50, Family Tickets £60
To book tickets please call 0844 888 4411* or go online at the Epstein Liverpool website * or in person at The Epstein Theatre Box Office from 2pm - 6pm Monday - Thursday and 12pm-6pm Friday - Saturday. 


St George’s Hall, Liverpool. 

Following its sell-out run in 2013, The Narnia Experience returns next month; the critically acclaimed interactive walk-through experience is back from 8 – 25 February and tickets are on sale now. Brought to life once again by Crosby-based community theatre charity In Another Place, the company also behind 2016’s hugely successful production, The Alice Experience. Suitable for age 3+, tickets cost £8-£13 Adult/£6-£10 Child. Lasts 90 minutes approx, Autism-friendly and BLS signed performances available. For more information see the website.

Cheshire East - Crewe Library / Macclesfield Print Mill

Cheshire East is delighted to announce the launch of SHIFT – its brand new borough-wide programme celebrating digital arts and tech in 2017 and beyond. Exhibitions, installations and workshops, talks, tech meet ups and pop-up maker stations - SHIFT is bursting full of inspiring and creative things to do, see, create and experience for novices and professionals alike, of all ages and abilities.

All sessions – including wearable tech, art with conductive ink and circuit making -  run from 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm for children accompanied by a grown up. All events are free but some places are limited.

Tuesday 21st February:  
Copper Circuits Workshops Join one five west for a creative copper circuits workshop. Make your very own take home light-up posters and cards from a very simple circuit made using copper tape. Timed sessions run from 10-12 and 1-3. Each session lasts 45 minutes. Crewe Library. Suitable for ages 7 and upwards. Booking: 01270 375295 crewe.library@cheshireeast.gov.uk
Makey Makey Human playable keyboard Use your body to make music in this quite literal hands-on activity - where each child’s hand becomes playable. 10am-12pm Macclesfield Print Mill, Drop In. Free. Suitable for all ages

Wednesday 22nd February:
Interactive Monster Makers In this family workshop, use conductive ink to create a circuit and make your very own take home monster. Crewe Library. Suitable for all ages. Drop In 10am-12pm & 1pm-3pm
Create your own Light up animal badge or flower bracelet Using simple e-textile components, and the most simple and basics of circuit building, crafty kids can create and customise their very own wearable tech badge or bracelet to brighten up their weekends before a return to school beckons! Suitable for ages 5 and up, Macclesfield Print Mill. Session runs 10.00am, 10.45am and 11.30am. Booking via the Print Mill’s facebook page

Thursday 23rd February:
PatternCraft Come along to create an 8x8 punch-card design using traditional punch and hammer. Feed your card into the reader and by the magic of Python code, converting the physical holes into binary files of 0s and 1s, build it on a Minecraft Map. Family drop in activity. Crewe Library. Drop In 10am-12pm, 1pm-3pm. Suitable for all ages.
Free Interactive Monster Makers In this drop in family workshop, use conductive ink to create a circuit and make your very own take home monster. Macclesfield Print Mill. Suitable for all ages. Drop In 10am-12pm

Friday 24th February:
Create your own Light up animal head badge or flower bracelet Crewe Library. Suitable for ages 5 and up, Booking: 01270 375295 crewe.library@cheshireeast.gov.uk 10am-12pm, 1pm-3pm